Beartooth in trouble......

[BigSkyRider]

I live about fifty miles from Red Lodge and yesterday a huge fire exploded up just 12 miles west of Red Lodge.
Huge plumes of smoke and a gigantic red glow last night.
The morning report from the fire service isn't good, they are saying the fire won't go out until the snow flies this fall.
For anyone that's ridden this area, you know what's at stake.

Mike

[PGlaves]

I live about fifty miles from Red Lodge and yesterday a huge fire exploded up just 12 miles west of Red Lodge.
Huge plumes of smoke and a gigantic red glow last night.
The morning report from the fire service isn't good, they are saying the fire won't go out until the snow flies this fall.
For anyone that's ridden this area, you know what's at stake.

Mike

Oh boy! Bad news!

[Rich]

Not only bad, but sad. That route is just plain fantastic.

Keep us posted, Mike.

[KGT1200]

I just posted my ride report today from there after the rally. This is sad, sad news.

[flgoff]

That is one of the most spectacularly beautiful roads in the US, and we can only hope they can contain, if not extinguish, the fire.

Floyd

[bubbagazoo]

From an ecological point of view, they should let the fire burn until it uses up all the fuel available to it. Many of today's super fires are a result of an aggressive policy of containing fires to the point that there is an unnatural amount of fuel for these fires to burn. Fire in forests and grasslands is part of nature and should be allowed to run its natural course.

While riding through "unspoiled" forests is a beautiful thing, seeing a forest recover naturally from a fire is just as beautiful.

[BigSkyRider]

The fire is blowing up right now with a large storm moving in, high winds and heat.
It's only one mile from the Red Lodge ski station and the fire service is saying the fire may move down the canyon all the way to Red Lodge.

I was in Red Lodge Sunday and the store owners are nervous and looking for a miracle.

[rinty]

Fire.... should be able to run its natural course...BubbaGazoo

This is what the silviculturalists are saying. Governments have been successful in controlling fires with the result that there are millions of tons of dead wood lying around in our forests. When a fire finally hits this stuff, under certain conditions it can literally explode.

This is why we're seeing more controlled burns around here.

Hopefully the Red Lodge folks will get through this unscathed.

Rinty

[SIBUD]

Update on fire HERE (http://www.cityofredlodge.com/cascadefire.asp)

[riderR1150GSAdv]

This is what the silviculturalists are saying. Governments have been successful in controlling fires with the result that there are millions of tons of dead wood lying around in our forests. When a fire finally hits this stuff, under certain conditions it can literally explode.

This is why we're seeing more controlled burns around here.

Hopefully the Red Lodge folks will get through this unscathed.

Rinty

You're right. Just look at all the dead trees from that Beetle infestation all over the north. Last year, in BC, I saw millions of dead trees waiting for a lightning strike. Not a good situation. Not letting nature take it's course is going to cost us dearly.. I hope that Red Lodge will be fine.

[rinty]

I just drove to Whistler, B.C. and back from Calgary, and I couldn't believe the extent of the Mountain Pine Beetle devastation. Around the roads I was on, it seemed a quarter or a third of the trees are dead.

Rinty

[KGT1200]

I know Colorado is hit hard from last years ride, and reports this year from friends seems like it's much worse; seems like I have heard that the beetle devistation hasn't hit much higher up than Leadville, although could somebody let me know how the Vail valley looks? Is it huge beetle kill like lower elevatiions? How about Grand Mesa on the West? Gunnison on the South? Steamboat on the North (west)?

Does anybody else know?

[dtor]

I live about fifty miles from Red Lodge

And you live in Bozeman? Wow, Montana sure has changed since I left Bozeman 3 years ago. Then it was 150 miles to Red Lodge. Global Shrinking aside, it sounds like the fire is right at the Lions Club camp where the Beartooth Beemers have their annual rally. It's a very nice spot.

[rinty]

[QUOTE]...it sounds like the fire is right at the Lions Camp...dtor/QUOTE]

And the Beartooth Rendezvous is supposed to start on the 21st....:(

Rinty

[dtor]

And the Beartooth Rendezvous is supposed to start on the 21st....:(

http://Duner.smugmug.com/photos/347057094_reHgz-X2.jpg

Very collectible. A close look reveals why.

[rinty]

A close look reveals why...

I give up.:scratch

I have great memories from a couple of Beartooths.

Rinty

[BigSkyRider]

I shot this picture off of my porch this evening looking toward the Beartooth, no more smoke......soaking rains the last three days.

Mike:clap

[jdmetzger]

http://Duner.smugmug.com/photos/347057094_reHgz-X2.jpg

Very collectible. A close look reveals why.

Wow... it's rare to have a rendezous, indeed! :ha

[dtor]

Wow... it's rare to have a rendezous, indeed! :ha

Rendezous etched in glass, no less. The mugs languished in their box at the rally until someone finally noticed the gaff. They sold out in minutes. You can take the mug out of Montana, but you can't take the Montana out of the mug.

[Muriel]

Glad the fire is out - I rode there in late June, and it isindeed a spectacular ride.

Later, in my travels to Colorado, I could see where the pine beetle has devasted much of the mountainsides. Between Yellowstone recovering from fires, and Colorado being hit so hard by the beetle, it seems much of the large forests in parts of the west are no more.

How long ago was the "Willie fire" outside of Red Lodge? Did this fire hit some of the same area?

Muriel