The RAF has scheduled a flyin for Sullivan Lake (09S) in Washington State on 8/12. The Noisy Creek fire and TFR have been placed over this backcountry strip for a couple of weeks. Any idea if the fire will be out by then? How aggressively is it being fought? When I flew through Montana on the way to Oshkosh, it appeared a good portion of the fire fighting planes were operating on the many fires there. If the TFR and fire persist, is there a back-up date for the Sullivan Lake RAF gathering? Inquiring minds want to know.

It looks like the strategy is monitoring and point protection. Estimated Completion is Sept. 30. They use the term COMP (stands for compleated) when the objective is something other than suppression. Given the hot and dry weather forecast the next several days I would say the probability of the fly in happening on 8/12 is slim to none.

Noisy Cr fire Inciweb link. Photos, maps, closures, news updates etc.
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5388/

This morning's IR. 08 01 17

The TFR is active, and last word I had (this morning) the fire is burning actively with smoke in the valleys. IMHO postponing the RAF flyin to the second or third week of september might not be a bad idea, though with a pssible warm September things might still be questionable.

Just got this email from RAF:


RAF Weekend at Cavanaugh Bay
(originally RAF Weekend at Sullivan Lake)
August 12-13, 2017
Priest Lake, ID
Due to fire and fire fighting efforts near Sullivan Lake (09S) we have changed the RAF Weekend to Cavanaugh Bay (66S) Priest Lake, Idaho. Come and join in the fun!
Join RAF WA State Liaison, Dave Whitelaw, for a fun RAF weekend, August 12th and 13th at Cavanaugh Bay (66S).  
The Whitelaw Brothers will be BBQ'ing King Salmon on Saturday please bring your favorite side dish to share for the dinner such as a  salad, dessert, etc.
Camping at tent sites or under wing, showers and water on field, 6-8 bicycles for pilots use, courtesy car, boat /kayak rentals nearby, very short walk to lake shore (bring your floaty), - there is the Cavanaugh Bay Resort with a full restaurant and bar, with deck over looking the bay (not open for breakfast).
Note that the traffic pattern for the airport is Right hand- standard 122.9 freq.
We look forward to seeing you there!!
For further details contact Dave Whitelaw at [email protected]

Sullivan Lake is fun but I'd MUCH prefer 66S anyways.

The PNW and SW Canada are all on fire. I'm in SE WA and it's MFR for days due to smoke. It sucks. Temps over 100 for weeks on end.

Better than snow...

Richland is "southwest Washington"?

I'm curious as to the smoke conditions there.
Sand Point is reporting 10 mile viz this morning so maybe not a concern.

Then again, some of the Puget Sound airports are reporting pretty good viz too,
although the skies look murky--
maybe it's a lot better on the ground than aloft?
My airport is reporting 8 mile viz this morning, looked like 3 or 4 yesterday & Wednesday.

I haven't flown since sunday-- might have to check it out today,
as I'd like to head up to Orcas tomorrow morning for their fly-in.

hotrod180 wrote:Richland is "southwest Washington"?

I'm sure it is in some universe...

Hotrod;

I flew from S43 to S16 ( Harvey to Copalis Beach) yesterday and the smoke was effin horrible. It topped out about 7500 on the way over and over 8000 on the way back Paine (KPAE) was reporting six mile vis, but from 2000 feet the slant visibility was such that I almost overran the field and I fly into there pretty much weekly.

Thanks to ADS-B for tracking what little traffic there was since the one plane I saw was probably 1.5 miles slant distance from me when it became visible. Probably would have missed it if I had not been looking in the quadrant shown on ADS-B.

Beach was nice, however, 64 F w/ a very nice breeze.

TD

I'm headed to central CA next week. I hope as I go south it gets better. The descent through the layer is nerve wracking.