We just want to draw everyone's attention ahead of time to the fact that our area is currently in drought conditions, fire danger is very high, and there are several active forest fires in the area.
We're asking everyone to be extra, doubly cautious and aware when it comes to campfires this year. With any luck, we will avoid a fire ban, but at the very least we'll have fire safety talks and ask every campfire to have at least one shovel and at least one full five-gallon bucket of water on hand.
"Stage 1 fire restrictions will apply to all middle and lower elevation public lands in Southwest Colorado that are managed by the San Juan National Forest and Bureau of Land Management. That area generally stretches from Wolf Creek Pass to the Utah border south of Kennebec Pass, Spruce Mill Road and the West Dolores Road. It does not include lands in the South San Juan and Weminuche wildernesses. " http://durangoherald.com/article/2012060....ts-restrictions
Well good thing Wild Roots Feral Futures is in the Weminuche Wilderness! Still, let's be extra fire-cautious and aware!
Posted by Nathan on Jun 10, 2012, 9:32pm
Wondering about update on fire status. See headline news about colorado wild fire(s). I know the main one is north from you, and there is another fairly close and no chance of rain for forseeable future... and conditions are High risk to say the least.
Wondering about alternative spots--that might be easier/quicker to evacuate from (w/o 4 mile hike). It would sadden me quite alot to not be in the full woods, and wondering, even just as a backup, about an even safer location--say a private farm with woods on the edge we could go to...? Just some thoughts, I have never had to deal with significant wildfires before.
Posted by Fire Fly on Jun 11, 2012, 1:35pm
we have a backup location in National Forest, but it's under a fire ban currently (as is everything other than the Weminuche and South San Juan wilderness areas) and is in National Forest. While private land would serve as an ideal backup location, we do not currently have such a site selected. If anyone has any offers or ideas, please let us know!
Posted by Fire Fly on Jun 11, 2012, 1:37pm
anyways, the status is that fire danger is still very high and there's a fire ban on most of the national forest as well as private land. the closest local fires are under control, but still, we're in a heavy drought and need rain desperately.
(captcha: "hot-blooded")
Posted by Fire Fly on Jun 13, 2012, 1:03pm
We'd just like to assure everyone that we've selected what we're confident is the site with the lowest fire hazard (though fire danger remains high), and that there are no active wildfires threatening our site.
Posted by Old Pondo on Jun 13, 2012, 1:07pm
Also, the importance of selecting a site with old-growth Ponderosa Pine is that these forests have intact indigenous fire ecology, rendering them far more resilient to wildfire than the managed second-growth forests of other near-by areas, which are artificially dense, dying of disease, and basically tinder boxes waiting to burn. And when they do burn, it's only to clear way for the return of an indigenous fire ecology (what forest managers call a "natural fire regime"). In the indigenous fire ecology, the forest is not only resilient to such fires, it actually *requires* it. Many cones only open by fire, etc.
Posted by Fire Dancer on Jun 13, 2012, 1:09pm
One thing we can do is ask people, because fire danger is so high, to refrain completely from personal camp fires (though many will likely not like that request, even if it's non-coercive), concentrating all fire activity to the main base camp where the cooking fire and social fire can be. Thoughts?
Posted by Feral Stoves on Jun 15, 2012, 1:33pm
Due to FIRE BAN (http://durangoherald.com/article/20120615/NEWS01/706159920/Governor-imposes-statewide-fire-ban) we are requesting that folks bring camping and/or backpacking stoves as well as fuel. Thanks!
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