Wisely

A couple of years ago, there was an item on the local ballot about spending what seemed to be quite a lot of money for a bond. The bond had to do with the building of a new fire station. Over the decades, our local area was serviced by one of three fire stations, Banks Fire Department, the Buxton Fire Department and the Timber Fire Department. All three were operated by the Banks Department with volunteers being the souls that kept the Buxton/Manning and Timber Stations within standards although they will little more than sheds set out in the very rural Coastal Mountains.

An offer to gift a parcel of land was offered to the Fire Department along Highway 26 to not actually roll all three Fire Stations into one, but to enhance the capabilities of the in-town Banks Station while reaching the areas that Buxton/Manning and Timber Stations assisted. Although spending money is a rather tight-fisted thing for me, I voted for the outlay of money for a mid-area Fire Station to be built and staffed although I was hesitant when I began seeing the plans and bills rolling in for the expensive new Station.

Last year when the fire season was particularly brutal for the whole west side of the Nation, I watched the area around the new station with increasing interest and felt pretty good about the building and pond being built. The official grand opening happened earlier this year with as much fanfare as the virtual world would allow. Local news including newspapers, tv and magazines held large segments devoted to the new ‘state of the art’ Hornshuh Creek Station. (for those who are interested in pronunciation, think ‘shoe horn’ then reverse it to ‘horn shoe’)

The Captain of the Banks Fire Department just happened to be from the family who donated the land for this new Fire Station, Mark Hornshuh. In an unexpected turn of events shortly after the opening of the new Station, Mark passed away. Mourning flags were posted along the highway from the Banks Station to the new Hornshuh Creek Station as locals and dignitaries from the whole west coast paid their respects. The mourning did not last long because fire season began to heat up.

Although we are far from the 300,000 acre monster Bootleg Fire in Southern Oregon, we see the Hornshuh Creek Station as a very good decision in a time when the forest is so vulnerable. The Station had been put into use dozens of times since the grand opening, but was invaluable to the Oregon Department of Forestry on July 2nd when a fire broke out in the Tillamook State Forest in the wild areas of the Coast Range. The new station was used as Command Center and housed the helicopter  used to drop water on the fire. The fire was quickly tamped down with less than 70 acres burned and we all took a big sigh of relief.

But the fire was not out, smoldering wildfires can burn for years underground along tree roots and the area continued to be monitored for any recurring issues. We had been hearing about fires that are rekindling in the severely burnt areas from last years devastation, especially around the Detroit Lake area of the State. The small fire here in the Tillamook Burn (the Coast Range devastating fires that occured and destroyed over 350,000 acres in 1933 and subsequent years of wildfires), re-ignited after several weeks of monitoring. One evening when the breezes changed direction and blew a little harder, the fire took off again and once again the Hornshuh Creek Station became the command center. By now, the little fire had a name, The Game Hog, or Hog Creek Fire.

Information came from the Banks Fire Station;

Banks Fire District 13’s Hornshuh Creek Station will be the home for additional, larger helicopter operations starting this morning. Don’t be alarmed if you see some big aircraft in the area.

As the Hog Creek Fire continues to burn in areas that are very difficult for line firefighters to reach, they are calling for more resources. Starting this morning we will have multiple helicopters, including a much larger “Type 1” helicopter working out of our Hornshuh Creek Station along side the “Type 2” helicopter that has been based here.

According to Forest Service ratings a “Type 2” can carry up to (approx.) 400 gallons and have a take off weight below (approx.) 12,000lbs. A “Type 1” can carry between (approx.) 700 and 2500 gallons of water and have a take off weight over (approx.) 12,000lbs. (Numbers vary by contract and air frames.) We don’t know yet what specific aircraft will arrive, but here are some pictures of some “Type 1” craft for examples of what you might see.

Before our new Hornshuh Creek Station we would have been unable to host these aircraft and they would have had to find a home base location, possibly further from this fire. Because of the space now occupied and owned by the District we are able to provide a safe, wide-open space for these aircraft. Their crews are also utilizing features in the new station designed for just this type of multi-agency emergency use.

The aircraft crews are working with us and our pre-planned approach/departure routes to, wherever possible, minimize the noise or other affects they might have to the community. The safety of all involved is our (and their) number 1 priority. We thank you for your understanding.

Scott Adams – Banks Fire Public Information Officer (PIO)

When the bigger aircraft began arriving, the awareness spiked and the local fire topped headlines and neighbor conversations. The tiny fire in comparison to ones dotted around the state is back to being a monitored site than an active fire with the help of the new Station and the crews that came in to help. We are grateful for the foresight of the Hornshuh family and for the local taxpayers who were willing to use money, land and time to make our community safer.