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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 9, 2015)
A4 Op in ion B lu e Moun t a in E ag l e W edn e sd ay , S ep t emb e r 9 , 2015 F i r ew i s e p r o g r am T h e l on g w a i t b e g in s h e l p e d s a v e P i n e C r e e k h om e s Woman spends se ve ra l da ys to lea rn the fa te o f he r cab in By B i l l D ean a l r e spon s ib i l i ty fo r p r ep a r ing th e i r C anyon C r e ek Comp l ex i s co spon so r ed by th e USDA Fo r e s t Fo r th e B lu e Moun t a in E ag l e A r t i s t and au tho r Y vonn e P e - I t w a s e a r ly a f t e rnoon wh en th e In t e r io r , and th e N a t ion a l A s so c i a - co lumn s o f smok e , w a t ch ed by Hom e s , b a rn s and fo r e s t s w e r e im - pa c t ed fo r mo r e th an th r e e w e ek s w e r e a l r e ady wo rk ing th rough th e - th e w ay w i th m any o th e r commun i ty m emb e r s p r ep a r ing and imp l em en t - sh e h a s sp en t a t l e a s t n in e n igh t s s l e ep ing in th e b a ck o f h e r t ru ck a t b e a s c lo s e a s sh e cou ld to h e r c ab - I w a s 18 y e a r s o ld wh en I s e t Con t r ibu ted pho to ou t to bu i ld a log c ab in on 80 a c r e s in -W ake f ie ld w i th he r the rapy dogs , Hen ry and Zacha ry I bough t abu t t ing th e S t r awb e r ry Yvonne Pep how ev e r , w e r e anx iou s ly w a i t ing - L e a rn ing th e d i f f e r en t ev a cu a t ion r e s s a s th ey p r ep a r ed to ev a cu a t e l e c ab in , I bu i l t an ex t end ed f am i ly ev e l s h e lp ed th em p r ep a r e to ev a cu - th and wond e r ing i f th e i r hom e s wou ld an cho r ed in th e rugg ed and r emo t e m e e t ing s , po t lu ck s and wo rk p a r t i e s , a r e a s o f th e S t r awb e r ry W i ld e rn e s s h f D ayv i l l e , an e e r i e p lum e b loom ed e lp ing e a ch o th e r w i th id e a s , mo - o a f t e r m ak ing a run a c ro s s ru r a l com - t iv a t ion and phy s i c a l ly imp rov ing hop ing i t w a s nowh e r e n e a r th e d i - m an ag e r s s t rugg l ed to con t ro l th e m emb e r s d id mo s t o f th e wo rk th em - s e lv e s and h e lp ed th e i r n e ighbo r s , sho r t supp ly du e to num e rou s d an - p e r ing th e sun , sh edd ing a b loody run ing , mow ing , th inn ing t r e e s and cov imp rov ing a c c e s s rou t e s by c l e a r ing En cou r ag ed by gu s ty sou thw e s t By th e t im e I a r r iv ed , i t w a s c l e a r I shou ld no t h av e b e en h e r e ; bu rn ing rou t e a c ro s s a c r e ek , lo c a t ed w a t e r th e sm a l l , d i sp e r s ed commun i ty o f sou r e ek b e low th e c ab in to b l e s s th i s r c e s and s e t up sp r ink l e r s wh e r e c - p l a c e f a s t b e com ing l ik e th e n e a rby - In m inu t e s , t e a r ing smok e and and th e smok e sub s id ed , a l l o f th e ld e r ing p in e cone s and mo s s - smo - to s sed by the in fe rno a m i le away rced me to say good -bye to the 1978 and i t i s a l l th a t h e and h i s fo sk i l l fu l ly know ing wh en to r e t r e a t to longe s t re la t ion sh ip in my l i fe , th i s How a rd s a id th ey w e r e so th ank fu l and p rop e r ty w a s ob s cu r ed by smok e th rough th e i r p rop e r ty and a l l a round B a r e ly two y e a r s e a r l i e r , r e s id en t s th By the t ime I h i t the coun ty e i r hom e , bu t th e hom e i t s e l f w a s o f th e P in e C r e ek commun i ty c am e tog e th e r to w r i t e a F i r ew i s e p l an , l led to the road s ide and wa tched How a rd w a s h appy to h e lp ou t pu and b eg an m ak ing th e i r hom e s and s o f t ra i le r s , ca r s and - an exodu prop e r ty mo r e r e s i l i en t f rom w i ld - - My pa ren t s d ied when I wa s a bo r s shou ld p a t th em s e lv e s on th e th e N a t ion a l F i r e P ro t e c t ion A s so c i - b id , leav ing me w i th an inhe r i tance a ck fo r a l l th e p r ep a r a t ion s th ey k a t ion , i s a co l l abo r a t