Not even small backyard campfires are allowed until further notice in the cities of Centralia, Chehalis and unincorporated Lewis County, as of yesterday and today. / Courtesy photo by Rhonda Volk
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – Just put the marshmallow roasting sticks away for the summer.
Outdoor recreational and cooking fires are prohibited within the city limits of both Centralia and Chehalis until further notice.
Both cities made announcements yesterday afternoon, one day after a similar ban was issued for unincorporated areas of Lewis County.
Ken Cardinale
Officials are citing a high fire hazard due to the extremely parched environment.
Chehalis Fire Department Chief Ken Cardinale put it this way:
“As the Chehalis fire chief, I cannot stress enough the seriousness of the fire danger that presently exists,” Cardinale stated. “The continued dry conditions, very low fuel moistures and dry weather pattern we have been experiencing are contributing to the high fire danger.”
Brush fires have broken out, but area firefighters have been quick to keep them from burning down buildings. The dry season began earlier than usual this year, meaning vegetation is more susceptible to ignition.
The restrictions apply on both private property and public property, such as city parks.
Centralia’s went into effect at 12:01 a.m. today. Residents there are still allowed to use above ground barbecues with contained flame.
Chehalis’s is in effect now. Citizens there are permitted the use of propane or charcoal barbecues that are self contained with lids. Also, outdoor fireplaces equipped with an approved spark arrestor installed on the flue are okay, according to the city.
All three entities strongly urge residents and property owners to be attentive to the dangers and take proactive fire prevention measures.
Cardinale refers folks to the Chehalis Fire Department’s website, where information can be found on what those in the fire service refer to as creating “defensible space” around your home.
It’s a good time for some yard work, pruning, trimming and cleaning up if it hasn’t already been done.
The new fire chief also suggests anyone with questions ought to give them a call, or stop by the station.
A brush fire that broke out on Tuesday off Centralia-Alpha Road southeast of Chehalis grew to 18 acres and as of yesterday, still had more than 70 firefighters and support personnel from the state Department of Natural Resources working to extinguish hot spots.
Steve Mansfield, who oversees the Lewis County Department of Emergency Management, visited the scene yesterday morning and indicated DNR planned to remain there through the weekend to ensure it didn’t reignite or spread.
“Until this drought is over and the threat of fire is significantly diminished, be physically aware of safety around any open flames or activity that could cause an ignition of materials,” Mansfield stated.
Recent fires in Lewis and south Thurston counties have had suspected causes from such ordinary activities as lawn mowing with the blade catching a rock, haying with a tractor driving over a “wind row”, and a worn extension cord to a parked motorhome starting a grass fire.
The former sheriff noted none of us can control the weather conditions, but there are a number of steps individuals can take to reduce the risks. Basic precautions:
• Don’t throw lit materials and cigarettes out of your vehicle.
• Find alternatives to outdoor campfires and cooking.
• Refrain from driving in areas of tall grass and fields
• When operating equipment, watch for anything that can cause a spark.
• Have a fire extinguisher handy when working outdoors near sources of ignition.
• Listen to local media regarding local fire conditions and hazards
• Be proactive, the property and lives you save may be your own.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
Energy from the sun fuels and changes the Jet Stream pattern as it has long before radio stations went into operation, including ionosphere research stations. The Sun’s effect is latterly billions of times stronger than anything coming out of a radio station in Alaska.
Do some more reading from scientific journals on the subject rather than an internet search from every blogger who has seen a rainbow.
Free Air, that’s a nice public relations statement but there is more too it than that.
HAARP is what’s called and ionosphere heater. By putting so much RF energy up into the ionosphere they create a bubble. At it’s strategic location that bubble can deflect the polar jet stream 1,000 miles further east than it would normally intersect the continental U.S.
I don’t know the operational status of the HAARP facility. Supposedly it has lost funding from the Navy. There are some 50 similar facilities in the world. The Russians operated one in the 70’s. This put out the famous “woodpecker” radio signal that confounded ham operators. That winter places like Indiana had record cold and snow falls. My rich farmer Vietnam buddy bought and wore out two snowmobiles that year.
