Lakeport / Lampson

[brad]

We have had a cabin on Upper Blue Lakes for over 50 years.  The fires caused us to evacuate last week.  Keep our Airport car at 1O2.  Got out OK.  See a Notam that the AP will be closed the rest of the year.  Anyone had any contact with Lasar or anyone else at the AP?

Brad

[bdash]

A friend of mine lives on Highland Springs Road, right next to Lampson field. He was back at his house this morning retrieving more belongings. As of this morning the fire is for the most part still over the ridge line west of the airport, with some activity close to the intersection of CA175 and Matthews Road (~1/2 mile off the departure end of runway 28). It seems like the recent movement has been sending it more towards the city of Lakeport than further south towards the airport.

[carusoam]

Thanks for the report, dash.

Seeing if @MrRodgers is around...

Best regards,

-a-

[kortopates]

1 hour ago, brad said:

See a Notam that the AP will be closed the rest of the year. 

Don't take this end date of the NOTAM seriously. It seems every fire fighting TFR is created with the maximum expiration time. They'll cancel it whenever they have the fire contained and finished with their airborne ops. We had a similar situation down here in SOCAL with out Pasqual fire that started last Friday that was very close to our Ramona airport. By that afternoon we had a TFR (while I was in the air) and evacuations going on. By the following day, since the airport was closed due to the fire (except for CAL Fire operations) pilots were in a rage because the NOTAM similarly stated the airport would be closed for months and therefore certain to effect airport business's livelihood and access to people's planes. It was only another day till the fire was over, evacuations were lifted and the TFR was canceled.

[brad]

Thanks for that Paul!

[MrRodgers]

I have reached out to the folks at LASAR but have not heard back from them yet. They are closed due to the evacuations.

Hope they will be okay as well as the whole town.  I've got my plane with them right now so that is a personal concern as well.

Let's send positive thoughts their way.  Keep the updates coming everyone.  Stay safe.

[bdash]

@MrRodgers I drove around the Lampson ramp in front of LASAR on Saturday before I evacuated with my family. At the time I was primarily checking to see if the M20J I'd just purchased was inside their shop. Its annual at LASAR was wrapped up the previous day, and they were holding onto it until the sale closed and I took possession of it. I only recall seeing one Mooney on the ramp, and I don't think it was yours based on the photos you've shared here. Fingers crossed.

[MrRodgers]

10 hours ago, bdash said:

@MrRodgers I drove around the Lampson ramp in front of LASAR on Saturday before I evacuated with my family. At the time I was primarily checking to see if the M20J I'd just purchased was inside their shop. Its annual at LASAR was wrapped up the previous day, and they were holding onto it until the sale closed and I took possession of it. I only recall seeing one Mooney on the ramp, and I don't think it was yours based on the photos you've shared here. Fingers crossed.

@bdash     Thanks so much.  I spoke with Brett earlier today and he said my plane was in the hangar as they are set to finish it up sometime tomorrow.  

I hope yours is okay.  Thanks for letting me know.  Hope that you and your family are well and that you get home soon.  Stay safe.

[Skates97]

19 hours ago, kortopates said:

Don't take this end date of the NOTAM seriously. It seems every fire fighting TFR is created with the maximum expiration time. They'll cancel it whenever they have the fire contained and finished with their airborne ops. We had a similar situation down here in SOCAL with out Pasqual fire that started last Friday that was very close to our Ramona airport. By that afternoon we had a TFR (while I was in the air) and evacuations going on. By the following day, since the airport was closed due to the fire (except for CAL Fire operations) pilots were in a rage because the NOTAM similarly stated the airport would be closed for months and therefore certain to effect airport business's livelihood and access to people's planes. It was only another day till the fire was over, evacuations were lifted and the TFR was canceled.

We saw the same thing a few weeks ago here. When the fire started just east of Corona they dropped the normal TFR circle over it which covered the airport. The next day they had modified the shape of it pulling it off the airport just enough to allow traffic in and out. It was a small fire and a week later the TFR was gone. 

Expect in the coming days to see the size and shape of the TFR over Lampson to change as the fire moves. As Paul said they will cancel it as soon as it is no longer needed. 

[bdash]

Lampson is no longer under mandatory evacuation, so it's possible LASAR will be back up in action on Monday. The TFR is still over Lampson, and has grown as the fire has expanded. I'm hopeful that they'll adjust the boundaries clear of the airport now that most of the fire activity has moved to the north.

[Ron McBride]

Several years ago, I went in and out of Lakeport with a tfr over it, I just talked to the helicopter pilots and they would clear me in and out. I tried talking to the controlling facility, but they never answered.  ATC suggested talking to the local helicopter pilots.

At Mariposa on the current fire, they put in a temporary tower manned by retired center controllers, different but works. 

Check notams often.

Ron 

 

[bonal]

Right now there are several copters parked on the RWY as well as trailers and other support vehicles so might be a little tough to have all that moved. Then once they clear off I believe the RWY is going to be re paved. 

[bdash]

Yep, Lampson is pretty busy. I’ve been at a friends house on the ridge overlooking the airport this afternoon, and it’s a hell of a thing to see. He was exceptionally lucky... the fire came right through his property, burning all of his landscaping and the vegetation up the ridge behind his house, but leaving the house itself virtually unscathed.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/12NwSDPEmFWcgDfT6

[231MJ]

I got the following email from Dan in parts. It sounds like all is ok at the airport.  Lake County has seen three major fires over the last 5 (or so) years - lots of loss, terrible. 

"it has been one hell of a ride. Still not over on the north end of the lake. The west side we are on is basically burnt up just outside the city limits. Firecrews saved almost all the houses.

Today is the first day we are allowed back at the airport. Hope to be back up and running on Monday. No damage here at the airport."

[carusoam]

Dan is the Man! At Lasar.

Great update, MJ.

Thanks for sharing,

-a-

[bdash]

I stopped by LASAR this afternoon to retrieve my new-to-me M20J, N335BB, and move it to my hangar. Things are quieter at Lampson this week than last, but there's still eight or ten helicopters working the fire from there. At this point LASAR is optimistic that the airport will be open early next week. Here's hoping.

[bdash]

As of a few minutes ago a new TFR was issued that ends a few miles north of Lampson. The previous TFR is still in place for now, and the airport NOTAMd closed, but the new TFR suggests those may be rescinded this weekend.

[bdash]

As of around noon today, Lampson is back open. The TFR was lifted around 8am, and the NOTAM disappeared a few hours later. All of the helicopters and support crew that filled the taxiways yesterday afternoon had cleared out today.

[brad]

That’s great news.  They saved the Blue Lake cabins.