Source of News on International Wildfires and a video report from Australia on the 2023 Canadian Wildfire Season

Of late I have been interested in paying closer attention to wildfires outside the United States and as I am able posting about it here. My interest stemmed from a conversation with someone where we were discussing wildfires in the United States and wildfires outside the United States. In considering international wildfires I find Wildfire Today to be a useful resource as they will post about larger international wildfires and related concerns. For example, Kelly Andersson post about the wildfires in Greece on July 22nd and September 5th. Kelly Andersson wrote a September 24th article about the European Union's planned purchase of scoopers fire aviation articles on their sister site, Fire Aviation and just a couple of days ago he wrote about a Canadian tanker pilot. And then there are news sources within various countries that are too numerous to name here.

Another source for news on international wildfires is Mike Archer's Wildfire News of the Day, a five day week newsletter covering wildfires from around the world.

A couple days ago while I was on YouTube, I came across an in-depth news report posted in late August 2023 from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). An ABC reporter went to Canada to report on the 2023 Canadian Wildfires for an ABC show aptly titled Foreign Correspondent. I am embedding this 30 minute video below. I learned more about Canada's 2023 wildfire season, and saw some of the firefighters from around the world helping including but not necessarily limited to Australia, South Africa, and the United States. I saw images of the devastation of these fires including a couple of interviews from people affected by the wildfires. I also learned a little more about the Australian wildland firefighters (known as fireys), and their concerns for their upcoming wildfire season. Canada is ready to help the Australians if the need arises.

Direct link to video from ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) News In-depth

A look at what a BLM Hotshot Crew: Life on the BLM Colorado Craig Interagency Hotshot Crew

As someone who cares about what wildland firefighters do, but has no experience as a wildland firefighter, one of the ways I can see what a wildland fire crew does is to watch videos. I found a good video this morning from the National Interagency Fire Center from 2021 called "The Wild Land". From about this video:

During #FireYear2021, the Bureau of Land Management - Colorado Craig Interagency Hotshot Crew was joined on a two-week assignment by a Bureau of Land Management Fire program contract videographer, Matt Irving. Matt was able to capture the crew while assigned to incidents in California and Montana.

I enjoyed seeing the Craig Hotshots  and listening to the crew talk about their work. I hope that you enjoy this video as much as I did.

New Jersey Forest Fire Service: Awards to Seven Interagency Partners

You may recall that I wrote the post on September 22nd on the $3 million dollar increase to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service for investment to replace some of their trucks, hire additional full time workers and additional contracted air support services, linking to a September 21st news release announcing this boost to the NJFFS budget. I knew at this time that when the NJFFS announced this budget boost that they also announced awards to seven Interagency Partners for their work during the spring 2023 wildfire season:

• Christopher Warwick, Trooper II, New Jersey State Police Office of Emergency Management
• Michael Mastronardy, Sheriff, Ocean County Sheriff’s Department
• Kristen Carr, Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator, Burlington County Office of Emergency Management
• Stephen J. Letts, Captain, Fire Investigations K9 Unit, New Jersey State Fire Marshal's Office
• Whiting Volunteer Fire Company No. 1
• West Milford Fire Companies 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6

In addition to the awards to the seven Interagency Partners, Caryn Shinske, "DEP Senior Press Officer Caryn Shinske was given the Smokey Bear Award for Journalism in the Service of Wildfire Prevention in recognition of her work coordinating and facilitating media requests involving the Forest Fire Service." 

When I write about wildfires whether they be in New Jersey or elsewhere, I always try to be mindful of the work of that partners and/or mutual aid do while working with the wildfire crews to work a wildfire. What these partners and/or mutual aid personnel do is very important. Kudos to all partners and mutual aid. 

Towards the end of the spring wildfire season in New Jersey I reached out with a questions, probably via social media. Ms. Shinske got back to me promptly and answered my questions. A shot out to Ms. Shinske for getting back to me while responding to multiple news outlets.

I am embedding the Facebook Post from the New Jersey Forest Fire Service referring to the September 21st DEP press release. Click on "see more" to see the entire post.

New Jersey Forest Fire Service Gets $3 Million Budget Boost

Thanks to my friends from the NJ Forest Fire Service Section B10 who shared a video from CBS Philadelphia  on their webpage this morning, alerting me to the $3 million increase in the NJ Forest Fire Service budget. News 12 New Jersey has also covered this in a September 21st article.

Direct link to video from CBS Philadelphia on YouTube

In a press release dated September 21, 2023, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection announced that the New Jersey Forest Fire Service is getting an additional $3 million increase in their budget after the worst wildfire season in ten years. The press release states that

To date in 2023, the Forest Fire Service has responded to 1,034 wildfires which have burned  17,979 acres in New Jersey. Fourteen of these fires were considered to be major wildfires burning in excess of 100 acres, making 2023 the busiest fire season in more than a decade.

