About Giant Sequoia Trees

I continue to read When it All Burns by Jordan Thomas, I am still reading his chapter (chapter 12) on a 2021 wildfire in Sequoia National Forest. I believe but am not yet certain that the wildfire Thomas is talking about is the Windy Fire, see this December 12, 2021 article by the late Bill Gabbert with links for more information about the fire as well as links to videos and photos. In addition he gives a good overview of the Giant Sequoia. I was looking for a video about the history and stories of the Giant Sequoia and came across the above 2024 video by Epitome Perspectives. I learned more about the wonderful Giant Sequoia and especially enjoyed the pictures and drawings in the video

2021 Wildfire Season: An Inside Look at Hotshots Working a Wildfire in the Sequoia National Forest (CA)

Direct link to December 2021 Video from NBC News on YouTube

I am in the midst of reading a book called When it All Burns by Jordan Thomas.  A dear friend of mine in southern California read a review of this book, published earlier in 2025, and sent me the article as she thought that I would be interested in reading the book. Well, she was right, I started reading this book a few days ago and am learning a lot. Thomas, an Anthropologist, served on the Los Padres Hotshots in 2021. He writes about his experience on the Los Padres Hotshots in the very tough 2021 wildfire season in California. He also writes about a variety of issues about wildfires and hotshot crews. As fate would have it, I am in the midst of reading about a wildfire that the Los Padres Hotshot crew worked in the Sequoia National Forest in 2021. 

I have been wondering how to share some of what I am learning from reading Thomas's book when I ran across this 2021 video that I am sharing here, uploaded in December 2021 by NBC News. Among other things they cover a wildfire in the Sequoia National Forest as well as the low pay that hotshots received at the time. Thomas talked about the low pay that hotshots receive in his book. I have no idea what the current pay is for hotshot crews at this time and whether the changes in pay that Biden promised in his Infrastructure Bill (referenced in the video) were passed on to the hotshot crews. Judging from one of the comments on the video, it seems that Biden’s bill was passed but the increased pay never made it to hotshot crews as of June 2022. Nor do I know if Biden’s bill is still in effect. Hotshot crews should be paid much more than minimum wage.

Reading Thomas’s book and watching this video has had a profound effect on me and I am learning a lot.

About Aerial Firefighting in Florida Including a look at the "Eagle Single" Helicopter

Direct link to December 4th Video from Vertical Magazine on YouTube

As you may know, Florida is special to me so I am always on the lookout for how Florida fights wildfires. I struck gold yesterday thanks my friends at the NJ B10 NJ Wildland Fire Page for sharing this video about Florida's aerial firefighting strategy on their website yesterday. As soon as I watched this video I knew that I wanted to share it with you. I knew that Florida does a lot of prescribed burning but did not know that the did more than 48 states combined. I saw how they use helos to help the wildland firefighters on the ground fight wildfires as well as their use of airplanes to oversee aerial operations. Finally I learned about the "Eagle Single" helicopter, new addition to their fleet.

Coulson Aviation's International Operations 2025-26

 As we enter into winter in the northern United States and contractors supplying aerial wildland firefighting aircraft begin winter maintenance on some of their fleet, the southern hemisphere is in late spring and early summer meaning an uptick in bush fires (aka wildfires). I am grateful that Coulson Aviation is among the wildfire aviation operators in the United States that has an international presence. In particular, Coulson has a presence in South America and Australia in addition to their presence in the U.S  To the best of my knowledge Coulson has been in Australia and South America for at least a couple of years. For example, in July 2024 Coulson entered into a 10 year contract with the New South Wales Rural Fire Service in Australia to manage, operate, and maintain thier fleet of 11 aircraft used to fight bushfires  This 11 aircraft fleet includes a 737 Fireliner a CH-47 Chinook, smaller helicopters and lead planes. 

The CH-47 Chinook based in New South Wales is equipped with night vision capabilities 

Within the last couple of days one of Coulson's 737s touched down in Chile for their summer bush fire season to support the firefighters on the ground and help protect residences and businesses on the ground 

A Short Close Look at New Jersey Forest Fire Service Section B (June 2021) Operations

Direct link to June 2021 video from PintheQ Podcast on YouTube

As regular readers no doubt know, one of the ways that I, who is not a wildland firefighter, can get a closer look at wildland firefighting is through videos. The video that I shared above is from PintheQ Podcast. The video from June 2021 is less than five minutes and you will see images and short videos of New Jersey Forest Fire Service (NJFFS) wildland firefighters on the ground as well as aerial resources. Enjoy this closer look at the wildfire operations by the NJFFS in central New Jersey. Thanks again to my friends at the B10 NJ Wildland Fire Page for sharing this video on their website in late October of 2025.

