10 — THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2015
Local
Sumpter
hosts wildfi e
awareness
meeting
BY MEGHAN ANDERSCH
Meghan@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Sumpter Fire Department
and Powder River Fire
Protection District hosted
a Wildfire Awareness and
Community Meeting on
Thursday, September 24th
at the Sumpter School-
house.
Kurt Clarke, Sumpter
Fire Chief, opened the
meeting and introduced
members of the Baker
County Interagency Fire
Prevention Team, includ-
ing Tom Morcom of Vale
BLM, Steve Meyer of
ODF, Jason Simmons of
BLM, Noel Livingston of
USFS, and Gary Timm of
Baker County Emergency
Management Fire Division.
Clarke concluded his
remarks by stressing the
importance of defensible
space in saving homes in
the event of a wildfire.
He volunteered to help
residents assess and protect
their homes.
He said he wants to
make everyone’s home
safe and make it safer for
his firemen also
Timm invited the ap-
proximately twenty in
attendance to ask ques-
tions. He explained his
role working with the 12
rural fire districts around
Baker County and promot-
ing a seamless cooperative
spirit between fire age -
cies. He liaises between
the rural fire districts and
the County. He said this
meeting is happening due
to Clark’s energy and guid-
ance to get out education.
Livingston called this
year a “one-percent year”
and said he has never
seen anything like it in his
career. He spent a lot of
time with teams on differ-
ent fires across the west.
He said he has seen fires
before scattered through-
out rural areas threatening
a structure here or there.
This summer, fires were
threatening communi-
ties. With not enough fire
resources to go around,
he said it is extremely
important to make your
residence more defensible.
He referenced Stices Gulch
and said structures were
saved in that commu-
nity because of work done
around structures before
the fire got there
The Fire Prevention
Team and community
members discussed ideas
and options for reducing
fire risk. Meyer said ODF
tries to get money every
year for grants for thin-
ning for the Sumpter area,
though there is not a lot
available. He also offered
that concerned landown-
ers can call ODF and they
will send someone out to
look and explain what can
be done to make the home
safer.
Timm said he also has
not seen a season like the
past one in his career and
that it will take everyone
working together go-
ing forward, whether the
money is there or not.
He said, “As citizens of
Baker County, we have the
obligation to do right by
ourselves, so as to do well
by our neighbors.”
LeAnne Woolf of
Sumpter asked about the
mature crop of ponderosa
pines throughout Sumpter.
Livingstone responded that
ponderosa is fairly fire r -
sistant as a single tree, but
is a fire hazard if tightly
packed. He said Sumpter
doesn’t need to get rid of
its pine trees and suggested
evaluating whether cano-
pies are touching or open
and how tightly packed the
t rees are.
Timm explained the
concept of prefire planning
looking from the outside in
“all the way to the kitchen
sink.” Is there sufficient
entrance for emergency
crews? Timm said they
like to see vegetation
cleared 14 feet to the sides.
A defensible space 100 feet
out from the home doesn’t
mean taking everything
down to gravel, but reduc-
ing risk of combustible
items. Right by the house,
it might be irrigated a bit
more or kept green. Look
at the house and what it’s
made of. Finally, evalu-
ate everything inside the
house, including use of
candles and space heaters.
A discussion of bark
beetles led to Meyer sug-
gesting calling the ODF
office to have a forester
come out and take a look.
There are a couple of
different types of beetles in
the area. Drought weakens
the trees and when a beetle
gets into a tree, it sends
out pheromones to attract
other bugs. Beetles fly in
the spring so it is important
to get affected trees taken
care of by April or May.
The team then discussed
the Community Wildfire
Protection Plan (CWPP).
Timm said the County
has a plan and the team
can talk about a given area
of the County and all will
know what area they are
talking about and risks
in those areas. The plan
includes a list of mitiga-
tions for risky areas. They
look at what’s important to
the area, and what needs
to be done to help reduce
risk. This can include
fuel reduction projects,
community meetings,
water sources, signage, etc.
Timm said this “allows
us all to look at the big
picture and come together
and get stuff done.”
Simmons said the
CWPP has led to cool
things like large fire pla -
ning exercises involving
infrastructure, capabilities,
roadways, culverts, etc.
