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Forest fire close to my cabin

MikeD

I'm Your Huckleberry
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"Philanthropist"
Just heard there is a forest fire burning in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. It's burned close to 18000 acres so far. I just checked the map and if the DNR is correct, the fire is only 2 sections (approx 2 miles) away from my cabin. Here's to hoping the wind keeps blowing east.

http://www.michigan.gov/dnr

I have a bad feeling about this one.
 
If you have access to it, it may not be a bad idea to rent a small bull dozer to make a fire break trench around your property if it looks like the cabin is in imminent danger.

I'm sure Oli700 could give better advice but that's my first thought.
 
Its a six hour drive from my house and once I get there its a good 20-30 minutes of dirt roads to get back to it. I'm not sure if that option is feasible

The updated map shows it still spreading east but not west towards my place.



Fingers crossed....
 
John A. said:
If you have access to it, it may not be a bad idea to rent a small bull dozer to make a fire break trench around your property if it looks like the cabin is in imminent danger.

I'm sure Oli700 could give better advice but that's my first thought.


That’s what I would do….but I know all the loggers in the woods so a dozer is feasible and common here, and if there wasn’t a dozer available I would grab a couple of friends and dig fire line around the structure by hand. 3 feet wide to mineral soil and anchored into itself or unburnable like a gravel road
Most structures don’t burn down from direct flame impingement but from air born embers or firebrands. I would go in there and create as much defensible space as I could. Board up windows, run some screen around all openings, decks. Clean the gutters and all debris room breeze ways, throw all the firewood and flammable material away from the house.

Set up sprinklers and then leave the rest to the firefighters. They should be well ahead of the fire triaging structures. They should come in and determine one of three things considering surrounding vegetation and construction materials, water supply and room to maneuver or escape from the area of the structure.

Stand alone: you did all your work up front, construction material is fire resistant. Chances are it will be ok on its own

Defendable: work can be done by firefighters and the structure is defendable if we stay with it putting out spot fires and “steering “ the fire around the structure.

Not defendable or a loser : cant protect the structure because to much work or firefighters will be in grave danger doing so. It is just signed off and owner might get lucky.

Don’t know whow they do it there but they should atleast try to have the structure foamed down or do point protection with a Helo and bucket while the fire burns through.


Wind is amazing and I feel the biggest factor against firefighting .I have seen wind blow fire around snow drifts so sometimes it doesn’t matter how dry or wet the woods are 20+ wind will dry the surface and push the fire in an environment that won’t usually burn. The fire behavior you are experiencing is extreme…..are you guys in a drought?

We were starting to get fires but we got a big shot of rain…..if they call for anyone from Oregon I’ll PM you
 
Oh crap...that's crazy news. I hope that it doesn't burn....
Is there anything you need to get out of it?
 
We don't leave much up there. We had trouble with the generator late last year so that is home as well.

Looking at the latest map the fire line seems to be receding a bit. :D
 
Great news Mike! Hopefully it keeps receding!!
 
I still have not made it up there to view things personally but according to the DNR the fire is 100% contained. As per the maps it never made it to our cabin.
 
WOOO HOOO!!! Good to hear brother. Makes me happy to know alls well.
 
I just need to get up there and start fixing stuff.

I broke the drain faucet on the water pump last deer season as I was shutting the place down and draining the water. I got soaked from head to toe in about 2 seconds as the entire pressue tank was unleashed on me.
 
I made it up last weekend. I didn't get to see the heart of the fire damage but this is the part that extended closest to my cabin. It's weird how some parts were burned and others not so much. Maybe because this was close to the edge of the line. I'm guessing further in it looks a lot worse.

DuckLakeFire001.jpg

DuckLakeFire002.jpg

DuckLakeFire003.jpg

DuckLakeFire004.jpg



Sorry for the choppy footage and the music in the video it was shot using my phone and the constant squeeking of the suspension on our old Juimmy was very annoying.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMoGXxJrYx4[/youtube]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMoGXxJrYx4
 
LOL

I was thinking the same thing.

Must be premium shocks and struts cause the cheap ones I use don't sound like that at all.

They sound like an old squeeky bed. LOL
 
ripjack13 said:
Your jimmy sounds like a piano...

It's all in how you tune that suspension. :D
 
LOL

:lol: :lol:

You made me laugh so hard that my side is hurting.

I have tears streaming down my face.

My cheeks even hurt now

Ohhhh, I can't breathe

need air
 
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