2019 Klamath River TREX - Orleans, CA

I provided on-site meteorology support to the 2019 Klamath River TREX from October 10th through October 14th. I worked from the incident command post, providing daily spot weather forecasts and briefings for a multitude of burn sites located up and down the Klamath River from Orleans to Happy Camp. The hundred or so fire fighters, volunteers and ICS staff-members were outstanding, truly experts in wildland fire management, and extremely all-around friendly people. They even gave me an opportunity to observe a burn located up on a mountain slope above Orleans.

Besides the operational experience, I also got to experience a bit of the local wilderness while camping at the Oak Bottom Campground. I kept a fire raging all night long due to reports of not one but two mountain lions roaming/hunting the land surrounding the campground. I never saw a lion, which I suppose is a good thing--though I would have been exhilarated to see a pair of yellow glowing eyes glaring at me from a distance. Nevertheless, the Klamath River in that part of Humboldt County is truly amazing...one of the great and most-beautiful river gorges of California, if not America.

All in all I'd say this TREX operation, and my experience in particular, was a huge success and I hope I can participate again next year.