They are targeting high-
risk communities and the
first was the face of the
Elkhorns. They evaluated
for defensible space, in-
gress/egress, etc. Living-
stone said preplanning is
big and most communities
don’t have that. They are
often pulling the relevant
information just ahead of
the fire
Timm explained the
project is not invasive
and not an open public
document. It is completely
voluntary and participa-
tory. Agencies come out
and work with homeown-
ers to evaluate risk. Baker
Meghan Andersch / The Baker County Press
L-R: Kurt Clarke (Sumpter Fire Chief--standing), Tom Morcom (BLM), Noel Livingston (USFS), Steve Meyer
(ODF), Jason Simmons (BLM), and Gary Timm (Baker County Emergency Management-Fire Division).
County has started, utiliz-
ing a system already tried
and in place elsewhere,
and Union and Wallowa
Counties are looking at fol-
lowing suit. Morcom said
the CCPC is driven by the
community and said, “Let
us know what the needs
are”. Simmons said the
plan is revised every year
and if anyone has input, let
Clarke know.
The Fire Danger Level
Sign program was then
discussed. Livingston
explained the “adjective
class sign” (low, moder-
ate, high, extreme). He
said Northeast Oregon
is broken up into zones,
which are monitored each
day for fuel and weather
conditions. The zones are
also evaluated to figure out
how dry they are on aver-
age. Livingston said they
try to maintain consistency
across the area. He asked
the recommendations
based on the sign be fol-
lowed and explained for
example, Sumpter may
have gotten rain, but Gran-
ite could be bone dry.
There is also an indus-
trial class sign for indus-
trial operations and public
use restrictions on national
forest land.
Meyer explained ODF
protects private timber
ground in the state of
Oregon and some range
ground around it to protect
timber. In the winter, they
display thanks for keeping
Oregon green signs. Dur-
ing fire season (first part o
June to beginning or mid-
October), they have a yel-
low sign. During this time
burn permits for barrels
and open fires are required.
During regulated use, the
sign is orange. This means
no open burning and burn
barrels can be used until
10 a.m. No chainsaw use
is permitted after 1 p.m..
There are additional
restrictions that can be
implemented depending on
conditions.
Meyer said Sumpter is
unique as it’s a municipal-
ity that is in ODF protec-
tion, and usually follows
their regulations, but the
City does its own permit-
ting for burn barrels, etc.
Clarke explained some-
times burning is allowed
outside of town but he
shuts off all fires in town
for safety reasons.
Timm said he is trying
to get a single operating
system for the 12 depart-
ments across the County.
Most follow ODF proto-
cols. There is a lot of in-
teragency communication
about fire danger levels
Livingston said the USFS
has treated several 1000
acres around Sumpter in
the last several years and
now they are looking at
maintenance projects to
go into areas treated in the
past.
Myrna Clarke of
Sumpter asked about lots
of dry piles around Spauld-
ing Ridge Road and other
areas.
Livingstone asked to be
notified of such areas and
said his crews love to burn
in the fall. He said fall is
a better time for burning
large piles, particularly
those associated with log-
ging operations, and they
try to burn after the area
has had snow and they
know more is coming.
Jan Smith asked about
burning the piles on her
property and Livingston
explained that spring is
also okay for burning
small piles, which tend to
consume well.
Timm explained the
Ready, Set, Go evacuation
programming. This is a
national program marking
standards for evacuation.
He said the levels really
got tested this summer, and
by the end of the season,
they were very good at uti-
lizing the system. He said
the Level 1 (Ready) warn-
ing is confusing in that it
says “Level 1 evacuation
notice”. This is just a first
step warning and means a
fire is in the area. Listen to
the radio, pager, or stay in
touch with the fire chief to
monitor conditions.
Level 2 (Set) means the
fire chief and sheri f in
conjunction with the 911
system have decided there
is a potential threat and
you should get ready to go
if necessary. Timm said
to think about livestock,
pictures, or items of
value you’d like to gather.
Public meetings with fire
teams may start.
Level 3 (Go) means
leave the area. Timm said
once you leave you prob-
ably will not be able to get
back in until the area is
safe. In Oregon, a level 3
notice is a high suggestion,
but you cannot be forced
to leave. However, anyone
who decides to stay must
realize that emergency
resources may not be avail-
able to help.
Timm also mentioned
that a code red with the
County is tied in with
landlines through the 911
system. Go to baker911.
org and click on code red
to register cell phones and
unlisted landlines for noti-
fication of local eme gen-
cies.
More information on fire
prevention can be found
at livingwithfire.info. The
local Oregon Department
of Forestry number is 523-
5831 and the United States
Forest Service ranger sta-
tion is 523-4476.
MOVING
AUCTION
Horse Drawn Vehicles-
Antiques/Collectibles-Tools-
Misc. Shop
Saturday Oct. 17th, 2015
Time:10:00 A.M. PDT • Sale Located
at: 73972 Hwy. 82, Elgin, Ore.
Sale Located at: 73972 Hwy #82. East on Hwy #82 to the intersection of Hwy
82/ Hindman Rd. (mile post 25.6) Terms: Cash or bankable check day of sale.
No merchandise removed prior to settlement. 10% buyers premium.
Concessions available on site.
Auctioneers Note: Cliff and Judy Tschirgi have been business owners/ranchers in the
Grand Rhonde Valley for more than 35 years. With a change in direction, they are down-
sizing their nice, clean property at auction. Plan on attending this unique auction sale.
Horse Drawn Vehicles:
late 1800's Surrey
w/fringe top; late 1800's Dr.'s buggy w/ new old
stock runners included, both have new uphol-
stery and are restored, shaves and tongue avail-
able; 4 seat sleigh w/original shaves and original
mohair upholstery.
Carriage Horse: Good looking registered
Morgan Palomino gelding, 14.2H, 900 lbs.(ap-
prox) 9 yo. Professionally trained to drive and
ride. Point earner is different shows.
Collectibles: 3-wood burning stoves,
Colonial cook stove (Portland Iron works), Dow-
agic stove, Great Western Duplex wood stove;
3- cast iron bath tubs; Stanley # 35 rabbit plane,
#6 jack plane; Prairie #2 25 lb. Brass spring
scale; vintage logging tongs; nice 24 slot oak
letter rack; Maytag wringer washer; one-lunger
washing machine engine; antique tools; dual can
dispenser 7-up vending machine w/key; 1920's
G.E./Hotpoint automatic electric range (very
clean); Duncan-Pfiffe table and chairs; nice faint-
ing couch (ready to be re-finished); 7 ft. buffet
(probably oak); 1920's bridge lamp; 5 gal. And
2 gal. Wearever cast aluminum stock pots; Ruby
Red punch bowl set; 6 pt Elk mount; Black Bear
head mount; neat and clean steamer trunk w/
original drawers and hangers; vintage bat wing
chaps;
Saddles and Tack: 15 1/2” bench made
cutting saddle (D. Cunningham-G. Von Dohns
maker, Union, Or.), 15 1/2” Herford by Tex Tan
(old style); 3- 13 and 13” saddles, good quality;
3 sawbuck saddles; 1 pr. Ralhide back boxes; 1
pr. Pack bags; 2-Australian stock saddles; 1 pr.
Saddlebags; more to find.
Furniture and Appliances:
White
Kenmore 400 washing machine; white Kenmore
18 cu. ft. double door refrigerator; maroon Laz-
E-Boy couch w/dual recliners; beige 4’ round
great chair/couch; Hamilton-Beach convection
oven; central vacuum system, new in box; like
new NordicTrak Tread Climber exercise ma-
chine; wrought iron style patio furniture; wicker
furniture;more to find.
Shop and Misc.:
Bark Buster (P.T.O. Wood
splitter); P.T.O post auger w/12” bit; 16 ft. Pow-
der River Classic gate; misc. panels; Lincoln 225
Amp arc welder; a good selection of Craftsman
power tools to include, 20 gal., 2hp air compres-
sor; 12” table saw w/extensions; Radial arm saw;
6” joiner; 12” band saw; Shaper; 5 hp single
phase pump; John Deere RX75 riding lawn
mower; 20+ 4 X 4 X 8 pressure treated posts; ap-
prox. 22 7' mid-weight T-posts; partial roll Red
Brand barb wire; 134A Freon w/ hoses; Echo PB-
1010 leaf blower; McCullough Silver Eagle 3420
chain saw; high wheel lawn mower; Hi-Lift jack;
new deep sink; 4 rolls 1 1/2” fire hose; frost free
hydrants; broadcast spreader; locust firewood;
new Camp Chef 2 burner gas stove; new Cole-
man 2 burner propane stove; Coleman 2 burner
gas stove; Misc. camping and fishing equipment.
more to find.
Partial list only: As we find more during set up we will post those that warrant advertis-
ing on our web site. For pictures to to www.snakeriverauction.com. To arrange absentee
or telephonic bidding call Roger at (541)212-5918. Preview Friday Oct. 16th. 12-4:00 p.m.
Sale Conducted by
Snake River Auction L.L.C.
P.O. Box 672 Payette, Id. 83661
(541)212-5918