iv e commun i ty I u sed to buy the land whe re I bu i l t prog r am th a t en cou r ag e s lo c a l so lu - —B i l l D ean i s a pub l i c in fo rma - ion o fc e r on e Canon C r e e hom eown e r s and s t r e s s ing ind iv idu - Comp l e x . Con t r ibu ted pho to The cab in bu i l t by Yvonne Pep in -Wake f ie ld when she was 18 yea rs o ld was th rea tened by the Canyon C reek Comp lex . Fo r the nex t th ree day s , I wa s a l lowed th rough the b lockade bu t show ed m e a p i c tu r e o f a sh ed w i th spen t the n igh t s s leep ing in my t ruck a t the fa i rg round s re l ie f cen - te r a long s ide o the r evacuee s , many On the fou r th day , f i re f igh te r s in fu l l gea r appea red ou t o f the w i l - cab in a s i f to p repa re a body fo r bu r ia l when I saw them th rough l ine , and I wa s to ld i t wa s t ime fo r me to leave and no t to re tu rn un t i l - ing l a s t S a tu rd ay , S t ev en B ev e r l in , M a lh eu r N a t ion a l Fo r e s t sup e rv i sor 100 ,000 a c r e s and th r e a t en ed P r a i - I re tu rned the second day o f i e C i ty , wh e r e som e po r t ion s w e r e - John Day ; I wan ted to be the re de s - r te r up f rom the c reek , dou s ing the A t th e p av i l ion I r e tu rn ed th e pe r ime te r un t i l a ne ighbo r be low Wha t I cou ld do i s o f fe r pe t t ing l e ep ing b ag and p a i r o f sho e s g iv en the rapy a t f i re camp w i th my two s on a hou se in Canyon C i ty , and i t who w e r e ev a cu a t ed f rom P r a i r i e i ty and ano th e r wom an who s e C an - and vo lun tee r in ho sp i ta l s , cance r C Ha l fway down the ru t ty moun - ta in road I wa s s topped by fou r s a t in a b a sk e t w i th s ign s , “P e t t ing D a l l e s , I s topp ed a t th e R ed C ro s s noon and a l r e ady 15 p e r son s h ad eg i s t e r ed a s n ew ev a cu e e s ; a t l e a s t b e en aw ay f rom hom e fo r mon th s , r A lway s supe r f i re con sc iou s , I and th ey m i s s th e i r dog s , so H en ry A l l a long th e 200 -m i l e t r ip , I c lea red t ra i l i f needed in a fo re s t and Z a ch a ry b e c am e n i co t in e p a t ch - ch e ck ed my phon e fo r th e m e s s ag e I f i re evacua t ion a s pa r t o f Ea s te rn c r ew s th a t w e r e wo rk ing a t my c ab in Ju s t p a s t W a s co , my c e l l r ang , Now , the f i re c rew s p lanned to and I h e s i t a t ed to pu l l ov e r b e fo r e u se i t to b r ing heavy equ ipmen t to d an sw e r ing wh a t I w a s su r e w a s b a - pump to keep a ho se sp ray ing f rom wou ld be the va lue o f ye l low in the B REAK ING N EWS A LERTS myeag lenews .com /b reak ingnews L ETTERS TO THE E D ITOR B lu e Moun ta in EAGLE 1 9 5 N . C anyon B lvd . • John D ay , OR 9 7 8 4 5 541 -575 -0710 • Fax 541 -575 -1244 G ran t Coun t y ’ s W e ek l y N ew spap e r USPS 226 -340 John D ay , O r egon MEMBER OREGON NEWSPAPER PUBL ISHERS ASSOC IAT ION P UBLISHER E D ITOR A DM IN ISTRA T IVE A SS ISTANT E D ITOR IAL A SS ISTANT C OMMUN ITY N EWS S PORTS M ARKET ING R EP C USTOMER S ERV ICE R EP Ma r issa W i l l iams , ma r issa@bmeag le .com ed i to r@bmeag le .com K r is t ina K rege r , k r is t ina@bmeag le .com Che ry l Hoe f le r , che ry l@bmeag le .com Ange l Ca rpen te r , ange l@bmeag le .com Ange l Ca rpen te r , ange l@bmeag le .com K im Ke l l , ads@bmeag le .com L indsa y Bu l loc k o f f ice@bmeag le .com PUBL ISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY BY : EO M ed ia G roup SUBSCR IPT ION RA TES ( i n c l u d i n g o n l i n e a c c e s s ) G r a n t C o u n t y E l s ew h e r e i n O r e g o n C o n t i n e n t a l U .S . , O u t s i d e O r e g o n O u t s i d e C o n t i n e n t a l U .S . 1 y e a r $ 4 0 . 0 0 $ 5 1 . 0 0 $ 5 5 . 0 0 $ 6 0 . 