Fourth Wildland Firefighter Died in Canada

 On July 17th I wrote about two wildland firefighters who died in Canada. On July 21st I had the sad task of writing about a third wildland firefighter who died in Canada. Yesterday I learned of a fourth wildland firefighter who died in Canada. The 25-year old male firefighter from Ontario died in British Columbia when the truck he was driving overturned, see this June 29th article on Fire Aviation. In addition you may also want to see a July 31st article from Firehouse News. I learned of the Firehouse News article from Mike Archer's Wildfire News of the Day newsletter on July 31st. Thanks to Firehouse News and the NJ Forest Fire Service Section B10 for the video that I share below. I offer my prayers to the family, friends and all who loved these deceased wildland firefighters.

Direct link to video from CBC News on YouTube

2023 Wildfire Season: New Jersey Forest Fire Service Sent Crew to New Mexico

On July 3rd I wrote that the New Jersey Forest Fire Service sent two engines with five crew to southern California. I am not quite certain if the two engines are still in southern California. On or about July 24th the New Jersey Forest Fire Service deployed a 20-person type 2 initial attack hand crew to New Mexico. All crew members from the July 3rd and later deployments to southern California and the 20-person hand crew just deployed to New Mexico honor New Jersey with your service. You are taking time away from your families and life in New Jersey to help fight wildfires. Stay safe.

2023 Wildfire Season: NWS Incident Meteorologist (IMET) deployments (July 26th)

Direct link to video from ABC15 Arizona on YouTube

I have been following the National Weather Incident Meteorologists on Facebook for a few years now. To the best of my knowledge you do not need a Facebook account to access their site (but you may be prompted for an account which you should be able to bypass by clicking the "X). During wildfire season they post deployments of NWS Incident Meteorologists (IMETs) to wildfires for what is typically a two week deployment. The also post news of IMETs who have completed their IMET training, IMET retirements, and occasional posts about what IMETs do along. 

For the last few weeks, I have noted the deployments of IMETs to various wildfires, on their Facebook page but I think that I have missed some, happens.  I am not going even try to list them all. To give you a sampling of IMET deployments I will list deployments since Sunday, June 23rd. For each deployment the first link is to the NWS IMET Facbook post referencing the specific deployment. The second link is the wildfire on Inciweb. My notes are in italics.

• There was one Incident Meteorologist (IMET) deployed on Sunday, July 23rd to the Grapevine Fire near Prescott Valley, Arizona, see the Grapevine Fire on Inciweb. 
• On Monday, July 24th, one IMET was deployed to the Golden Fire near Bonanza, Oregon. For more information see the Golden Fire on Inciweb.
• A second IMET was deployed on Monday July 24th, specifically one IMET Trainee was deployed to the Colt Fire in the Lolo National Forest near Seeley Lake Montana. For more information see the Colt Fire on Inciweb. Note, when an IMET Trainee is deployed to a fire there is already an IMET on the fire to provide the training.
• There was a third IMET deployed on Monday, July 24th, this IMET was deployed to the Bedrock Fire in the Willamette National Forest in Oregon. For more information see the Bedrock Fire on Inciweb.
• As I write this there was only one IMET deployed on Tuesday, July 25th. The IMET deployment was to the Diamond Fire in the Tonto National Forest in Arizona. For more information see the Diamond Fire on Inciweb. Note as I write this there are two Diamond Fires on Inciweb, the one I linked to is the one in the Tonto National Forest

IMETS save lives! Any errors are in these listings are mine.

Hurricane Hunters: About a NOAA Hurricane Hunter flight through Hurricane Ian

 I don't mind saying that I have a great deal of respect for the NOAA and the US Air Force crews that fly into hurricanes to gather important scientific data on hurricanes in order to provide the latest data to aid forcasters at the National Hurricane Center provide up to date forecasts. Because I have been thinking recently about the dangerous conditions facing crews of Hurricane Hunter aircraft I wanted to find a relevant to share with you. I found one, listen to NOAA Aerospace Engineer Nick Underwood's experience on a NOAA Hurricane Hunter flying into Hurricane Ian in the fall of 2022. The video is courtesy of CNN whose reporter, Erin Burnett, interviewed Mr. Underwood.

Direct link to video from CNN on YouTube

A third wildland firefighter (flying a helicopter) died in Canada this week

In Canada's worse wildfire season in history, another firefighter died this week fighting wildfires. A 41 year helicopter died near Peace River Alberta while doing bucket work on a wildfire on Wednesday evening, July 19th. Rescue crews performed CPR to no avail, the pilot died at the scene. The pilot was the only occupant of the helicopter. This is the third death of a Canadian wildland firefighter this year, the third in about a week. A sad shot out to my friends at the NJ Forest Fire Service Section B10 who shared this video on their webpage this morning. May he fly in favorable tail winds, I offer my prayers to his family, friends, colleagues and all who loved him.

