Happy Memorial Day

I want to pause on this Memorial Day and say a heartfelt thank-you to all veterans out there, past and current. Thank-you for your service to your country, and for all you do to help to keep us safe.

About hotshot crews

This short video - documentary by a hotshot crew member provides a good overview of life on a hotshot crew. For a description of the different types of wildland fire (U.S. Federal Government) ground crews, including type 1 interagency hotshot crews see this webpage.

Wildland firefighting: Station Fire Redux

There are some fires that I will never forget and the Station Fire that burned in Los Angeles County last August and September is one of them. I was watching live streaming and exchanging e-mails with a friend when they found the bodies of Firefighters Hall and Quinones. This is something you don't forget.

I watched live feed over a couple of days as the airtankers and helos and later the ground crews fought the fire at the Wilson Observatory.

Thank-you Wildland Firefighters

Australia: Tribute to wildland firefighters

near miss: airplane versus terrain

I recently ran across this video on the wildland fire hotlist forums.

Some terminology:

VFR refers to visual flight rules.
IMC: instrument meteorological conditions (i.e. I can not see).
IFR: instrument flight rules, flying with instruments when you can not see.
scud running: flying in VFR conditions or under the clouds to avoid IMC conditions.

Here is a Dept. of Interior "Lessons Learned" Aviation safety advisory on inadvertent flight into instrument meteorological conditions.

Fire shelters redux

Perhaps the most important piece of personal protection equipment outside of fireproof clothing that every wildland firefighter carries on her or his person is the fire shelter. Training in the proper use of a fire shelter can be a life saver.

Addendum on May 24, 2010: A friend of mine who is a wildland firefighter tells me that the video shows how they practice with their shelters. They use fans to simulate the wind, and it is a lot harder to work with the shelter with the wind blowing on you. He goes on to say that the video makes it look a lot easier than it is.

Remembering the Zaca Fire

This is a nice 9+ minute photo montage, photos by Cathy L. Gregg, showing a two month time line of the Zaca Fire. The Zaca Fire burned for two month an and around the Los Padres National Forest in California before being contained on September 2, 2007 at 240,207 acres. It was not officially declared out until Oct. 29, 2007.

The videographer, has a nice short history of the Zaca Fire in the information portion of the youtube video page that may be found here.

Some of you may remember that it is following and the writing about the Basin Complex Fire that burned 162,818 acres in Los Padres National Forest in July of 2008 that got me started on writing about wildland firefighting. It was not long afterwards that I first heard about the Zaca Fire. You may go here and here to find out more about the Basin Complex Fire.

I like the video, Remembering the Zaca Fire, because it is a nice montage of photos showing ground crews and air resources working together to contain the fire.

Fighting wildland fires with handtools in Tennessee

This is a nice video that I found recently on using handtools to fight wildland fires in Tennessee. They show each tool, describing how the tool is used. But they go a step further, using some graphics to show the fire while describing how to fight a wildland fire in the often steep terrain found in the Tennessee mountains. While some of the specifics in this fifteen minute video, e.g. the use of a portable leaf blower to blow away leaf litter, are specifically applicable to the hardwood forests in TN and/or the steep terrain, I enjoyed this glimpse into the hard word involved in fighting wildland fires. And I hope that you do as well.

I would caution you to keep in mind that this video only talks about the use of handtools. Remember that there are a variety of tools in the arsonal used by wildland fire fighting agencies, such as dozers, and various trucks and water tenders, and lets not forget the support of our friends in the sky -- tankers and helos.

Wildland firefighting: training is important

This video clip that I have embedded provides a quick overview of wildland fire training crew training sponsored by the Oregon Department of Forestry.

I am not a wildland firefighter, nor will I be, so I can not speak from personal experience on the matter of training. Nor can I speak to any State and/or region specific differences among training courses. As I understand it, some of the training is nationally mandated, with some leeway for State and/or regional specifics. For example, issues concerning how to stay safe are important to wildland firefighters everywhere.

