ORCA DIGITAL NET CA/FIRE Support 27/Oct/19
Check-Ins: 9
Stations:
KE6SLS Jaye Eureka,CA
WB7TZD Tom Vancouver,WA
W7ZAP Mindy Brookings,OR
WA7HHE Brad Cedar City,UT
KG7VVN Bruno Beryl,UT
KR7KR Ken Enoch,UT
KG6LHW Anthony Blue Lake,CA
NX6DX John Willits,CA
K7KY Doug Brookings,OR NCS
Thanks for checking in tonight and supporting our colleagues working in Humboldt and Sonoma Counties, California, w/o power or internet. Fire conditions are still severe and uncontrolled. 768 sq/mi has burned, 2.3million people across 36 counties are w/o power, and 180,000 people are displaced from their homes. Steve K6ETA in Sonoma Co didn’t make the net tonight, but we have Humboldt Co reports from Jaye KE6SLS in Eureka and John NX6DX in Willits. Steve is probably very busy.
———— Jaye KE6SLS, Humboldt County, Eureka,CA:
Power is still off in Humboldt county. Unknown how fuel supplies are holding up, but confident in several suppliers keeping fuel and back up power to deliver that fuel. 80-90% of stores closed. Had several local fires, but fire department able to extinguish fires quickly. Power outages seem to run from Humboldt through to Gilroy and south.
Comms good here. I monitor 3.955MHz during day, ORCA at 7:30 & Western Country Cousins net 3.970MHz at 9pm. Our linked repeater system (Far West Repeater Asscn-FWRA) is still active and working, though it is known that the main link is on battery and no backup and will fail shortly. Best repeater for greater Eureka is the 147.445 -1000 tn 103.5. only about 2% of neighborhood has any backup power. Most newer homes with forced air heating are cold. Temps expected to drop to upper 30’s agn tonight, so it will be cold.
19:22PDT Humboldt Alert just notified me PG&E UNABLE TO RESTORE POWER TO EXPECT ANOTHER 24 HOURS OF OUTAGE. Crap… Humboldt County has also been notified that we will likely loose power AGAIN Tuesday AM for unknown amount of time. Obviously, this is costing all of us in Humboldt County a lot of money in lost wages/earnings. Will cross fingers our tankers can keep up with extra loads on fuel usage as more generators are brought online..
This station will contunue to Monitor Emergency phone net 3.955MHz LSB throughout day. ORCA Digital Net 3.581 USB MFSK23 at 7:30PM. And the Western Country Cousins net 3.970MHz LSB at 9pm.
That is my report as of 7:30PM Pacific time.
Thank you
Jaye, ke6sls
Eureka, CA <Humboldt County>—————-
John NX6DX, Humboldt County, Willits,CA:
ke6sls and k7ky
RR. 100% cp on both messages. We now have another fire down here in Potter Valley. Unknown at this time total acreage and containmen. I can see the glow in te skies east of me. I had heard on the local repeater that Hwy 20 east is closed in the vicinity of Poter Valley turn off.
I hope these events calm down a bit and the weather allows for higher humidity. Anyway, that is what I know at this time. Everyone stay safe and we’ll get through this alright.
BTU Doug, k7ky dew nx6dx k
Neither Jaye or John have power or internet access at this time. We’ll support them with current wx/wind data as requested. Thanks for your interest and assistance in supporting our colleagues in California. 73 Doug K7KY