NJ Forest Fire Service: 2020 summary and snapshot of 2007

 I came across a December 23rd Facebook post from the NJ Department of Environmental Protection the agency that houses the NJ Forest Fire Service just now. They have done a series of what they call DEP snapshots to celebrate their fiftieth anniversary in 2020. This is their installment, after providing a summary of the 2020 fire season in New Jersey they offer a snapshot of the 2007 wildfire season, the year that the Warren Grove Fire burned more than 17,000 acres in the Pine Barrens. Their Facebook post should be embedded below, you will have to click "see more" to read the entire post or if you prefer you may go the link provided in this paragraph.

2019 - 2020 Australia Bush Fire Season: photojournalism

 As Australia is well into their summer (2020-2021) bush fire season, I have found myself reflecting on the devastating bushfire season of 2019-2020. I was on Youtube just now and came across a video of a digital photojournalism exhibition from the 2019-2020 bushfire season in Australia. The video is just under four minutes long, you may want to read about what went into each shot in this exhibition at this link from the Walkey Foundation

Direct link to video from the Walkley Foundation on Youtube

Holiday Greetings: The Shepard

My tradition during the end of year holiday season is to post The Shepard by Frederic Forsyth as read by Alan Maitland on CBC radio. I wish all of you a happy and safe holiday season during these difficult times of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Direct link to video on Youtube 

some uses of unmanned aircraft systems (drones) for fighting wildfires: mapping and fighting wildfires with fire

I wanted to find some information for you on how unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) or drones are being used by wildland firefighters to help them fight wildfires. In going through some of my files and bookmarks, two things jumped out at me. One was using UAS for mapping wildfires and the other involved dropping small round ping pong balls to fight fire with fire. Fortunately I found one good video in my bookmarks which lead me to two more videos I will share with you. I will let the videos speak for themselves. 

This video, from September 2020, is from KCAU in Sioux City Iowa reporting on drones in Colorado dropping special ping pong balls with chemicals that the video refers to as "dragon eggs" to fight wildfires with fire. 

Direct link to video from KCAU on Youtube

The second video is a report from ABC 15 in Arizona (August 2019) reporting on how wildland firefighters in Arizona used drones to map wildfires as well as dropping special "ping pong balls" to fight wildfires with fire.

Direct link to video from ABC15 in Arizona on Youtube

The third and final video is a September 2018 report from CNET on how drones were being used that summer in California to fight wildfires. This video is just under four minutes. At about 2:51 you will hear a reference to the US Government contracted with four contractors to fly fixed wing drones to fight wildfires on federal lands; I have no further information on this so I can not comment.

Direct link to video from CNET on Youtube

I am going to keep on with reading and otherwise learning more about how UAS are being used to assist wildland firefighters in fighting wildfires or in post-fire recovery and rehabilitation. I will share with you what I learn at the appropriate time.

reflections on unmanned aircraft systems (drones)

I have done some posts about my concerns about drone (unmanned aircraft system or UAS) incursions over wildfires, see for example this November 4, 2019 post and this April 17, 2020 post. Simply, because of the risk that drones can pose if they collide with a tanker or helicopter and airplanes, air operations over a wildfire will be shut down if there is a drone incursion. Drone incursions near airports are also a concern. Ok, I want drones to be operated safely and legally in compliance with FAA and other regulations. Having stated that, I am here to say that I have nothing against drones. While I am not an expert on unmanned aircraft system and have only seen a couple of drone operations from a distance, I know enough to know that in the hands of a trained drone pilot drones can do a lot of good.

Edited on December 23rd to add: the concern that I expressed in the above paragraph applies to situations when members of the general public fly unauthorized drones or UAS over wildfires. The same concern applies to when members of the general public fly unauthorized drones or UAS near airports. 

I have seen drone footage over areas burned in wildfires offering a folk like me a good view of the devastation of a wildfire with the cost of a helicopter or airplane surveillance flight. I believe but am not certain that some National Weather Service offices or their partners have used drone footage in storm damage reports. Then there are drone uses for land surveying.

I have also read of drone uses in connection with wildland firefighting.I have various accounts in online media sites about how drones can assist wildland firefighters, I will take a look at my files and bookmarks for these articles and hope to make another post soon. In the meantime, I do know that Bill Gabbert of Fire Aviation has written extensively about unmanned aircraft systems. For example, in September 2020 he wrote about a quad-rotor UAS operated by Bridger Aerospace last summer and fall, mapping fires among other uses. Just this month Bill wrote two articles, on December 6th Bill wrote about a company called DroneSeeding that is licensed by the FAA to fly UAS in post-fire seeding operations. Just last week (December 16th) he wrote about work that Parallel Flight Technology is doing on heavy lift UAS capable of carrying 100 pounds for up to two hours. This UAS technology could be a big boon to wildland firefighters by transporting some equipment to the back country in addition to post fire animal rescue.

As I said, I have seen other reports of how unmanned aircraft systems may help wildland firefighters as well as aid in post-fire rehabilitation. Over the coming months, I will try to pay more attention to such articles that I come across and report back here as appropriate.

 

2020 and 2019 wildfire season: Midewin Hotshots crew videos

The Midewin Interagency Hotshot Crew, based in the Midewin Tallgrass Prairie in Wilmington, Illinois is the only hotshot crew in the eastern region. As a resident of the eastern region, I am honored by their work fighting wildfires. They are a national resource. The Midewin Hotshots have a nice Facebook page that may be found here. 

I seemed to have missed posting their 2019 crew video, Included among the states where they fought wildfires in 2019 are Virginia, Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, New Mexico, Alaska, and Michigan.

Direct link to 2019 Midewin Hotshot crew video on Youtube

In 2020 they worked wildfires in Missouri, Midewin Tallgrass Praire (Illinois), Michigan, Arizona, New Mexican, Washington, and Oregon. A listing of their 2020 crew is listed at the end of the video. 

Direct link to 2020 Midewin Hotshot crew video on Youtube

Nice fire photography including shots of tankers and helicopters in both videos. Thanks for your service where you honor the eastern region.

2020 wildfire season: initial attack on small brush fire in San Diego County CA

 Enjoy this video of two helicopters working a small brush fire in San Diego County California in support of wildland firefighters on the ground. Thanks to their efforts, this November 2020 brush fire was contained about about two acres. This is a fine example of initial attack successfully containing this brush fire at small acreage burned. Thanks to my friends at the NJFFS Section B10's video of the week page who shared this video from Onscene TV about three weeks ago.

