Sunday Update

Today could be another turning point day. It is hard to judge what the weather is doing at home from my perch here at the community center in Grand Marais. The sun was out early, but now it is getting cloudy. I don't think that it will bring rain.

Greg and Robert left after church to go back up the trail. They have received permission from the sheriff's department to travel up there and assist the local volunteer fire department. Many hands are needed to keep the sprinkler systems running. As the propane tanks run out, they must be swapped with refills. Greg and Mark Darling were doing this on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (until evac time). They would drive around on their designated route, grab tanks, bring them to a refill station further up the Trail, and then return them to systems. Robert will now be with Greg for this task. Mark has stayed up the Trail from the beginning, doing all sorts of jobs with the fire department.

They did get the okay to go in to our lodge yesterday. They found that Shar's house and the rustics had been set up with a sprinkler system. The lodge and our cabins still had only the basic systems that Mark and Nathan Dexter and Paul had put up on Thursday. Greg talked to a few people working nearby, in hopes that we could get a few extra sprinkler systems like Sharlene's. The coverage was much more adequate then what we originally were using. Whether that has been done, I don't know. I'll know more tonight after Greg calls me.

The fire fighters are continuing to use Spruce cabin to sleep in during the day. They are part of the night crew that first stayed with us on Tuesday. Greg found a note on the counter that they are writing on each day to let us know who is staying there and when. I take this as a really good sign. If they are writing to me, they expect that I will be able to read it once I'm back home. It also means that a fire truck is parked right there each day.

The daily briefing brought us the news of 15% containment of the fire. This includes the north side of Gunflint Lake. It is cooling off considerably on that side. Today's work is to fight against the southeast winds, with much effort concentrated in the Gunflint/Loon Lakes area. At the same time, other crews are working to strengthen fire lines on the other side, because tomorrow the winds are predicted to be from the northwest. We heard at the meeting this morning that the Incident Command people have ordered up that both those winds---the southeast and the northwest--come at the same time and blow against each other---think it can be arranged? That brought a chuckle from everyone. It is so important for us to keep our sense of humor intact. In addition to everyone's thoughts and prayers, it is another part of the picture that really keeps us going.

It's Monday tomorrow, and I really have to get back to work. I am hoping to set up a temporary office out of the bus, and try to get back to a sense of "business as usual", at least as far as the deskwork is concerned. And Paul and Addie need to get back to their schoolwork, to finish out the year. Addie is due to go join Shar and Jim in Alaska at the end of the month. Even more important, Paul needs to finish his schoolwork so that he can graduate. We're navigating in a new situation, but you know us---if nothing else, we can be really flexible.

To all of the moms---Happy Happy Mother's Day! We need something good to celebrate!

Talk to you again soon.

Barb

May 12 Update

For almost the whole of last week, the list of chores to complete was so long, we didn't even bother to write it down. We just ran from one thing to the next, be it bed-changing for fire fighters, washing sheets and towels, thinking about what to pack if we were to have to evacuate--and then of course, actually having to do that very thing---you get the idea. Until Thursday afternoon, it was go go go, and with an incredible sense of urgency. Yesterday, our first day in town after evacuation, we tried to take care of the basics, make the phone calls, and get our thoughts together. Now, after a better night of sleep, here I am with energy and not a lot to do.

When the fire first started, it made a major run to Round Lake on Saturday, and then on Sunday, it roared its way up to the end of the Trail. For the next couple of days, it calmed down some, but then did a run back through the Seagull--Sag area. By Wednesday, the decision was made to do the burn-out procedure on Magnetic and west of Gunflint. This was a move intended to provide a large area with reduced fuels, as the wind was predicted to be back up, and coming from the northwest on Thursday. We know that it was not an easy decision to make, to plan and execute a controlled burn like that. But we also know that it was the best thing to do in the face of as wild a fire as this one is. As I mentioned before, we have complete trust in these people, as they are THE BEST.

On Thursday, we nervously watched the lake, the sky, and what the wind was up to. Our good friend Mark was up, with his son Nathan, and along with Paul, they were doing their best to install some sprinkler heads in a few strategic places around the property. These are more of the good people that I spoke of yesterday---Mark and Nathan finally left just before we did, so in a sense, they are evacuees, too.

The worst thing about Thursday was that the fire went dancing with the wind, and roared down the Canadian side of the Granite River. That brought it to Gunflint Lake. The things that I saw that afternoon are just too horrible to write about now, knowing what we do about the losses. It just isn't possible.

Yesterday and today have both been quieter days on the fire, giving the fire fighters opportunities to once again work toward the upper hand against Mother Nature. But it also means that another roar could be just ahead. Once again, bad winds are predicted for tomorrow, this time from the southeast. Another burn-out operation is planned for today, again to try to take away potential fuels from the fire in the direction that it could run if the winds come as predicted. There is no rest against this thing.