But I suspect that there is enough similarity that the above video provides those of us who can not experience the training first hand to get an idea of what such training involves. So, it is in this spirit that I offer this video.

i was curious about the type of training offered by the NJ Forest Fire Service, and two of the Section website that I go to provide some answers, The NJFFS Division A Section 2 website has a training and information page.

Two of the publications referred to on the NJFFS Division A Section 2 website are the Yellow firefighter's Pocket Guide aka Incident Response Pocket Guide and the Fireline Handbook.

The crew info page found on the NJFFS Division B Section 10 includes a listing of NJFFS sponsored training courses.

wildland firefighting ground crews

I have been thinking recently about the role that airtankers and helos play in supporting the fire fighting crews on the ground. So, I am going to spend a little time here on the crews on the crews on the ground.

I found the video that I embedded above recently As you can see it is a video from the Oregon Department of Forestry recruiting wildland fire fighters. I like the video because it provides what I think is a nice overview of the kind of work that wildland firefighters do, including the physical demands. I also like the photography and videography.

I am not going to even try to speak for the hiring practices of the different wildland firefighting agencies, whether the be public (state or federal) or private. But some jobs on wildland firefighting crews are temporary, summer employment. And with the spring college/university terms finishing up, perhaps this means that recruiting for these jobs has already happened.

Kudos to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service

We are in the middle of our third day in a row of red flag warnings, I want to pause and say:

kudos to all at the New Jersey Forest Fire Service for all that you do protect us here in NJ.

I know that it has been a tough couple of days for you. You did a great job containing the major fire, Baffin Brook Fire in Pemberton Twsp. (Burlington County) over the weekend. A 450 wildfire is a major fire, at least for us here in NJ. But it could have been a whole lot worse. And no structures were damaged, and there were minimal injuries to one firefighter, I believe. There were numerous other fires of varying sizes on Saturday that kept you busy around the State. And after mid-afternoon that day, the high winds grounded your aircraft.

If I am correct, the wildfire activity yesterday (Sunday, May 9) were small in size and quickly brought under control.

Today, many of you are continuing to patrol your areas to watch out for early signs of wildfires on this day of red flag warnings covering much of the State. The winds are much lighter today, so I suspect that your SEATs are responding, as warranted on initial attack. I don't know what you are finding today, I guess I'll find out later. And as they say, no news is good news.

Thank-you and stay safe!

Update: NJ wildfire activity on May 8

The wildland fire that I wrote about yesterday in the Country Lakes section of Pemberton Twsp (Burlington County, NJ), was 100% contained at 9 AM this morning according to this post on the wildland fire hotlist forums.

The Courier Post, covering southern NJ has an article about the fire with a photo gallery.

There were a few fires in southern NJ (Division C), an update on those fires may be found at this post on the wildland fire hotlist forums. Finally, a 25-acre fire in Waterford/Atco was contained yesterday afternoon according to the wildland fire hotlist.

We are currently seeing Red Flag Warning conditions again in much of New Jersey. I have not been listening to today's scanner feed, so I don't what has been going on today. I have not yet seen any reports of fire activity today in either the wildland fire hotlist forums or the Section B10 website, which may only mean that updates have not yet been posted. I'll post something later if I hear of any sizable fire activity today.

NJ wildfire activity, May 8: videos

The video is from the ABC news affiliate (channel 6) in Philly. They reported 50% containment at 11 PM on May 8. Note that they are reporting that wind (gusts up to 40 mph) grounded the aircraft this afternoon. Something I myself heard when I was listening to the online scanner streams this afternoon.

Thanks to the webmaster of the NJFFS Section B10 webpage for the links!

Fire activity in NJ on May 8

As you know from my previous post, Red Flag Warnings are currently in effect for southern NJ; all of DE; and portions of SE PA, MD. and VA until 8 PM this evening (May 8, 2010). Enhanced fire weather conditions exist in portions of northern NJ as well. A fire weather watch is in effect for tomorrow. A wind advisory is currently in effect until 6 AM Sunday. As I write this, winds are gusting at about 30 to 35 knots.

