This might be my last time at a lookout this season. Between the season coming to a close and me working in the front yard, I may not get a chance to be up here again this season. There are two ways to approach this:
- Make the most of it, or
-
Just enjoy the time I have and
let things be how I normally go.
No Smoke in the Blue Canyon area
I pretty much choose the
latter. As it turns out, it is pretty quiet, with nothing “special”,
no mountaintop revelations. Just being up here is special. In the
Background, I am entering my personal log. So the verbiage will be
minimal.
Before and After CLearing on Pine Ridge
One thing which I did notice
coming into Delilah
is that there was clearing work being done. Many of the dead trees
have been removed, along with the surrounding shrubbery. While not
garden-like, there is a sense of orderliness and a glimpse of
underlying potential for beauty. Of course then, there are the stacks
of logs to remind me of the destruction of both the bark beetle and
the Rough
Fire.
Evening
The most excitement happens at
0930 when I go in service. Sierra asks me to look over in the Blue
Canyon
area. Civil aviation thinks a plane spotted a smoke in the area. I do
not see anything, but Sacata
Ridge
would hide a small smoke. I report out that there was no smoke
visible. Buck
Rock had
also called me about this
.
 |
| Moon over Fresno |
A patrol says that there is a smoke in the Redwood Canyon area. Buck Rock had previously reported that. Also I think Ash Mountain has gotten tired of being alerted to it.
Later on I heard a discussion of the Kaweah Fire in the Jennie Lake area. I chime in that there had been six strikes at Jennie Lake two weeks ago. What we are hearing is that it is an escaped campfire.
 |
| What is this smudge |
By 1700 I had gone out of service with both Sierra and Porterville. There is still about an hour of sunlight, so I go for a short walk. I have three purposes. First, just to stretch my legs. Second, look over a bit of the area where trees and brush have been cleared. And lastly, see if there are a few rounds which may serve as seats in our front yard. I think I was successful on all three. Plus, there were some good Fall colors and fading light of day pictures I took.
When I get back in the cab, I have my dinner of Mac & Cheese plus chicken noodle soup. Satisfying. I get cleaned up and ready for bed. By this time, the sun has gone down and there is a sliver of moon showing above Fresno. I start taking pictures. of this and the night sky. Some of them actually came out. There is what looks like a smudge of a star. Even when I move the camera. I wonder what that is? At 2015 I talked with Sherri for a while. Then read and then go to sleep.
Background
Activity |
Time |
From |
To |
Digest |
|
530 |
|
|
Got up and got ready. Breakfast |
|
545 |
|
|
Lightning report-no lightning |
|
702 |
|
|
Left home |
|
703 |
|
|
Left Fresno |
|
839 |
|
|
Got to Delilah |
|
840 |
|
|
My Emergency water had tipped over. Almost no emergency water left. I still have plenty for the two days |
|
845 |
|
|
I took the first load up stairs. |
|
854 |
|
|
I discovered forgot cheese and salami in refrig at home. Still have plenty to eat, just different than I planned. I had just looked at my list and that was the last thing to pack |
|
856 |
|
|
Delilah has a pully system to bring up supplies. The pully lines are tangled up. Need to straighten out. |
|
900 |
|
|
Second trip down and picked up sleeping bag and more water in day pack |
|
917 |
|
|
Took the weather for Delilah |