Direct link to video from Onscene TV

2020 wildfire season: summary of NWS Incident Meteorologists (Dec 11th)

I want to thank all the NWS Incident Meteorologists (IMETs) who have been deployed on 188 incidents this year. As of Friday, December 11,  2020 there are zero IMETs out on missions. Even so, I know that IMETs are ready to serve if they are needed. Remember that earlier this year IMETs were deployed to Australia to help with their devastating bush fire season.

IMETS save lives!

2020-2021 Australia bush fire season: air attack working with bush fire fighters

 Two things have been on my mind recently. One is knowing that we enter into winter here in the United States where wildfire season in California and other western areas never really ends, Australia and New Zealand and other areas south of the equator are in summer. In particular, I have been thinking about Australia and wanting to say that I am hoping that perhaps this bush fire season might not be as bad as last season's horrific bush fire season. I do what I can to try to follow at least the highlights of the Australian bush fire season. 

The second thing on my mind this week has been about the important role that Single Engine Air Tankers play in working wild or bush fires in support of fire fighters on the ground. SEATs are smaller air tankers with an 800 gallon tank.  However, they can work from smaller air strips as long as there are reloading facilities available. In some cases, retardant and/or water-foam reloading my done through portable equipment. They are a very effective tool in the air attack arsenal, especially when they can reload near the fire. 

Just this morning, I was checking out the weekly video highlight page from my friends at the NJFFS Section B10 page when I came across a video, just under six minutes with footage of ground and air attack on a scrub fire on Kangaroo Island in Australia. You will see some SEATs working the fire along with ground crews. This scrub fire started on December 4th and crews were still working the fire on December 5th. Enjoy.

Direct link to video on Youtube

RIP General Chuck Yeager

General Chuck Yeager died December 6th in Los Angeles California, here is an obit from the New York Times.

I do not recall exactly when I first learned that General Chuck Yeager was the first to break the sound barrier. However, it does seem like I have always known about General Yeager. I first watched the movie, All the Right Stuff where Sam Shepard portrayed General Yeager sometime in the mid to late 1980s on video tape. Sometime early in my interested in aviation and early one writing this blog on aerial wildland firefighting, I came across General Yeager's autobiography, Yeager, in a now defunct bookstore. I was very eager to read books by or about pilots because it was and still a way that I can fly and learn about flying. So, I bought the book which I enjoyed and have read a couple of times since then. 

I have a tremendous amount of respect for you, General Yeager, and your role in aviation history. Thank-you for all that you did in aviation, for bringing us into the faster than sound era. And you continued in military aviation for years after you broke the sound barrier. May you always fly in favorable winds.

Here are two short videos honoring General Yeager that I think honors him and his role in aviation history.

Direct link to video from that National Museum of the U.S. Air Force Museum

Direct link to video from CBC

2020 wildfire season: Glass Fire Tanker and Helo footage

 I don't know about you but sometimes I just like to look at footage of air tankers and helicopters working a wildfire in support of the wildland firefighters on the ground. I found this footage today in my wonderings on Youtube, it is about 30 minutes of tanker and helos working the Glass Fire in California in September/October of 2020. According to CAL FIRE, the Glass Fire burned 67,484 acres in Napa and Sonoma Counties California. At the time of this writing, the cause of the fire is under investigation. 1,555 structures were destroyed and another 282 were damaged.

Direct link to video on Youtube uploaded by Craig Philpott

2020 wildfire season: NWS Incident Meterologist deployed to Burn Fire (Orange County CA)

While areas burned earlier in the western U.S. may be beginning post fire rehabilitation and recovery, with the recent Santa Ana winds and Red Flag Warnings in California, I wondered if any wildfires would crop up. I heard about the Bond Fire in Orange County, CA yesterday, perhaps through the news feed on my devices or on social media. The fire started late the night of December 2nd from a house fire. I read Bill Gabbert's December 3rd coverage of the Bond Fire. Bill's coverage is in line with other reports I read this afternoon: 6,400 acres burned to date. Evacuation orders remain in place as I write this. According to a tweet earlier today from Orange County Fire Authority, there have been 11 aircraft working the fire in support of the wildland firefighters on the ground.

I do check the US National Weather Service IMET Facebook page most days to see about recent deployments and other news from the IMET (Incident Meteorologist) office. When I checked this morning, I was pleased to see that a US National Weather Service Incident Meteorologists from the NWS San Diego Weather Forecast Office was deployed to the Bond Fire the afternoon of December 3rd. 

With critical fire weather still forecast for the Los Angeles area through December 5th and again early next week, I am relieved that an IMET will be working this fire to provide location specific forecasts so that the wildland firefighters and the nearby residents will be safe. IMETS save lives. 

Burned Area Emergency Response: helicopters perform post fire seeding

Even before a wildfire is fully contained, recovery begins. At this point, I am not getting into the complexities of post-fire recovery on federal v state lands, size of the fire, and severity of the damage. Here I am considering seeding fire damaged lands following a wildfire, seeding using helicopters. As I understand it, seeding is important, especially in moderate to severe soil damage from the fire, to stabilize the soil and to seed the landscape so that plant germination takes place. I expect that aerial reseeding will be occurring over many of the areas burned out west in this devastating fire season. 

Thanks to Mike Archer's Wildfire News of the Day email for November 30th, I learned of a November 29th article from the Lewiston Tribune reporting on aerial reseeding of some of the areas burned by the Evans Canyon Fire which burned 75,817 acres near Naches in Yakima County,Washington. This is a good article, I hope that you take a few moments to read it. They say in part about this aerial reseeding: 

Helicopters and crews are reseeding land burned by the Evans Canyon Fire this summer between Naches and Ellensburg, the start of what will be a long recovery. … The wildlife department hired contractors to complete 300 of 750 scheduled acres of seeding with a helicopter in forested draws around Cleman Mountain and Black Canyon.

Those native mixes will replenish riparian areas susceptible to erosion, as well as some shrub-steppe landscapes. Confer Morris said seeding around the Wenas and Umtanum creeks would focus primarily on native grass species and sterile triticale.