There is what may be a major fire currently burning near the Country Lakes Area of Pemberton, NJ (Burlington County) near Rte. 70. I have been monitoring this thread on the Wildland Fire hotlist forums. In addition, I expect that the NJFFS Section B10 website will provide another update either later today or early tomorrow, depending on their ability to update their website. Obviously, if the webmaster is working the fire, those updates will come later. A report from NJ.com may be found here and a report from Philly.com may be found here. Photos from Philly.com may be found here.

I have been monitoring the online scanner feed for Division B of the NJ Forest Fire Service (available here) for most of the afternoon. In the time that I have been listening to this scanner feed, I have heard reports of numerous small fires.

Scanner feed for Division A of the NJ Forest Fire Service is available at this location.

Stay safe everyone!

Red Flag Warning

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
202 PM EDT SAT MAY 8 2010

...HIGH WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITIES INTO THIS EVENING..

DEZ001>003-MDZ008-012-015-019-020-NJZ012-013-015>023-027-PAZ060-
067>071-090000-
/O.NEW.KPHI.FW.W.0006.100508T1802Z-100509T0000Z/
NEW CASTLE-KENT-INLAND SUSSEX-CECIL-KENT MD-QUEEN ANNES-TALBOT-
CAROLINE-MIDDLESEX-WESTERN MONMOUTH-MERCER-SALEM-GLOUCESTER-
CAMDEN-NORTHWESTERN BURLINGTON-OCEAN-CUMBERLAND-ATLANTIC-CAPE MAY-
SOUTHEASTERN BURLINGTON-BERKS-CHESTER-MONTGOMERY-BUCKS-DELAWARE-
PHILADELPHIA-
202 PM EDT SAT MAY 8 2010

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING...

WITH LITTLE, IF ANY, RAINFALL FROM THIS MORNING, INCREASING
WINDS, AND LOWERING HUMIDITIES, FINE FUELS ARE DRYING OUT THIS
AFTERNOON. BECAUSE OF THIS, THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MOUNT
HOLLY HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8
PM EDT THIS EVENING.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF
STRONG WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND WARM TEMPERATURES WILL
CREATE THE POTENTIAL FOR RAPID FIRE GROWTH.

&&

$$

KRUZDLO

Update: NJFFS SEATs on Contract

As of May 5, 2010:

Division A (northern NJ)
Aeroflex -- Alpha 2 -- 300 Ag-Cat -- 4/3 through 5/12 -- 40 Days
Aeroflex -- Alpha 3 -- 300 Ag-Cat -- 4/3 through 5/12 -- 40 Days
Division B (central NJ)
Miller -- Bravo 1 -- 602 Air Tractor -- 4/3 through 5/19 -- 47 Days
Allaire -- Bravo 2 -- 300 Ag-Cat -- 4/3 through 5/5 -- 33 Days (off contract)
Division C (Southern NJ)
Downstown -- Charlie 1 -- 602 Air Tractor -- 4/3 through 5/12 -- 40 Days
Hammonton -- Charlie 2 -- 300 Ag-Cat -- 4/3 through 5/12 -- 40 Days 

Thank-you SEATs and Helos

The two larger wildfires that happened in NJ last month, the Owassa Fire and another fire known as the Weber Fire got me thinking about the important role that SEATs (single-engine air tankers) and helos (helicopters) play in wildland firefighting. The two fires that I wrote about are but examples where SEATs were deployed, working to support the firefighters on the ground. In the case of the Owassa Fire, a helo with a bucket was deployed as well.

These two fires gave me pause to consider and to remind myself that tankers of all sizes, including the SEATs and helos with buckets are making drops in support of the firefighters on the ground. It is all these resources working together -- NJ Forest Fire Service firefighters, municipal firefighters, and aerial resources that brought these two fires under control without damage to near by residences. Sadly a firefighter riding an ATV at the Owassa Fire had a severe head injury and the last I heard he was recovering.