We are doing fine, camped out here as we are. Paul and Addie are spending time with Cassidy today, after shouldering the burden of the incredible amounts of work placed on them. Greg and Robert are actually up the Trail today. They were asked to assist with a food delivery to Tuscarora with Sue Ahrendt. With well over five hundred people working and living on the trail, the resorts and outfitters that are not in vulnerable areas are busy helping to feed and house the fire fighters.

I'm fine, too, most grateful to be free of crutches as we did all the recent work. I just got off of them on the Thursday before the fire started. But what I really want to know is, Who gave me the weekend off?? And what the heck am I supposed to do with it?!

More later.

Ham Lake Fire Update 5/11/07

If you are ever in a crisis, you want to be with the kind of people who are surrounding us now: The folks actively fighting the fire--bless their efforts and keep them safe; the spokespeople keeping us informed as to what is happening; the neighbors on the Trail, in town, in the county; the many, many people--friends, family and loved ones, keeping us all in their thoughts and prayers. YOU ALL ARE SO AMAZING and we are so very grateful. Words cannot express it.

To say that it's been a busy and tense week is a little understated. Eight years ago, the blowdown and clean-up were stressful. Our forest fires in the following years were also stressful. Now I'm learning that those were the training grounds for this point in time. It has been a tough week, but for whatever reason, this is where God wants us to be right now, and that is where we are hanging out. Even amidst the dark times, we are grateful for the fact that we are all together, everyone is safe, and no one has been killed by this fire.

There is so much to say, but I will have to post the information in pieces. The most important stuff first--We evacuated safely on Thursday afternoon. Word came in at two p.m. Addie left with friends at 2:45, and Greg, Paul and I were out by 3:30. The guys were in the bus, and I was in the car behind. I snapped pictures as I went, and eventually will be sharing some of them here. We headed to Grand Marais, where Robert met us. He and Ben had hopped a red eye flight out of Fairbanks, Alaska on Wednesday night. They landed in Minneapolis on Thursday morning, met Ben's grandpa at the airport for a ride to Hinckley. They borrowed a truck there and headed up to the North Shore. For the time being, we are camped out with Greg's brother Jeff, sister-in-law Susan, and nephew Cassidy. They are wonderful to take in bus people like us!

Moses and Jethro rode out in style on Wednesday evening, thanks to Jeff and Susan. The donkeys are currently residing in the pasture at Greg's sister Geri's place, happily eating hay. It was good to have them leave early, and not be a worry.

Since I have yet to join the 21st century in yet another way--cell phones--I don't have an alternate phone number for you to reach us. That may change, and if it does, I will post it here. In the meantime, we are keeping close tabs on our email: info@hestons.com. You can write to us, and I will do my best to reply, but it may take some time. Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding.

It is Friday afternoon as I write this, and to this point, we believe that Heston's Lodge remains intact. We first heard this last night about 10:30. I know that we all slept a little better with that information in hand. Our chapter is not over, unfortunately, because the wind is still blowing. It has changed direction again, and so we continue to wait, watch and pray.

All through the week, as the fire progressed, we fielded phone calls about what was happening at the moment, and what to expect next. The first part we tried to answer as best we could. The second part wasn't as easy. Fire has a mind of its own, and we could try for some predictions, but we really just didn't know. If we were short on the phone, we sincerely apologize. That's not normally how we are. But these aren't normal conditions.

When will things be normal? We don't know. As soon as we are able to go back to Gunflint Lake, I will post that here to the blog.

I cannot praise enough the efforts and hard, hard work that the fire fighters are putting in. This is a most incredible thing to witness. These people are beyond dedicated, and I fully put my trust in their abilities. Please say prayers for their continued safety.

Thank you to each and everyone of you---we couldn't do it without knowing that you are all there for us.

With much love,
Barb, Greg, Robert, Paul and Addie--and I know that I speak for Sharlene and Jim, too

Ham Lake Fire

What should be a beautiful spring day here on Gunflint Lake is actually a very busy and tense one. As many of you know, there is a large forest fire burning west of us. Last July, the Cavity Lake fire burned in the BWCA about ten miles (as the crow flies) from our location here on the South Shore. In September, the Famine and Red Eye fires burned about five miles to the south of us. This time, it is the Ham Lake fire, and it is burning along the Gunflint Trail, north and west of us. I had hoped to give you a detailed description here of the events of the last few days, but I am needed outside to help Greg and the kids. So the most I can tell you for the moment is that we are all fine, we are not in immediate danger, and we are doing our best to keep things safe here, while helping our friends and neighbors as much as we can. We really appreciate all of the phone calls and emails that you have sent, and we also welcome your prayers that the wind does not keep blowing in all of the odd directions that have caused so much trouble already. I also wanted to share some links with you that you can go to for more information.

http://www.boreal.org
http://www.inciweb.org/incident/660/
http://www.wtip.org

You can find maps of the fire, as well as the latest press statements as to size of the fire and what the plans are for the fire fighting efforts of the day. As we know more, we will post it here. Thank you for all of your thoughts and prayers. If we don't get back to you right away, it's just that things are a bit hectic!
Barb, Greg, Paul and Addie