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07-22-2015, 05:23 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Enjoying the Western States!
Posts: 20,483
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Glacier National Park Fire
Here's a link:
Glacier National Park wildfire forces tourists to leave cars | The Seattle Times
You might have to change plans if traveling that direction. Keep informed.
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Full-timed for 16 Years . . .
Traveled 8 yr in a 2004 Newmar Dutch Star 40' Diesel
& 8 yr in a 33' Travel Supreme 5th wheel
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07-23-2015, 10:49 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Gulf Streamers Club
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Cincinnati
Posts: 19,925
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Fires are a part of nature and the outdoors. I'd not change plans to visit Glacier because of a fire, perhaps adjust where you visit for a day or two, but that's about it. I taught graduate courses in and about Yellowstone for almost 20 years and the '88 fires and the new understanding of fire and it's part in the natural cycle of the earth was a major part of the course. (Miami University of Ohio, science education)
The '88 fires of Yellowstone had people believing the park was in danger of being destroyed, political pressure forced a great show of trying to 'fight' the fire. The fire won. So did visitors that year and subsequent years as the fires brought forth wildflowers, renewed forests and a small animal population explosion that then brought more large animals to feed on the small.
The '88 fires probably wouldn't have been as large if decades of Smoky Bear teaching to 'Prevent forest fires' hadn't been the way of the NPS and Forest Service. There's been a major shift in fire philosophy since then. Fires actually benefit the national parks and forests.
__________________
Bob & Donna
'98 Gulf Stream Sun Voyager DP being pushed by a '00 Beetle TDI
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07-23-2015, 07:09 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Tiffin Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Cedar Falls, IA
Posts: 2,290
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Quote:
Originally Posted by twogypsies
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They have closed campgrounds and evacuated the town of Mary Lake. I think the advise to keep informed is appropriate. They have also closed a significant part of Going to the Sun Road, one of the major tourist draws.
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07-23-2015, 07:18 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 171
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We drove part of Going to the Sun today from West Glacier. Absolutely clear sky
and worth coming to the west side of Glacier. We got as far as Logan's pass where the road then closed. The range said they are getting some control of the fire and that the road is closed mainly to allow the firefighters on the ground and in the air to do their job.
There is so much to see that we will come back to see the east side some other time.
__________________
Kathy
2014 Tiffin Phaeton 42 LH
Full timers
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07-23-2015, 07:51 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Lake County, IL
Posts: 1,584
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BFlinn181
Fires are a part of nature and the outdoors. I'd not change plans to visit Glacier because of a fire, perhaps adjust where you visit for a day or two, but that's about it. I taught graduate courses in and about Yellowstone for almost 20 years and the '88 fires and the new understanding of fire and it's part in the natural cycle of the earth was a major part of the course. (Miami University of Ohio, science education)
The '88 fires of Yellowstone had people believing the park was in danger of being destroyed, political pressure forced a great show of trying to 'fight' the fire. The fire won. So did visitors that year and subsequent years as the fires brought forth wildflowers, renewed forests and a small animal population explosion that then brought more large animals to feed on the small.
The '88 fires probably wouldn't have been as large if decades of Smoky Bear teaching to 'Prevent forest fires' hadn't been the way of the NPS and Forest Service. There's been a major shift in fire philosophy since then. Fires actually benefit the national parks and forests.
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You are correct. Fires are a part of nature, and in the big picture, the can be quite beneficial. However, I suspect that you have not had much experience with them.
I have been involved with many controlled burns, and I can assure you that they are not at all pleasant. Even with a respirator, the smoke is very irritating.
At the end of Aug. 2013, DW and I were in the Bighorn Mountains, and decided to head for the Beartooth and Yellowstone. We knew that there were fires burning in Idaho, but that seemed too far off to worry about. Were we wrong!
In the Beartooth, the smoke cut down the visibility some, but it was tolerable. In Yellowstone, the visibility was even lower, and smell of smoke was constant. We accepted the circumstances, and stayed for two weeks.
Next, we headed to Grand Teton National Park. The conditions there were much worse. There was so much smoke, that driving down Teton Park Road, we couldn't see a single mountain. As a matter of fact, we couldn't see much of anything. We gave uu and headed dowt to southern Utah.
Joel
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Retired electronics engineer. Avid paddler & birder.
2011 Silverado 2500HD, diesel, 4x4,crew cab, 8' bed
Palomino Puma 253FBS (27' 5er) & '94 19' Class B
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07-23-2015, 08:29 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Gulf Streamers Club
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Cincinnati
Posts: 19,925
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Quote:
Originally Posted by J Birder
You are correct. Fires are a part of nature, and in the big picture, the can be quite beneficial. However, I suspect that you have not had much experience with them.
Joel
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I've hiked into fires with an Indian backpack tank and fire rake, done a bit of controlled burns and helped set fire lines. I was just remarking that the fact that there was fire in Glacier isn't a reason to avoid the park, just be prepared and stay informed. In the over 20 years I've been traveling in and around YNP and GTNP I've seen many days the mountains are hidden, from local and distant fires. I've twice encountered visitors in YNP ranting about the cost to taxpayers of planting all the pine trees in the burn areas. I gently inform then that Lodgepole Pine is adapted to fire and has serotinous cones that stay on the trees for years until fire raises the temperature to about 113º and release the stored seeds onto the freshly cleared forest floor. It's nature reseeding the trees, not the government.
In the Yellowstone fire of 1988, when over 1/4 of the park burned for over 3 months, the park was closed on one day, Sept. 8. The only time the park has ever been closed. I certainly wouldn't avoid Glacier because of a fire.
__________________
Bob & Donna
'98 Gulf Stream Sun Voyager DP being pushed by a '00 Beetle TDI
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07-23-2015, 10:40 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Texas
Posts: 6,569
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There is still a lot to see and do here. We are staying in west glacier and have hiked a different trail everyday. 27 miles of the going to the sun road is all that is open and you cannot get to Logan's pass. There is still lots of area open.
If you don't have a reservation, the closures on the st. Mary side have overloaded the campgrounds, but this morning we saw openings at apgar campground. The park we are in has a few open spots as do several in Coram.
We have seen a lot more wildlife on the west side the past few days than ever before.
On the east side you can still visit Many Glacier and Two Medicine.
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2022 London Aire 4551 * 2022 GD Imagine 2800BH * 2021 RAM 3500 DRW * 2020 Wrangler
NHSO (Newmar Hoot, Sevierville Original)
Kindness Matters
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07-26-2015, 02:44 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Texas
Posts: 6,569
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The fire is now 20% contained and there is a rumor that the gts road will be open tomorrow.
2013 Newmar Dutchstar 4347, Active Air
__________________
2022 London Aire 4551 * 2022 GD Imagine 2800BH * 2021 RAM 3500 DRW * 2020 Wrangler
NHSO (Newmar Hoot, Sevierville Original)
Kindness Matters
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