10 A
SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2017
N ATURAL
SIUSLAW VALLEY
FIRE & RESCUE
—
PERSPECTIVE
Finding the way home
B Y E MILY J. U HRIG , P H D
Special to the Siuslaw News
A
s the kids return to
school following their
summer adventures,
salmon are returning to the
Siuslaw River after years of
ocean adventuring. Fish born in
the river’s upper reaches left
their freshwater home at a
young age to feed and grow in
the Pacific, ranging northward
as far as British Columbia and
Alaska.
Evading the claws, teeth and
fishing poles of predators along
the way, the salmon are head-
ing back to the streams of their
youth. They first arrive in the
estuary, but, with the onset of
fall rains, they will make their
way upstream to the smaller
tributaries in the Coast Range.
In a time when many of us
rely on GPS to navigate across
town, how do these fish find
their birthplace from over a
thousand miles away?
Navigation during the initial,
ocean-based leg of the salmon's
journey is still not fully under-
stood, partly due to the difficul-
ties of studying wild fish at sea.
However, there is considerable
evidence pointing to their using
the earth’s magnetic field to
orient themselves.
Other factors, like ocean cur-
rents, temperature or sunlight,
may also help guide them. In
reality, their ocean navigation
likely depends on some combi-
nation of cues.
During the next leg of their
journey, the salmon’s naviga-
tion skills are better known. As
they approach the river, fish
begin relying on their sense of
smell to continue on their way
home. As young fish, they
imprinted on the scent of their
home waters. The water chem-
istry, and possibly the smells of
fellow fish, creates a unique
“odor bouquet” that imprints on
the young salmon’s memory.
This is similar to how smells,
such as baking cookies, may
evoke your childhood memo-
ries of visits to Grandma’s
house.
After their noses lead them
home, the travel-worn salmon
will spawn and die.
Their decomposing carcass-
es release nutrients that help
support their own developing
offspring as well as the overall
health of the river and sur-
rounding environment. Thus,
the seemingly abrupt end to an
arduous journey secures the
future of our fish populations.
Even if you don’t encounter
salmon on the hook or the
plate this fall, as you pass the
river, know that beneath its
waters these persistent fish are
sniffing their way home to
ensure that some of their
descendants can do the same in
years to come.
M ILITARY H ERITAGE C HRONICLES —
‘Ute’ ought to know
s sometimes happens
with many writers, as
my
deadline
approached for this edition of
Military Heritage Chronicles, I
was experiencing a serious
writer’s block, which is pretty
amazing considering there are
literally thousands of topics
available to write about mili-
tary heritage.
But I was rescued by a call
from my friend Barney who
said, “Hey, I’ve got a great
A
B Y C AL A PPLEBEE
Special to the Siuslaw News
story idea for you.”
And he did.
His motivation was simple:
he owns a 1950 Ford Ute —
which, whenever he drives it in
public, he spends two and three
times longer on a journey
responding to questions from
curious onlookers.
This story will be somewhat
of a crossover combining both
Military Heritage Chronicles
and Car Chronicles as it deals
with a little-known vehicle
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IUSLAW
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from the land down under
which is rarely seen in the
States: the Australian Ute,
which also has some military
heritage.
While the iconic military
Jeep of U.S. origin was born
out of military needs, the Ute
emanates from civilian needs
in the 1930s — so the story
goes — although versions were
produced for the Australian
See
UTE 11A
Protecting together
ften, fire departments
Brookings, Ore. Additionally,
are compared to para-
some volunteers from SVFR
military organizations.
are contracted by private
Uniforms
are
companies
to
worn, assign-
numerous fires
ments
given,
east of Eugene.
orders are fol-
The duration of
lowed and mem-
their assignments
bers are sent to
is from a few to
areas devastated
21 days at a time.
by fires.
Our latest crew
Troops, on the
was notified at 1
other hand, are B Y P ETE “B OA ” W ARREN a.m. early one
sent to all reach- Recruitment & Retention day. They respo-
Coordinator for SVFR
es of the world.
nded to the largest
To a degree, so
fire in America —
are firefighters as they are
the Chetco Bar Fire.
partnered up with others to
Meanwhile, family mem-
fight fires burning in our
bers, friends and fellow fire-
forests and wilderness.
fighters anxiously monitored
These specially trained
the raging firestorms where
firefighters have taken many
our wildland firefighters were
courses and have trained just
and are deployed.
for this type of work. When
After a bit of time and the
needed, their new title
excitement wears off, just like
changes
to
Wildland
anyone
else,
Wildland
Firefighter when they deploy
Firefighters miss home. You
to conflagrations.
can tell by Facebook postings,
As of this writing, six of
others miss them too.
Siuslaw Valley Fire and
In the meantime, your
Rescue’s (SVFR) frontline
local
firefighters
from
Wildland Firefighters are
Swisshome/Deadwood,
working
various
fires
Mapleton and Siuslaw Valley
throughout the region. Their
are continuing to protect the
uniforms aren’t BDUs (battle
district together here on the
dress uniforms), but more
homefront.
appropriate flame retardant
______________________
Nomex clothing, protective
headgear and good boots.
Pete “Boa” Warren can be
SVFR has accepted task-
contacted at 541-997-3212,
ings from Lane County Fire
or the main SVFR station,
and headed down to the
2625 Highway 101, or email
Chetco Bar Fire near
Boa@svfr.org.
O