On the fire line: Buffalo Lake Rd. Fire (WA, 2012)

Last September I embedded a video by Steve Konrad showing Footage of ground pounders working a wildfire in OR, go here to see the video. Steve recently contacted me, sharing that he had just completed and posted to youtube, a video showing a crew off wildland firefighters (aka ground pounders) working the Buffalo Lake Rd. Fire in WA not too long ago. Steve's video fits right in with what I wanted to write about today, so I am sharing it here.

As you watch this video, please consider three things. First, that air tankers of various sizes along with helicopters, lead planes, and aerial supervision modules are working to support the crews on the ground.

Second, that these crews from around the U.S. and from Canada. Regarding our friends in Canada, the Northwest Compact -- as explained in this article from  NCWTV crews from the Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Sasjatcgewan, Alberta, the Yukon, and the Northwest Territories are in agreement with Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Alaska, and Montana provided resources in the form of ground crews, equipment, and aerial resources to help out compact members in times of need. The State of Washington called upon the compact a couple of months ago for help in fighting wildfires burning in Washington. And our friends in Canada responded by sending WA ground crews.

Finally, you will get an idea of the very important and demanding work that wildland fire crews do to bring a fire under control.

Thank-you crews for what you do as you work wildfires. What you do is dangerous and there are things that you do to safe. And you do this to keep us safe.