According to InciWeb, the Apple Fire has burned more than 26,000 acres, with about 5% containment. The fire is burning in, basically, virgin fire territory; there hasn’t been a fire in that area in a long time so there is a fuel density, low humidity, and high temperature equation that is allowing this fire to burn hot and bright. It’s an active fire during the day and night (it’s not really laying down after dark).
The U.S. Forest Service is looking for a few great women! According to the Angeles National Forest website, USFS fire management officials are actively searching for thirty female candidates for the Fourth Annual Women-in-Wildfire Basic Training Camp 2020 edition. This is a great opportunity to get trained for entry-level wildland firefighter jobs that are available throughout California specifically for women.
This year marks the second year of National Forest Week, which is a week-long celebration of our national forest and grasslands. The program was started in 2019 by the National Forest Foundation, which is a congressionally chartered non-profit parter to the U.S. Forest Service. National Forest Week happens the second week in July every year.
I got an email asking about a sign that someone had seen up at Jenks Lake in the San Bernardino mountains. I hadn’t heard of any new signs, but checked it out. It appears that there’s a sign posted stating that there’s “increased satanic cult activity” in the area. The “sign” is an 8.5”x11” sheet of white paper printed with a inkjet printer and affixed with masking tape.
Next Level Camping is what I was looking for when I discovered you could rent fire lookouts. I’d been a member of the Forest Fire Lookout Association for years because I lived close to the Butler Peak Fire Lookout while up in Big Bear, and thought that I’d eventually be able to volunteer at the lookout. Solitude is always a draw for me, and the forest is my church. So going up to the steeple seemed like a pretty cool idea.