I do not have videos of this particular aerial reseeding, but I do have a couple of videos that I will share to give you an idea of how helicopters do aerial reseeding. Smaller helicopters with mechanisms for buckets have a small metal bucket that holds the seed that is then dropping over an area designated for reseeding. In the first video, you will see a helicopter being loaded for seeding and then taking off.

direct link to video on Youtube

In the second video, you will see the helicopter (it is small) flying with the seeding bucket and then dropping at about 50 seconds.

direct link to video on Youtube

2020 wildfire season: a news report about an NWS IMET talking about an Oregon wildfire

 Thanks to my friends at the NWS Incident Meteorologist Facebook page who shared a great news report about one of their IMETs, Tom Wright. At the time this report on KEZI in Eugene Oregon aired on or about November 24th, Tom was working as an IMET on a wildfire in Oregon. Tom is a NWS Meteorologist in the NWS Medford OR Weather Forecast Office. You will be taken through a normal day in the life of an IMET. I learned a lot from this video, learning a little more about soundings and about the kestrel instrument that he uses. I am never quite sure how long a broadcast news station will keep the video and the report up on their website, but I think that this will be up for awhile. On June 23, 2021, I noticed that the video that I had embedded is no longer available, but the November 24th KEZI news report and may be found here.

Friday Fun: Fort Lauderdale FL 2020 airshow

I heard annual air show in Fort Lauderdale was postponed from earlier this year due to COVID, it took place this past weekend (November 21-22). Here is a clip of the airshow that appears to be shot from a balcony near the beach. Enjoy.

 

Direct link to video on Youtube

Remembering all who are working this Thanksgiving to protect us

 

New Jersey Forest Fire Service: First All Female Wildand Fire Crew

The first New Jersey Forest Fire Service (NJFFS) Wildland Fire Crew conducted a prescribed burn in Camp Jefferson, Morris County New Jersey last Friday, November 20th (see my November 23rd article for a listing of prescribed burns conducted by the NJFFS. I am very proud of these eight female NJFFS Wildland Firefighters. Way to go ladies! 

New Jersey Forest Fire Service: Prescribed burning (Nov 20-22)

 If my arithmetic is correct, this is the 85th year that the New Jersey Forest Fire Service (NJFFS)  has conducted prescribed burns, sometimes abbreviated as Rx Burns. (see this 2019 news release from the NJ Dept of Environmental Protection (DEP) for more information on prescribed burns). 

Prescribed burns help reduce forest fire risk before prime wildfire season, which ramps up in April and continues through May. During this time of year fallen leaves, branches and twigs are abundant, day length increases, humidity can be low, and it is often warm and windy. Those weather conditions coupled with lack of new leaf growth makes forest debris more susceptible to the drying effects of wind and sun. During prescribed burns, Forest Fire Service personnel use handheld torches to set smaller fires to burn away fallen leaves, pine needles, fallen branches and other debris on the forest floor. (Source: April 24 2019 news release from the NJDEP). 

The NJFFS conducts prescribed burns, mostly during the spring but sometimes at other times of year when conditions are favorable. I know that the NJFFS conducted prescribed burns in the late winter and spring of 2020 (see my February 3rd, February 28th,  and March 2nd articles from early 2020). In addition, private landowners may get a permit from the NJFFS to conduct prescribed burns on their property, see this FAQ for more information.

The New Jersey Forest Fire Service has a webpage devoted to prescribed burns, it is chock full of good information.

The conditions for conducting favorable prescribed burns in northern and central New Jersey seemed to align this past weekend as there were prescribed burns on November 20th,  21st and 22nd (NJFFS Facebook page posts):

Friday, November 20th (Division A, northern New Jersey)

• Sussex County, Wantage -- Luscroft Farm (Highpoint State Park and New Jersey Veterans Memorial)
• Morris County: Jefferson -- Camp Jefferson

Saturday November 21st: Sussex County -- Stokes State Forest (Division A, northern New Jersey)

Sunday, November 22nd: Ocean County -- Lacey -- Rogers Rd and Tuckerton RR Bed

Nice job NJFFS crews. I am very proud of you. You honor New Jersey and reduce wildfire risk by conducting prescribed burns. You have a long legacy of doing prescribed burns, setting a fine example of what can be done to reduce wildfire risk through annual prescribed burns. 

2020 wildfire season: in review through mid-November

Before you watch a short video from The National Interagency Fire Center, I want to share a few reflections on the 2020 wildfire season in the United States.

I have written several times about this devastating wildfire season in the United States, especially in the west. 8.7 million acres have burned. Twelve firefighters lost their lives. I wish I knew the number of civilians, non-firefighters, who lost their lives, but I do not. My heartfelt prayers to the families, friends, and all who loved those that lost their lives -- firefighters and civilians. Let us always remember.

Thousands of homes and businesses have been destroyed. Those who have lost a home and/or a business are left to rebuild once the clean-up is finished. Perhaps some won't go back. For many, their lives won't be the same for a long time. Then there are the emotional scars. Depending on the ecosystem and how badly the soil was burned, the burned landscape may take generations to recover. 

The firefighters on the ground and in the air have worked very hard. My thoughts, prayers, and profound thanks are with all of you. Kudos to you. Your sacrifice won't be forgotten.

Direct link to video from The National Interagency Fire Center

Reflections: Rebuilding Paradise CA after the Camp Fire

It was been over two year since the Camp Fire destroyed much of Paradise California. 

Direct link to video from National Geographic

I had an opportunity to watch Ron Howard's Rebuilding Paradise last weekend. The film is available on various platforms, I am fortunate to have the National Geographic on my cable so I was able to watch it for free. If you are so inclined and have access through one of the platforms, especially free access, I would recommend watching the film. The film touched me because the focus was on the first year after the Camp Fire and the challenges of the residents in Paradise to rebuild their homes and their town. I was reminded in a way that only a film like this can, that a wildfire such as the Camp Fire or the many wildfires that have decimated California towns this year have severe and sometimes lasting effects on the residents who lost their homes as well those who did not lose their homes but are nonetheless affected by the destruction around them. 

I can say that I care, which is why I write this blog. The film I reminded me that after the wildland fire crews leave, the residents of the affected towns are left with emotional trauma and the visual reminder of seeing the burned areas in their towns as they work to rebuild their homes and their lives, bury their dead, and rebuild their town. The film left me with the uncomfortable awareness that I may have written about the wildland firefighters and the crews who work to clean up the town after the wildfire at the expense of the affected residents. 

As I consider this devastating 2020 wildfire season, which is not over yet in the western United States, I want to pause and say a prayer for all those who have died, those who have lost loved ones, those who lost their homes, and those whose home is still standing but live with the reminder of the wildfire around them. My heart goes out to you. I am sincere in this. I can not say that I know that what you are going through because I do not. But I can say that I care. 

wildland firefighting: type 2IA hand crews

 There are a few different types of handcrews that fight wildland fires: Type 1 Interagency Hotshot Crews (IC), Type 1, Type 2 Initial Attack (IA), a very brief description of these crews may be found in Chapter 30 of the Interagency Mobilization Guide. There is a Type 3, I do not mention them here because I am not quite sure what they do and have not been able (so far) to find a good reference

A good chart explaining what each of these crews do may found in the Wildland Fire Incident Management on page 129. According to the aforementioned chart a Type 2 IA crew is usually a crew of 20 with a crew boss, broken into three squads. There are three Sawyers, probably one to each squad. They are a national resource. The crew does fireline construction and can perform burnout operations.

Enjoy this video, under eight minutes shot from a helmet camera giving us a small peak of what it is like to be on a Type 2 IA handcrew.

Direct link to video uploaded by Matthew McKirdy

2020 wildfire season: wildfire in Delaware State Forest, Monroe County PA

Direct link to video from PAHomepage

Thanks to a friend from the New Jersey Forest Fire Service who alerted me to the video I shared above about a wildfire that was first reported on Saturday, November 7th near Paradise Township in the Delaware State Forest in Monroe County, Pennsylvania. The fire, which burned on the order of 800 acres in the Devils Hole area of the Delaware State Forest, burned for three days before being brought under control on Tuesday, November 10th. Arson is suspected. Thanks to all the wildland firefighters who worked to fight this wildfire and kept residences and businesses safe. Kudos to all.

I am not exactly intimately familiar with this area of Pennsylvania but in years past, but many years ago I used to drive through this area a couple of times a year on the way to visit family. And a couple of my pilot friends have taken me on scenic airplane rides over the nearby Poconos in Pennsylvania. I have never been to Delaware State Forest, but perhaps I will take a trip there next spring. 

Remembering all Veterans on Veterans Day

 

direct link to video on Youtube

2020 wildfire season: busy season for US NWS Incident Meterologists

I want to take a moment to review what US National Weather Service Incident Meteorologists (IMETs) do:

An Incident Meteorologist (IMET) is a National Weather Service (NWS) meteorologist specially trained to provide onsite weather support at wildfires and other all-hazard incidents. Weather briefings and forecasts provided by NWS IMETs ensure the safety of operational personnel and assist incident management teams and responders with critical decision support activities. The NWS IMET cadre has been serving the nation’s incident responders for nearly a century (obtained from US National Weather Service IMET Facebook Page (About) on November 11, 2020)

I follow the IMETs on their Facebook page noted above and knew that this was a busy year for IMETs. I want to acknowledge all the hard work that IMETs do when deployed to wildfires for up to two weeks. You are away from your families and home NWS Forecast Office for up to two weeks providing weather forecasts for the fire you are working, during a pandemic.  Occasionally, I have seen your briefings for the fire you were working on that fire's page on inciweb or elsewhere, nice job. Thank-you from the bottom of my heart for your good work and your sacrifices. 

IMETs save lives. 

Here is a post that the US National Weather Service IMET shared on their Facebook page on November 9th. 

direct link to post from US NWS IMET

New Jersey Forest Fire Service: fighting a small and a moderate sized wildfire (November 7th to 8th)

I rarely, if ever, see such a small wildfire reported on by media outlets. I do not think it really matters that I do not specifics on these very small wildfires in New Jersey. The important thing is that NJFFS crews are quick to respond to all wildfires and are able to bring many fires under control at one acre or less. The point is that large or small the New Jersey Forest Service as well as crews in your State and national crews work hard to bring wildfires under control, stopping that a small amount of acreage burned.

Consider wildfires under one acre. Sometimes  these under one-acre wildfires may be near residences. Case in point is a one-quarter acre fire that burned on November 8th (see this Facebook post from NJFFS Section B10 ) in Marlboro New Jersey behind some residences. Good efforts by NJFFS Section B-10 aided by little if any wind meant that the wildfire was stopped at one-quarter acre. I happen to know about this very small wildfire because I regularly visit the NJFFS Section B10 Facebook page during my regular routine to check out wildfire news. Jersey Forest Fire Service crews. please know that I am always thinking of you and know that at any given time you may be out there fighting a wildfire, sometimes quite small to keep us in New Jersey safe.

Moving to slightly larger wildfires, I heard from a friend about a wildfire (the Gas-line Fire) of approximately 30 acres that burned in West Milford, Passaic County NJ (NJFFS Division A, Section A2) over the weekend. I understand that a NJFFS helicopter worked the fire to support the wildland firefighters on the ground. This is another example of what is probably one of many wildfires of this size that are not covered by media outlets. They may have gone unnoticed by me if it weren’t for my friend and a November 7th from another NJFFS Section B10 social media post reporting on the fire on November 7th. I don’t know any more information. What I will say is that hopefully by now, this 30-acre wildfire is well on the way to being contained by NJFFS Section A2 crews.

New Jersey Forest Fire Service crews, whether or not conventional media (newspapers, broadcast media) does not report on what you are doing does not matter. I know you are there. Same holds for social media accounts, I know you are there. You are dedicated to keeping us safe from wildfires because that is what you do. You often do so without fanfare and accolades. Well, take this post as my fanfare and accolades to you for a job well done.

New Jersey Forest Fire Service: a look back to 2014

The post that I intended to make today will have to put off until next week because at the least minute I wanted to try to find out some additional information. I thought about what to post today. It is Friday, so perhaps this will be Flashback Friday. The video that I am sharing is probably a rerun, I do that sometimes. This video is from the spring of 2014 about wildfires in Beachwood and Berkeley NJ, fought by the New Jersey Forest Fire Service. I like this video, and I hope that you do to as it provides an idea of what the New Jersey Forest Fire Service does so well when they fight a wildfire. Allow nine and a half minutes to watch the video.

Direct link to video uploaded by Dustin Gabriel

2020 wildfire season: smaller wildfires under 15 acres

 In what is a devastating wildfire season in the western United States, with several very large wildfires or complexes burning. But for all of these very large fires there are a large number of very small wildfires (sometimes referred to as brush fires), under 10 or 15 acres and often smaller. These may often go unnoticed if it weren't for local media that may write about the brush fire. Thanks to Mike Archer's efforts on his five-day a week Wildfire News of the Day e-mail news letter, I get to find out about some of these smaller brush fires. 

Wildland firefighters, on the ground and at times aided by helicopters with buckets and perhaps a small air tanker, work these smaller brush fires in hopes that they be contained quickly before they can get larger. Their efforts are greatly appreciated, and I decided that I wanted to spend a little time writing about some small brush fires to honor the work of these wildland firefighters. They work to contain these smaller brush fires to keep you safe while at the same time keeping themselves safe. Sometimes it will be small crew working the fire.

Thanks to Mike Archer's Wildfire News of the Day (WNOTD), I found three small brush fires that I will highlight here. Three small brush fires to exemplify the very large number of smaller brush fires that burn in the United States and globally each year. Mike includes link to media accounts in his newsletter so I can provide you with a media report on the fire. I will include the date that Mike reported on each fire in his WNOTD newsletter.

• October 30th WNOTD, Idaho: Twenty wildland firefighters were assisted by two helicopters in working a seven-acre fire in the Salmon-Challis National Forest on Thursday, October 29th. See this article from the Idaho Mountain Express (October 30th) for more information.
• November 2nd WNOTD, Colorado: Eight wildland firefighters worked a one-quarter acre fire near Engineer Mountain in the San Juan National Forest, the fire was reported as being fully controlled on Sunday morning, November 1st with containment expected later that same day. The Durango Herald (November 2nd) reported on this fire.
• November 4th WNOTD, Idaho: every fire department in Banncock County Idaho responded to small wildfire of a several acres of grassland (acreage not determined) near a ski area on Tuesday, November 3rd. For more information see this November 3rd article from the Idaho State Journal.

Keeping wildfires (or brush fires depending on local usage) small is important and hopefully minimizes any damage to nearby structures. 

A behind the scenes look at helibase operations

 I have posted extensively over the years about the variety of things that helicopters do aid wildland firefighters during and after wildfires. The helicopters may be based at a permanent or a temporary helibase. I was quite interested when I came upon this video offering me a behind the scenes look at one helibase operation. I knew that some of you would be interested as well. 

Watch and listen to Helibase Manager Trainee Jerek Bickford of Montrose Helitack offer a behind the scenes look at helibase operations for the Cameron Peak Fire. As I write this, the Cameron Peak Fire has burned 208.913 acres in the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee Grassland. The fire has been burning for over two months. To read more about this fire, check out this link of tagged files from Bill Gabbert's Wildfire Today website.

Matt this if for you, you would love this. RIP and I know that you flying with the helos in favorable tail winds.

Direct link to video from the Cameron Peak Fire Channel

2020 wildland fireseason: reflections on firefighter and citizen deaths

There is no doubt that this has been a disastrous wildlandfire season in the United States, especially in the western part of the country. As I write this, over 8 million acres have burned. See the fire info page on the National Interagency Fire Center for current year to date acreage burned and year-to-date numbers for the last several years. In a week were the news of two critically injured Orange County Fire Fighters are fighting for their lives after a burnover incident on the Silverado Fire (see this October 28th article from the Orange County Register), I have found myself reflecting on the risks of firefighting. Firefighting is risky, whether it be structure firefighting or wildland firefighting. 

Here I am focusing on wildland firefighting, in the air and on the ground, as well as losses to civilians. This is not to minimize the sacrifices that structure firefighters make as they face injuries and death. But I write about wildland firefighting so my thoughts are always with the wildland firefighting community. As are all firefighters, they are trained in ways to be safe, e.g. getting to a safe black area and the last resort option of deploying fire shelters. They are also trained to be safe while working the fireline, staying clear of trees been felled by sawyers, staying clear of fire weakened trees and a host of other dangers that I am not covering. Even with all the training to be safe, things happen and they die anyway, even after deploying a fire shelter.

Then there are the auto accidents that can happen while working a fire. 

This has been a bad year for tanker and helicopter crashes, so lets not forgot the pilots who lose their lives flying fires to support the wildland firefighters on the ground.

Every year wildland firefighters die fighting wildfires. Every year. The deaths do not end with the wildland firefighters on the ground or in the air. Civilian deaths happen too, sometimes in their homes, sometimes while trying to flee a fire, or sometimes just being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

And lets not forget those firefighters and civilians who are injured as a result of wildfires, sometimes severely.

I do know that there have been a number of firefighter and civilian deaths this fire season in the United 
States. And if you expand to global deaths, the number will of course be larger. 

I wish I had a list of those who have died this year, but I do not. Nor do I have a list of those who have been injured from wildfires this year. Nevertheless, I write this article to say that I remember. I remember the sacrifices made by the fallen wildland firefighters and their families. I remember the sacrifices of firefighters who are injured. I remember the civilians who have died in or as a result of wildfires. I remember all equally. I want all who may be reading to know that I am paying attention and hold all in my prayers. 

Two organizations to check out if you so inclined. The Wildland Firefighter Foundation works with families of wildland firefighters killed in the line of duty and also works with injured firefighters and their families, see the WFF mission statement. The Associated Aerial Firefighters works with the families of aerial firefighters who have died in the line of duty.

2020 wildfire season: California day after red flag warnings lifted

Direct link to October 28th update from CAL FIRE on Youtube (note the video title misidentifies the date. The video is not the October 27th update. While the video I embedded above is perhaps more meaningful to California residents or those familiar with California, I thought that some of you might want to see the video, it takes a little more than six minutes. Also it is a good way to honor and thank the hard working firefighters, on the ground and in the air along with their support teams who are fighting wildfires in California.

Like many of us, my thoughts have been with California the day after red flag warnings have been lifted. 

I wish that I could do more to acknowledge what is going in in California after an all ready devastating wildfire season then posting some videos, but it is what I can do and not overwhelm you with information. A daily update for October 28th with links for information about all wildfires currently or recently burning in California may be found here, thanks to Mike Archer at Wildfire News of the Day (WNOTD) who provided that link in todays WNOTD e-mail. I found some raw video from Loudlabs News of the two of wildfires, Silverado and Blue Ridge, both were first reported on Monday, October 26th while under red flag warnings. These two videos provide a minuscule glimpse of wildland firefighters fighting these fires. Both wildfires are in Orange County, and according to CAL FIRE, they are considered to be a part of the same complex. As I write this, according to CAL FIRE, the Silverado Fire has burned 13,354 acres and the Blue Ridge Fire has burned 14,434 acre. Evacuations were in place, two firefighters have been severely injured. For good reporting on these two fires as well as the injuries to the firefighters see Bill Gabbert's Wildfire Today article of October 28th on the Silverado and Blue Ridge Fires for more information. 

Direct link to video from Loudlabs News

Direct link to video from Loudlabs News

2020 wildfire season: red flag warnings through October 27

I first read about the current red flag warnings in this Washington Post article from the Capital Weather Gang (October 24th). These red flag warnings are in effect from October 25th through at least October 27th. I was not surprised because I knew from prior years that this is time of year when extreme fire danger can happen in California. Knowing of these red flag warnings, I went to Bill Gabbert's Wildfire Today site as a part of my daily routine of checking on current wildfire news. I saw that he had written a very nice article on Wildfire Today (October 24th) about these red flag warnings. He did his usual excellent job of reporting and I would urge you to check on his article. While I was checking Bill's site, I saw this October 26th article about the Silverado Fire which according to CAL Fire started today, evacuations are in place. Bill Gabbert has up to date information on wildfires that have started in the warned areas of California, you might want to check out his blog, Wildfire Today (on or about October 26-7) for current information.

Obtained on October 25, 2020 from https://www.weather.gov

I am not great on naming colors, but what I call the hot pink color refer to red flag warnings issued by the National Weather Service. I got a downloaded a couple of images from the Facebook page of the U.S. National Weather Service Office at Sacramento, California. The image about red flag warnings is probably an updated image of what Bill Gabbert shared on October 24th.

Obtained on October 26th from NWS Sacramento CA (Oct. 26)

Peak wind gusts posted by NWS Sacramento CA, October 26th 9AM PDT

DC-7 T-60 may have flown her firefighting last mission

Long time readers know that I have a fondness for the DC-7 tankers, having written numerous posts over the years, go here  and here to see all of my posts on DC-7 tankers. Erickson Aero Air has three DC-7's, T-60, T-62, and T-66 after acquiring Butler Aviation in 2012. I knew from social media and from reading Bill Gabbert's Fire Aviation that T-60 was slated to retire from aerial firefighting this year. I am not sure about the status of tankers 62 and 66. Perhaps they are already retired. So, I was not surprised when I read Bill Gabbert's October 22nd post, Tanker 60 retires from aerial firefighting.

Rest well tanker 60, you have flown well, doing valuable service for many years flying fires in support of firefighters on the ground. You have helped save lives. I am sorry that I never met you or your kin DC-7 tankers in person. Where ever you go next fly in favorable winds. 

Direct link to video on Youtube

2020 wildfire season: 2020 Idaho Hotshots crew video

It is the time of year when wildfire crews are starting to release their 2020 crew videos. As y'all know,  I like crew videos. In a small way, they are giving us a brief look into their world for the 2020 fire season. Not only do we get a sense of what I call the "personality of the crew" and some of the fun they have, but more importantly we get to know what they do on the fireline. This up close look at what they do on the fireline gives me a very brief, but important view that I would not be able to see in any other way. 

The first video up is a long, nineteen minutes, but the time went quickly. In the first part of the video, we met the individual members of the Idaho Hotshots. And yes, there were some nice shots of air tanker support where I also noted that some of the areas where they were working had been treated with retardant. This exemplifies that tankers and helos fly fires to support the wildland firefighters on the ground. The rest of the video was taken up with shots of the crew working the fire. I am always open to learning, and I always learn something about wildland firefighting through crew videos. This video, because of its length, provides a good example of what the Idaho Hotshots do. I hope you take the time to watch the entire video.

Direct link to video uploaded by Krossed Saints

Thank-you Firefighters

While I can not be there holding up a sign to thank all the wildland firefighters -- on the ground, in the air, and their support teams -- I do want all of you to know how much your work on all the fires in the western United States means to me. I found a nice video, a little over six minutes uploaded on September 4th, thanking all the firefighters who were working the SCU Complex of wildfires. Many folk stood on the side of the road with signs to thank the firefighters as they passed by on their way to fight fires. The thoughts expressed in this video, while specific to one complex of wildfires,  speak to what is in my heart as an expression of my thanks to all firefighters who have worked and will continue to work wildfires in this horrendous wildfire season. Take this post as a virtual thank-you sign from me to you. Thank-you, stay safe. Your sacrifice will not be forgotten.

Direct link to video uploaded by Incident Command Photography

Friday Fun: from 2018 Planes of Fame Airshow (Chino CA)

Been awhile since I posted a fun video to celebrate Friday. Enjoy this thirteen minute video from the 2018 Planes of Fame Airshow, Pacific Theatre, in Chino California.

Direct link to video

2020 wildfire season: Bobcat Fire Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER)

 Now that the Bobcat Fire is at 96 percent containment at 115,796 acres, Burned Area Emergency Response (aka BAER) has begun. I have written about BAER on previous occasions, mostly about BAER on specific wildfires (go here for these posts). It has been awhile since I last wrote about BAER and knowing that the area burned by the Bobcat Fire will be undergoing BAER, I wanted to write about this today. First, here is a short video from the National Park Service Fire and Aviationwith a general description of BAER to give you a brief idea about what BAER is about.

Direct link to video from National Park Service Fire and Aviation

There are three phases of wildfire recovery (obtained from Inciweb Page on Bobcat Fire BAER information on October 14, 2020.

1. Fire Suppression Repair 


2. Emergency Stabilization-Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) 


3. Long-Term Recovery and Restoration 


Fire Suppression Repair is a series of immediate post-fire actions taken to repair damages and minimize potential soil erosion and impacts resulting from fire suppression activities and usually begins before the fire is contained, and before the demobilization of an Incident Management Team. This work repairs the hand and dozer fire lines, roads, trails, staging areas, safety zones, and drop points used during fire suppression efforts. 


Emergency Stabilization-Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) is a rapid assessment of burned watersheds by a BAER team to identify imminent post-wildfire threats to human life and safety, property, and critical natural or cultural resources on National Forest System lands and take immediate actions to implement emergency stabilization measures before the first post-fire damaging events. Fires result in loss of vegetation, exposure of soil to erosion, and increased water runoff that may lead to flooding, increased sediment, debris flows, and damage to critical natural and cultural resources. BAER actions such as: mulching, seeding, installation of erosion and water run-off control structures, temporary barriers to protect recovering areas, and installation of warning signs may be implemented. BAER work may also replace safety related facilities; remove safety hazards; prevent permanent loss of habitat for threatened and endangered species; prevent the spread of noxious weeds, and protect critical cultural resources. 


Long-Term Recovery and Restoration utilizes non-emergency actions to improve fire-damaged lands that are unlikely to recover naturally and to repair or replace facilities damaged by the fire that are not critical to life and safety. This phase may include restoring burned habitat, reforestation, other planting or seeding, monitoring fire effects, replacing burned fences, interpreting cultural sites, treating noxious weed infestations, and installing interpretive signs. 

The Inciweb page for the Bobcat Fire BAER has additional information, including a soil burn severity map, mapping damage to the soil from the fire and key elements of a BAER assessment. I will keep an eye on the Bobcat Fire BAER progress and make further posts.

About the Bell 209 "Cobra" Firewatch Helicopter

 I learned about a new to me helicopter today, the Bell 209 "Cobra" Firewatch Helicopter, tail # 107Z. This Firewatch helicopter is owned by the US Forest Service and operated on contract by Dynacorp. She is used as an air attack platform with a crew of two, a pilot and an air attack group supervisor. I learned about this Firewatch helicopter from a video by the U.S. Forest Service, courtesy of E Abramson and shared on the U.S. Forest Service Sierra National Forest Facebook page. I am going to share this video, just over six minutes with you. 

You will hear from Scott Beck, pilot of 107Z, ATGS Matt Lynde, Air Tactical Group Supervisor (ATGS), and GIS Tech Michelle Schilling. Not only did I enjoy learning about this Firewatch helicopter and her team, but I especially enjoyed hearing Matt Lynde talk about being an ATGS. 107Z is equipped with Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR), providing intelligence. 

You may not be able to see the Facebook video if you have tracking protection enabled on your browser. If you do not want to disable your tracking protection (understandable), the direct link that I supplied should work and the video should appear at the top of your screen.

Direct link to video on Facebook

I hope you enjoy this video, I know that I did. Stay safe everyone.

2020 wildfire season: Washington (labor day weekend 2020)

 I thought, but was not sure that there was a small town in Washington State that was almost completely destroyed by a wildfire in early September. Thanks to a friend from Washington who told me that the town of Malden which I believe is in Whitman County, Washington. Most of the homes were destroyed. See these two video reports from early September. After you watch these two short videos, please read this update (dated October 9th) from NPR, 'Everything is gone': rural Washington struggles after 'blowtorch' of a wildfires.

Direct link to video 

Direct link to video

2020 wildfire season: Oregon (September 2020)

 My recent posts on the 2020 wildfire season have focused on the wildfires in California. But as most of you know from media reports, wildfires have devastated Oregon and Washington as well. Here is a fifteen minute video from the Northwest Sawyer documenting his escape from what I believe is the Riverside Fire that to date has burned 138,004 acres in the Mt. Hood National Forest in Oregon. I believe that this fire was first reported on September 8th. Bill Gabbert of Wildfire Today provides a good overview of the Oregon wildfires on September 13th, he reported that 53 structures were burned by the Riverside Fire.

Direct Link to video from Northwest Sawyer

Coulson CH-47 Helitanker on 83 day contract in Southern California

I write this post to my friend Matt who died six years ago. Matt was a good friend and loved helicopters, he had a great deal of knowledge about helicopters. We had frequent discussion on helicopters and he would not hesitate to correct me if I was wrong. That is what friends do. My way of honoring Matt's memory is to make occasional posts in his memory. Because this is an anniversary of his death at a young age, it feels entirely appropriate to write about Coulson-Unical's CH-47 helitanker. Coulson's CH47 helitanker, N42CU, currently on an 83-day contract in Southern California thanks to a partnership between the Orange County Fire Authority And Southern California Edison. Coulson-Unical's helitanker has a capacity of 3,000 gallons with a retractable snorkle hose and can fly 24 hours, seven days a week. I am sure that this helitanker will be a valuable asset in support of the firefighters on the ground during this devastating wildfire season in California.

For a little background on the Helitanker (and Coulson's UH-60 helicopters) see an article I wrote on May 27th

For more information on this helitanker see:

• Coulson-Unical's spec sheet on the CH-47 helitanker
• Coulson-Unical's press release announcing the Southern California contract
• Orange County Fire Authority's Facebook post on the press conference announcing the contract for the CH-47
• Bill Gabbert of Fire Aviation on the Night-flying Chinook begins contract in Orange County California  (October 2nd)
• LA Times (Oct 1st) article about the CH-47 helitanker (paywall)

Matt, you would of loved this five-minute video from Coulson with an overview of the CH-47's systems. We can not talk about this helitanker, but I know that you are up there somewhere flying in favorable winds at a safe distance from the helitanker and other aerial firefighting operations.

Direct link to video from Coulson

2020 wildfire season: update from CAL FIRE for October 1st

I like CAL FIRE's daily situation updates because it provides me with one stop shopping, so to be speak, to get an overview of the situation in California. Here is the situation update for October 1st.

Direct link to video from CAL FIRE

2020 wildfire season: footage of El Dorado Fire (San Bernardino, CA)

 Like many of you, I have been following, as I can, the El Dorado Fire that has burned 22, 744 in the San Bernardino National Forest near San Bernardino, California. The El Dorado Fire was started by pyrotechnics at a gender reveal party, see Bill Gabbert's September 7th article on Wildfire Today. Sadly, a fire fighter, Charlie Morton, died while working the El Dorado Fire. 

I found a great video for you, but on the long side, of footage of the El Dorado Fire. Both are worth watching. I appreciated these videos because I was able to get a glimpse of what is like for the wildland firefighters on the ground supported by tankers and helos, working the El Dorado Fire.

