Jul 2009
Only You Can Put Out Forest Fires
24/07/09 17:04 Filed in: News
Only you can put out forest fires
By COLLEEN ARMSTRONG Islands Sounder Web site editor, Editor Jul 24 2009
If you start any kind of fire this summer, you're going to pay the price.
The San Juan County Fire Marshal has issued a burn ban for the county, which means campfires, fire pits, free-standing fixtures, and beach fires are all banned. Those who disregard the ban will be fined and/or billed the cost of fighting the fire, if the Orcas Fire Department gets called.
"We're scared," Orcas firefighter Paul Turner said. "We've had two significant fires on the island already." Unless there is a substantial amount of rain, this burn ban will be in effect through the summer. The Orcas Fire Department has posted signs across the island, informing the public about the ban, but the department is still getting calls about what is allowed.
"No means no," Turner said. "No fires right now. That's it."
The Orcas department plans to bill the cost of suppressing a fire to anyone who has not adhered to the marshal's order.
"We don't want one person to ruin it for everyone else," Orcas Fire Public Information Officer Max Jones said. "Huge fires like we've had are what runs costs up. A fine is just a slap on the wrist. Recovering the cost of a fire can be several thousand dollars."
Because of the high volume of wildland fires throughout Washington and Canada, if Orcas has a major fire and calls for outside help from the DNR and other fire departments, it could be days away.
"They do their best to help us out, but we're on our own right now," Jones said.
Jones asks people to remember that even a tiny fire can have serious consequences. If any sparks blow onto a beach, it could ignite days later. Or if a campfire goes deep into the ground, it can smolder without anyone knowing and cause a fire days or weeks later.
"It is so dry right now that the soil is not moist, even deep down," she said. "It's unusually dry. The ignitability right now is extreme."
Islands Sounder Web site editor, Editor Colleen Armstrong can be reached at editor@islandssounder.com or (360) 376-4500.
By COLLEEN ARMSTRONG Islands Sounder Web site editor, Editor Jul 24 2009
If you start any kind of fire this summer, you're going to pay the price.
The San Juan County Fire Marshal has issued a burn ban for the county, which means campfires, fire pits, free-standing fixtures, and beach fires are all banned. Those who disregard the ban will be fined and/or billed the cost of fighting the fire, if the Orcas Fire Department gets called.
"We're scared," Orcas firefighter Paul Turner said. "We've had two significant fires on the island already." Unless there is a substantial amount of rain, this burn ban will be in effect through the summer. The Orcas Fire Department has posted signs across the island, informing the public about the ban, but the department is still getting calls about what is allowed.
"No means no," Turner said. "No fires right now. That's it."
The Orcas department plans to bill the cost of suppressing a fire to anyone who has not adhered to the marshal's order.
"We don't want one person to ruin it for everyone else," Orcas Fire Public Information Officer Max Jones said. "Huge fires like we've had are what runs costs up. A fine is just a slap on the wrist. Recovering the cost of a fire can be several thousand dollars."
Because of the high volume of wildland fires throughout Washington and Canada, if Orcas has a major fire and calls for outside help from the DNR and other fire departments, it could be days away.
"They do their best to help us out, but we're on our own right now," Jones said.
Jones asks people to remember that even a tiny fire can have serious consequences. If any sparks blow onto a beach, it could ignite days later. Or if a campfire goes deep into the ground, it can smolder without anyone knowing and cause a fire days or weeks later.
"It is so dry right now that the soil is not moist, even deep down," she said. "It's unusually dry. The ignitability right now is extreme."
Islands Sounder Web site editor, Editor Colleen Armstrong can be reached at editor@islandssounder.com or (360) 376-4500.
Crash on Dolphin Bay Road
22/07/09 17:39
Rescue, Medical and Fire responded with 11 personnel to this single vehicle crash on Dolphin Bay Road. The damage to this vehicle was dramatic and both airbags deployed. And because ALL passengers were wearing seatbelts THERE WERE NO SERIOUS INJURIES! The report would have mostly likely been sadly different if even one person hadn’t taken the time to buckle-up.
Runs for 7-10 to 16
16/07/09 17:33 Filed in: Run Report
July 10 to 16
Orcas Island Fire & Rescue responded to: 3
different injuries from falls, 1 vehicle crash, 5
various medical emergencies, 2 minor injuries, 1
citizen assist, 1 small fuel spill at the Market, 2
reports of smoke and 1 alarm activation due to
cooking. One call resulted in an AirLift NW medical
transport and another required a ambulance transport
off-island by ferry. The rest were treated on scene
or transported by private vehicle. The medical calls
alone resulted in 64 responses by Emergency Medical
responders, many going to multiple
calls.
Wildland Fire at 4-Winds Camp
13/07/09 17:36 Filed in: Wildland
Fires
Firefighters
mopped up a 12 by 30 foot wildland fire at 4-Winds
camp Sunday morning July 12. Retired firefighter
Miles McCoy, spotted the smoke from his home near
Orcas Landing and called it in. Orcas Fire quickly
responded with Brush Engine 21, Eastsound Engine 21,
Deer Harbor Brush Engine 24, Westsound Water Tender
22 plus 15 firefighters. Deer Harbor Station Lt. Paul
Turner was first on the scene. He was able to report
a small fire and turn most of the response back to
stations. “If this fire had been at 3:00 o’clock in
the afternoon instead of 9 in the morning, this would
have been a different response. We might have been
evacuating homes instead of mopping up…” Cause of the
fire was a campfire up in the woods.
Photo: Capt. Bob Nutt and Wildland Firefighter Steven Siler dig out the last of the run away campfire while Lt. Paul Turner reports to dispatch via handheld radio.
Photo: Capt. Bob Nutt and Wildland Firefighter Steven Siler dig out the last of the run away campfire while Lt. Paul Turner reports to dispatch via handheld radio.
Runs for 6-26 to 7-9
09/07/09 17:30 Filed in: Vehicular
Crash
June 26 to
July 9 has been a very busy 2 weeks! Orcas Fire &
Rescue responded to: 4 outdoor burn investigations, 2
illegal burn piles, 1 alarm activation, 1 remote
landing zone set-up for AirLift Northwest, 5 cardiac
calls, 1 serious motor vehicle crash, 1 stroke, 2
falls on island trails, 3 pediatric traumas, 1 bee
sting, 3 public assists plus 16 other medical calls,
- all which resulted in 9 AirLift NW transports to
mainland hospitals.
A very special thanks to Orcas for the Pancake Breakfast turn-out! We served a record 687 breakfasts and sold 30 t-shirts. This fund-raiser supports our membership and the public with scholarships, address signage, bike helmets, retirement funding, special events, the annual awards banquet as well as working to build morale and a sense of community with our members and their families.
A very special thanks to Orcas for the Pancake Breakfast turn-out! We served a record 687 breakfasts and sold 30 t-shirts. This fund-raiser supports our membership and the public with scholarships, address signage, bike helmets, retirement funding, special events, the annual awards banquet as well as working to build morale and a sense of community with our members and their families.