Wind currents had blown into our region overnight, bringing smoke from wildfires in California, Oregon, and British Columbia. It wasn’t all stale, previously choked-on smoke from far away, either. There were plenty of fires close by lending the air a thick, freshly-charred quality. The ski lodge was not visible from the summit, but I was too thoroughly engrossed in the adventure to consider calling for a spouse Über pick up. That night, over margaritas at Rancho Chico, my wife broke into song in the spirit of Eric Clapton, “she can’t ride, she can’t ride, she can’t ride . . . Smokane!” Great, now smoke season has a theme song I’ll never get out of my head.

Sadly, smoke season has become a modern reality that plagues commuters, racers, and event promoters alike. During last year’s horrifying smoke fest, I bike commuted to work, telling myself that I don’t breathe any harder than I do while driving because my route is flat as a pancake, but there are plenty of bike commuters here who don’t have the option to drive when the air turns toxic.

The smoke season calendar tends to be stacked with bike races and other events, and riders basically work on a bachelor’s degree in meteorology to figure out when they should take their training indoors or cancel travel plans to an event. Last September, when the Cross-Washington Mountain Bike Race got smoked out, I drove all the way to Utah looking for clean air to ride in.

To say nothing of pandemic-related complications, event promoters take a huge gamble scheduling events this time of year. There are a lot of expenses involved in promoting an event that aren’t recouped until race day. The smoke magically blew out in time for the Midnight Century this year, an event with zero dollars invested, yet a week later, organizers of the River City Classic, Spokane’s biggest road race, had to pull the plug one day out. No doubt, Marla and Michael Emde, organizers of the Inland Northwest Cyclocross Series, are working on a PhD in meteorology in preparation for cross season this year.

So, when do we ride or not ride? Local podcaster and the guy bringing the 24-hour mountain bike race back to Spokane (YES, IT’S COMING BAAACK), Pat Bulger, says, “I have a rule, but break it at times for specific reasons/events. Promoters are smarter than that, and don’t exactly want 200 cases of ‘black lung’ listed in the insurance report, or worse, as the reason they were sued into losing their house.”

For further insight, there is a great article on the Data Driven Athlete Blog called “Air Quality and Cycling: When to Ride, When to Stay Home.”

Justin Short will be out there riding or indoors hiding from the smoke in preparation for The Big Lonely, a 350-mile bikepacking race in Bend, Oregon, in early October.

Read more Everyday Cyclist stories in the column archives.

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Smoke Ready 2021, held the week of June 14-18, 2021, encouraged residents to prepare early for wildfire smoke with information, tips and resources that are relevant all summer long. The campaign’s sponsors (Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency, Spokane Regional Health District, and Spokane County Emergency Management), posted information and resources on preparing for wildfire smoke online and on social media along with the hashtag #SmokeReady2021.

Unique themes with related tips were highlighted each day. The first topic covered how to protect your health from smoke by monitoring air quality using the Air Quality Index (AQI), a color-coded system to report air quality conditions. Since air quality can change quickly during smoke events, check the AQI often (it is updated hourly) at SpokaneCleanAir.org. 

Another easy way to keep tabs on air quality is to download the free AirNow phone app. You can also sign up for texts or email alerts at Airnow.gov.

The health threat posed by wildfire smoke particles was one of several other highlighted topics. These tiny particles can bypass our body’s normal defenses, entering the lungs and blood stream. Smoke can hurt your eyes, irritate your respiratory system, and worsen chronic heart and lung diseases.

The best way to protect yourself is to reduce your exposure to smoke. Because smoke particles are so tiny, they can remain suspended in the air and travel long distances. This is why the Spokane area can experience heavy smoke from fires that are hundreds and even thousands of miles away.

Check air quality and wildfire activity at the Washington State Smoke Blog (Wasmoke.blogspot.com) and learn about ways to protect yourself before the smoke arrives at Spokanecleanair.org/air-quality/wildfire-smoke.

Infants and children, pregnant women, adults 65 and older, and people with heart and lung disease may experience more severe acute and chronic symptoms from smoke exposure and therefore should discuss a plan with their healthcare provider before the smoke arrives, urged the Smoke Ready 2021 Campaign.

