Thanksgiving: remember first responders

On this Thanksgiving Eve, I want to pause and remember all first responders who will be working on this Thanksgiving holiday and other holidays to keep us safe and to be there for us in case of emergency. You are away from your family's for at least part of the day. Those of you working a wildfire are away from your family for an even longer period. I remember and I thank-you from the bottom of my heart for your service.

Updated on December 20, 2020: the video that I had linked to in this post is no longer available.

wildfire history: 1980 Panorama Fire San Bernardino CA

It is funny how the mind works. I was recently reflecting on the first wildfire that I remember hearing about. It was November 1980 and I was visiting an Great Aunt for Thanksgiving that year. She took ill suddenly so I took her to the hospital. I had just finished college and was still unemployed so I was able to extend my visit. She and I were close. She had no children, but I spent some time communicating with my family want was going on. And I visited her in the hospital.

I had a lot of time to kill. My Great Aunt had a television so I spent some time watching TV and watching local and national news. That is how I heard about what is now known as the Panorama Fire, only I don't think I knew it by that name. As I recall, I heard about this fire on a few news broadcasts in late November. Perhaps it was because of my Great Aunt's illness, she died about three weeks later, what is now known as the Panorama Fire is seared in my memory. No, I did not remember the facts of the fire which I will get to in a moment. But I can say that I knew that it was a bad wildfire with much destruction.

At some point after I began this blog on aerial wildland firefighting, I thought about that fire that burned in San Bernardino in late November of 1980 because it was the first wildfire that I can honestly say made an impression on me. I found some stats on the internet. According to this short wikipedia article on the Panorama Fire, the Panorama Fire was first reported on November 24, 1980, burned 28,800 acres killed four people, destroyed over 300 homes, and damaged another 113 homes. The fire was attributed to arson. The fire was fully contained on December 1, 1980. I also found a nice short 2015 article on the Alpen Horn News by Douglas W. Motley and Rhea-Frances Tetley with a summary of the Panorama Fire.

Here is a nice video, under 10 minutes. You will hear Sue Payne, a survivor of the Panorama Fire share her story and memories of the fire.


Direct link to video uploaded by Norman Feldheym SBPL

Camp Fire: State of CA announces completion of structural debris removal

As we have know passed the one year anniversary (November 8, 2018) of the Camp Fire in Paradise that destroyed over 18,000 buildings in Paradise California. see this CAL Fire incident page for more information about the Camp Fire. I wrote a few articles earlier this year on hazardous waste clean-up and debris removal following the Camp Fire and other fires that burned in California in 2018. In particular, you may want to read my February 13, 2019 and my March 1, 2018 articles.

I had been wondering what was happening with the progress being made on the hazardous waste and debris removal in Paradise and environs following the Camp Fire. I got my answer in a November 19th report from ABC7 KRCR news Redding CA):

The State of California announced in Paradise Tuesday the completion of its structural debris removal operation following the November 8 Camp Fire. 

FEMA and CAL-OES and other entities teamed to clear nearly 11,000 properties of structural damage in nine months time from when they started the process.

Debris removal from 300 properties is not yet completed because the owners are using private contractors. Hopefully rebuilding can begin.

Here is an August 29th article (with a paywall) from the Mercury News on the progress of the post-fire clean-up after the Camp Fire as of late August 2019.

I am not going to underestimate the complexity of the process of hazardous waste and debris removal following a wildfire of the magnitude of the Camp Fire. It is complicated. And writing from New Jersey, I have no first hand knowledge of the process. My hat is off to all contractors who have been involved in the debris removal. My wishes for the residents and business owners who can now rebuild their properties is that the rebuilding goes forward as well as can be expected. As I write this the Town of Paradise Butte County Recovers website is still up chock full of a variety of information on the recovery from the Camp Fire.

Here is a video report from ABC 10 (Sacramento CA) on the rebuilding efforts in Paradise:


Direct link to video from ABC10

2019 wildfire season: NJFFS crews deployed to VA (November 21st)

To the best of my knowledge, the 20 person New Jersey State Forest Fire Service that was deployed to the Kennedy Peak Fire on or about November 17th, see my November 18th article    , is still working the Kennedy Peak Fire . The fire has burned 730 acres and is at 75 percent containment. Photos of the fire may be on found on this inciweb photo page. 

According to this ABC3 WHSV report   the fire is burning in remote, steep, and rugged terrain; wildland firefighters have to hike 3.5 miles to get to the control lines. 

I do not know if any aerial resources are being used in the fire. No residential areas are threatened. 

I know that the NJFFS crew continues to hard to help contain the fire. Your work is appreciated and you honor New Jersey by your work. 

2019 wildfire season: New Jersey Forest Fire Service crews deployed to Virginia

Yesterday, one of my friends told me that the New Jersey Forest Fire Service (NJFFS) was deployed a twenty person crew over the weekend to the Kennedy Peak Fire in Virginia. As I write this the Kennedy Peak fire has burned 411 acres in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests in Page and Shenandoah Counties, near Roanoke, Virginia. It is at twenty percent containment. I understand that the fire grew from a little over 100 acres to 411 acres over the weekend due to high winds. The fire is burning in rugged terrain. The fire was first reported on Thursday afternoon, November 14th. More information about the Kennedy Peak fire may be found on this inciweb page. A news report with a video about the fire may be found at WHSV3.