The NJDEP press release lists the 14 major wildfires in New Jersey to date (note I added the months to the Dragway and the Airpark Wildfires from my blog entries):

• March 7: Governors Branch Wildfire (418 acres), Little Egg Harbor Township, Ocean County
• April 11: Jimmy's Waterhole Wildfire (3,450 acres), Manchester Township and Lakehurst Borough, Ocean County
• April 12: Kanouse Wildfire (972 acres), West Milford Township, Passaic County
• April 14: Log Swamp Wildfire (1,607 acres), Little Egg Harbor Township, Ocean County
• April 18: River Road Wildfire (241 acres), Washington Township, Burlington County
•  May 13: Cannonball Wildfire (102 acres), Pompton Lakes Borough, Passaic County
•  May 29: Box Turtle Wildfire (158 acres), Monroe Township, Gloucester County
•  May 31: Allen Road Wildfire (5,474 acres), Bass River Township, Burlington County
•  June 2: Flatiron Wildfire (212 acres), Medford Township, Burlington County
•  June 9: City Line Wildfire (711 acres), Manchester Township, Ocean County, and Pemberton and Woodland Townships, Burlington County
•  June 9: Buzby Boggs Wildfire (703 acres), Evesham Township, Burlington County
•  June 19: Acorn Hill Wildfire (246 acres), Woodland Township, Burlington County
•  {Aug} 20: Dragway Wildfire (1,778 acres), Waterford Township, Camden County, and Shamong and Medford, Burlington County 
• {Sept} 2: Airpark Wildfire (810 acres), Lacey Township, Ocean County

Among other things this additional investment will help to purchase new vehicles and equipment, and to hire more firefighters and for additional contracted air support. 

A KMAX Helicopter Pilot Shares About the KMAX

 I have been fascinated by the KMAX helicopter because it is different from other helicopters. The KMAX is a type 1 helicopter that is know for its heavy lift capabilities. The KMAX does see service fighting wildfires. I last wrote about KMAX where I shared a couple of videos about the KMAX in June 2020. The KAMAN company which manufactures the KMAX has a specification page for the KMAX helicopter.

As I perusing some of my haunts on social media I came across a video shared on a Facebook page devoted to the Chilcoot and Ridge Fires 2023 that are currently burning in the Umpqua National Forest near Roseburg, Oregon, see InciWeb page on the 2023 Chilcoot Wildfire for additional information. As I write this the 2023 Chilcoot Wildfire has burned 1,904 acres and is at 60 percent containment.

In the video, which I am embedding below, you will hear Bruno Levi, a KMAX pilot with ROTAK Helicopter Services discuss the capabilities of the KMAX. The KMAX, flown by one pilot, is considered a flying truck by some, with the capability of lifting 6,000 pounds. The bucket capacity is 600 to 700 gallons.

2023 Canadian Wildfire Season: Yellowknife NWT Evacuees Returning Home

A couple of recent conversations with friends about the devastating wildfire season in Canada inspired me to find out what is happening in Canada as progress has been made on some wildfires and other wildfires are still burning. I knew from media outlets and from Wildfire Today's excellent coverage that the entire city of Yellowknife (see for example this August 17th article from NBS News), Northwest Territories in Canada was evacuated in mid-August 2023 (on or about August 17th and 18th), see this August 17th article from Kelly Andersson of Wildfire Today A shout out to Mike Archer of Wildfire News of the Day who covered the Canadian Wildfires and the Yellowknife evacuation in his newsletters.

I was wondering what happened in Yellowknife so I went to CBC News on Youtube where I looked through their videos until I found a September 6th 15 minute video report on Yellowknife residents returning home, evacuation in reverse. But first I went to the City of Yellowknife NWT to learn about returning home. The video shares most of this information in a little more detail than I will go into here, but I learned some basics of the timeline. Here is a screenshot I got from the Yellowknife Welcome Home Page dated September 2, 2023:

Obtained on September 18, 2023 from https://www.yellowknife.ca/en/living-here/the-road-to-re-entry.aspx#Road-to-Home-Yellowknifes-Planned-Re-entry-Information-September-2-2023

You will see that after it was determined that Yellowknife was safe from wildfire and they checked for damage and identified critical services that essential personnel for critical services were allowed to return on August 29th. On September 4th and 5th basic services began to put back in place. On September 6th, the general public, those not in need of critical services (watch the video) and see this September 4th article from NNSL media.