But those two "larger" fires do not represent the only fires in NJ were SEATs and were used. There are other smaller fires where SEATs have made at least one drop. SEATs make drops on fires as small as one-quarter of an acre. This can happen when the SEAT arrives before the ground crews and makes a drop. Or perhaps the ground crews are having trouble accessing the fire for some reason so the SEAT arrives and makes a drop, knocking down the small fire until the ground crews can get in. When I see that a SEAT made one or more drops on a small fire whether it be three acres or 1/4 of an acre, I know that the SEAT pilot worked with the fire fighters on the ground and together the fire was brought under control during the initial attack phase. And I think, "nice going and thank-you!"

When the SEATs are not on contract, there are provisions for SEATs to be deployed to fires when conditions warrant. A recent example being the Paramount Fire that burned 540 acres in Barnegat NJ on March 20. SEATs were not on contract, but were deployed to the Paramount Fire. You were not "on contract", you were asked to come and make drops to support the crews on the ground and you did just that. That fire could have been a whole lot worse, it wasn't. No structures were loss and injuries to firefighters, if any, were minimal.

Thank-you SEAT and helo pilots!

Watching Fire Weather

By now you have probably noticed the changes that I have made to the layout of this blog, including a text box for the NJ Forest Fire Service on the right-hand side of the page. You have probably noticed that for the last month or so, I have been making daily updates reporting on fire weather forecasts in New Jersey. I got started on this exercise on or about April 3, around the time our contract aircraft (AgCats and AT-602) went on contract.

I developed a routine. One of the first things I do in the morning is to log on to the webpage for the Mt. Holly Office of the National Weather Service. More accurately, I log on to their webpage for emergency managers where they have a lot of useful weather related links including one to a page for the fire weather. So, I read the fire weather forecast and as appropriate also read any hazardous weather forecasts where Fire Weather Watches and Red Flag Warnings are reported. This started as a way where I could at least follow along on what the NJ Forest Fire Service and wildland fire fighting agencies in the adjoining States of DE, PA, and NY might be doing that day. I can say that on a daily basis, I do think about these wildland fire fighting agencies and hope that in some small way I honor what these men and women are doing to keep us safe in my corner of America.

However, in the process of reporting on fire weather forecasts I have learned how quickly fire weather concerns can develop. For example, on March 30, I wrote about yet another round of flooding concerns in NJ. If memory serves, there was little if any rain for the next week and the temperatures were on the warm side for early April. By April 5, we were under Red Flag Warnings, followed by a Fire Weather Watch on April 6 and another Red Flag Warning on April 7.

The Owassa Fire started the afternoon of April 7 to be reported under control on April 8. For more on this fire you may want to see the articles that I wrote here and here as well as a some video showing AgCats and a helo working the fire that I embedded in an article that you may find here.

Kudos to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service! Thank-you!

MAFFS II: update

In April 2009 (April 20 to 29), I wrote a series of articles about the modular airborne firefighting system (MAFFS) that may be found here, ending with an article on the second generation MAFFS unit. To summarize, MAFFS are Air National Guard or Air Force Reserve military C-130's outfitted with a modular airborne firefighting system (aka MAFFS). There are eight of these C-130s at four bases around the country. The MAFFS are only activated when all other "civilian" air tankers are committed to initial attack of extended attack incidents. There is a second generation MAFFS called MAFFS II.

Bill Gabbert of Wildfire Today recently reported that the MAFFS air tankers and crew were in South Carolina for training and recertification. You will also want to read his reporting on the MAFFS II units here (January 2009) and here (April 2010). I know that some of you follow WildfireToday and will be familiar with his reporting on the MAFFS II. Those of you who are not familiar with Bill's reporting will want to take some time to read his excellent articles, with photos!