This isn't looking good for our friends in the area:

http://www.ktvb.com/story/news/local/idaho/2015/08/15/lawyer-complex-fire/31789651/

Hoping for the best possible outcome for those impacted by this. BCP's IdahoMauleDriver has a home in the area so we certainly hope his home is spared and he and his family are safely riding this out.

James is in that area as well, I believe (Clearwater international).

Mike

Will send prayers up for those affected! Rain - soon!

We fought the Pony Creek, and Elk Complex fires here in 2013. Very difficult.

Hope for the best!

- Joseph

I grew up in the next town over from Orofino. It's really bad up there. 42 homes and 95 structures as of this morning and still very active.

There are a lot of big wildfires burning all over the west right now. We have been breathing smoke for days, but my neighborhood is not in danger. Best wishes to all whose homes are. Hope it starts raining soon, but I'm certainly not counting on it. The aerial fire suppression fleet has really advanced over the last few years. There is a "Fire Bombers" facebook page that's fun to watch.

blackrock wrote:...James is in that area as well, I believe (Clearwater international).....

Supermaule's stripis actually "Clear Creek Int'l", but being near Kooskia I believe it is in the area of the fire(s).
I live out in the woods, it's pretty scary watching the fires on TV. There has been some big fires here on the Olympic Peninsula in the past, but they're not common-- it's (usually) wet enough around here that the timber doesn't ignite like it does over on the dry side. It can still happen though.

FWIW I just donated some money to the Red Cross, who's always out there providing aid for those displaced by the fires. You can't earmark your donation for a specific place, so I just designate that it's for disaster response. I don't donate big money, but I usually donate whenever I see something like this going on.

We had some tense hours as the fire was only a few miles away. It moved South lucky for us but very unlucky for others. We lost power for several days. Still quite a bit of summer and warm temps forecast for the rest of August so we are still at Stage 2 alert.

My "neighborhood" is filled with loggers and farmers and we have the ability to do major fire control with Cats and logging machines and we all are "on point" watching for signs so we will not give up without a fight but anything can happen.

Biggest issue so far to deal with is that S68 is IFR so it is probably going to prevent me from flying down to the Austin Blowout !!!!

A very scary fire season so far. The smoke is so thick I can't tell if it's close or further away from my house. Negotiating the Fire TFRs is a challenge too. A accurate GPS and IFR skills are required to get into my place these days.

As you can see from the picture below, my house is very suseptable to a fast moving fire. I have a Cat, but right now I'm stuck in Dallas for two weeks flying simulators.

Anyway I'm looking forward to the fall rains and hunting season.

James
"stuck in Dallas"

Prayers sent for you and all involved.

The critters too.

I've been using ForeFlight to follow to TFR, assuming that will parallel the fire activity.

The southeast tip of the TFR currently is at CCI.

The TFR's seem to have been growing, up to north of Orofino and west to Craigmont.

CCI marks the southeastern boundary.

Satellite imagry on FF shows no shading, so I assume no active smoke.

Hello Backcountry Pilots:

Very scary!

James
"stuck in Dallas"

Here's a link to an interactive map that will update with latest MODIS hits and wind next 6 hrs each time you open it. Click on "About this map" in the upper left to see the legend and how to change the overlays. http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.p ... d_fire.txt

You can zoom in and scroll around to other parts of the West to see other fires.

It's been so smoky here (near KPIH) I didn't fly for the last several days. Today I made a short flight into Pocatello to check on a crane job, viz was an estimated 3 to 5 miles and really not much fun to fly in. It better clear a bit or I'm not going to the Austin fly-in Good luck on your situation James, it must be nervewracking not being there to get a first hand handle on things.