Blue River
 

Blue River was a "town" up the McKenzie River. More of a spread out rural series of houses along the river, with some concentration of buildings near the junction with the state highway. They had a general store and a gas pump there.

About 800 people used to live there. People visited to fish - it's a Blue Ribbon trout stream - and to swim, see the unusually blue water.

I washed some of the town off of my driveway and patio today.

The ash fall looks like a snow storm.

There's a surreal amount of smoke up here; I seem to know too many people who have had to leave their homes in the last 24 hours. Wildfire is devastating.

Same can be said of Mill City up on the North Santiam (Hwy 22.)...on the South Santiam. people along hwy20 from Cascadia east are on a stage 1 evacuation alert.

Here? Remembering my cigarette days...coughing up crud from the smoke. Had to drive to town for prescription meds...I'd guess maybe 1/3 mile visibility. Ash falling like snow..

The smoke and ash from the west coast fires made for hazy cloudy skies here in Oklahoma. It was like solid cloud cover, only funny colored clouds. It kept the direst sunshine off of me and temps a little lower as I was working in the yard. It was a weird feeling knowing that smoke was the remains of many people's homes and communities.

Sweet Home, around 20 Hwy. 20 miles from me, now under "get ready" evacuation warning. this according to local radio. County website map....probably doesn't mean much to non locals. It's a pretty big area... all routes from the lower Willamette Valley to Eastern Oregon are closed.

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I was wondering if you had a Level 1, Paul - stay safe.

Most of the small towns in all these river valleys (a half dozen or more - for the non-Oregonians) are damaged to some extent.

There is also a fire on the coast in Lincoln City.

My wife's family has a slice of heaven on the river in Sweet Home. 100 acres and a private park.

Here in LO, we are level 3 evacuation. While I have a lot of woods around my house and it would go up in a poof, there are no fires near me.

Not to PARF this up but I believe we are looking at climate change with these fires and hyperactive hurricanes. Not good.

Kind of a shame you titled the thread blue river instead of "Holy *****! Half of Oregon is afire!"

Well, not quite that bad, but I just did a bit of math for a friend in Cleveland. The latest report on the Beachie Fire alone (N. Santiam Canyon) is 159,000 acres. 640 acres is a square mile. Cleveland is 82.48 square miles. So, roughly the area of 3 Clevelands is up in smoke.

I'm not level 1 yet...but the entire town of Sweet Home is. We're okay...other than breathing difficulties...my AFIB has me feeling like I'm not getting enough oxygen...but only when I'm doing chores. I'm okay at rest...

Lake Ego is Level 3??? That's "get out now". Level 1 is "get ready"...

I'd like to mention that I've lived in Oregon for 7 plus decades. This far from our first massive fire. Climate change? Yeah, that must have been the cause of the 1930's Tillamook burn over on the coast range. I'd guess it's still the largest fire in Oregon history. You can look that up if you like.

It's been a pretty typical fire season weather wise. Just that we got nailed in this one.

It is the worst fire season in 30 years.

Another connection to Sweet Home... we have friends who live there... friends my wife brought into the marriage as she and her 1st husband lived in the PNW for a while.

Oops. Sorry Paul, LO is level 3.

I have been here 54 years. Yes the Tillamook burn was HUGE. It was before both you and I were born. Never seen fires in Western Oregon until about 5 years ago. Certainly never had the smoke, red sun thing. My Mom said fires were big in Southern Oregon when she was growing up. But that part of the state is dry as toast. You and I live in the WET part.

I really really hate wildfires. Hate the smoke. Hate the damage. I think it passes logic and rational thought for me. It is a very strong emotional reaction. Sorry to vent.

(FYI, if you want to make fun of Lake Oswego, I suggest calling it "Lake Big-Ego." It has a better ring to it.) Pretty great place if you can live with out a FLAPS nearby.

My mom lives in turner, just outside Salem. They evacuated yesterday. They had livestock trailers clogging up their road as people got their animals out. They are up on a hillside surrounded by pine trees. If it reaches them, they are done.

From the Linn County website
 

EVEL 3 EVACUATIONS – GO NOW (last updated 09/09/2020 @ 1220 hours)

Residents in the area of Upper Calapooia Road, Crescent Hill Rd, Brush Creek Rd from Hwy 228 to the county line and and all side spur roads off these roads near Holley/Crawfordsville need to evacuate the area now.
The areas of Idanha, Detroit, Gates, Mill City, Lyons and Mehama, along with McCully Mountain, are all under a Level 3 evacuatio


LEVEL 2 WARNING or NOTICE: High probability of a need to evacuate (last updated 09/09/2020 @ 1220 hours)

Residents of Holley and Crawfordsville NOT already listed above under a Level 3 Evacuation are upgraded to a Level 2 Notice


LEVEL 1 ALERT: A wildfire threat is in your area. Consider making necessary preparations (last updated 09/09/2020 @ 1413 hours)

The City of Sweet Home is under a Level 1 Alert
The HWY 20 corridor from Foster, moving east to Mountain House
North Holley area, West of Brush Creek to Nye Rd, south to Linn County line, and parts of Scott Mountain Rd and Northern Drive areas.
Wiley Creek area south of Sweet Home/Foster

Probably over-cautious on my part, but am packing the "go boxes" tonight and loading the truck just in case. I think our possibility of a fire event in Sherwood is very low, but no telling how this might blow up. I have friends who have either lost a home in Clackamas county yesterday or are in high danger of losing their home right now. No fun...

Stay safe, everybody!

sobering

I am sad to think of what Silver Creek falls looks like. I really hope the area right around the falls is somehow spared.

^^^silver creek is right there. Might be gone. Forests grow back. Mother Nature has her methods.

it isn't old growth but has not been clear cut in nearly a century, so that should slow the fire down quite a bit

Last look Silver Creek Falls is still not burned. Very close. The wind shifted and that may save it.