Hello all! Checking in from Brookings, OR to let you know that the town is still here but unfortunately people have lost homes northwest of here and there is no doubt that more losses are to come. Today was foggy this AM and early afternoon, with the fog clearing about 3 PM but heavy low clouds overhead. Real clouds, not clouds of smoke since the wind was mostly calm or generally from the W/SW all day long. No ash either. While the fog thoroughly soaked everything it was over, unfortunately that only extends about a mile inland and north of the Chetco River along the coast for about two miles. Temperature was forecast at 67 on the coast but luckily it only got up to 57 late in the day. While temps were much hotter inland around the fire area (75-85), they were a bit lower than expected too. The light winds and lower temps made firefighting a bit easier today and the word is that the fire did not progress “much”.

The PTB held a meeting this evening at our middle school and the local radio broadcasted it. Unfortunately, I think they put the mic in a men’s room stall because it was mostly hollow sounding echoes so it was pretty hard to understand what was being said. A local reporter gave a brief synopsis of the meeting later on the same radio station, leaving out the bits about people asking why this blew up the way it did and why the fire has been so understaffed. He also left out others who were yelling and asking who was going to pay for their losses. I won’t waste my time with the “story” the guy told as to how we got where we are but it was great ass-covering, I’ll tell you that much. Regarding the fire, the active left flank of the fire stretches from around Carpenterville to the south base of Mt Emily, about 6 miles SW of Brookings. Overall about an 11-13 mile long west front over heavily forested terrain. One advantage to fighting the fire in private lands are all of the roads and clearings all over the area that will give the fast access to spot fires and act as firebreaks. I hate saying that as this land is owned by people who are hoping that their property escapes the inferno and I hope any damage is minimal. The firefighters need to do what they do but it sure is tough for those it is happening to.

We also learned that we have become the top priority in the nation and resources are heading our way (Please!). We have hundreds of firefighters from all over the country staying around town and down at the harbor and everyone is heartily welcoming them to the town. More are on the way, same with equipment. The fire is at 91,000 acres now where it was 4,500 acres five days ago. Calm weather is supposed to remain for the rest of the week (hot but not windy inland, cool and in the mid-60’s here on the coast. The fog is back tonight but is supposed to lift for a few days tomorrow afternoon. One possible dark point is that they are forecasting another “Chetco Effect” this friday, which is what caused the fire to flare up like it did this week.

The only good thing about this disaster is that I’ve been paying more attention to it than the Disaster in Chief.

In closing… FUCK TRUMP.