Sunday, August 14, 2016

Redwood Highway Fire



Dennis and I inadvertently attended a rural wildfire on Friday; the Redwood Highway fire near Selma Oregon.  We were traveling on Hwy 199 from Crescent City when we were stopped in a traffic jam in the middle of nowhere (that would be Selma).  Why?  Apparently there was a short cut which we took but didn't work.  Soon we saw smoke and a plane overhead spewing out fire retardant or something.  And helicopters, those helicopter just like in the picture who were flying picking up water from a pond to the left of us to the site to the right.  But we weren't going anywhere.  Emergency vehicles kept coming and pickups filled with equipment and stern looking men.  They were taking this seriously and we increasingly felt like we wanted out but we weren't moving.  Trucks with bulldozers.  More smoke, then black smoke.  Finally they decided to get rid of the traffic, got some people to direct traffic and we got to go on our way.  I was glad to leave!  They closed the highway.

This fire was contained, burning 75 acres and 3 houses.  Somebody was arrested for arson.

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