I am very proud of the NJFFS crew working the Kennedy Peak Fire, you honor New Jersey with your service. Stay safe.

I do not know how long the NJFFS crew will be deployed to the Kennedy Peak Fire. Deployments are usually for a maximum of two weeks.

Screen shot obtained on 11/18/19 from https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6660/#

The Lives We Lost: Camp Fire, Paradise CA, one year later

On November 7, 2018 the Camp Fire burned through Paradise California, killing 85 people and destroying over 14,000 homes. Paradise and surrounding communities are still rebuilding, a process that may take years. This documentary from ABC 10 in Sacramento California, The Lives We Lost, gives us a glimpse into Paradise one year after the Camp Fire, but more importantly remembering those who died. It is a moving story focusing both on the emotional and psychological trauma of the survivors, but also of resilience. Some may not come back to Paradise, but others can not think of living anywhere else. Allow 22 minutes to watch the video.


Direct link to video from ABC10 in Sacramento California

Australia 2019-20 bushfire season: November 12th

I have noted that areas of Australia, especially New South Wales have seen extreme fire danger recently with hot and dry summer weather. Bill Gabbert of Wildfire Today has been reporting on the bush fires in New South Wales (NSW) recently, see his November 8th article on homes destroyed in NSW Bush Fires, his November 10th article on extreme bush fire weather expected on November 11th in NSW and his article earlier today (November 13th) on tanker and helicopter contracts in Australia.

Here are two video news reports on the recent bush fire activity in Australia.


direct link to November 11th video on youtube


direct link to November 12th video on youtube

Thank-you Veterans

I want to pause on this Veterans Day here in the United States to thank all veterans as well as those of you currently serving in the military for your service. Some of you are now wildland firefighters either on the ground or in the air. Many veterans died in service for our country. Your service is appreciated. I will remember.

Updated on December 20, 2020: the video that I shared when I first posted this article is no longer available.

2019 wildfire season: thank-you firefighters

2019 is not yet over and I suspect that there will be more wildfires to come here in the United States. But, I do want to pause to thank all the wildland firefighters on the ground and in the air for all you have done to protect us. What you do is dangerous and the work is hard. You take care of each other as you fight wildfires and perhaps you find time for a moment of humor, a quick bite to eat and then some sack time in a safe space. Many of you make the sacrifice of being away from your families, loved ones, and friends for months at a time. I make this post to honor your work and sacrifices to keep us safe from wildfires.


direct link to video from MacCloud Entertainment


Direct link to video from Ryan Gendron

2019 wildfire season: firefighting operations at small fire in CA

Here is a video, under 10 minutes, of air and ground resources fighting a 37 acre fire on or about October 25th. According to the information posted with the video (click show more), the fire destroyed 3 outbuildings, one home was destroyed and evacuations were in place.

If you fly drones over fires tankers and helos can not fly

There was an unauthorized UAS (unmanned aircraft system) aka "drone" over the Maria Fire in Ventura County, California last week. Air tankers and helicopters and other aerial operations over the fire were grounded until the UAS cleared the area, see these articles  from Mashable and NPR for more information. As I write this the Maria Fire is at 80 percent containment having burned 9.412 acres.

The US Forest Service has a webpage with information about why drones over fires are dangerous.

The FAA calls drones and wildfires a "toxic mix": "It's a federal crime, punishable by up to 12 months in prison, to interfere with fire-fighting efforts on public lands. Additionally, Congress has authorized the FAA to impose a civil penalty of up to $20,000 "against a drone pilot who interferes with wildfire suppression, law enforcement or emergence response operations. The FAA treats these violations seriously and will immediately consider swift enforcement action."


direct link to video from US Forest Service National Interagency Fire Center


direct link to video from CAL FIRE

2019 wildfire season: California update (November 1st)

I continue to follow what has been a very active several days for wildfires in southern California. I noted yesterday that there were a number of wildfire starts the last two days. Fortunately, Bill Gabbert  of Wildfire Today has done his usual great job of reporting, he wrote a nice article yesterday reporting on new wildfire starts in southern California. You will want to take a few moments to read Bill's article. Of the fires that he wrote about, I had noted the Easy Fire and say some live stream footage of this fire the other day from one of the news stations in southern California. The Easy Fire burned in Simi Valley near the Ronald Reagan Library, as I write this the fire has burned 1,860 acres and is at 80 percent containment, evacuations were in place and are now lifted. Another fire that I heard about through perusing southern California media is the Hill Fire that burned 628 acres and is also at 90 percent containment.

I learned last night that the National Weather Service Los Angeles Oxnard Weather Forecast Office extended Red Flag Warnings in portions of their forecast area through 6PM PDT this evening.

Obtained on November 1, 2019 from https://www.weather.gov/lox/

So I was not terribly surprised to wake up and hear that there was a new wildfire start last night in Ventura County, the Maria Fire. As I write this, the Maria Fire has burned 8,730 acres with no containment. Evacuations are in place. Bill Gabbert reported on the Maria Fire in an article he wrote this morning, November 1st, go here to read Bill's article.

I do know that air tankers and helicopters have been working these wildfires and the other wildfires that burned earlier in northern and southern California. I will try to look around for some videos to share with you and will update this article if I find any.