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Date: 16 Aug 2005 21:47:11
From: Rex Sanders
Subject: Fire closes Rogue River W&S section (Oregon)
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The Rogue River Wild & Scenic section was closed to non-commercial
river trips on August 11, 2005, due to wild fires in the Blossom
Bar/Rogue River Ranch area. Commercials can run from Grave Creek to
Black Bar (take-out restricted due to liability insurance issues).
More info here:
http://www.blm.gov/nhp/spotlight/state_info/highlights/or/RogueRiver/rogue.htm
We put on on August 10, rangers said the fire was behaving itself with
a slight chance we'd be evacuated. Much smoke in the river canyon,
shifting with the winds.
Late afternoon on August 11, county sheriff and BLM rangers floated
down and told everyone to get below Paradise Lodge by noon August 12,
because the fire had jumped the fire lines. Approximately 20 groups
were above Paradise at that time. Rogue River Ranch and Marial Lodge
were evacuated that day.
We put in early the next morning, and snagged a pretty good site at
Camp Tacoma. By early afternoon, about 12-15 groups were squeezed into
the vicinity which normally holds about 4 groups. Coincidentally, a
group of good friends wound up right next to us, we didn't even know
they were on the river!
We saw smoke rising and some flames on the hillside above Marial Lodge
as we floated by. Lots of airplane and helicopter traffic, water pumps
in the river, jet boats taking supplies upriver, and thick smoke.
The fire has since burned down to the north side of the river at
Blossom Bar rapid, firefighters hope to keep the fire on the north side
of the river. The fire was started by lightning in late July. You can
get lots of information on the web by following links from the page
cited above.
We talked to one permit holder in Galice after shuttling back, who
drove from Seattle to put-in on August 11, missing the ranger phone
call by two hours.
-- Rex
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Date: 24 Aug 2005 19:27:38
From: Bill Tuthill
Subject: Re: Fire closes Rogue River W&S section (Oregon)
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The wild and scenic Rogue River was opened again for rafting yesterday!
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002450338_river24m.html
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Date: 17 Aug 2005 13:12:36
From: Bill Tuthill
Subject: Re: Fire closes Rogue River W&S section (Oregon)
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Rex Sanders <rex@pangea.stanford.edu > wrote:
> The Rogue River Wild & Scenic section was closed to non-commercial
> river trips on August 11, 2005, due to wild fires in the Blossom
> Bar/Rogue River Ranch area. Commercials can run from Grave Creek to
> Black Bar (take-out restricted due to liability insurance issues).
> More info here:
> http://www.blm.gov/nhp/spotlight/state_info/highlights/or/RogueRiver/rogue.htm
We ran the Rogue August 6th-10th just before closure.
Smoke got worse and worse during this period, perhaps due to
setting of back-fires.
It was fun watching the helicopters dipping at the big eddy
below the mouth of Mule Creek. The dual-rotor helicopters
are quieter, especially the Australian-made K-Max, which has
two interlocking rotors.
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