Catching up with wildland fire news, sort of

As some of you already know I had articles set to post during the almost two weeks that I was without power thanks to Superstorm Sandy and just last week I posted a couple of articles here and here. 

I have given some thought to how I will transition back to writing about aerial wildland firefighting. There were things that I did not know. For example, I did not know that there were a few wildland firefighting crews working in NY and NJ in the aftermath of Sandy. Bill Gabbert of Wildfire Today writes these crews who were helping in the Sandy recovery on Nov. 6 and wrote another article with pictures on Nov 7. Thanks to all of you who came to help us out, words can not adequately express my gratitude.

When I was online at wireless hotspots during Sandy, I did get wind of the Devore Fire in San Bernardino CA that has since been contained. I'm not quite sure how many of the P-2 and the BAe-146 tankers are still on contract. I suspect that most of them are off contract by now, but I'm not certain. 

When I checked my e-mail, I was able to read headlines of wildland fire news thanks to Mike Archers Fire Publications Blog. It is not the details that were important to me, rather the Fire Publications Blog was a connection to the world of wildland firefighting and firebombers, a sign of normalcy if you during a time when there was much in my life that was abnormal. I'm not even going to try to play catch-up on what at this time is three weeks worth of firebomber news, I'll leave you to your devices if you are so inclined. 

Finally, I am aware that while wildland firefighting season is winding down in some parts of the United States, there continue to be smaller wildfires around the country. And wildfire season is cranking up down under in Australia.

I have to say that I missed being able to keep up with current news affecting aerial wildland firefighting. And I am glad to be back.