As I understand it took some time for the general public of Yellowknife to return as there is only one road in, people were encouraged to bring 3 days worth of food and shelters were set up along the way. Because it will take some time for critical workers and services to restored, it could be as long as a month (early October?) before Yellowknife residents needing critical services are allowed back. 

Some basic services such as the library, transit services, some recreational facilities, solid waste pick-up and city hall were up and running on or about September 11th. See this September 7th media advisory from Yellowknife for more information (note I am not certain how long this link will remain active).

I am embedding the September 6th video from the CBC featuring Andrew Chang, allow just over 15 minutes to watch the entire video. You will get a feeling for what returning to Yellowknife entailed as well as a review of the August 17th and 18th evacuations.

Finally, I am not embedding this video, but here is another 15 minute from the CBC about the general public returning to Yellowknife.

Friday Fun: From 43 Grupo of Scoopers Working Wildfires in 2012

 I don't know about you, but I am in the mood for some Friday Fun after a busy week. This week, I am sharing an oldie but a goodie from 43 Grupo (2012), showing CL 415 Super Scoopers working wildfires in Europe with some shots inside the cockpit, footage from cameras on the Scooper and aerial footage. Enjoy.

43 Grupo from Hidros on Vimeo.

2023 New Jersey Wildfire Season: No Threat by Tree Struck by Lightning

 Over the years that I have been writing this blog, I have learned of the possible dangers caused by a tree being struck my lightning. Sometimes a tree strike can lead to a small or large wildfire. There are also the times when the responders respond quickly to the tree strike and if the tree poses no danger will wait and monitor until such a time that the fire caused by the tree strike can be safely contained and put out. 

I also know that there are many small wildfires, some of which are too small to make it into any database. In New Jersey, I believe but am not certain that any fire that is under five acres does not make it into the NJ Forest Fire Service database. Whether or not one calls such small fire a brush fire or something else, I do not know. But the point is that such a very small "brush" fires do happen and are contained and put out before they grow into something larger. Such a "brush" fire happened on or about September 8th. A tree in Green Township in northern New Jersey was struck by lightning, because the Green Township Fire Department determined that the tree was not a threat to to homes, roads, and  power lines they let the tree burn until the tree top fell to the ground. At this time, New Jersey Forest Fire Service crews had been alerted and were ready to put out the fire as soon as the tree top fell to the ground, water was supplied by GreenTownship.

Always Remember September 11, 2001

I will always remember the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center, The Pentagon, and the crash of United Flight 93.

The video that I am embedding plays on repeat in the 9/11 museum at Prosper Fire Rescue, I believe but am not sure that Prosper Fire and Rescue is located in Texas. They have a mobile memorial that travels around to schools and events. While I live just outside the New York City metropolitan area and recall all too well the effects of these attacks on the people of the NYC metropolitan area, the attacks affected all of us in the United States as well as affecting many outside the United States. I don't know about you but I found the fact that the Prosper Fire Rescue has this video on a loop at their 9/11 museum is a poignant reminder that these attacks affected the entire United States.

Please be advised that the video contains videos taken at the time of the attacks and words of a woman on one of the planes and may be difficult to watch. 

As a long-time New Jersey resident I want to share with you a September 2021 article from NJ Advance Media in a very poignant article called Never Forget: When Memories of 9/11 Fade Away, Dozens of New Jersey Memorials Will Remind the Next Generations of How We Felt and What We Lost.

Three Memorials

• World Trade Center Memorial
• The National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial
• United Flight 93 (Shanksville PA) Memorial

Please join me in pausing to remember those who died that day and all those who worked on the site in the days following the attacks, some of whom suffered severe health consequences and died later

 

Direct link to video from Little Buddy Productions on YouTube.

2023 New Jersey Wildfire Season: Dragway Wildfire Still Burning Underground

The Dragway Wildfire in Wharton State Forest in New Jersey burned 1,700 acres, see my August 22nd post. The New Jersey Forest Fire Service (NJFFS) issued a Smoke Advisory for Burlington and Camden Counties in New Jersey due to smoke conditions because the Dragway Wildfire is burning into the duff layer underground. NJ Forest Fire Service crews are on site to monitor hotspots and maintain containment lines, etc. Thanks to the NJFFS crews for your work on this and other wildfires, your efforts help to keep us safe. 

2023 New Jersey Wildfire Season: Plane Crash Caused the Airpark Wildfire

It has been determined that the crash of single-engine plane near Miller Airpark in Ocean County, New Jersey caused the Airpark Wildfire.

