Fire lookout's 2AM outhouse trip possibly saves Newberry Volcano National Monument.

[DemoTex]

At 2AM PDT this morning a USFS fire lookout in the Deschutes NF (not DemoTex) had to take a leak. When he walked out on the lookout tower catwalk in the moonless night he was confronted by an awesome sight ten miles to his east: the orange glow of wildfire near the entrance to the Newberry Volcano National Monument. That fire is now the second named fire of this fire season: The East Fire.

Although the fire is less than 20 miles to my west, I saw nothing until about 10 am when a little smoke started drifting across the Paulina Mountains and the volcano's east rim. By that time firefighters and helicopters had been on the fire for hours. Had that fire gone undetected until daylight it could well have been a major disaster.

It was arson. That has already been determined. The fire started on both sides of the FS-21 road just west of the park's main gate. This is the fourth arson fire in our district in less than a week. It is very possible that there is an arsonist at work on a forest that is under EXTREME fire danger level now.

The East Fire still burns in an area of incredible beauty. It boggles my mind that anyone would want to see the Deschutes NF burn. Sadly, the Newberry Volcano National Monument is closed until the fire is contained and controlled.


Paulina Peak and the FS-21 road


The Newberry Cauldera from atop Paulina Peak


Looking at the southeastern flank of the Newberry Volcano with the smoke showing over the rim.


What dawned as the clearest day I have seen here yet rapidly deteriorated as choking smoke spilled over onto my section of the Deschutes NF.


Photo added on edit.

My thanks to EarlG for allowing my dispatches in the GD Forum.

[rurallib]

1. call of nature saves mother nature.

[rvablue]

2. Cool story. Cool pics.

Thanks for posting.

And it's sad and scary to know that there is a person or people deranged enough that they have to go around lighting arson fires in a national forest. What the hell is wrong with people?

[Thor_MN]

3. So he was about to call in an air drop, when he had to call in a real air drop.

[Warpy]

4. I hope they catch the screwball who's setting the fires

Arsonists have a nasty habit of killing people.

[Catshrink]

5. Another awesome story....

keep 'em coming - but I hope no more must be about arson or fires. Your photos are fantastic!

[proud patriot]

6. I'm glad it was found at night

I've been to Florence lake and back .. you're still there .

I'm going to have to look into working there for the summer months

[stevedeshazer]

7. This must be the work of a crazy person.

What kind of freak would want to set fire to such a place?

The entire Newberry Caldera should be a national park inclusive with Lava Butte and the Lava River Caves, and some moran is setting fires.

Thanks for your report.

[omega minimo]

8. Rec +4 -- Good work

:toast:

[monmouth]

9. You guys really do exceptional work. Kudos...n/t

[DemoTex]

10. Remember, most of my fire lookout dispatches can be found in my DU Journal.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/DemoTex