Hike Info : Description
I must have been either well rested or restless this morning. Since 0400 I have been waking up and going back to sleep. It got a bit cooler last night here at Delilah. Still, it was warm enough with the blanket. Even more comfortable after putting my socks on. By 0600, it was time to get up to meet a new day. But not too fast. I read for a little while, then I rolled out of bed.
Before going in service, I head down stairs, taking a load of stuff I will not need today.Then I do an inventory of consumable supplies we have in a shed for the lookout. By this time, it is time for a quick breakfast and to go into service. But before going into service, I have another brilliant thought. I have a BaoFang radio I use for backpacking-emergency use only. I switch it to Sierra’s frequency. I hear them and then go into service with the BaoFang. Sounds like I have a means to communicate somewhat normally. Listen on the handheld, but talk to Sierra on the BaoFang while talking to Porterville on the handheld.
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| Morning view. Even the Coastal Range is visible |
I have a certain amount of joy having solved this problem. And now onto the rest of the day. It is more of the same as yesterday. Look around, hoping not to see any signs of smoke, but if there is any sign, I want to be the first to spot it. Listen to the radio-there is enough activity out there between illegal campfires and cars parked blocking the road and a few downed branches. Also our normal things like listening to the weather and staffing and checking in with Sierra.
At noon, I made myself the second hamburger. As I was finishing lunch, Kathy called me. She is going to come in tomorrow and wants to know about anything amiss. I tell her it has been cold in the afternoon, to dress warmly. She is scrounging around for a coat. And then I tell her about the radio and my solution to the radio problem. She does not have a spare radio with her, so she will use the pre-Sierra lookout check-in. I guess I will do that this afternoon as well, to get Sierra used to it. It is always fun and enjoyable talking with Kathy, so I do not hurry to get off the phone with her.
But when I do, and after about 10 minutes of silence-after doing a scan-I realize that the radio has been silent for a while. Wonder if the battery is dead. Yep. Replaced the battery, got the used one charged and then talked with Buck Rock to see if I missed anything-nope.
The problem with being alone for three days is that there are times I start thinking strange thoughts, hallucinations, if you will, that I have the ability to be lyrical in my writing. So I attempt things like this:
Having written my journal for
the last couple of days, I have also become aware that one thing I
have not touched on is how the landscape unfolds. There is something
about today in particular where the land is becoming alive. From my
perch, close to a mile above sea level, I look down towards Pine Flat
Reservoir. The land just seems to spread out further, with the sun
glistening off of the field of gold. The dried grass does not seem to
be dead today, but having a resurrection to a new vibrant state. The
ripple of the hills are more definite, like land waves on an ocean of
earth. 
Looking westward, towards the Valley
While looking up the
Kings is
always wonderful to me. I look and see the Monarch
Range standing
even taller and more stately than usual. I can see all the way back
into Split
Mountain.
Times like this are a strong reason why I love being in a
lookout.These times make me glad that I know there is a God who
creates these moments, even if it is only for me.
Looking up the Kings. The Monarch Range is in the middle; Split Mouutain in background, for left
That is enough of inflicting you all with my attempt at something approaching poetic description. Now back to work. Just got word on the radio that all resources, including lookouts will be off at 1900. I was planning on leaving at 1800. I am getting a bit tired and somehow that drive back is looking longer.
But then at 1556, Division 3 radioed to Porterville that he had gotten a report of a fire in the Hartland area. This is a populated area with Christian summer camps there. He wants resources to start rolling until he can find out a bit more. Hartland is blocked from my view by a ridge, but I still scan in that direction for smoke-nothing. A few minutes later, he says that the fire is more towards Whitaker Forest, which is right outside of Redwood Canyon. I still cannot see, there is a bigger ridge blocking the view from there. Neither Park Ridge or Buck Rock can see anything. Firefighters arrive on the scene. A dead snag on a Giant Sequoia had been burning and had fallen to the ground, starting a fire in the duff surrounding it. The area itself is not big, I think they said 10’x10’. But I think people are concerned since this is just outside of the KNP Complex burn area of last year. When the lat/long is given, I compute the azimuth and distance for Buck Rock and Park Ridge and give them the information to assist them in looking for smoke. Later on, I hear a couple people talking on R5 about where did this fire come from? Is it a residue of the KNP Complex? There has been periodic smoke coming out of the general area from Big Baldy north, but nobody has been able to track it down. It would be interesting to know the determination.
And now, my day is coming to a close. I start packing up, cleaning up the cab, including mopping the floor and disinfecting the counter tops. Buck Rock calls me, asking how I got the azimuths. I explain to her my spreadsheet calculator and promise to send a link to it.
Looking towards Hartland and no smoke. Hartland would be middle left
By the time I get all set to go and do a final scan, it is 1830-halfway between when I thought I would be getting out and when resources are being released. The trip back home is not bad, traffic is pretty light. I only get behind a string of cars going slightly slower than I do. But when I did hit highway 180, I realized that I had forgotten to pack the stuff in the refrigerator. Too late to go back. This gives me another chance to talk with Kathy tomorrow. I get home about 2030, tired and ready for a shower.
Two additional notes:
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| Smoke in Fresno-outside of my area |
The base radio never showed up. Talking with Kathy the next day, there were questions about where the radio was.
Also on Tuesday, Sherri talked about an article she saw about two fires on the 4th of July in the Pine Flat area. One of them is called the Fish Fire. I am concerned for two reasons. First, I should have seen the smokes from them-I look down in that area. Second, Sierra would have been called out on that and I did not hear them. Was I that asleep? Were other conversations going on that I missed? The answer is no on both counts. When I looked at the article, I noted that whatever brought it to Sherri’s attention, forgot to mention it was from 2021. We had spotted these smokes last year on the 4th. I feel so much better now.
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