Direct link to video from CBS Philadelphia on YouTube

Creek Fire Fresno and Madera Counties (Sept 2020) Three Years Later

I was inspired to write about the still ongoing recovery from the September 2020 Creek Fire after reading Mike Archer's Wildfire News of the Day Newsletter on September 5th. He shared a September 4th report from ABC30 Action News. According to CAL FIRE's incident report on the Creek Fire, the fire burned 379,895 acres, destroying 856 structures, damaging 71 structures with 26 confirmed injuries. Bill Gabbert wrote extensively about the Creek Fire in Wildfire Today, see for example his September 5th 2020 article. Bill's Creek Fire archives may be found here.

ABC30 Action News sat down with Shaver Lake Fire Chief Steve McQuillan, he started off by saying

"It's easy for me sometimes to forget the devastation because here in the immediate vicinity of Shaver, you look out our windows, and all you see is green. When we respond to a call at Huntington Lake, as soon as you get past Shaver Lake and start heading up into the high country, it's nothing but devastation. Any direction you look, trees gone, and really not much has grown back," explained McQuillan. "A lot of time has gone by since then. We have had to adjust our training a little bit in anticipation of what we might next experience. Of course, we are living on a knife's edge with the threat coming from the East. East of Shaver Lake, the fire did not get to, so we still have miles and miles and miles of green forest, which have still, unfortunately, a large number of dead trees as a result of bark beetle.

The Shaver Lake Volunteer Fire Department had eleven members at the time of the Creek Fire, only six were to respond to the fire. Three members lost their homes. I hope that you take a few moments to read the report from ABC30 Action News.

Communities impacted by large, destructive wildfires may take time to recover, the story of the ongoing recovery from the 2020 Creek Fire is but one story. There are many more stories I am not able to share here. My heart goes out to all who suffered the loss of their homes, businesses, and the loss of loved one.

Direct link to video on YouTube from ABC30 Action News

2023 New Jersey Wildfire Season: Airpark Wildfire (September 4th)

September 4th, 9:45 PM

Thanks to the NJ Forest Fire Service and the local fire companies for working this fire on a holiday weekend. 

September 4th, 11:10 AM

As you can see, the NJ Forest Fire Service is making progress fighting the Airpark Wildfire. I just saw an updated article about the Airpark Wildfire on NJ Advance Media published on September 4th at 11:36 AM by Rob Jennings.

2023 New Jersey Wildfire Season: Airpark Wildfire (September 3rd)

September 3rd, 9:40 PM

The Airpark Wildfire is now at 600 acres and is at 50 percent containment. Twenty-five structures are still threatened and road closures remain in place. I have confirmed that there was indeed a fatal single engine plane crash near Miller Air Park in Lacey Township, Ocean County late Saturday night, September 3rd. The pilot was the sole occupant and did not survive the crash. It is unclear if the plane crash did indeed cause the wildfire, but the wildfire which was discovered a short time after the plane crash is very near where the plane crashed. The NTSB is investigating the plane crash and time will tell whether it is officially determined that the plane crash did indeed cause the Airpark Wildfire. More information on the Airpark Wildfire and the plane crash may be found at:

• NJ Advance Media updated at 9:26 PM
• 6ABC Philadelphia reported at 7:29 PM

My thoughts and prayers are with the deceased pilot and their family and friends, may they always fly in favorable tail winds.

September 3rd, 3:45 PM

I went online to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service's Facebook page (NJFFS) very early this morning and noted that the New Jersey Forest Fire Service was on the scene of a wildfire in near Miller Air Park in Lacey Township in Ocean County, New Jersey. I just went back to the NJFFS Facebook page to see if there were any updates. There is some speculation, perhaps not confirmed, that the crash of a small plane over night sparked this wildfire. At the time I am writing this post, I have no confirmation that the crash of a single engine plane caused this wildfire, and I will follow-up with any updates about the plane crash and the Airpark Wildfire when updates are available. In the meantime, the Airpark Wildfire has burned 325 acres, 25 structures are threatened and road closures are in effect. 

New Jersey Task Force 1 Search and Rescue Deployed to South Carolina

On Monday night, August 28th, New Jersey Task Force 1, one of 28 Federal Urban FEMA Search and Rescue Teams was deployed to South Carolina to assist in search and rescue efforts as Hurricane Idalia strengthened in the Gulf of Mexico. While they were staged in South Carolina awaiting for operational orders, they engaged in training and planning, see this NJ Advance Media article of August 30th and NBC4 New York (direct link to video embedded above) for more information. I understand that a couple of NJ Task Force 1 crews remain in New Jersey in case they are needed locally.

Recent  deployments of New Jersey Task Force 1 are: 

• July 2021, Miami Florida building collapse
• August 2021, Connecticut, Hurricane Henri
• August 2021, Gulf region, Hurricane Ida
• September 2022, Florida, Hurricane Ian
• December 2022, Buffalo New York, winter storm (under the Emergency Management Assistance Compact aka EMAC)