Burn ban in the Cherokee National Forest

[JAB]

I am never sure where to put this type of thread as it relates to the 'outdoors' but isn't limited to hunting/fishing/trapping.  Anyhow, I will put it here.

I took last week off from work and went camping up at Tellico last Friday and Saturday (at the Holder Cove camping area to be precise.)  There were postings that due to the current low rainfall conditions a burn ban went into effect week before last that will expire in three months unless it is cancelled before that (or, I assume, renewed.)  It is still allowable to have fires in the fire rings in developed camping areas but those are the only places where fires are currently allowed.  Use of propane stoves and similar is still allowed.  The restrictions apply to the entire Cherokee National Forest.  There was even one of those roadside marquee signs at the side of the road going into Tellico Plains that warned of a forest fire risk under current conditions.

[Omega]

12 minutes ago, JAB said:

I am never sure where to put this type of thread as it relates to the 'outdoors' but isn't limited to hunting/fishing/trapping.  Anyhow, I will put it here.

I took last week off from work and went camping up at Tellico last Friday and Saturday (at the Holder Cove camping area to be precise.)  There were postings that due to the current low rainfall conditions a burn ban went into effect week before last that will expire in three months unless it is cancelled before that (or, I assume, renewed.)  It is still allowable to have fires in the fire rings in developed camping areas but those are the only places where fires are currently allowed.  Use of propane stoves and similar is still allowed.  The restrictions apply to the entire Cherokee National Forest.  There was even one of those roadside marquee signs at the side of the road going into Tellico Plains that warned of a forest fire risk under current conditions.

There are a few more area that were announced, here in the city of Clarksville they have one in place as of just a few days ago.  This map show more areas:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=16aQ-WTtNY6RWAerdhMRLDHfQBik&hl=en&ll=36.053470963761704%2C-86.55329711328124&z=9

Edit, actually this one has a pdf more up to date, many more than the link above.

http://burnsafetn.org/

Edited November 7, 2016 by Omega
Add info

[JAB]

Just as a visual aid to show what things are like up at Tellico right now, here is a picture of what Bald River Falls looked like as of last Saturday:

for comparison, here is a picture of the falls from February of '07.  I have more recent pictures but this is the only one I could find on my Photobucket right now.  This is probably about 'normal' for the falls (excluding the ice that was on the falls at the time):

I'll have to look around and see if I can find pics of the falls from when there had been a lot of rainfall and the falls were kind of swollen.

[Omega]

Big difference; I went by a fishing spot I used to use (yellow creek) and seen islands didn't know were there.

[Johnny Rotten]

I was burning leaves this weekend, cops showed up and said we had a burn ban in my county, so I had to put it out...

[runco]

Try this:

 

[runco]

I live in the deep woods of Monroe County.  We had a bon fire a couple of weeks ago, was not enjoyable because I was very worried about the embers.  Extremely dry here. 

[Erik88]

West Knox county and Loudon county has a lot of smoke in the air due to wildfires. I can't ever recall it being this bad since I've lived here.

I went on vacation to CA in August and it has only rained one or two times at my house since that time. We desperately need rain.

[peejman]

Burn bans pretty much everywhere around here.  Smoke in the air was so thick it blocked out the sun at 4:00 this afternoon. 

[Garufa]

I've never seen smoke over the Knoxville area like we have right now.  

Heard a lot of reports of arson being the cause of a lot of these fires.  What kind of ignorant, back-assward #### goes out and purposefully sets uncontrollable fires in the driest conditions this area has seen in decades, if not forever?

[TGO David]

We drove across the Smoky Mtns twice this past week to and from Asheville, NC.  Most recently, yesterday.  The smoke was pretty thick even near I-40.  Quite the shame.

[Murgatroy]

Who in their right mind would willingly visit Tellico Plains?

 

I need to get back and visit family soon...

[eRay]

I went by to visit my farm last week and found a boat on the bottom of the pond that I never knew was there.

[Erik88]

12 minutes ago, Murgatroy said:

Who in their right mind would willingly visit Tellico Plains?

 

I need to get back and visit family soon...

