I have been working on the Lookout Fire, in the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest, with my son, Scott. We have been there almost 50 days. Our work started out with help in building fire lines using our Ponsse harvester/forwarder. We have shifted to more reclamation work while the fire is being closely monitored. Most recently I was working on the division that is directly in the HJ Andrews. I found it real interesting looking at the fire coverage through the forest. I had a lot of thoughts of my OSU Forestry colleagues with all of their long term studies. I am hopeful that they will find that at least some of their research sites are still intact. I think that there will also be some exciting opportunities for establishing new research looking at the immediate ecological impacts from the fire and then follow the longer term vegetation development.
Working on the fire also brought back memories of George Brown and his early career days with watershed research. George conducted a state of the art watershed study in the 1960’s on the Andrews that evaluated soil and water impacts from “new” long span skyline logging with minimal roads compared with more conventional logging methods at that time. The long span skyline system involved unique technology from Switzerland (Wyssen system). I also later conducted commercial thinning research with Wyssen skyline carriage technology.
Loren Kellogg is an emeritus professor in the College of Forestry. Updates about the Lookout Fire can be found on the H.J. Andrews website.