Strategies we can all incorporate to protect ourselves include creating a cleaner-air room in your home with a portable HEPA air cleaner. They can help reduce particulate levels indoors as long as they are the right type and size for your home.

For a more low-cost option, try making a box fan filter yourself. This DIY solution costs under $50. While it won’t provide the same level of protection as a HEPA air cleaner, it does effectively reduce smoke particles (search YouTube for how-to videos).

Also if you have an air conditioning unit at home or in your car, switch off the “fresh air intake” when it is smoky outside. Use the “recirculate feature” instead. 

If you have a forced air system in your home, talk to your service provider about different filters and settings that will work with your system to reduce indoor smoke. Also avoid activities that create more indoor and outdoor air pollution, such as frying foods, sweeping and vacuuming, and burning candles or recreational outdoor fires.

Other ways to reduce the heat and smoke in your home include closing curtains or shades during the day when it’s sunny. Try using portable fans indoors and place a bowl of ice in front of the fan (with windows closed) to help cool a room.

For more information, visit Spokanecleanair.org.

For more wildfire-related stories, visit the OTO archives.

[Feature photo by Judd McCaffree. // Wildfire smoke above Sullivan Lake in summer 2017.]

The post Agencies Collaborate to Prepare Communities for Wildfire Smoke appeared first on Out There Venture.

Last year’s Labor Day Whitney fire took a toll on the Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area (SLWA) in Lincoln County, a popular birding spot, as well as the entire area and nearby communities.

Of major concern to biologists and conservationists is the impact the extremely hot burning and widespread fire had on the SLWA’s critical habitat for two species of prairie grouse—sharp-tailed and greater sage grouse—both threatened species. The area is also important habitat for several species of shrub-steppe ecosystem birds.

Spokane Audubon Society is stepping up by raising funds to pay for planting of grasses and forbs on and near this important wildlife area. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) estimates at least $30,000 in forb restoration on the wildlife area is needed, so every dollar helps.

You can donate any amount to this effort, either by a check payable to Spokane Audubon mailed to P.O. Box 9820, Spokane, WA. 99209, or online by credit card at Audubonspokane.org.

The post Help Needed To Restore Habitat After Wildfire in Lincoln County appeared first on Out There Venture.

Have you ever wondered:

• Is the campground where I have upcoming reservations still open?
• Are my favorite trails closed?
• Which roads are safe for travel?
• Where is it safe to go camping now?
• There’s no cell service in the national forest area I plan to visit; there isn’t a wildfire now, but how would I know if one breaks out miles away? What would be the evacuation plan or route?

With so many different state and federal agencies overseeing public lands, recreationists need accurate information that’s easily accessible. Cross a state boundary, like from Washington to Idaho, and there may be less restrictions—which isn’t always a good thing. (Wondering if an off-road vehicle could spark a fire near your campground can damper the mood.)

For some recreation destinations, the landscape, topography, and availability of access roads can increase the risk of a life-threatening wildfire event for campers and recreation users.

Do you know what you would do if a wildland fire starts down the road from your campground, and that’s the only major road out? Would you be able to quickly pack only your essentials into a vehicle—your people, pets, shoes, food, water, lanterns or flashlights, first-aid kit—and evacuate a campground? Would you be able to leave your tent or RV (if no time to pack or hitch), boat, kayaks, and bikes behind, and flee to safety in time?

Where To Find Current Information

Local daily broadcast media and print news stories, though helpful, are secondary sources. Some reports may be too general, especially in the beginning of a fire incident, providing basic facts—when, where, who’s involved.

Fire conditions can change quickly. More detailed reports may only be provided when there are road closures, evacuation orders, or when tragedy occurs, especially when it’s a fire event hundreds of miles away or in a different state.

This is why recreationists need to find and use primary news sources, whether you’re at home wondering if your upcoming trip should be postponed or cancelled, or you’ve already arrived at your destination and have cell-service.