There have been times when most of these stations have been coordinated to put energy into the ionosphere simultaneously for various studies. The day TWA800 went down (July 17, 1996) was such day. Lightning bolts were detected in a clear sky at the NASA Wallops island facility. The official verdict on TWA800 is that the fuel tank exploded from an unknown electrical spark. Hmmm….,
Weather, Mind, Geological and Ocean Current Control just from one antenna array in Alaska? Egad! And here I though it was all about studying the effects of radio waves on the ionosphere.
Here’s a news article written on a factual level about what HARRP did regarding ionosphere studies, and it’s decommissioning. It’s a good read without needing to wear a tinfoil hat in the process.
http://www.nbcnews.com/science/weird-science/conspiracy-theories-abound-u-s-military-closes-haarp-n112576
The short of it is:
“The goal of the program is to understand the physics of the ionosphere, which is constantly responding to influences from the sun. Solar flares can send solar particles racing toward Earth, occasionally disrupting communications and the electrical grid. If scientists could better understand what happens in the ionosphere, they might be able to mitigate some of these problems.”
Just consider, that sometimes it’s possible to be wrong and an antenna array to study the ionosphere might be only that. It doesn’t mean you’re stupid, duped, on drugs or fluoride. It just means anyone can be wrong when they view “internet facts” that have more in common with fiction than physics.
Yeah Bill i wanted to mention Harrp but I wasnt sure any of the locals were on this level. I have watched experiments actually steer hurricanes in a lab experiment. I like the comments under us they think Im crazy. Just goes to show the lack of knowledge out their. Its too bad that people waste their minds. So as in my original statement To the Sheriff weather can be controlled its being done at the Paridise fire right now…their spraying fine mist to create moisture… Thanks for the back up Bill i know you get attacked by keyboard Ninjas Too from time to time..
SG, I don’t think that you are crazy, but chemtrails are not very common. I think mostly people are seeing jet aircraft contrails as they fly through the cold air at 35,000′. There is a tremendous amount of aircraft traffic in specific corridors and, when the contrails dissipate, they produce cloudlike phenomenon.
I’ve skied high up on the glaciers in Switzerland and the sky would absolutely be covered with jet contrails. You would think they are chemtrails but Switzerland is just a central crossing point for all of the air traffic in Europe.
Governments do use aerial chemical dispersion for local weather modification on occasion for both civilian and military purposes but I don’t think we are seeing it here on the west coast. I do know that the Israelis have used cloud seeding in the Mediterranean to create or deny rainfall to certain countries. And the Russians have done a lot weather modification. They can guarantee a clear day for one of their celebrations. Supposedly they can seed and deflect typhoons and hurricanes.
One thing that can affect the weather in the continental United States is the HAARP facility in Alaska. They can deflect the polar jet stream from the West Coast farther east over the Midwest. The effect is mild winters in the West and harsh winters in the Midwest and East – sound familiar.
I see there is a fire on the other side of the freeway with aircraft tending.
I sure hope that’s not fluorinated water they are dropping on it.
Pssst Free Air, I don;t think sleeping Giant is trying to be funny. I think he is serious.
Humor?heres a list of weather control patents. Just copy and paste www. geoengineeringwatch. com The level of knowledge I am om is easily achieved by doing a little research. Ever heard of cloud seeding chem trails. Each day we are being bombarded with Aluminum particles from jet air craft chem trails. The Motesano Company has patented an Aluminum resistant seed to grow in unsavory conditions that have been chem trailed. Also the Geneva Convention has made weather weapons illegal. Still think its Humor I challenge any one on this issue. Just make sure you research the facts before you comment. Its really easy to put your foot in your mouth….. Humor no Facts Free Air
Now that’s funny!
Thanks for sharing your humor. Puts a bright spot in an otherwise humorless story.
Yes Mr Sheriff the weather is and can be controlled. Just type into google weather modification patents. Dont think its happening ever heard of Chem Trailing? The evil is very real people, cloud seeding is being done every day with chem trails. Im sure someone will attack me and say im crazy before they even research this issue. I remain informed its my right. Reading things like the weather cannot be controlled is like reading the comic section in the news paper.