Hike Info:
Type:Lookout
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:
 |
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.