If you’re unsure if there is sufficient cell service at your final destination, write down phone numbers and addresses for the nearest ranger station or sheriff’s office so you know where you can get in-person information. If planning to backpack or primitive camp, check-in with a ranger before heading into the wilderness.

Here’s a round-up of the best sources for finding current information about wildland fires in the Pacific and Inland Northwest region. There are also online sources for current travel and safety information; visitor or service restrictions; and park, campground, and trail closures.

Regional Wildfire Agencies & Resources

• Northwest Interagency Coordination Center: Website homepage includes: (1) List of current fires in Washington and Oregon and their individual InciWeb links for more incident information; (2) Daily updates on current wildland fires (listed in alphabetical order according to fire name) and link to Northwest Large Fire Interactive Map.

• InciWeb – Incident Information System: NW Regional links include morning briefing, 7-Day Significant Fire Potential, NWCC Fire Information Summary, Fire Map, and Daily Situation Report – inciweb.nwcg.gov/.
• Northeast Washington Interagency Communications Center: Regional fire activity on public lands in NE Washington that are managed by Bureau of Land Management, Colville National Forest, US Fish and Wildlife, and Northeast Region Washington State Department of Natural Resources – gacc.nifc.gov/nwcc/districts/NEWICC/index.html.
• National Weather Service: Fire Weather – weather.gov/fire/.
• Northwest Fire Science Consortium: A more logistical and technical resource geared towards firefighting agencies; homepage includes a list of incident information for the latest wildland fires in Washington and Oregon – nwfirescience.org/current-fire-information.
• Wildfire Today: News about recent fires – wildfiretoday.com/recent-fires/.

State Agencies

Oregon

Wildfire Resources – wildfire.oregon.gov

Washington

• Wildfire Resources (includes links for Spokane Status Updates) – governor.wa.gov/news-media/washington-wildfire-resources
• WA State Dept of Natural Resources (DNR) – dnr.wa.gov/programs-and-services/wildfire-resources

Idaho

Wildland Fires – deq.idaho.gov/air-quality/burning/wildland-fires

Montana

Fish, Wildlife, & Parks: Alerts and Restrictions – fwp.mt.gov/news/restrictions

Public Land Closures & Travel Restrictions

State Parks & Public Lands

• Oregon State Parks & Recreation: Advisories and emergency closure notices; Park Status Update map.
• Washington State Parks & Recreation: statewide alerts
• WA State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Land: closures
• Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Oregon-Washington: Fire Closures and Fire Restrictions

National Forests – Northwest (alert webpages)

• Boise
• Colville
• Deschutes
• Idaho Panhandle
• Kootenai
• Lolo
• Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie
• Mt. Hood
• Okanogan-Wenatchee
• Sawtooth
• Umatilla
• Willamette
• U.S. Forest Service – Wildland Fire (general wildfire information)

National Park Service

• Active Alerts in Parks (search by park name)
• Crater Lake
• Glacier
• Grand Teton
• Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area
• Mt. Rainier
• North Cascades
• Olympic
• Yellowstone

Scenic Trails

• Continental Divide Trail (CDT)
• Pacific Crest Trail (PCT)
• Pacific Northwest Trail (PNWT)

Learn more from these OTO stories

• Travel & Safety in Wildfire Country (including links for evacuation planning)
• Learning About Wildfires: Resources for Children & Families

The post Best Sources for Northwest Wildfire Information appeared first on Out There Venture.

Here are some of the best resources currently available for introducing and teaching children about wildland fires. Pick and choose age-appropriate sources from the list below. For older youth, it’s also helpful to be sure they know and understand why primary sources are best for finding credible, factual information.

