It’s just common sense that as a water source to fight wildfire, a lake is arguably the best water asset for all forms of suppression equipment.
During the 2018 Klamathon Fire, I was on the critical Camp Creek fire-line for 9-days as a technical advisor to CALFIRE Fresno commanders and to a National Parks Service (NPS) Yosemite ‘uniform trainee’ (Randal). Among other services I provided as a volunteer, I spent time correcting and adding-to incomplete maps initially issued to fire commanders at the Camp Creek command.
As containment of that fire was approaching 100%, I interviewed CALFIRE Fresno Battalion Chief Michael Alforque. That interview was video-taped and Michael explained the value of Iron Gate Lake in the suppression of the Klamathon Fire. Here is that Interview via YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLcfJ1crUH0
A few months after the Klamathon wildfire ended, Southern Oregon University cable TV program featured a talk-show interview hosted by Britt Ivy-Boice (Oregon Representative Court Boice’s wife) featuring Oregon Department of Forestry District Ranger Dave Larson. Ranger Larsonmanages 1.8-million acres north of the OR-CA border, and manages the wildfire contract for the Cascade Siskiyou National Monument. Larson was also the fire-boss, directing the aviation (jets & helicopters) attack on the Klamathon Fire from overhead in a spotter plane. Along with Dave Larson, William Simpson was a guest on the show.
Here is the recounting of that deadly 38,000-acres wildfire on the show called ‘Passion’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWJED_fxhyI
On July 6 & 7th, 2024, I visited and photographed the fire hydrants that fire-fighters are expected to draft water from. The photos clearly show that the design and locations of the hydrant intakes are flawed and will result in air-cavitation when suction is applied at the hydrant head.
It seems that CALFIRE’s trust in the representation made by KRRC was misplaced.
Here we are entering into what may be one of the worst fire seasons ever only to find out that the hydrants that are at best poor replacements for the lakes now drained, have serious design issues.
What that famous saying by KRRC’s CEO Mark Bransom? ‘Going as planned’?
Dude! We get it-You really really hate change.
Could you please stop publishing this dreck? Your message has been received loud and clear.
As an aside- How is that dam removal that you predicted was going to end in catastrophic failure due to the clay core going?
Yeah
Dear Leroy: You really ought to work on your reading comprehension skills. Maybe a remedial reading class at Yreka High could be of great benefit to you. The article is about being able to fight fire via being able to draft water from a improperly designed/installed hydrant, and has nothing to do with ‘change’, as you posit. Moreover, I never said there would be a catastrophic failure in the Iron Gate Dam removal project related to the clay core… that prediction was made by an engineer by the name of Stephen Koshy … do yourself a huge favor… before opening your mouth and inserting your foot, READ.. Here is the article (https://www.siskiyou.news/2024/04/10/trouble-in-dam-removal-paradise-kiewit-has-pulled-out-of-klamath-river-dam-project/) What I wrote that clearly explains that Stephen Koshy made the prediction regarding the clay core… As a writer, I do research and present data, and allow those who can comprehend the data, to form their own opinions, as you have, quite incorrectly. Good luck with that reading class…
“The article is about being able to fight fire via being able to draft water from a improperly designed/installed hydrant, and has nothing to do with ‘change’, as you posit.” Riiiiiiiiigggghhhtt-Sure buddy. All the nonsense about how the lake is so much better for drafting water for fire fighting without positing a better way to draft water in the new reality? If it was really about an improper design you would have stated how it should have been done-Instead it was a bunch of info about how much better the lake was for drafting water. It is about change that you dont like man.
“As a writer, I do research and present data, and allow those who can comprehend the data, to form their own opinions, as you have, quite incorrectly.” From what you publish it appears that your research consists of cherrypicking the most half baked nonsense you can find and you publishing Steve Koshys BS is in fact you predicting it. You did not present any data that did not agree with your presupposed conclusion. As to your insults about reading comprehension- I graduated High school before you were born back when people really learned to read instead of the modern soft approach to learning that you appear to have suffered. Good luck bub-yer gonna need it
Dear Leroy: Clearly you are a coward who takes pot-shots and offers idiotic opinions as he *hides* behind an avatar and fails to provide a real name. I stand behind what I write in clear view with my name, research and experience as a rancher, a logger, a commercial pilot (airplanes and helicopters) and a Merchant Marine Officer who has served Country and Community and has a well-documented record of that. Evidenced from your own unfounded attack, you’re the kind of person who gets a letter from the IRS seeking an audit and blames the mailman for bringing it, instead of taking responsibility. Only an idiot would assume that I have any obligation to use my time and experience to educate KRRC (making $-millions) on how to properly design and install a hydrant. It’s more than enough I had the vision and experience to discover and understand this serious flaw, and *forewarned* all the appropriate authorities, which is more than anyone else has done, and might have saved lives and property. And for your information, whoever you are, I was logging back in the late 1960’s early 1970’s, and put myself through college working in the woods and commercial fishing off the Oregon coast. Here again, you made yet another ignorant assumption based upon a lack of of any information where you claim you graduated High School before I was born, wrong yet again. In all of your childish diatribe, ignorantly claiming this and that, you haven’t produced a shred of evidence or science to debate the dozens of scientific reports and references that I draw upon as my data source (Here are just some: https://www.siskiyou.news/2024/02/20/some-of-the-science-informing-my-position-on-dams/ ) … Your rants are those of someone who clearly has no idea what he’s talking about, as he *hides* behind a facade so people reading your nonsense won’t know who YOU are. But we know from your email who you are, keep that in mind.
At least Mr. Simpson has the guts to do objective reporting on the Klamath Dam Removals. His reporting may not be what the main stream narrative is but his reporting is valuable and needed. When Mr. Simpson reported several months ago that baby salmon died of toxic metals and not air bubble disease going through Iron Gate Dam tunnel he was spot on. Look at Mud Mountain Dam bypass tunnel in Washington State. Salmon are not dying of gas bubble disease going through that tunnel. Fire issues will be an issue going forward. This was just a prelude to Snake River Dam Removals. Stay tuned!!!