Tag: wildfire

A unique irrigation system (and heroic fire department) may have saved this much-anticipated new golf course

“Their swift actions protected GrayBull and prevented any injuries as a result.”

In recent weeks, wildfires have ravaged parts of the country. They’ve even impacted golf courses, as well.

Last week, a wildfire started near North Platte, Nebraska, and quickly threatened GrayBull Club, a Dormie Network property in Maxwell. Thanks to fast-acting actions from staff, the soon-to-be-complete club were able to leverage innovative irrigation and use mobile water trucks to control the fire. However, the fire has burned more than 71,000 acres.

David McLay Kidd — known for his work at Bandon Dunes, among other sites — and his crew broke ground on the project back in 2022. The site is in the southern reaches of the Sandhills, more than an hour south of several top courses such as Sand Hills Golf Club (Golfweek’s Best No. 1 Modern Course in the U.S.) or Prairie Club (with the Dunes, the No. 1 public-access layout in Nebraska).

GrayBull’s unique underground decoder-based irrigation system played a crucial role in safeguarding the club during the wildfire threat. The system, designed as a preventive measure against such emergencies, enabled the effective control and mitigation of the fire, showcasing the foresight in GrayBull’s infrastructure planning.

This approach was pivotal in protecting the course and minimizing damage. Alongside the irrigation system, an onsite water truck utilized approximately 45,000 gallons of water to protect structures and put out hot spots. 

“We want to thank Michael Sheely, Director of Agronomy, the GrayBull team, and Ben Boehm, volunteer firefighter and Sampson Construction team member, for their prompt response to the wildfire,” Zach Peed, President of Dormie Network, said in a release. “Their swift actions protected GrayBull and prevented any injuries as a result.”

Although the fire burned around the course and all the way up to the edge of the fairways, the course remained untouched. An inspection has been done on all construction, facilities and structures, but there has been only minimal damage to greens tarps, drainage pipes and construction materials.

After 8 p.m. Monday, when GrayBull was safely secured, the team drove the water truck out to support the rest of the North Platte community and leveraged a water line close to the GrayBull entrance to fill volunteer fire trucks.

In an effort to fight future wildfires, a matching donation fundraiser has been kickstarted. All funds raised up to $100,000 will be matched by Dormie Network Foundation and will help with the purchase of another fire engine for and to expand the current facilities of the Maxwell Volunteer Fire Department.

Donations can be made here.

Photos: Oregon golf course is staging area for firefighters battling Lookout Fire

Scenic Tokatee Golf Club in McKenzie Bridge, Oregon, is serving a different purpose this week.

Scenic Tokatee Golf Club in McKenzie Bridge, Oregon, is serving a different purpose this week.

It has become a staging ground for hotshot crews battling the Lookout Fire raging through the Willamette National Forest about 50 miles east of Eugene.

Smoke from the Lookout Fire as well as the Bedrock Fire is filling the skies. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has issued an air quality advisory, according to the Eugene Register-Guard. On Tuesday, DEQ issued a similar advisory for elevated levels of ozone in Salem, Eugene-Springfield, the Portland-Vancouver metro area and the Medford area.

Tokatee Golf Club announced Monday it was closed until further notice. According to the club’s website, the construction on the course started in 1964 and nine holes were opened in 1966. The second nine opened in 1969. The course was built on an old-growth logging site.

The big challenge was land clearing because much of the area had been an old-growth forest logged in the 1940s. The stumps had to be “blown” with dynamite, then the roots dug out and piled to be burned. A few stumps were left to show the size of the trees and how they were felled with cross-cut saws.

The Willamette Valley has been under a heat wave, with temperatures reaching 100 degrees. A large part of the U.S. Forest Service’s Pacific Northwest Region is under a red flag warning issued by the National Weather Service on Monday, reports the Register-Guard.

York Fire burns Joshua trees, brings ‘fire tornado’ to Mojave National Preserve

Firefighters are working to contain the blaze.

At Mojave National Preserve, a wildfire and intense winds are whipping flames across the land. The blaze has been dubbed the York Fire and is California’s largest of the year. As of August 2, the fire is 30% contained. National Park Service (NPS) officials report that the region’s famous Joshua trees face irreversible harm from the fire.

