Bandon burned to the ground

[plabatt]

It would appear the gorse is more than just a hazard on the golf course.  http://dnr.metrokc.gov/wlr/lands/weeds/gorse.htm

In 1936 the town of Bandon, Oregon, was burned to the ground; 14 people died and only 16 buildings remained unburned. The disaster was fueled by extensive infestations of gorse.  Gorse is an exotic invader from Europe, originally introduced as an ornamental. It is a spiny evergreen shrub in the pea family, dense and stiff, forming impenetrable thickets. Vigorous stands grow outward, crowding out all other vegetation and forming a center of dry dead vegetation. This, in combination with the oil content of the plant, presents a major fire hazard.  

[Tom_Doak]

It's actually happened twice in the town's history.  That's one of the reasons they were open to the idea of a golf resort in the dunes which promised to get rid of some of the gorse ... the project was sold [in part] as a fire break!

Fire is a hazard not to be taken lightly.  We had a wildfire last week at Ballyneal in Colorado ... it would have swept over the whole golf course had they not just got the pump station online and were able to put it out as it got to the edge of the course.  Sure had my guys scared, though.

[Dan Herrmann]

plabatt,
Good post.  I think the NW is in a drought/near drought right now.  Last time I was in Oregon you couldn't even see the Cascades from Bend because of the fires.

I'm going this summer, and hope that it rains soon (hopefully not when any GCA'ers are there!)

[John Kirk]

We have had extraordinarily warm and dry weather here in Oregon this winter.  The ball is bouncing in the fairways and we have been playing the ball down for three or four weeks already.  Great for golf, but a little frightening for summer forest fires.

We're going to get a little spit of rain this week, but the long range forecast is for warmer and drier weather than usual.

[Larry_Keltto]

Fortunately for Ballyneal, 6 inches of wet snow fell the day after the fire.

[Michael J. Moss]

The story of the town burning, with the gorse serving as a fire accelerant, is known by most if not all the caddies.

It is disturbing to see the occasional cigarette butt strewn on the ground, evidence that the not everyone is aware of the potential danger.

I don’t remember anything to the contrary, but cigarettes or cigars should be banned on Bandon’s golf courses,   (not necessarily at the bar).