Resources for Children & Families

• “Beyond Smokey Bear: Teaching Kids About Wildfires” – Out There Venture August 2019 issue, Out There Kids column
• Smokey Bear official homepage – U.S. Forest Service; Smokey for Kids.
• PBS Idaho Science Trek: Wildfires – List of curriculum and activities for teachers and parents.
• National Weather Service: Outreach and Education Resources

Children’s Books

• National Geographic: Wildfires by Kathy Furgang (ages 6-8)
• The Charcoal Forest: How Fire Helps Animals and Plants by Beth A. Peluso (ages 4-8)
• The Role of Wildland Fires in our Forest (e-book)
• Smokejumpers by Elaine Landau (grades 3-5)
• The Great Yellowstone Fire by Carole V. Vogel and Kathryn A. Goldner, published 1990 (ages 8+)

Videos for Kids

IdahoPTV’s Science Trek – Wildfire Basics (grades K-6)

Videos for grades 4+ & adults

Outdoor Idaho: Living with Wildfire (Episode originally aired 10/17/19)

Learn more about wildfire safety with stories from the OTO archives.

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Pulaski, along with other rangers and hundreds of firefighters, toiled relentlessly during the summer of the Great Fires of 1910. Multiple wildfires ravaged the drought-stricken forests in the region. His actions during the “Big Blowup” (also called the Big Burn)—when hurricane-force winds inundated the region on Aug. 20-21 and merged the fires—is what made Pulaski a genuine American hero. The blowup’s epicenter included the Coeur d’Alene and St. Joe National Forests, what is now mapped as the “southern two-thirds of the Idaho Panhandle National Forests,” according to the U.S. Forest Service. Unable to escape the firestorm, more than 80 firefighters perished. 

In Wallace, thousands of residents fled on trains summoned from Spokane to rescue them. In the forest near town, Pulaski and his firefighting crew of about 45 men were overcome by the firestorm. He led them to seek shelter in an old mineshaft tunnel. At the entrance he fought the fire with his bare hands and a wet blanket, as recounted by Pulaski in his first-person account, which was published as the winning entry in a Ranger Essay Contest years later. Flames seared his eyes and severely burned his hands and face. When panicked men tried to flee the tunnel, Pulaski threatened them at gunpoint so they’d stay. That night of Aug. 20, fire raged for five hours around the tunnel, and everyone was unconscious from smoke inhalation; five men would not survive that night.

When it was finally safe to leave, Pulaski, though now blinded, led them to the hospital in Wallace, where he would stay two months recovering from burns and pneumonia. Afterwards he advocated the Forest Service to pay for his crew’s hospital bills. Pulaski’s wife and daughter, Emma and Elsie, also survived the fire, having sought refuge on a rock pile of mine tailings, as Pulaski had told them to do if they needed to evacuate their home.

The following year, in 1911, in his blacksmith shop, Pulaski invented a re-design of a tool that’s now known simply as the “pulaski”—a two-bladed combo of ax and adze (grub hoe), used today by wildland firefighters.

Pulaski continued working as an assistant ranger for the Wallace district for the next 20 years. According to historian Stephen J. Pyne, in the ensuing years after the Great Fires, Pulaski oversaw recovery of the area—replanting seedlings, salvaging burned timber, and reconstructing trails and phone lines. He also tended to the graves of the fallen firefighters and advocated for memorial sites. 

Today, the Great Burn Recommended Wilderness Area is 275,000 acres of roadless wilderness in the Lolo and Nez Perce/Clearwater National Forests straddling the Montana-Idaho border. First proposed to Congress by the U.S. Forest Service more than 40 years ago, the Great Burn Conservation Alliance continues advocacy of official wilderness protection.

Historic Great Burn Sites 

• Pulaski Tunnel Trail and Pulaski Historic Site: 4 miles round-trip with interpretative signs to the tunnel overlook. Trailhead located off the road to Moon Pass, less than 10 minutes outside of Wallace.
• Ghost Cedars: Located near Avery, the Cedar Graveyardwetlands of the North Fork of the St. Joe River have large, standing dead cedars (called snags). 
• Firefighter Memorials/Gravesites: (1) Nine Mile Cemetery, Wallace – final resting place for firefighters and townspeople who perished during the Great Burn; (2) Forest Cemetery, Coeur d’Alene – Ed and Emma Pulaski gravesites. (3) Woodlawn Cemetery, St. Maries –Firefighter memorial.
• See “Day Trip Guide to Historic Sites in Idaho and Montana” for more info. 

