Yes, was bad here Saturday but much better Sunday and today. I saw on the news that the smoke had drifted south down past Tacoma.

@lauribob, Lauri ...

It's not just neat the the USFS is letting the locals help out, it's because they wouldn't let the locals help or listen when that horrid firestorm in 2008 came through. I know there were over a 1,000 lighting struck fires in northern California alone. Locals were not allowed to assist. After it was over, there were meetings with all of anyone with the authority to impact policy with the USFS, CalFire, Bureau Of Land Management, Department of Interior, etc. and the locals, at least in my County because those in charge of the fire would not even listen to the locals for advice.

This time, CalFire team worked with the locals for advice and then did pull some of them in with their equipment to work on fire lines and mop up. It was a big change, so I guess somebody listened and policy was changed. Thank God.

The fires on the other side of the mountain are not as active as they were and there is little smoke on this side of the mountain.

Lyn

Lyn,
I know what you mean about the frustration factor. When our valley burned up last year (over 300 homes) there was a lot of bad feelings because people were trying to save their homes with a garden hose while fire crews watched and were not allowed to help due to jurisdiction issues. Meanwhile, a rich orchardist with a lot of equipment was paid over $2 million by the state to put fires out on his own land, and not only did not venture past his property lines to help anyone else, but actually got in the way of the other helicopters working for the rest of us. It sticks in everyone's craw pretty bad. They really seem to be working with the public in a much better way this year.

That's good to hear about working with the public better. I will not comment on the other because this is a family site but on the state paying 2 million.

lauribob said: ... Meanwhile, a rich orchardist with a lot of equipment was paid over $2 million by the state to put fires out on his own land, ...

I wish our campaign finance laws required all large political donations to be public.

I wish I didn't think "Whose election campaigns did HE paid for?"

He's a personal friend of Peter Goldmark, the Commissioner of Public Lands in WA.

'Nuf said.

I usually think that I'm TOO cynical and mistrustful.

Thanks for clarifying that!