I was out boating with friends this afternoon. We were casually motoring along the shoreline between the Bernard Peak slide toward the cement plant, east of Bayview. We came upon a column of smoke on the shoreline. Ironically it was just west of the huge fire that broke out in 2000, caused by irresponsible tourists. First, fires below the high water mark is a violation of ecological laws. Secondly, this fire was on a narrow beach adjacent to very flamable vegetation. It wasn't a cook fire or even a camp fire. It was a lets make this burn, recreational fire. One that given it's location, brought back memories of the Lakeview fire right next door, so to speak.
One of the passengers took pictures of all three of the kids cavorting around about an eight foot long log on fire. The other, the boat anchored out with the adult or adults on board, seemingly unconcerned as to the fire danger the ignorant teens had created. When I got to shore I called Kootenai County dispatch to report a potential fire danger. They seemed confused as to the jurisdiction, so I called Dick Hansen who told me it was US Forest Service land.
I called fire dispatch at Pappy Boyington Airfield in Hayden and talked to John Ryan, who stated that yes he had received the information from dispatch. I then offered to and did forward the pictures of the teens cavorting behind the fire and the vessel they arrived in. He responded that yes, someone should check to see if the fire was out, but his supervisor wouldn't ask Timberlake fire District to respond, because they would then have to pay the fire district for their expenses.
At this point, the fire may spread or it may not. But Ryan mused that apparently the bureaucracy would rather spend millions putting out a fire but nothing to prevent one. Your federal government at work. Disgusting at best, flagrantly negligent at worst. The key here is that these morons that work for the US Forest Service are not called upon to account for these negligent non-acts. Am I disgusted? You betcha!
9 comments:
I'm disgusted too.....our tax dollars increase everywhere we turn, but our services reduce. It always comes to light how our tax dollars are terribly managed when the need is there to use them correctly. But find a stupid reason to spend tax dollars and they gush out like a flood. Getting on the subject of TOO much government and TOO big of government falls on the deaf ears of our politicians who salivate for more of our hard earned dollars.
Or, you and your friends could have put your beers down and pulled into shore, explained to the kids why they needed to extinguish the fire, and even helped them do it to make sure it had been properly extinguished.
But it's easier to criticize others for not doing what you could have done yourself.
You are assuming too much. First, that I was drinking a beer and secondly that I didn't try to do just that. I was a guest on the boat and was told no to my request. Other than that, you might want to review your own words to see if criticizing others wouldn't apply to your remarks.
I saw no danger in what the "kids" were doing the fire was on the lake edge and parents were there lets lighten up a little bit no harm done!!! people have been having fires on the shore edge for years!we really are not in any fire danger right now! people love camp fires give em a break! your a letttle parinoid right now! I'd be more concern with all the drunk boaters out there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Perhaps, to give you the benefit of the doubt, if in fact there is one,you weren't around in 2000 when very near the same spot on the south shore a fire erupted just a few hundred yards fron the spot I photographed. It was also caused by irresponsible teens. The fire burned several hundred acres before it was contained. Just east of the fire pictured is the sight of the previious fire. Had this been a small contained campfire I wouldn't have reacted negatively. This was a fire that was about 8 to 10 feet long, burning on and around a log on shore and not more than 3 or 4 feet from dense foliage. You want to show your ass again, please feel free to comment against fire safety.
For the record, I did not take the pictures. They were taken by a woman that had brought her camera on board.
Forget it Herb...you can't win. You have to take into consideration who your trying to convince especially since nothing happened. People fail to consider what COULD happen. Thanks though. Ric
I sure appreciate and enjoy the beauty that we have here in Bayview! Others come to enjoy our surroundings. I have learn in this short life of mine not to take things for granted. Yes, nothing happened and yes a fire on the beach could have gone haywire.
Thanks Herb for trying, some folks are just a little dense.
NJ
Cheez Herb and here all along I thought I had managed a ladies status!
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