ROCHEPORT, Mo — Around 3 pm, Phil Gresham of Rocheport, Missouri attempted to make his way home and reported that when he was coming up to I-70 at the Daniel Boone Missouri River Bridge, the state highway patrol was diverting traffic from I-70 to Boonville due to a fire in Wooldridge, Missouri in Cooper County. It appeared to Gresham that traffic on the Missouri River was halted as well with tug boats anchoring north of the river.
At the same time, Rocheport citizens were experiencing a strong smell of wood smoke. At first, residents were unaware of the scale and severity of the fire happening across the river and then the reports started coming in. Curious Rocheport citizens, including myself, began walking the Katy Trail towards Columbia, Missouri to observe the fire. It did not take long to see and feel the effects of the fire, approximately four miles south of the Daniel Boone Bridge and five miles south of Rocheport. The volume of smoke was irritating to the eyes as ash fell north of the bridge.
Wooldridge fire smoke seen from Katy Trail. By Roman Clarkson for the Rocheport Times. 
Wooldridge fire smoke seen from Katy Trail. By Roman Clarkson for the Rocheport Times. 
Wooldridge fire smoke seen covering the Daniel Boone Bridge. By Roman Clarkson for the Rocheport Times. 
Wooldridge fire smoke covers the Katy Trail. By Roman Clarkson for the Rocheport Times. 
Wooldridge fire smoke covers the Katy Trail. By Roman Clarkson for the Rocheport Times. 
Wooldridge fire smoke covers the Katy Trail. By Roman Clarkson for the Rocheport Times. 
Tugboats anchor on the Missouri River as smoke makes it impassible. By Roman Clarkson for the Rocheport Times. 
Wooldridge fire smoke coves the Katy Trail. By Roman Clarkson for the Rocheport Times. 
Wooldridge fire smoke coves the Daniel Boone Bridge. By Roman Clarkson for the Rocheport Times. 
The other side of the Missouri across the Missouri River is not visible near the Daniel Boone Bridge. By Roman Clarkson for the Rocheport Times. 
Wooldridge fire smoke coves the Daniel Boone Bridge. By Roman Clarkson for the Rocheport Times. 
Smoke hinders traffic on I-70 by the Daniel Boone Bridge. By Roman Clarkson for the Rocheport Times. 
Traffic on I-70 faced low visibility from smoke by the Daniel Boone Bridge. By Roman Clarkson for the Rocheport Times. 
Traffic on I-70 faced low visibility from smoke by the Daniel Boone Bridge. By Roman Clarkson for the Rocheport Times. 
Wooldridge fire smoke coves the Daniel Boone Bridge. By Roman Clarkson for the Rocheport Times.
I was able to get to the bridge, two miles from Rocheport, via the Katy Trail to observe traffic and the smoke. Around 6 p.m., smoke obscured the bridge to about 80% visibility. At 6:30 p.m., the visibility of the bridge was around 90%. The trek was not pleasant at this point. The feeling was similar to standing next to a bonfire set with wet wood — extremely smokey, burning the eyes a bit, the air tasting like smoke. Ash the size of a half-dollar was seen on the ground and blowing around at the 177 trail marker.
As the day wound down, the locals of Rocheport reached out to friends in the Wooldridge area and were able to get news that no one was reported as hurt but that the damage was awful.
As of Sunday morning, locals were already making efforts to raise money for our Missouri River neighbors. The town has several events coming up that may give us the ability to raise funds.
