Portland fire, water macho fest: this year, on Powell Butte (Jack Bog's Blog)

Every year about this time, Fireman Randy's two bureaus -- fire and water -- get together and burn a bunch of stuff, then put the fire out. Last year, they did a controlled burn on water bureau land by the well fields out past Costco and the airport. This year, the stage is being set for another planned conflagration, at Powell Butte. Things should start blazing about an hour from now. And there are more of these fires planned between now and the first rains.

The official announcement of today's burn says that it will take place only if weather permits. Well, it's certainly hot and dry enough, but the question is whether it's too hot and dry. If the wind kicks up, one would think they'll postpone.

Poor Powell Butte. It's being dug up for the gigantic underground water tanks that the city doesn't need, and now they'll burn it, too. Boys in uniforms, it seems, always need to play. One would have thought that if Portland wanted to get involved with fire and water, it would send some crews up to the Bull Run reservoir, where wildfire is about to show up any minute now.

And we always love it when the city gets on its high horse and tells us how it's removing "non-native species." Just try doing that with the street tree that's destroying the sidewalk in front of your house. Or try burning anything. City Hall will crucify you.

Comments (6)

At least they should erect a Burning Man and attract some of the creative types here. Then again, we might rick Randy running around naked.

Posted by Steve | September 6, 2011 8:02 AM

There was a piece on the Oregonian website over the weekend noting that the scheduled burn has been postponed until weather conditions improve.

Posted by reader | September 6, 2011 8:12 AM

Re: "Or try burning anything. City Hall will crucify you."

Have you tried burning anything in your backyard? Just build a circle of stones and call it a pit. Burn what you want -- plywood, cardboard boxes, whatever -- but include some firewood. If anyone inquires about what you are burning, say you are burning dried hardwood. Call your fire a "warming fire" even if the ambient temperature is 80º .

PF&R no longer bothers to check whether the spirit and letter of the Open Burning Ordinance are complied with, much less whether open burning occurs regularly in densely populated neighborhoods. Indeed, if you search the PF&R site, you'll come up with this advisory, which appears to be the PF&R's last word on open burning:
http://www.portlandonline.com/fire/index.cfm?c=54714&a=258412

Has the PF&R/City ever issued a citation for a backyard bonfire? The last time I checked -- a year ago -- they had not.

Posted by Gardiner Menefree | September 6, 2011 9:00 AM

I was at the Subway in Welches on Sunday, and was in line behind a guy that wore a uniform with a patch stating he was with the Potland water department security force (don't remember the exact terminology.) He was with another guy from the Forest Service and they were talking about doing something with the fires up here.

Posted by Ex-bartender | September 6, 2011 9:15 AM

If the fire does get to the Bull Run and the Forest Services drops retardent that drifts into our drinking water we will have accomplished one of Fireman Randy's fire prevention goals, thanks to not having a filtration system. All of the citizens are inoculated from spontaneous combustion due to having ingested the retardent. Yahoo!

Posted by Jerry | September 6, 2011 11:13 AM

According to the press release, there will be two more controlled burns later in the year at Baltimore Woods and Elk Rock Island Natural Areas.

Posted by Rich | September 6, 2011 2:24 PM

Search this site

About

Clippings

Archives

Links

E-mail, Feeds, 'n' Stuff

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Portland fire, water macho fest: this year, on Powell Butte

Comments (6)

Sponsors

In Vino Veritas

The Occasional Book

Road Work