Some Fire Damage

The air cleared up Friday and yesterday so I did some drive by's of some of the damage that happened. East winds on the west side of Washington State have always been a problem. Most of the time the winds blow from the west of southwest and the trees kind of get used to that. They don't seem to put out much for roots to the east. Full summer and lots of growth creates lots of sail area and the big ones just fall over. Lot's of rumors about people setting fires but I've only heard the news media report one around here where a guy was arrested but no names or times, places or court appearances. Maybe someone thru out a cigarette in the dry grass. The big ones seem to be electrical. Anyway click on the link below to see what I mean.

Used to be right of ways were cut back further and damage caused by property owners trees that were unkempt were charged to those owners, not so anymore. In MO we must aid the power companies in cutting back overgrowth, not planting trees under or too close to lines as well working with our Forestry Service to reduce unwanted dangerous growth too close to lines. Mo Dept of Conservation worls with woodland owners to perform control burns and keep the undergrowth to a minimum. We still have fires just not as pronounced as once had.

Normally fires are not really a big threat around here but with rain at only 25% of normal this year we have been under severe fire watch for weeks. Had a few small ones around but nothing serious. Couple hundred acres or so.

Around here clearing around utilites is a huge political issue. Evereyone screams when the power is out but the treehuggers make a stink when the poco tries to clear trees. Even dead ones. Local ordinance says that you need town tree warden permission to cut any tree over 5” in the right of way. If everyone signs off you can remove a tree. Really nuts.

This side of the state is usually pretty wet and this hasn't been a bad summer. It was just a bad time to get the east wind.

Tall trees are normal here and people as a whole want them to stay, until they fall that is. The power company can only remove limbs that are close to the power lines. People who have trees that can fall usually want the power company to pay them for the wood when the power company volunteers to remove them at not cost to the land owner. Trees around my house are all over 130 foot tall. Cost to remove three some years ago to build my shop cost me $1,200 and I kept and disposed of the grindings.

When you think about it though, the pattern of trees toppling over and causing power outages is pretty spotty and impossible to predict. Add to that the hundreds of thousands of trees within range of hitting a power line and you can see the dilemma. How would you know which to remove?

Around Missouri the trees are graded by a arborist as to root mass, health of tree, whether or not is a considered potential issue in way it leans or pasture use with animal compaction damage to roots whether the soil is adequate to supply proper nutrients and so on.

We have several along our supply lines they have trimmed back where I have signed off they may remove them as the calcs come back high. Local REA Co-Op hires arborist training or qualified individuals from local college on part time basis a few months a year for the evaluations.

Just on our local news, popup, so far three arrested on Arson Charges for NW Fires, may be more to come. Actually had one MORON on video in a Highway Median SETTING his fire. DAMN, too bad cops cannot be allowed to shoot these miscreants on sight.

Is this him ? Dumb ba##$rd .
Of course he is mentally ill. No one in there right mind would do such a thing.
https://ktvz.com/news/fire-alert/20...d-after-brush-fire-set-near-portland-freeway/

There were all kinds of rumors about people setting fires around here. All as far as I know were just crap being spread on social media. One would wonder how the nut in Oregon got out of jail each time. Since arson is a felony, maybe someone in the system who let him out should be the one getting the mental evaluation.

We have been fortunate in the last 10 years or so as for as big timber fires seem to be trending down but about 2008 the city's surrounded by forest service sued the us forest service and selective thinking has been on going ever since

Prescribed burns are done more often now than I remember as a kid in the late 90s early 2000s the biggest detriment I see is BLM and forest service pasture leases really wont let you push enough cows to help manage under brush

A lot of desert country burned this year cause the brush has gotten so thick it's not really manageable once it takes off and the only real way to manage that country is to graze it hard enough to put pressure on the brush or let it burn there is nothing of value except wild grass the tree huggers have really put a hurt on our ranching here compared to years past

It's always a problem with ROW maintenance and having been involved with it you sure come across fruitloops who wont allow tree's to be cleared and don't give a dam about others who may depend on it for life-support. But the bean counters in the power companies have a lot to answer for in that they won't pay for trees to be cleared out to the proper distances. Risk Management is the new speak terminology

Close to my brother at Lake Ozark a nature freak files repeating lawsuits each time utility ROW is mowed trees trimmed or work of any kind occurs
Has to cost the idiot loads of money

DMiller said:

Close to my brother at Lake Ozark a nature freak files repeating lawsuits each time utility ROW is mowed trees trimmed or work of any kind occurs
Has to cost the idiot loads of money

Click to expand...

Doesn't cost that much to file a lawsuit. The big money is the corporate lawyers paid to squash the suit and the time to reschedule the ROW clearing. There's a name for the process ... Lawfare. That's one reason our legal system needs a loser pays provision.