I know, another couple looking to retire to CDA

[Cnynrat]

Originally Posted by NC_Cpl

Wondering how bad the fire is I see near CDA? We have taken Ashland OR off our list due to the serious fire there presently (we were aware of risk but this really brought the point home for us).

Are you looking at the fire near the south end of Lake Pend Oreille (Bernard Fire)? It's a good size fire, I think up to 700 acres the last time I looked. It's burning on some very steep terrain, and not really threatening any structures. As a result of that and also the fact that resources are stretched thin all over the west I don't think they've been fighting that one as hard as they might. I know there are some power lines at the top of the ridge, and they are working to make sure they aren't impacted.

Overall, I think you here in NID you usually see some pretty fast and aggressive steps taken to try to prevent fires from getting out of hand. We had a small fire about 3/4 of a mile from our place a couple weeks ago. They put two aircraft and two helos on it and quickly got it knocked down. It was limited to an acre or so. Still, too close for comfort at this very dry time of the year. We were lucky it was a calm day.

If you are going to live in the forest the possibility of wildfire is a reality you can not ignore. You can take steps to mitigate the risk on your property by creating defensible space around you home/outbuildings, and keeping your forest to a healthy density. In the end, it is often a natural occurrence and there is always a chance that it can happen.

We've had quite a few small fires in Bonner county this summer, seems like more than normal. While the authorities haven't been specific about the cause of many of them, the circumstances for many of them seem suspicious to me. Too many seem to be starting near roads and with no other apparent cause identified. Our neighborhood watch group is pretty much on high alert for any suspicious vehicles.

Dave

[NC_Cpl]

Wow Dave - that is troubling to hear (the suspicious origin of the some of the fires). As much as I'd like to be back in the forest, the prevalence of fires has me a bit spooked. The absolute LAST thing I want to have to do at the age of 65+ is look at a pile of smoldering ashes and have to start from scratch with nothing (homeowners insurance aside)....

Yes I was referring to the Bernard Fire which popped up on a netional fire tracking map.