[Ares-races] ARES Teams on Alert as West Coast Wildfires Threaten

[BillLennox@aol.com]

From:  www.arrl.org

ARES Teams on Alert as West Coast Wildfires Threaten 

NEWINGTON, CT, Aug 2, 2002--Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) teams in 
northern California are on alert to provide emergency communication as
the Florence and Sour Biscuit wildfires in southwestern Oregon threaten to 
merge to create a "mega fire." ARRL Oregon Section Manager Marshall Johnson,
KK7CW, says local hams are helping to curb rumors regarding evacuations 
supporting local public service agencies. 

"ARES and served agencies are still assessing the resources necessary to keep 
homes from being destroyed and residents as safe as possible," he told ARRL. 
"Pray for us." 

Johnson says resources in Oregon to fight more than a dozen fires are being 
stretched to the limit. "Municipal and Regional fire departments are sending 
mutual aid personnel to help fight the blazes," he said. "Some of the fires, 
because of low humidity and high winds, have been covering as much as 10,000 
acres a day."  Johnson says nearly one-half million acres have burned so far 
this summer, although August 1 was the first official day of fire season in 
Oregon. 

"Everyone is still on standby to evacuate," Gwinn said, adding that shelters 
in Crescent City, California, and Grants Pass, Oregon, were quiet for the 
moment.
Residents in the Illinois Valley in Oregon's Josephine County have been 
warned to be ready to voluntarily evacuate on 30 minutes notice. Officials 
also have been
encouraging voluntary relocations of the elderly, families with children and 
of those having medical conditions or needing special assistance. 

At risk are the communities of Selma and Cave Junction and the surrounding 
areas. The Florence Fire has covered more than 145,000 acres, while the Sour 
Biscuit fire has claimed more than 35,000 acres. The two fires were within a 
couple of miles of each other on July 31 and only about 5 percent contained. 
Firefighters have been attempting to bulldoze a firebreak. 

While ARES operation typically has been on VHF, Gwinn said the Crescent City 
and Grants Pass centers planned to test 40 and 80-meter midday conditions. 
"This is because if the linked repeaters between the cities go down for any 
reason, they will have to resort to HF to get over the hill between the 
cities," Gwinn explained. He said Family Radio Service (FRS) radios also were 
being used in areas near the centers also. 

Plans call for San Francisco ARES teams to assist the coastal side of these 
fires, and for Sacramento Valley Section Districts 1 and 2 to handle the 
inland side, with Districts 3 and 4 serving as backup. 

"Only registered and trained ARES personnel can be utilized," said outgoing 
ARRL Sacramento Valley SM Jerry Boyd, K6BZ, in a message this week to members 
in his section. "If response into Oregon is needed, California personnel must 
register upon arrival as emergency services workers with the State of Oregon. 
Direct supervision of ARES mutual aid teams will be provided." 

Qualified amateurs were being advised to let their local emergency 
coordinators know of their availability. 

"These are major fires, and there is at least two and a half months of fire 
season remaining," Boyd said. "Let's keep our preparedness high." 


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