Added on July 31st, Fire Aviation published an article on this line of duty death on  July 21st, go here to read the article, identifying the deceased pilot as 41-year old Ryan Gould of Whitecourt, Alberta

Direct link to video from CityNews on YouTube

NJ Forest Fire Service Helps Clean-up after June 16th Landslides in Warren County NJ

Direct link to video from CBS NewYork on YouTube

Heavy rain in a section of Warren County NJ on Sunday afternoon June 16th resulted in a landslide on US Rte 46 along with road flooding and mudslides in nearby Belvidere, NJ. As I write a stretch of US Rte 46 in Warren County NJ remains closed. New Jersey Advance Media has been reporting on these landslides and floods in Warren County, NJ, see their July 18th article for more information specific to the landslides and mudslides. New Jersey Advance Media reported on homes in Belvidere NJ that are uninhabitable following the June 16th storm. I got information on the location of the road closures (both lanes) of US Rte 46 in Warren County from the July 18th article on New Jersey Advance Media so I could save a map from Google Earth for you; the highway is closed from Upper Serapta Road to Route 519/Hope Bridgeville Rd. Note that US Rte runs along the Delaware River just north of Upper Serapta Road to the I-80 interchage.

Clean-up from the landslides and mudslides is still ongoing as I write this. The New Jersey Forest Fire Service has deployed some of their firefighters to help with this clean-up.

Two wildland firefighters died in Canada

 I am saddened to read about not one but two wildland firefighters who died recently fighting wildfires in Canada. A male firefighter, not identified, died on Saturday fighting a wildfire in the Northwest Territories. On Thursday, 19-year old Devyn Gale died while she was fighting a wildfire in British Columbia, Wildfire Today wrote a July 15th article about Devyn's death, May both firefighters rest in peace and I offer my prayers and condolences for their families, friends, colleagues and all who loved them.

Updated on July 18th, 12:11 PM EDT: Sometime after I posted this article yesterday morning, Wildfire Today posted an article reporting on the death of the wildland firefighter who died fighting a wildfire in the Northwest Territories. To the best of my knowledge at the time I write this update, the identity of the firefighter has not been released.

Direct link to video from CBC Vancouver

Direct link to video from CBC News: The National

Funerals for Newark NJ Firefighters

Newark NJ Firefighters Augusto "Augie" Acabou and Wayne "Bear" Brooks, Jr. died in the line of duty on July 5th fighting a fire in a container ship in Port Newark, see my July 6th post for more information. On July 13th, Augusto Acabou was honored at funeral services.

Direct link to video from CBS New York on YouTube

The funeral for Wayne "Bear" Brooks, Jr. was this morning, July 14.

Direct link to video from CBS New York on YouTube

2023 Wildfire Season: South Africa Sends Firefighters to Canada

Following up on the article I posted on July 10th on a Vermont Forester Helping Fight Fires in Quebec, I just found a nice video from the AP Archives that starts out with South African firefighters who are or were deployed to Canada before moving some images of these wildfires, a soundbite from a one women who lost her home in the Canadian Wildfires, and a soundbite from a Canadian Firefighter. If you go directly to the Video on YouTube from the AP Archives and click on show more you will see a description of what is in the video.

I continue to pray for all affected by these wildfires and all those firefighters from Canada and around the world working these wildfires.

2023 Wildfire Season: Vermont Forester Deployment to Quebec

I knew from social media that some northeastern states had deployed firefighters to Canada to assist in fighting the massive wildfires in Canada, but I did not know specific details until I saw a recent report on Vermont Public (Radio) with an interview of a Vermont Forester, Choloe Sardonis, who recently spent two weeks as a part of a team from the Northeastern Forest Fire Protection Compact deployed to Quebec. She joined firefighters from New York, New Hampshire, and Maine on a two week deployment to Maniwaki, Quebec. Before I get to the interview from Vermont Public, I want to share a little about the Northeastern Forest Fire Protection Commission.

Here is an overview of the Northeastern Forest Fire Protection Compact: 

The Northeastern Forest Fire Protection Commission (commonly called the Northeast Compact) is the pioneer forest fire protection compact in the United States. Its mandate is to provide the means for its U.S. member states and Canadian provinces to cope with fires that might be beyond the capabilities of a single member through information, technology and resource sharing (mutual aid) activities.

Several U.S. States, Canadian Provinces, Federal Agencies and one US. City are members of this compact, see this NFFPC webpage for more information:

• State of Connecticut
• State of Maine
• State of Massachusetts
• State of New Hampshire
• State of New York
• State of Rhode Island
• State of Vermont
• New York City (in the State of New York)
• Federal Agencies in the NFFPP include the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. National Park Service
• Province of New Brunswick (Canada)
• Province of Newfoundland and Labrador (Canada)
• Province of Nova Scotia (Canada)
• Province of Prince Edward Island (Canada
• Province of Quebec (Canada)

Two Teams from the NFFPC are currently deployed to Quebec, information about current and recent deployments by the NFFPC may be found here. Allow just under seven minutes to listen to the interview.

