The Roosevelt Fire (Wyoming)

KevWind · #1 09-22-2018, 07:14 AM

Well the saga continues

As some may know we have a house in NW Wyoming
We just this summer actually sold our property BUT as we were under sale contract put together a deal and bought the adjacent property to the east .

Both of which are now under an Evacuation "Set" order ( Packed and "Set" to go upon "Go" now notification. We are currently at our house in Colorado monitoring on the internet and from neighbors e-mails and text messages

We are currently 5.5 miles east of the 34000 acre fire
There is now a Type 1 Incident command team coming and will assume command from the Type 2 team 6:am monday .
There are some 250 + homes under Go Evacuation order. In the area to the west and north of us across US highway 189/191

Will post some photos shortly

Kerbie · #2 09-22-2018, 07:26 AM

Five miles ain't nothing... be safe!

KevWind · #3 09-22-2018, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kerbie

Five miles ain't nothing... be safe!

Thanks, we are actually at our place in Colorado (getting new roof comp shingles put on) We were up in Wyoming but we left Wed .

So now the only danger is the possible loss of our new house

As of this morning the fire fighters seem to holding the line on that east side
Here's hoping they can continue to do so

This is a photo from a picture window of the new house, Looking west the fire is on the other side of a ridge about 8 miles away at the time. It has since come down that ridge.
The good news is we are on top of timbered ridge with spectacular views of two mountain ranges

...The bad news is we are on top of a heavily timbered ridge 5.5 miles downwind from a major fire

Here is a map of the fire as of yesterday from "Inciweb"

KevWind · #4 09-22-2018, 11:26 AM

Update : two main houses and one guest house have been lost in the subdivision about 5 miles West of us in the eastern section of the fire . On the map where the white colored is private land and the light green is National Forest ,,,, feel for them

marty bradbury · #5 09-22-2018, 12:08 PM

So sorry for what is happening out there. Praying for a huge dump of rain for all you folks.

KevWind · #6 09-22-2018, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marty bradbury

So sorry for what is happening out there. Praying for a huge dump of rain for all you folks.

Thanks, yes some rain would be very nice . The current weather means even if they get it contained (15% right now) they expect to be retracing and putting out smoldering hot spots until the end of October

architype · #7 09-23-2018, 01:26 AM

Sorry to hear how close the fire is to your place. It must be frustrating to watch.
I hope the fire fighters can get it under control before it gets any closer.
Keep us posted on the progress.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

Acousticado · #8 09-23-2018, 07:32 AM

I remember having seen pics you’ve posted of your previous home, which was beautiful. The new one must be at least as nice. That’s a scary situation...I wish you the most favorable outcome. Although you’re best not to be there, it’s strange watching form afar on TV and seeing pics.

When hurricane Maria stormed through SW Florida, our Fort Myers Beach winter vacation home was expected to get hit, but thankfully the eye moved 5 mi. east just in time, so we were spared except for some lengths of vinyl siding that got ripped off. Also, the expected storm surge didn’t materialize.

It was weird watching coverage on TV, so I can appreciate the angst you and your wife must be feeling. Again, I wish you the best, KevWind, and may the wind be in your favor!

KevWind · #9 09-23-2018, 08:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acousticado

I remember having seen pics you’ve posted of your previous home, which was beautiful. The new one must be at least as nice. That’s a scary situation...I wish you the most favorable outcome. Although you’re best not to be there, it’s strange watching form afar on TV and seeing pics.

When hurricane Maria stormed through SW Florida, our Fort Myers Beach winter vacation home was expected to get hit, but thankfully the eye moved 5 mi. east just in time, so we were spared except for some lengths of vinyl siding that got ripped off. Also, the expected storm surge didn’t materialize.

It was weird watching coverage on TV, so I can appreciate the angst you and your wife must be feeling. Again, I wish you the best, KevWind, and may the wind be in your favor!

THANKS, yes fortunately we are in phone message contact with our immediate neighbors that are still there and with that and the internet sites like "Inciweb" and "National Fire Situational Awareness " as well as the two local newspaper online sites, we are keeping fairly well informed.

And yes we think this new home pretty nice and relatively close to what we would actually build, if building from scratch.

Here are a couple quick photos take the week before the fire started

Driving up the driveway

You pull in between the detached garage and the attached garage and front entry porch

More pics later

Acousticado · #10 09-23-2018, 08:10 AM

Very nice, Kevin, and lots of room for toys. May it all be spared.

KevWind · #11 09-23-2018, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by architype

Sorry to hear how close the fire is to your place. It must be frustrating to watch.
I hope the fire fighters can get it under control before it gets any closer.
Keep us posted on the progress.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

Thanks, so as of this morning the fire has grown but mostly to the South and a little bit to the also north, as long as they can keep it from spreading towards the east we (and most of the other residents) should be OK

KevWind · #12 09-23-2018, 01:40 PM

Our area has been given the Evacuation notice .

Unfortunately they thought they had the East leg contained, but it broke through at the N.W corner of the Hoback Ranches Subdivision (Red dots in the black line right where it says Hoback Ranches Sub.) still about 5 miles away from our house (blue arrow) but the winds are really bad today.

KevWind · #13 09-24-2018, 07:52 AM

Yesterday was a bad particularly BAD day.

Unfortunately strong winds developed out of the S.W and the fire jumped the eastern containment lines and spread rapidly . The Fire went from 39000 acres to 49000 . And went from 5 1/2 west of us to 1 1/2 miles

Here is the National Fire Situational Awareness map

The Yellow area was the fire perimeter yesterday morning , the red dots show where it has spread to as of this morning. The little blue line shows the distance to our house

Now on a more positive note .
Here is a shot from the webcam that is mounted right where our driveway meets the highway Taken aptox . 15 min. ago .
Our property is on the the right (east side ) of the highway and runs to the building you see in the background right. We have a big stretch of of fairly flat wetland and sage before it gets to the timberbered ridge that our house is on about 3/4 mile from highway . So there is a logistically good defensible area the firefighters can exploit. And so far the fire (which is out to the left in the photo) , is not into the timber visable from the camera .... FINGERS CROSSED

Acousticado · #14 09-24-2018, 08:16 AM

May Lady Luck continue to be on your side, Kev!

DCCougar · #15 09-24-2018, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevWind

Thanks, yes some rain would be very nice . The current weather means even if they get it contained (15% right now) they expect to be retracing and putting out smoldering hot spots until the end of October

Jeez, best of luck, Kev! I know a little about how you must be feeling. We just bought a house in the forest over in Hope, Idaho. Now there's a lightning-started fire 5 miles away - about 8,000 acres. Coincidentally, they're calling it the Cougar Fire.

Of course, the first thing we did was get insurance, but from the inciweb reports, and the recent rain, it looks like we're going to be OK. Such a great place overlooking Lake Pend Oreille....