According to data from InciWeb, the York Fire began on July 28 in California’s New York Mountains. Since then, the fire has spread into Mojave National Preserve and crossed state lines into Nevada. The blaze has covered 82,437 acres and “continues to grow to the northeast.”

Firefighters working to contain the flames are reportedly experiencing difficulties due to fire whirls, aka “fire tornadoes.” InciWeb defines a fire whirl as “a vortex of flames and smoke that forms when intense heat and turbulent winds combine, creating a spinning column of fire.” This unpredictable phenomenon can cause flames to spread and make conditions more dangerous for firefighters.

Yuccas on fire with blurry fire in the background.
Yuccas burning during the York Fire in Mojave National Preserve on July 30, 2023. / Photo by DAVID SWANSON/AFP via Getty Images

As containment efforts persist, conservationists and Mojave National Preserve staff worry over the fate of the region’s native vegetation. Many of the Mojave Desert’s iconic Joshua trees have already been destroyed in the fire. According to the NPS, “If an area with Joshua trees burns through, most will not survive and reproduction in that area is made more difficult.”

Laura Cunningham, the California director of the Western Watersheds Project, emphasized the fire’s devastating effects on Joshua trees when speaking with CNN affiliate KVVU. “It will take a lifetime to get those mature Joshua trees back.”

While native plants remain at risk, Mojave National Preserve reports that the local desert tortoises have been minimally affected. “Fire crews carefully balance fire suppression with resource protection. They will be on the lookout for desert tortoises, making sure to avoid burrows and active individuals,” Mojave National Preserve said in a Facebook post.

Yosemite wildfire closes Mariposa Grove, forces evacuations

A fire is blazing across Yosemite’s Mariposa Grove.

One of America’s most beloved national parks is on fire. On July 7, the Yosemite National Park Facebook page announced the Washburn Fire. Estimated at 60-70 acres, the Yosemite wildfire forced the closure of Mariposa Grove, the park’s largest grove of giant sequoias. The area was evacuated, and Yosemite National Park’s website advises nearby residents to prepare for further evacuations.

According to The Guardian, the closure marks Yosemite’s first major shutdown since 1988. However, additional closures may be on the horizon as temperatures rise. Some park officials have specifically voiced concern for climate change’s disproportionate impact on national parks in the United States.

Fire in the middle of a forest.
Via Yosemite NPS Facebook.

“Every single one of our national parks is suffering from the effects of climate change, from record-breaking wildfires and droughts to rising sea levels and the destruction of cultural resources,” Stephanie Kodish, the climate change program director at the National Parks Conservation Association, wrote in June.

As firefighters work to suppress the Washburn Fire, many worry about what further environmental disasters may lie ahead. With protection measures limited after the Supreme Court decision to prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from mandating emission reductions, national parks may need to prepare for additional emergencies.

“The decision, reached on a 6-3 partisan split, will have wide-ranging and deeply harmful consequences for air quality and the health of the climate,” Kodish added.

 

Broncos DE Adam Gotsis helping raise money for Australia

Broncos defensive end Adam Gotsis has started a fundraising campaign to help Australia fight and recover from wildfires.

Broncos defensive end Adam Gotsis, who was born in Melbourne, Australia, has started a fundraising campaign to help fight the wildfire crisis in his home country.

“Australia is suffering due to the bushfires,” Gotsis wrote on his Instagram page Monday. “I believe it’s my duty to support my native country during this national crisis. Families are displaced and the wildlife has been severely impacted. I’m calling on fellow athletes and fans to unite to help Australia. I hope by launching this initiative we can make a significant impact to help those in need.”

The defensive lineman started a website — greenandgoldunite.org — and has asked fans and athletes to join him in donating to the cause. Gotsis has pledged to match the first $5,000 in donations.

Gotsis was selected by Denver in the second round of the 2016 NFL draft, making him the highest-drafted Australia-born player in league history. He has totaled 109 tackles five sacks in his career. The 27-year-old defender is scheduled to become a free agent in March.

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