Interview of Vermont Forester Chloe Sardonia by Jenn Jarecki of Vermont Public (Thursday, July 6, 2023) Allow just under seven minutes to listen to the interview.

Newark NJ firefighters died fighting a fire on a ship in Port Newark

Direct link to video from Eyewitness News 7 New York on YouTube

New Jersey Advance Media July 6th article identifying the firefighters who died and reporting on the fire.

Rest in Peace Augusto "Augie" Acabou and Wayne "Bear" Brooks, Jr. Your sacrifice will not be forgotten. I offer my sincere condolences and prayers to your families, friends, and fellow firefighters and all who love you.

About five Firefighter from Newark and Elizabeth were injured in the fire, I offer my prayers for their healing. 

As I write this roughly 36 hours after the blaze broke out on the container ship in Port Newark, the fire is still ongoing.

2023 Wildfire Season: US Forest Service Airtankers on Contract

I want to write about the US Forest Service Airtankers on contract with the US Forest Fire Service in 2023. I am only able to do this because of the work of Fire Aviation in their June 2, 2023 article (which may be updated as time goes on). What I write here is current on July 5th and I am copying some information from my Airtankers 101 page. I refer you to the June 2, 2023 Fire Aviation article for more thorough information and a chart listing the tankers on contract. To sum up:

The US Forest Service has twelve air tankers on Exclusive Use Contracts with an estimated 160 days of mandatory availability ranging from a start date of March 16 to May 27 2023. Estimated ending dates of the mandatory availability period range from September 17 to November 30, 2023

• 1 DC-10 tankers (10 Tanker)
• 1 B737 (Coulson)
• 2 MD-87 tankers (Aero Air)
• 4 RJ85 tankers (Aero Flite)
• 4 BAe tankers (Neptune Aviation)

Call When Needed Activations: 

• 1 DC-10 tanker (10 Tanker), mandatory availability ends on October 3, 2023
• 2 CL-415 scoopers from Aero Flite mandatory availability ends on September 23, 2023

Here is some information I have on my Airtankers 101 page with a little more information about the contractor and their airtankers on USFS contract.

Contractors with large and very large airtankers and Scoopers that have contracts with the US Forest Fire Service in 2023. Some contractors have other types of tankers in their fleet. 

• 10 Tanker DC-10 tankers has four DC-10 tankers as of July 2023 that carry 9,400 gallons of retardant each, go to this 10 Tanker page to download a fact sheet with more information
• Coulson Aircrane, Coulson has a Facebook Page. Among the aircraft they fly on fires is the C-130Q, 4,000 gallons and a 737 Fireliner (I believe but am not certain it carries 4,000 gallons) You can read about the Coulson fleet here.
• Aero Flite Inc. has RJ-85 tankers. Each tanker can carry 3,000 gallons of retardant. Aero Flite also has CL-415 scoopers that can carry 1,621 gallons of water and 90 gallons of foam
• Aero Air, LLC. Aero Air flies the MD-87 airtanker Aero Air wholly owns Ericsson Aero Tanker. Ericsson Aero Tankers has MD-87 tankers with a capacity of 3,000 gallons of retardant.
• Neptune Aviation has a fleet of nine BAe-146 tankers each can carry 3,000 gallons of retardant.

 

A little Housekeeping

A couple of points of housekeeping I want to bring to your attention.

1. Believe it or not, I do try to minimize my use of sharing (embedding or direct links) to social media such as Twitter and Facebook. However, sometimes I get the best information from government agencies on their social media accounts, sometimes their social media accounts are the only way to get this information. Recent changes to Twitter mean that I may still be able to embed twitter content but a Twitter account is required to access that content directly. I used to rely on Twitter when their content was freely available with out an account because some accounts on Facebook require a password. I am hoping that I will still be able to embed content from Twitter, but if that is not possible I will deal with that if and when it happens.

2. I let more than two and a half years go by without updating my Airtankers 101 page, I have made what I hope some significant updates today with more to come as I try to find current information for you.

3. I have updated the links on three other pages: 

• Aviation Info and Links 
• Looking for Info on a Wildland Fire.
• Favorite Links page.

Thanks to all of you for your patience and for following my blog. I appreciate all of you.

Happy 4th of July

 

Here in the United States we are celebrating our Independence Day on the 4th of July. As I write this, I am thinking of all wildland firefighters and other first responders who are on call today or working an active wildfire to keep us safe. I wish all a happy and safe 4th of July.

2023 Wildfire Season: New Jersey Forest Fire Service Sending engines and crew to CA

Direct link to video from CBS Philadelphia on YouTube

Every year the New Jersey Forest Fire Service (NJFFS) sends engines and crews to help fight wildfires in other states. I am very thankful for when I hear that NJFFS are deployed out of state. The other day I learned that the NJFFS has sent two engines with five crew members to southern California to help fight wildfires in that region. I am especially appreciative of this as I have some family and friends in southern California. As I understand it the engines and crew left on Saturday, July 1st for southern California. Thank-you NJFFS crew for helping out in southern California and taking time away from your families during a holiday weekend. Stay safe.