Fruit Waits For No Man

While we watch the sky and sniff the wind for tell-tail smoke, the fruit trees are ripening at a quick pace. The prune trees and blackberries are loaded and we have been giving away buckets full to anyone who could use the delicious fruit before it spoils or the critters like raccoons and crows get it all.

Trying to determine when and if we will have power to work up all the fruit has become a problem. Many people we know have been without electricity at all since the start of the east winds several days ago. In the initial stages, trees downing power lines was the cause of the outages. Now however, the electric companies are taking a more pro-active approach and de-energizing the lines 12-14 hours at a time during the strongest winds or at night so the crews have a chance to get caught up on their rest before getting back at it. We are some of the fortunate ones who have electricity at least some of the time.

As I write this we still have at least one more day of the strong east winds that have been causing the landscape to be tinder dry. We will not go into the forest except on foot, we will not drive or run any power equipment (including generators). We’ll continue to work on the ripening fruit as best we can and hope the winds die down soon.

***Update from the District Forester,

Due to extreme fire danger and limited resources, we will move to an IFPL of Level 4, Complete Shutdown, in all weather zones of the NWOFPA – NW1, NW2, and NW3.

 

Operators are encouraged to visit work sites and patrol the forestlands.  Yesterday we cited individuals for burning without permits. Patrolling neighborhoods and problem areas is a prudent activity. This shut-down is in effect until lifted.