Arsonist(s) at work? I think so.

[DemoTex]

17:15 PDT - USFS unit observes an incendiary device being thrown from an older red Suburban (gets license plate number) into the sage brush near Pine Mountain.

17:25 PDT - I observe a red vechicle on US-20 headed toward Bend near Horse Ridge doing about 100 mph (20X80 Pentax binocs are great!).

20:25 PDT - I spot a fire smoke about eight miles to my northwest.

20:26 PDT - Daylight is failing so I call a lookout that is equipped with DragonPlot (a computerized fire positioning system). He gives me a feasible fire position solution (near the FS-1835 road).

20:29 PDT - I call my duty officer (my battalion commander) to report the smoke.

20:35 PDT - Four more smokes pop up, alinged linearly, along the FS-1835 road (over, say, 4000 feet).

20:36 PDT - I call my battalion commander with an update. We agree: probably the work of the red Sububurn. I'm on fire watch all night.

The day started with two smoke reports early. Long day watching the woods from yesterday's lightening strikes (one of which was 500 feet from the lookout!).

That's it. No pics. I did have snow today!

Mac

[The Magistrate]

1. Certainly Sounds Like, Sir

Stay focused....

[DemoTex]

3. Great choice of words!

I have a pair of 20X80 tripod-mounted binocs, a Bushnell 3200 digital vertical angle scope, and my trusty Nikon 8X40 binocs focused on the area. This is a game of optical instruments, algebra, trig, and linear regression programs.

I also have my Canon EOS 5D Mk-2 with a 70-200 mm f2.8 IS Mk-II lens, on a tripod, aimed at the fire area (for forensics and my personal protection). I always try to make photos of fires I work.

Mac

[lazarus]

2. I do not understand the destructive nature of some people

I really don't. Hope they all got put out.

[DemoTex]

5. Nor do I. Signs in the National Forest are bullet magnets.

But the guys in the Suburburn are nailed. A USFS witness got a complete vehicle description, including license plate info. If the fire I am watching is connected to these jerks, I would not be surprised.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. My dear DemoTex!

What is wrong with people? I mean, I know about arsonists, but this is incredible.

I'm so glad you're there, watching...

I want to murder that person!

:grr:

[DemoTex]

6. It is insane!

Stupid me; I did not think that the fire bomb tosser might have tossed other flamers in the NF. When I spotted that first smoke near 8:30 pm, it still didn't connect. But when the smokes started lining up along a wilderness road, I said: AH-HA! Two and two came together.

:hi:

[robdogbucky]

7. Mac, if you recall last season

I told you I had fought fire with a crew out of UCDavis in Cal. We had started out being just an AD crew, commonly dispatched with a crew mustered up at Chico State, until our ratings after our fire shifts were so high that they created a hybrid, a Super2 Crew that season, of which ours was the first AD crew sent to fires on initial attack. It pays to have a 120-person crew full of healthy young soccer players, distance runners and cycling enthusiasts. Oh, yeah, being 21 really helps too. In 1981 we had a very busy season and one fire took us to Utah, near Spanish Creek and Utah Lake.

While we were there, on day 3 or so, an arsonist was spotted miles away, taunting the overhead. He had a pickup and would be barely visible on the horizon, on a far ridge top. They would then find his starter fires down below just after noon and we would have to send resources out to put them out. I don't think they caught that guy on that fire, but it reminds me of the hit and run pursuit you were somewhat engaged in today. We camped out in town next to the local armory and we joked with the state convice crews that were working alongside of us that the guy was probably someone they knew. They would have their evening entertainment with lizard races. Several of the cons had captured lizards and well, it gets boring in fire camp, especially on mop up for a week.

Some people like that cat and mouse arsonist in Utah, and apparently the one you have bird-dogged today, are just sick and destructive and have no connection or empathy with living things all around them. From what you said about the cool humid weather recently the fuels would not really be ready burn now anyway, so I guess the intelligence of these guys have to be in question. 'Course you and I know they will be around in August too. Hope you catch up with the Suburban before they can do serious damage.



Just my dos centavos


robdogbucky

[DemoTex]

8. We had a big arson fire last season: the "East Fire."

A male lookout's predictible 2 AM need to pee (prostate issues): he spotted the fire being laid down near Paulina Peak to his east. So every time I visit my little catwalk relief station in the dark of night, I do a big and thorough 360 for fire.

[Swamp Rat]

9. Keep up the good work!

:applause:

[DemoTex]

10. Hi Swamp Rat!

Great to see 'ya!

mac

[Swamp Rat]

12. I admire what you do.

I like to read your reports. They keep my mind off of wanting to beat the shit out of Tony Hayward, which I cannot seem to do at the moment.

[Jamastiene]

11. It sure sounds like it.

I hope they get caught and prosecuted for it.

Keep up the good work watching out for those fires. I love your updates and pictures. :)

[EFerrari]

13. I hope you catch them.

:grr:

[Hekate]

14. From bone-dry SoCal: bless you and keep up the good work. nt

[Scuba]

15. Thanks for your good work!

[pinboy3niner]

16. Be careful up there

There are reports of 16 wildfires across the West. The Schultz and Hardy fires forced evacs in the Flagstaff, AZ area. They had more than 300 firefighters on the Schultz fire alone, with reinforcements requested. They used choppers, but eight air tankers called up were grounded because of wind conditions. A CA man was arrested and charged in one fire, but it was accidental (dumping coals at a campsite), not arson.

There were bigger blazes in CO (including one in Great Sand Dunes National Park) and NM. The biggest one I heard about had burned more than 11,500 acres.

Sounds like your arsonists are looking to start a major blaze in a National Forest--multiple firebombs seems a good indication of their advance planning and intent. It really takes a psychiatrist to explain the motive for doing something so incredibly stupid and dangerous.

Have a calm and peaceful night, Mac.

[NNN0LHI]

17. I hope they catch whomever is doing this

And please stay safe.

Don

[hootinholler]

18. Snow on the Solstice?!?

Damn. Good to hear someone got a tag number!

Stay Safe Mac!

-Hoot

[Lars39]

19. "Red suburban" caught my eye.

Around here some volunteer firefighters prefer red for their personal vehicles.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/11/20/60II/main530103.shtml

Take care in your lair, Demotex. :hug: Love your updates and photos! :hug: