2021 wildfire season: severe drought conditions in western U.S.

I am sure that most of you are aware of the severe drought conditions in most of the western United States coupled with historic heat wave, some say the worst drought in at least 20 years in places. I am not here to report on these conditions as many media outlets and related news and wildland fire news on the internet are doing so. However, here are a couple of articles that I found today for you: ABC News and The Hill

I am here because all in the wildland firefighting community, whether you be on the ground or in the air, to know that I am paying attention. 

I am here because what I have read in the coverage of the severe drought in the western U.S. scares me as the summer wildfire season is well under way. 

I am here because I want to tell my wildland firefighter friends that I can not imagine what is like to fight a wildfire in extreme heat. 

I am here because it is my prayer that all of you who are wildland firefighters whether you are on the ground, in the air, and various and asundry support staff are safe. I care.

I believe that one picture is worth a thousand words. Here are three images of significant wildfire potential outlook for July, August, and September from Predictive Services at the National Interagency Fire Center and two images showing drought conditions, one is the most recent drought monitor is the seasonal drought outlook from the Climate Prediction Center. In all cases, I am sharing the most recent images. These sites are updated with new information as appropriate so if you are coming here sometime in the future what you see at these sites may be different.

2021 wildfire season: NJ Forest Fire Service sends engines to Minnesota (June 24th)

Every year the New Jersey Forest Fire Service (NJFFS) will send engines with crew upon request to help wildland firefighters in other states. As I understand it, the NJFFS will accept a request for engines and crews when they know that there are resource available. This appeared to be the case when a request came in a few days ago from Minnesota for engines and crew. I first heard that the NJFFS had sent two type-6 engines and crew to Minnesota last Friday from this June 24th press release from the Minnesota Incident Command System shared by my friends at the NJFFS Section B10.

The NJFFS sent two engines with crew to Minnesota, Engines A5 and B10.

According to the Minnesota Incident Command System news release cited above, these two engines’’are part of NE region pre-position resource. They are currently in Hibbling, Minn for initial attack along with staging as an extended attack resources for other DNR areas in the Region.” At least 12 other States have recently sent resources and crew to Minnesota.

My understanding is that the crews are deployed for two weeks. The engines may stay longer with new crew assigned.

I am honored by the service done by these two NJFFS engines and crew to help out our friends in Minnesota as they work to keep their residents and businesses safe from wildfires. You honor New Jersey with your service I am very proud of you. Stay safe.

 

2021 wildfire season: NWS Incident Meteorologist deployments (June 24)

There are several NWS Incident Meteorologists (IMETs) that have been deployed to wildfires in the western U.S. within the last week, most of them in the last week. As of June 22nd, according to NWS IMET Operations, there were 11 IMETs and 2 IMET trainers deployed on fires.  Most deployments are for two weeks. I am listing the IMET deployments in the last week at the end of these paragraphs, thanks to the US National Weather Service IMET Program on Twitter. You may also find the NWS IMET Program on Facebook. This seemingly simple listing of IMET deployments takes a bit of time and comes with a lot of respect and love for the work that IMETs do to provide wildland firefighters the best possible weather forecasts so that they may be safe. IMETs save lives!

There are two sources you may go to in order to learn more about what IMETs, The first is  this great article from Weather Nation on The Role of Incident Meteorologists & Fire. Two a couple of weeks ago, I shared a YouTube video called "Forecast Earth, Forecast the Inferno." 

In regards to the links below, I have doubled checked them and they were working at the time I made the post. Any errors are my responsibility.

June 19th

• June 19th, NWS Wilmington NC IMET deployed to the Backbone Fire burning in the Coconino National Forest near Pine, AZ.

June 20th

• NWS Flagstaff IMET deployed to the Telegraph Fire burning in the Tonto National Forest near Phoenix, AZ.
• NWS Medford OR IMET deployed to the Cutoff Fire burning near Bonanza, OR.
• NWS Little Rock IMET deployed to Trail Canyon Fire burning near Red Mesa, CO.

June 21st

• NWS Jackson KY IMET deployed to the Oil Springs Fire burning near Grand Junction, CO.
• NWS Little Rock IMET deployed to the West Fire burning near Diamond Peak, CO.
• NWS Reno, NV IMET Trainee deployed to the Backbone Fire burning in the Coconino National Forest near Pine, AZ.
• NWS El Paso, TX IMET deployed to the Wyrick Fire burning in the Apache-Sitgraves National Forest near Heber, AZ.
• NWS Spokane, WA IMET deployed to the S-503 Fire burning near Pine Grove, OR.

June 22nd

• NWS Hanford IMET deployed to the Inyo Creek Fire burning in the Inyo National Forest near Lone Pine, CA.
• NWS Pocatello IMET deployed to the Rafael Fire burning in the Prescott National Forest near Perkinsville, AZ.

June 23rd

• NWS Bismark IMET deployed to the Sylvan Fire in the White River National Forest near Eagle, CO.

June 24th

• NWS Milwaukee IMET Trainee deployed to the Oil Springs Fire burning near Grand Junction, CO

About NOAA's satellites

When I wrote last week about how NOAA Satellites are used to detect wildfires, I knew that it was time for me to write a post introducing all of the satellites that NOAA owns and/or operates. Before I get to that, There are many countries that have satellites in orbit. NOAA’s National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) has an international and information service known as NOAA Satellite and Information Service International and Interagency Affairs Division. Their mission is to 

build relationships with government organizations around the world. … NESDIS and NOAA could not accomplish all they do without the scientific and data exchange with our partners build on years of cooperation and collaboration.

Some of their important collaborations with other governments for the use of satellite data include but are not limited to Europe, Japan, Taiwan, India, Korea, China, Australia, and Canada. You may read more about these country’s satellites on the NOAA Satellite and Information Service International and Interagency Affairs Division webpage 

NOAA currently owns and operates nine satellites. There are currently four GOES geostationary satellites, all are in geostationary orbit. GOES-16 (aka GOES-R is in orbit as GOES-East while GOES-17 (aka GOES-S) is in orbit as GOES-West. GOES-14 and 15 are spares. Polar orbiting satellites complete 14 orbits from north to south pole per day. The DSCOVR satellite is the Deep Space Climate Observatory, providing valuable information to forecasters for space weather such as solar winds and geomagnetic storms. For more information on these satellites (with some links you can follow for more information on individual satellites) go to NESDIS's currently flying page. You may also want to follow leads elsewhere on the NESDIS page and check out the videos on the NESDIS YouTube Channel (there are a lot of wonderful videos, some very short).

NOAA operates but does not own the following satellites:

• Suomi NPP 
• Jason-3: for more information go to these NOAA sites  here AND here 
• four DMSP satellites
• EWS-G1 satellite

I found this story map done by NOAA NESDIS on their home page (see link in first paragraph). It is a nice story map with maps, videos, pictures and other information. You will learn about the history of the development of satellites and how satellites are used today. I hope that the embed code that I used works for you, if not, you may find the story map at this link on storymaps.arcgis

Wish Desiree Horton the best after filing a gender discrimination lawsuit

 I know enough to know that even with the strides made for women in aviation, that female pilots in commercial aviation, the military, news helicopters, wildland firefighting, etc. are still outnumbered by men. I am glad for the strides made by women in recent years. While I have come to accept, albeit sadly, that I will never be a licensed pilot and unable to pilot a general aviation aircraft, I am supportive of women and girls in aviation.

I was fairly early in writing this blog on aerial wildland firefighting when a friend told me about Desiree Horton who at that time was flying a helicopter for one of the TV News stations in Los Angeles. I learned a few years later that she flew a helicopter for CAL FIRE and most recently for the Orange County Fire Authority. I understand that she has flown helicopters for over thirty years, While I do not know nor have I every corresponded with Desiree, I have always had a great deal of respect for her. I do not think that she is or was the only women who flew as a pilot or co-pilot of aircraft used to fight wildfires. By saying that her name has always stayed with me means no disrespect for any women who may currently be flying as a pilot or co-pilot in the wildland firefighting business. 

About 10 days ago, I read in Bill Gabbert’s Fire Aviation site that Desiree had been fired from the Orange County Fire Authority before her probationary period was up and she has filed a discrimination lawsuit. I have also seen this reported elsewhere on various southern California media, see for example this report from ABC7 in Los Angeles, California. 

Desiree, I am here, not to report on your gender discrimination lawsuit, I will let others that I have already mentioned in the preceding paragraph do that. Desiree, I am here to offer you my heartfelt support in her lawsuit. I hope that the outcome, whatever that may be, is what you want and is fair. I have heard you say in media clips that you want your job back, I hope that you get your wish. In the meantime, I wish you the best, Desiree, as you pursue other endeavors, hopefully this includes doing what you love, flying helicopters. 

NOAA satellites detect wildfires (June 17th)

 I have written about NOAA's GOES satellites in this blog including but not limited to how GOES  satellites can be used for wildfire detection (go here to read some of my posts). I just ran across a nice video, under two minutes from NOAA satellites about how NOAA's satellites, including but not limited to GOES 16 and 17 are used for wildfire detection. I knew that Bill Gabbert of Wildfire Today would post this video on his website, and he did on June 17th, you will want to read about this technology in his post. Nonetheless, as I have been interested in satellite technology, this was too good to pass up. So, I am sharing this video with you. When I wrote this post I knew that it is time to write another post about NOAA's satellites, I did so on June 23rd.

Direct link to video from NOAA Satellites on YouTube

About winter airtanker maintenance from, Coulson's Australia Division

 I know enough about aviation to know how important regular scheduled aircraft maintenance is. Airtankers and Helicopters are no exception. Wether it be scheduled maintenance that pulls the aircraft out of service for a day or two or longer maintenance that is done during the off season these maintenance procedures and the timing there of are usually mandated by the governing aviation association. If something goes wrong during the season, this is noted and the aircraft is taken out of service until it is fixed. I am not intending, nor am I qualified to write in any detail about aircraft maintenance. 

It is winter in the southern hemisphere and time for winter aircraft maintenance. I did enjoy this video from the NSW Rural Fire Service in Australia about the winter maintenance that Coulson is performing on their aircraft. While this video is about airtankers flying in Australia, I believe that the basic principals are the same as those done in the United States.

The video is a couple of minutes long with captions. Enjoy.

USDA on prescribed fire

 I post frequently about prescribed burns conducted by the New Jersey Forest Fire Service and do try to keep my eyes open for prescribed burns conducted by other agencies and/or in different parts of the United States. So when my friends at the NJ Forest Fire Service Section B10 shared a video from the Savannah River Site about prescribed burns by the USDA Forest Service, Savannah River, I wanted to share this with you. Allow about five minutes for the video.

Direct link to video from Savannah River Site

2021 wildfire season: Telegraph Fire (AZ)

 Yours truly got a new desktop computer the other day, an iMac. First one in a few years. So you know what I have been doing the last couple of days. Nonetheless, I spent some time this afternoon reading fire news and the Telegraph Fire currently burning near Phoenix Arizona caught my eye. At this writing the Telegraph Fire has burned 86,529 acres and evacuation orders are in place. Bill Gabbert of Wildfire Today wrote about this fire on July 8th with later updates. I found a couple of videos documenting this fire.

Direct link to video on YouTube

Direct link to video on YouTube

About IMETs and other fire weather services from the NWS

 Thanks to my friends at the US NWS IMET office who shared a great video called "Forecast Earth: Forecasting the Inferno" from the National Weather Service and the Weather Channel. In this 22 minute video you will learn about what IMETs do on a wildfire along with other ways that the National Weather Service helps wildland firefighters.

Before I get to the video, I took the opportunity to ask my friends at the NWS IMET office on Facebook how IMETs are deployed. First they confirmed my understanding that IMETs are not deployed to every wildfire going on to say that for they tend to be deployed to type 1 and type 2 wildifires. For more on the incident command system and how wildfires are classified go this document from the National Park Service. I asked for some clarity about how IMETs are deployed, this was their response:

Someone from the Incident Management Team fills out a form requesting an IMET by a certain day/time. This request goes to the local dispatch office, and eventually to the NWS person who works in the NIFC complex. That NWS person will contact the IMET and let them know that a request has come in (usually the closest available IMET to the incident). Then a name is placed, and the paperwork goes through the IMETs local dispatch office to close the loop and make sure they have all they need to get to the incident by the requested time.

IMETs save lives!

Enjoy this video, "Forecast Earth: Forecasting the Inferno"

Direct link to video uploaded by the US NWS IMET Account

RIP Tim Hart - Smokejumper

I have been following the injury and then the passing of Tim Hart, a smokejumper out of the West Yellowstone Smokejumper Base. Tim was injured in a hard landing on May 24th while jumping to the Eiks Fire in New Mexico. He passed away on June 3rd in El Paso. See Bill Gabbert's June 3, 2021 article for more information. 

I offer my condolences and prayers for Tim's family, friends, colleagues and all who loved him. 

Direct link to video from KVIA ABC7

Friday Fun: Miami FL Memorial Day airshow

Memorial Day has just passed and I am reminded that airshows have ramped up. So, I want to devote a Friday Fun post to highlights from the Miami Air & Sea Show held on Memorial Day weekend in Miami FL. Enjoy!

Direct link to video on Youtube uploaded by Frog Railfanning

2021 wildfire season: Killington VT and Clarksburg St Forest MA (May 2021)

 It is somewhat late in the game for me to write two wildfires that burned last month in Killington Vermont and the Clarksburg State Forest in Massachusetts. Both of these wildfires, which I will get to in a minute, were going on at about the same time that New Jersey had two back to back wildfires (May 16th to 18th). I do believe that I was aware of both of these wildfires from Mike Archers Wildfire News of the Day newsletter. Because I care about both Vermont and Massachusetts, I regret that I did not write about these two wildfires before now. I suppose that you can say better late than never. I was reminded about both of these wildfires thanks to a timely report from Vermont Public Radio that arrived in my e-mail last Friday, May 28th. 

The report from Vermont Public Radio (VPR) on May 28th summarized a wildfire in the Killington area of Vermont that started on or about May 15th, brought under some degree of control a couple days later only to rekindle on or about May 20th (see this May 20th report from WCAX) burning around 30 to 40 acres in steep and difficult to access to terrain. The Killington Fire was finally contained on May 23rd (Rutland Herald). I do not have intimate knowledge of wildfires in Vermont, but having spent summer vacations in Vermont for much of my adult life and writing this blog for 13 years now, I know that most wildfires in Vermont are a few acres at most and contained within a day. So a wildfire like the one that burned 30 to 40 acres in Killington is unusual. While I have only done one or two day hikes in the Killington area about 15 years ago, having driven the roads in and around Killington and seen the mountains, I can attest to the steep terrain. Portions of Vermont (and Massachusetts) were under drought warnings at the time these fires burned with drought conditions in Vermont extending back to May 2020. 

The VPR May 28th Report referred to a 900 acre wildfire that burned in northwestern Massachusetts in the Clarksburg State Forest in the Berkshires. This wildfire, dubbed the East Mountain Fire was the worse fire that Massachusetts has seen in over 20 years. See these reports from WAMC, and The Berkshire Eagle. According to Spectrum News 1, National Guard helicopters with buckets flew the fire in support of the firefighters on the ground. According to a report from WWLP, the fire was first reported on Friday, May 14th. According to the report from WAMC, on May 26th the fire was at 95 percent containment, burning in remote and difficult to access terrain.

Kudos to all the firefighters on the ground and in the air who worked on both of these wildfires.