0 0 S u b s c r i p t i o n s m u s t b e p a i d p r i o r t o d e l i v e r y S e e t h e B l u e M o u n t a i n E a g l e o n t h e I n t e r n e t www .M yE ag l eN ew s . com POSTMASTER — s e n d a d d r e s s c h a n g e s t o B l u e M o u n t a i n E a g l e 1 9 5 N . C a n y o n B l v d . J o h n D a y , OR 9 7 8 4 5 - 1 1 8 7 Cop y r igh t © 2 0 1 5 B lu e Moun t a in E ag l e A l l r i g h t s r e s e r v e d . N o p a r t o f t h i s p u b l i c a t i o n c o v e r e d b y t h e c o p y r i g h t h e r e o n m a y b e r e p r o d u c e d o r c o p i e d i n a n y f o rm o r b y a n y m e a n s — g r a p h i c , e l e c t r o n i c o r m e c h a n i c a l , i n c l u d i n g p h o t o c o p y i n g , t a p i n g o r i n f o rm a t i o n s t o r a g e a n d r e t r i e v a l s y s t em s — w i t h o u t w r i t t e n p e rm i s s i o n o f t h e p u b l i s h e r . P r e s e rv ing fo r e s t summ e r b r ing s th e p eop l e o f E a s t e rn O r egon and th e W e s t tog e th e r to c a l l - fo r s an e , a c t iv e , v eg e t a t iv e m an ag e - m and t e am p rov id ed though t fu l and On e o f th e m any ex cu s e s to r e s t r i c t m e c i s iv e l e ad e r sh ip and emu l a t ed th e en t to bo th th e Fo r e s t S e rv i c e and d u s e o f ou r pub l i c l and s by th e W a l - r in c ip l e s o f du ty , r e sp e c t and in t eg - - p low a -Wh i tm an and M a lh eu r N a t ion a l spon s ib l e fo r p ro t e c t ing th e s a f e ty , h e a l th , and w e l f a r e o f ou r lo c a l ru r a l on ly p rob l em i s , th e Fo r e s t S e rv i c e rov id ed th e l e ad e r sh ip and lo c a l John D . G eo rg e p l edg e to k e ep ev e ryon e s a f e , Ba t e s know t and eng ag ed in a t t emp t s to p ro t e c w i th a s s i s t an c e f rom th e i r p a r tn e r s in thank you th e lo c a l env i ronm en t a l commun i ty , A k I a l so h ad th e oppo r tun i ty to wo r a l low ou r fo r e s t to d eg en e r a t e in to fu e l i th th e lo c a l O r egon D ep a r tm ent r e s t S e rv i c e , M a lh eu r N a t ion - w d en s e s t and s w a i t ing to t ak e ou r hom e s Fo a l Fo r e s t , B lu e Moun t a in R ang e r D i s t r i c t fo r th e p ro f e s s ion a l w ay in i ch th ey h and l ed th e p r ep a r a t ion , to s av e f rom d e compo s i t ion , to k e ep wh i t i a l a t t a ck and t r an s i t ion a l a t t a ck - in m any t im e s , h av ing to b e to ld to end i f t fo r th e i r own s a f e ty du e to I am an ou t -o f - s t a t e t a sk fo r c e a sh e ad e r who w a s c a l l ed in to a s s i s t th e th i rd , to r e s e rv e fo r p e r son a l o r sp e c i a l l Bu rn s In t e r ag en cy h and c r ew and i s t r i c t w i th th e po s s ib i l i ty o f in i t i a l u s e , to wh i ch tho s e sp e c i a l u s e s s e em d r a i r i e C i ty R ang e r D i s t r i c t h and - P to b e g e a r ed on ly to tho s e who m e an r i e f ed , p rov id ed w i th m ap s and to u s e pub l i c l and s fo r th e i r p e r son a l ly b rom Iow a and o r i en t ing m e to E a s t - o r i en t ed to th e d i s t r i c t to a id in r ap id f com e s f rom th e lo c a l env i ronm en t a l l edg e I cou ld no t h av e p e r - - and know s i s t th e in i t i a l a t t a ck in c id en t com - F in a l ly to th e commun i t i e s of ay , C anyon C i ty , and P r a i r i e - John D o f th e n a tu r a l r e sou r c e s th a t a r e now C i ty : I app r e c i a t e th e ho sp i t a l i ty you m ad e a 23 -d ay s t ay f e e l l ik e I w a s at In th e W e s t w e a r e w e l l - s choo l ed in c cu r r ed w i th w ind , and low r e l a - p r e s e rv ing ou r summ e r f ru i t s and v eg - o t iv e hum id i ty th a t ev en tu a l ly l ed to in c ann ing to p r e s e rv e tho s e r e sou r c e s , f I hop e i f I am ev e r in n e ed o row ing in to th e C anyon C r e ek go th rough th a t wo rk and th en op en and g a s s i s t an c e I cou ld c a l l on th e abov e up th e cupbo a rd doo r s and bu s t ev e ry - know th a t my f am i ly wou ld b e t ak en doo r s and l e t th e m e s s s e t ? Bu t y e t th i s i s th e m en t a l i ty w e a r e Ja son A . W i ck i z er Ha r lan , Iowa