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As a mom, I’ve wondered how best to discuss wildfires with my young children. Beyond prevention, what’s most important for kids to know about wildland fires?

Nicole Bronson, fellow mom and a 4th and 5th grade teacher at Pioneer School in Spokane Valley, recommends helping children learn about ecology and interconnections in the natural world as a starting point for teaching about fire. Prior to becoming a teacher, Bronson worked for 10 years as a park ranger, including stints at Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge and Idaho’s Round Lake State Park. As a teacher, she combines her ranger experiences with her studies in wildlife, parks and recreation, biology, and botany.

“What we’re doing is having an impact collectively [on our environment],” she says. Children need to understand “how we impact each other.” This includes humans’ relationships with animals and habitat; the connections between human activity and how our use of natural resources affect human health (such as clean air and water); the synergy between climate and weather (such as drought and how climate influences weather); and the real, local examples of all these (such as drought trends in the Inland Northwest.)

 “Kids need to be exposed to lots of [environmental] themes and topics and be able to form their own opinions,” she says. It’s important that children understand that not all forest fires are bad, and that nature goes “through cycles of wildfire,” says Bronson. She recommends the children’s book “The Charcoal Forest: How Fire Helps Animals & Plants.” Another good resource is the National Geographic Kids book “Wildfires” by Kathy Furgang. Bronson also recommends that parents utilize online resources from credible sources, like the Washington State Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Ecology.

Teaching opportunities abound when your family is out there. “If you’re driving by an old burn area and not planning on getting out of the car, have kids look visually to see what’s gone and what’s still there,” says Bronson. “Maybe do some predicting about what might happen next, in the next season or one or two or five years from now.” If you have the opportunity to get up close, she advises to look under bark, in dirt holes, and under downed trees. “Get children to think about the past, present, and future [of the forest]. Ask your children: Where’s the water and shelter? In the process of fire, what plants can come back in and grow more easily now that the tree canopy is gone?” she says.

Smokey Bear, America’s official icon for wildfire prevention, turns 75 years old this summer, but Bronson says kids should also know about Reddy Squirrel. Created in 2002 by “Forest Magazine” and published by the Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics (FSEEE) organization out of Eugene, the squirrel emphasizes readiness for inevitable wildfires. Holding a rake and wearing a hard hat, Ready Squirrel’s motto is “Forest fires happen. Be ready!” She offers a counterpoint to Smokey Bear’s fire-prevention message. Created to convey what fire ecologists and forest firefighters have long known, the Reddy Squirrel educational campaign’s target audience is people living in or near forests, as well as home insurance companies. State parks and national forests, many of which are prone to wildfire, are frequent adventure destinations for families. Take the time to teach your kids what you can about the ecology of forests, the role of wildfires, and to further lighten our impact on the Earth beyond Leave No Trace.

The post Beyond Smokey Bear: Teaching Kids About Wildfires appeared first on Out There Venture.

In this issue, first-time Out There contributor David Camp takes a look at the link between our warming climate and the forest fires and accompanying smoke that have been occupying more of our precious summer days, as well as a changing climate’s role in affecting the length and quality of our winters, in his feature “Outdoor Adventure in the Age of Climate Change.” “Science says this may well be the new normal, until it gets smokier still,” says Camp. Some of the science Camp references to reach this conclusion includes the research of scientists like Anthony Westerling, a Professor of Environmental Engineering at University of California, Merced, who has led teams of researchers tracking the growth of western wildfires over decades. Westerling and many others conclude that a warming climate is drying out western U.S. forests and leading to more large wildfires and a longer wildfire season.

Maybe a busy life has kept you from thinking too much about climate change or perhaps you are a closet skeptic that human activities are influencing our planet’s complex climatic processes on such a grand scale. No matter what you think about Al Gore, which news network you prefer, or how you vote, you owe it to yourself and future generations to read this article or others like it. If you need more convincing, do your own research beyond the politicized narratives that often pollute objective debate about climate change. Then consider taking some of the personal actions Camp suggests we can all do to make a small but significant impact on the threats we face from a warming planet. //

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