The first video, El Dorado Fire: Up Close and Personal, is from the San Bernardino County Fire Department. Allow just over seventeen minutes to watch the footage, it is worth it! The footage takes you through fighting the fire to repopulating residences to final acknowledgements.  You will also learn more about Charlie Morton. RIP Charlie, prayers for your family, friends, colleagues, and all who love you as they mourn your loss.

Direct link to video from the San Bernardino County Fire Department.

The second video is much shorter

2020 wildfire season: thanks to NJFFS deployed in western USA

I am sure that many of you have joined me in thinking and offering our own personal prayers for all those affected by this devastating wildfire season in the western United States. As I have done so, I am every mindful of the men and women of the NJ Forest Fire Service (NJFFS) who are currently deployed on wildfires out west. So this post is in honor of all of the men and woman of the NJFFS who have served out west, are currently deployed out west, or are awaiting deployment. You are working hard on your assignments, I know that you are doing your best to be safe so that you can come home to your family and friends at the end of your deployment. I know that your service is appreciated by those who live or work near the fires you are working on. 

I found a nice article late last week, from the SandPaper (September 24th), New Jersey Forest Fire Service busier than ever this year with western wildfires. I want to share it with you and encourage you to take a few moments to read this great article offering a little insight into the work that NJFFS crews are doing out west. At the time the article was written, there had been 74 firefighters and 10 engines deployed out west. Most drove but at least one crew flew. One of the NJFFS firefighters who is deployed out west is Bill Donnelly from Mays Landing NJ, a 30 year veteran, who is serving as a task force leader. He shares a little about the work that his crews are doing:

‘A fire’s a fire’s a fire,” Donnelly said resolutely. “Some are bigger than others, but the work that goes into putting them out is the same.” That was not to downplay the gravity of the situation, as he described this particular season as “chaotic.’

‘It’s just like you see on the news,’ he said. ‘The fires are raging, burning down houses, killing people. There is something to be said about that.’

Donnelly’s team is in northern California, bordering Oregon, on a million-acre fire. ‘It’s a pretty big one,’ he said, comparing the size to about one-third of New Jersey. The work involved requires long hours and extensive hiking on very little rest. Just getting to the fire takes his team three to four hours. ‘We’re working in areas where homes have already burned down around us,’ he described. ‘We’re keeping it in check and keeping it from carrying on further.’

Donnelly outlined the multiple factors at work creating the prolonged disaster on the West Coast. First, there has simply been an overwhelming number of fires due to intense weather, high winds and low humidity: ‘All the ingredients necessary for fire are at play.’ With the longer season comes the need for more responders.

I wrote a couple of family and friends who live in southern California, telling them about all the crews and engines that the NJFFS has sent to California. They said to say "thank-you, we appreciate it." 

I don't want to leave out other states in the eastern region, please know how much your service means to me. 

I am honored by the service of all from New Jersey and elsewhere in the eastern region who have been or are currently deployed out west. You honor us with your service. Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you

2020 wildfire season IMET deployments (Sept 11 to Sept 24)

As the western United States is experiencing a devastating wildfire season, National Weather Service Incident Meteorologists (IMET) continue to be deployed to a large number of wildfires to give firefighters on a given incident the best possible weather forecast so that they may be safe as the work to fight wildfires and as necessary do their best to provide structure protection. Recent readers may know that I have been following the Bobcat Fire (113,986 acres) that is still burning in the Angeles National Forest near Pasadena California. I watched a couple of virtual public meetings (a day later) held be officials providing updates about the fire. In the two virtual public meetings that I watched, I heard the IMET then deployed to the fire provide an incident specific weather forecast. I had not thought about this aspect of what an IMET does. I know that they work hard to determine current and future incident specific weather conditions as well as providing briefings to firefighters. I admit that I had not thought that they would be present at briefings to brief the public. The presence of the IMET at the virtual public meeting spoke volumes to me. IMETs save lives.

Before I get to recent IMET deployments, I had the opportunity to correspond via social media with NWS meteorologists about fire weather including a representative from the NWS IMET office. I asked how many IMETs were currently deployed to wildfires. This is what they said: "Currently (September 23rd) 30 IMETs are deployed to fires. This is a record for this date. Historically, no more than 20 IMETs have been deployed on a single day past September 19th."

Here is a list of IMET deployments over the last two weeks, obtained from the National Weather Service IMET Facebook Page. Links are to the specific post about the deployment where you may find links for more information about the fire. IMET deployments are usually for two weeks. If IMETs are required at an incident beyond the two week deployment period, another IMET will rotate in. Looking at the list of deployments below, it appears that there might be more than one IMET (not including an IMET trainee) on some fires, or perhaps the deployment was shorter than two weeks. Any errors are mine.

September 11th

• Archie Creek Fire near Gilde, OR

September 13th

• Brattain Fire near Paisley, OR
• Dolan Fire near Big Sur, CA
• North Complex near Quincy, CA
• August Complex near Elk Creek, CA
• El Dorado Fire near Yucaipa, CA

September 14th

• Red Salmon Complex near Denny, CA
• Castle Fire part of the SQF Complex near Porterville, CA

September 15th

• Slater Fire near Happy Camp, CA (IMET trainee)
• Thielsen Fire near Chemult, OR
• Beachie Creek Fire near Detroit, CA

September 16th

• Cameron Peak Fire near Redfeather Lakes, CO
• Badger Fire near Oakley, ID

September 17th

• August Complex near Elk Creek, CA
• North Complex near Quincy, CA (IMET trainee)
• SQF Complex near Porterville, CA
• Creek Fire near Shaver Lake, CA (IMET trainee)

September 18th

• East Fork Fire near Hannah, UT
• Creek Fire near Shaver Lake, CA (IMET trainee)

September 19th

• El Dorado Fire near Yucaipa, CA

September 20th

• August Complex near Elk Creek, CA

September 21st

• Castle Fire part of SQF Complex near Porterville, CA
• Dolan Fire near Big Sur, CA
• Bobcat Fire near Pasadena, CA

September 22nd

• Archie Creek Fire near Gilde, OR
• Lionshead Fire near Warm Springs, OR
• Creek Fire near Shaver Lake, CA

September 24th

• Williams Fork Fire