I know you've posted negatively about it several times and I'm not saying I would want to live there but my wife and I really enjoy going there on the weekends. It's great for offroading, camping and hiking. We typically go further down 68 towards Coker Creek but that entire area is full of adventure.

[Murgatroy]

21 minutes ago, Erik88 said:

I know you've posted negatively about it several times and I'm not saying I would want to live there but my wife and I really enjoy going there on the weekends. It's great for offroading, camping and hiking. We typically go further down 68 towards Coker Creek but that entire area is full of adventure.

It is hands down one of the most beautiful places on the face of the earth. Having lived extensively in Rural Vale and Coker Creek, I can honestly say that I have had the pleasure of living and breathing some of the most magnificent sights this world has to offer.

 

 

There are good people there. 

 

For me though, it was never home. Even if it is.

 

[JAB]

18 hours ago, Murgatroy said:

Who in their right mind would willingly visit Tellico Plains?

 

I need to get back and visit family soon...

Heck, if it were feasible - as in if I could find good work there so I wouldn't have to drive forever to work somewhere else (worse than I already do where I live now) I'd like to live there.  I have noticed recently, however, that it is being invaded by people from, shall we say, above the 39th parallel.

[JAB]

20 hours ago, runco said:

Try this:

 

Wow - that is the other extreme.  I think I remember seeing the falls pretty close to that swollen a few years back when we were getting an abundance of rain but not quite to that extent.  Being that was taken in January I am guessing they were swollen from ice/snow runoff?

Edited November 8, 2016 by JAB

[A516]

Multiple fires on Signal, Montlake, etc. mountains as I type this.  I live on Flat Top Mountain north of there and we had a woods fire 3 days ago about a half mile from our house.  Please pray for rain.

[Lumber_Jack]

We are in crisis mode.  Lots of acres burning, no chance of rain.  We have been coordinating helicopter bucket drops from the National Guard and air tanker drops from the Forest Service.  We have ordered 3 -20person  federal hand crews and an additional Incident Management team just for the Southern Plateau region.  If it doesn't rain soon I'll be spending the month in a hotel in Kimball

[Lumber_Jack]

23 hours ago, Garufa said:

I've never seen smoke over the Knoxville area like we have right now.  

Heard a lot of reports of arson being the cause of a lot of these fires.  What kind of ignorant, back-assward #### goes out and purposefully sets uncontrollable fires in the driest conditions this area has seen in decades, if not forever?

 

70% of all the acres that have burned since Oct 1st in Tennessee have been deemed arson, it's sickening.  

[Erik88]

11 minutes ago, Lumber_Jack said:

We are in crisis mode.  Lots of acres burning, no chance of rain.  We have been coordinating helicopter bucket drops from the National Guard and air tanker drops from the Forest Service.  We have ordered 3 -20person  federal hand crews and an additional Incident Management team just for the Southern Plateau region.  If it doesn't rain soon I'll be spending the month in a hotel in Kimball

Is there anything volunteers can do to help? I got fired from my job Friday so I've got nothing but free time

Also, is there a map that shows where the active fires are?

[runco]

Fires in East Tennessee as of 11/7/2016:

http://burnsafetn.org/pdfs/2016FallFireMap.pdf

 

Another good resource:

http://burnsafetn.org/index.html

 

[Lumber_Jack]

2 hours ago, Erik88 said:

Is there anything volunteers can do to help? I got fired from my job Friday so I've got nothing but free time

Also, is there a map that shows where the active fires are?

 

well, that sucks about your job.  No there really isn't much room for volunteers as they need everyone to be certified by the feds.  Basically, means you pass a physical fitness test and are safety trained.  

http://burnsafetn.org/ is the place for daily fire updates.  At this point, none of the fires are being extinguished completely.  So, the map is just growing not shrinking.  

[Omega]

4 hours ago, Lumber_Jack said:

70% of all the acres that have burned since Oct 1st in Tennessee have been deemed arson, it's sickening.  

While not arson perse, when people throw lit cigarettes out the window it irks the hell out of me because it can definately cause one.

[peejman]

8 hours ago, Omega said:

While not arson perse, when people throw lit cigarettes out the window it irks the hell out of me because it can definately cause one.

Especially when you're behind them on a motorcycle....