|
921 |
|
|
Sigh, if this keeps up, it will be a long 36 hours at Delilah. I forgot to hook in a bag to the pulley system. I need to go down to retrieve it. Third trip down to get shopping bag and fill up with water |
|
926 |
BR |
Gary |
Missed call from Buck Rock |
|
931 |
Del |
PTV |
In Service |
|
931 |
Del |
SNF |
In Service |
|
932 |
SNF |
Del |
Sierra asks if there is any smoke from Blue Canyon? I had not seen any. I will check. |
|
934 |
331 |
SNF |
No smoke from Blue Canyon. Found a smoke at Bretz Mill Camp within a fire ring |
|
938 |
SNF |
BC42 |
Copied direct from 331 |
|
940 |
Del |
SNF |
Negative smoke in Blue Canyon area |
|
943 |
|
|
Scan |
|
945 |
|
|
I am feeling a bit chaotic. Between forgetting stuff and needing to report on Blue Canyon. But nothing beyond being able to handle. Just need to get into the rhythm of being up in Delilah after close to two months away. Last time I was here, it was over 100 degrees in the cab. When I came in this morning, it was 46. |
Phone |
957 |
Del |
BR |
Returning call. Just wanted to alert me to Blue Canyon. BC42 called her earlier. FAA report of smoke in area |
|
1005 |
|
PTV |
Weather report and Staffing-Staffing unintelligible |
R5 |
1015 |
BR |
Del |
Did not hear night temps for above 6000’. |
|
1018 |
AA15 |
SNF |
Fly over on Blue Canyon |
|
1032 |
|
|
Scan |
|
1048 |
|
|
Scan |
|
1100 |
SNF |
|
Lookout checking |
|
1100 |
SNF |
|
Lookout check-in |
|
1105 |
|
|
Scan |
|
1108 |
SNF |
AA15 |
No smoke seen in Blue Canyon area |
|
1112 |
|
|
Scan |
|
1115 |
|
|
Starting to feel like I am getting into a proper rhythm. |
|
1130 |
|
|
Scan |
|
1135 |
|
|
Cleaned solar panels |
|
1147 |
|
|
Scan |
|
1148 |
E32 |
Ptv |
In Qtrs at Pinehurst |
|
1151 |
P33 |
PTV |
In Service to Big Meadows |
|
1152 |
|
|
Scan |
|
1219 |
|
|
Scan |
|
1224 |
|
|
Lunch |
|
1235 |
P33 |
BR |
Smoke near Big Baldy/Redwood Canyon. BR says it has been there all morning. She has let Ash Mountain and Div 3 know. Also she has 17% RH. |
R5 |
1255 |
P33 |
BR |
Kaweah Fire at JennieLake. P33 requested photographs. |
|
1258 |
|
|
Scan |
R5 |
1303 |
Del |
BR |
Del looked into lightning. Lightning strikes close to Jennie Lake on 10/10. But this fire is due to an escaped campfire. |
|
1311 |
|
|
Took Delilah’s Weather |
|
1338 |
|
|
Scan |
|
1350 |
|
|
Studying the area from my spreadsheet |
|
1401 |
|
|
Scan |
|
1403 |
|
|
Rest |
|
1428 |
|
|
Scan |
|
1450 |
|
|
Studying the area from my spreadsheet |
|
1456 |
|
|
Scan |
|
1517 |
BR |
PTV |
Out of Service |
|
1518 |
|
|
Did not hear BR go out of service with SNF. Found the battery was dead. Changed out battery |
|
1521 |
|
|
Scan |
|
1545 |
|
|
Scan |
|
1553 |
P33 |
PTV |
Returning to quarters |
|
1600 |
SNF |
|
Lookout check |
|
1602 |
PTV |
|
Indices and Weather |
|
1625 |
|
|
Scan |
|
1634 |
P33 |
PTV |
In Quarters |
|
1645 |
|
|
Scan |
|
1658 |
SNF |
|
Evening Status Check-Delilah Out of service |
|
1700 |
DEL |
PTV |
Out of service |
|
1715 |
|
|
Went down, for a walk, about 45 minutes. Found a couple of rounds |
|
1815 |
|
|
Dinner |
|
1850 |
|
|
Took pictures of night sky |
|
1915 |
|
|
Laid down |
|
2010 |
|
|
Talked with Sherri |
|
2100 |
|
|
Call ended. Read and went to sleep, eventually. |
Extra Photo's
 |
| Stars above Delilah |
 |
| Milky Way and not the candy bar |
 |
| Delilah |
 |
| Sunlight through the trees |
 |
| Pine Flat-very low |
 |
| Sunlight catches a few trees |
 |
| Evening and Fall Colors |
 |
| Fall colors from the cat walk |
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