Monday, July 9, 2018

Liz Writes Life 7-10-18


July 10, 2018

Liz Writes Life

The Klamathon Fire is devastating. What an emotional toll losing part of Hornbrook and surrounding homes. As of Monday morning, 81 structures had been destroyed and 12 damaged. Cal-Fire estimates this is the second worst fire in Siskiyou Co. history with the 2014 Boles Fire in Weed still ranking as number one, where 150 structures were lost.

I talked with Ray Haupt, who is chairman of the Siskiyou Co. Board of Supervisors, and Dist. 5 Supervisor. Hornbrook is in his district. Late Thursday afternoon, July 5, 2018, he said Jason Vela of Siskiyou Co. Emergency Services, Elizabeth Nielsen, in county administration, and the county counsel wrote the local Emergency Proclamation, because they knew state and federal resources and agencies would be needed for the fast-moving fire. Ray signed it and it was emailed to CA. Gov. Jerry Brown. Within a half-hour, the governor had signed it! Wow that was fast. Ray said outside emergency services and fire fighting resources did begin pouring in. The proclamation also kicks-in help from FEMA and the National Guard.

Then on Friday at 5 a.m., Ray received an inquiry from a White House Assistant Director of Governmental Affairs asking how the Trump administration could help. Throughout the morning, Ray communicated directly with the White House clearing any red tape issues. Ray said the coordination among the fire and emergency agencies has been very good. Because Oregon is also threatened, the Oregon Dept. of Forestry is in the unified command with Cal-Fire. By Saturday evening, three National Guard commanders had arrived and attended the Public Briefing held at the Yreka Community Theater.

 Air assistance began immediately with helicopters dipping out of the Klamath River and reservoirs; and DC-10 bombers dropping retardant. As of Monday morning, 199 fire engines were assigned to the Klamathon Fire along with 21 water tenders, 14 helicopters, 80 hand crews and 26 bulldozers.

“We are a high priority in the state for firefighting response,” Ray said, adding there were 2,016 people working on the fire, which was at 35,000 acres and 30 percent containment.

Ray began visiting dispatch, internal and public fire meetings and evacuation centers on Thursday night. By Sunday night there were 144 evacuees accounted for by the Red Cross. Jackson St. School and the Siskiyou Golden Fairgrounds are serving as evacuation centers. Horse, cattle, dogs and other livestock are at the fairgrounds.

The fire started Thursday afternoon. High winds moved the fire so fast that Siskiyou Co. Sheriff Jon Lopey immediately sent officers door-to-door in Hornbrook and the surrounding area with evacuation orders. The sheriff’s dept. continues to coordinate security, provide welfare checks and let residents know if they are in mandatory or advisory evacuation areas. On Saturday, the fire moved west of Hilt and southeast towards Copco and areas north of Montague. There has been one fatality and three injured or burned firefighters.

Ray said the Modoc Tribe of Oklahoma set up a Go Fund Me page to benefit Hornbrook and the Shasta Tribe has a heritage advisor on the ground aiding firefighters in protecting cultural sites, if possible.

A big “thank you” goes out to firefighters, county and agency personnel, Red Cross and friends that have jumped-in to help. There are a lot of good people, who do the right thing!

Bundy

Last week, I claimed that the Nevada State government is evil. There is a reason 52 Clark Co. ranchers have been pushed out of their businesses and Bundys have been persecuted, because they are not willing to leave their property and livelihood. Money or rather the pursuit of money and power is usually the culprit. Bundy’s water and grazing rights were established through the state of Nevada in 1890. So, it was the state that should have intervened in Cliven Bundy’s behalf. It did not.

Harry Reed, when he was U.S. Senator from Nevada, was quite powerful. But, I surmise it is the people who pulled his strings who are even more powerful. The Mafia built Las Vegas, which is in Clark Co., Nevada. The Mafia did not go away. It just became more legit. We can speculate what is behind the need to destroy cattle ranching in Nevada. And I still claim it is evil, but I admit I don’t know exactly what it is. I do believe that uranium is the new gold and there is lots of it near the Hammond’s ranch in Eastern Oregon and down through Eastern Nevada.

There was good news, on July 3, 2018. The U.S. government asked Judge Gloria Navarro to reconsider and hold a retrial of Cliven, Ammon, Ryan Bundy and Ryan Payne. She denied the motion with an 11-page ruling that repeats the same language from her first decision to dismiss the trial -- with prejudice. Again, Judge Navarro harshly admonished the prosecution for their “flagrant misconduct.” Whew!

She also referenced the previous trials where Todd Engle and Greg Burleson were convicted. Burleson was sentenced to 68 years for showing up to the April 2014 Bunkerville standoff and Engel is scheduled to be sentenced on July 19, 2018. Todd is facing a possible 20 years in prison. Shari Duvale, reporter for Redoubt News.com, wrote in her recent article that the government is desperately trying to keep their convictions from being overturned, yet cannot wipeout the taint of their fraudulent actions. As in the Bundy trial, much information was withheld by the U.S. government.

Smart meters

The Yreka Tea Party Patriots will have more information regarding smart meters at their meeting tonight at 6:30 p.m. It is held at Covenant Garden Chapel at 200 Greenhorn Road in Yreka and is free. The number to call to op-out of the installation of a smart meter on your home is 866-869-8520.

On Wed., July 18, 2018, Betty Kreeger will speak on the dangers of smart meters at the Siskiyou Co. Library at 719 4th St. in Yreka. Time is 6:30 p.m.

Workshop

Ray Haupt told me that a special county supervisors’ meeting will be held on Tues., July 17 at the Montague Community Center from 6 to 8 p.m. Because the situation with Klamath dam removal is complicated (to say the least), the board is flying-in members of their team from the SWCA technical consultants and their legal team for this meeting. The team will give a presentation on how the county is legally and administratively responding to the FERC process of taking the four Klamath dams out. This is true transparency, folks, and is the latest information on the situation. Hope you can attend.

As a sideline, when any of the firefighters are told about the possibility of the dams being removed, they are incredulous. The reservoirs and the Klamath River are certainly providing significant water for the firefighting efforts.

Liz Bowen began writing ranch and farm news, published in newspapers, in 1976. She is a native of Siskiyou County and lives near Callahan. Call her at 530-467-3515. Check out her blog at: LizWritesLife.blogspot.com

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