Uses of Fire by Native Americans

Direct link to Nov 2013 video from the National Interagency Fire Center

I got interested in how Indigenous Peoples (or Native Americans) used wildfires because of a book by Jordan Thomas, When it All Burns. I am currently reading the second chapter where he spends several pages at the end of the chapter writing about the historic uses of fire by Indigenous Peoples in California and elsewhere to control their land, including but not limited to clearing land for food. I decided that I wanted to find a short video to share with you on this subject and found this video, "Traditional Uses of Fire", by the National Interagency Fire Center. I am not here to suggest that homeowners use prescribed or controlled burning, for example this practice is illegal in many areas of the U.S. without prior approval by state or local authorities. Rather I like the video because they discuss traditional uses for fire by Indigenous Peoples.

Many, Many Thanks to All First Responders for Your Service

Direct link to video (September 2015) from Thank-you First Responder on YouTube

On this day before Thanksgiving in the U.S. in 2025, I find myself being extremely thankful for the service of all first responders: wildland firefighters, structure firefighters. law enforcement, emergency medical technicians and ambulance drivers, and all support staff to first responders. What you do helps to keep us safe. Some of you will be working or otherwise on call on Thanksgiving, thanks so much for your service on this holiday. 

I wish all of you who celebrate, a very Happy Thanksgiving. I will be having a quiet holiday with my small family.

Brush Fire in Large Yard in Franklin Lakes NJ (Nov. 19th)

Direct link to November 21st video from FreedomNews TV NYC on YouTube

I again thank my friends at the B10 NJ Wildland Fire Page for sharing this video on their webpage the other day. I am always interested in the work that structure and wildland firefighters do to work and contain small brushfires. There are a large number of smaller wildfires or brush fires in New Jersey every year. I know that many brush fires in New Jersey are small and able to be contained by structure firefighters as appears to be the case with this wildfire in Franklin Lakes NJ (Bergen County) that burned near homes, fortunately the areas burned by this brush fire was large enough enabling the firefighters to contain the fire before it could reach the homes.   I have a high level of confidence that the brush fire that you are seeing in this video is the same brush fire reported by News12 New Jersey about a brush fire that burned was reported at about 4 AM on November 19th and was under control by 5:30 AM. Structure firefighters from nearby communities helped fight this brush fire. I do not know the size of the brush fire. I applaud all the structure firefighters for their good work in bringing this brush fire under control in a short time frame.

About BLM Helitack Crews

Direct link to July 2023 from the National Interagency Fire Center on YouTube

For this week's Friday Fun take a look at this seven minute video from the National Interagency Fire Center discussing what a Bureau of Land Management Helitack crew does. As the introduction to the video points out an obvious benefit is seeing beautiful country from the air. But there is a lot more. I have oodles of respect for helitack crews who are flown to wildland fires in remote areas. If the helitack helicopter has a bucket the helicopter will drop water on the fire after the helitack crew is dropped off.  Kudos to the pilots flying these helicopters and the helitack crews they fly. Just as important are all the personnel providing various support service to keep helitack crews flying.

Video review of 2024 Wildfire Season in the Tri-State Area

Direct link to November 2024 video on News 12 Originals

I have already written about the 2024 wildfire season in New Jersey, the worst in history. 2024 was also a very bad wildfire year in New York City, and nearby counties in New York as well as in Connecticut.  Here are two posts that I have written on the 2024 wildfire season in New Jersey: (1) a November 2024 post summarizing the 2024 wildfire season where I did my best to summarize the major wildfires in New Jersey in 2024 using information from the NJ Forest Fire Service and various local media outlets , and (2) a February 2025 post providing an historical perspective going back to 2013 as well as wildfires by month in New Jersey in 2024 (this post was possible due to the good work of the NJ Forest Association and the NJ Forest Fire Service).

I was intrigued when I learned of the News 12 Originals video from my friends at the B10 New Jersey Wildfire Page. This video was posted on November 2025 with an original airdate in November 2024. I do get News 12 New Jersey but missed this report. While perhaps on the long side (21 minutes) for a blog post I liked the summary of wildfires in the Tri-State provided by News 12 reporters so I decided to share this video with you.

2025 wildfires in New Jersey: In a NJFFS press conference on April 23rd NJFFS Fire Chief, Bill Donnelly said that for 2025 through April 23rd, 662 wildfires have burned 16,572 acres. Two of these wildfires were over 1,000 acres: Jones Rd Fire in Ocean County, 15,300 acres and Danny's Fire in Cumberland County, 1,300 acres. I do not yet have any information on the number and size of wildfires that burned in New Jersey after April 23rd. 

2025 Wildfire Season: Alaska Wildfire Season Highlights

Direct link to Nov 14th video from Alaska DNRDOF on YouTube 

I have never been to Alaska and don't know if I will ever get there. However, for reason that I won't get into here I have a special interest in Alaska including but not limited to the challenges posed by wildfires. I am grateful to my friends at the B10 NJ Wildfire Page for sharing this video  from Alaska DNRDOF summarizing the 2025 Alaska wildfire season. The video is over 13 minutes and I enjoyed watching the wildland firefighters working fire in Alaska along with images of aerial support.

Friday Fun: Medevac Helicopter Landing on I-81 in VA Responding to an Accident

Direct link to July 2022 video from Michael Miller on YouTube

I know that one of the important things that helicopters can do such as medevac helicopters is providing transportation to hospitals of accident victims and critically ill people, transportation that can often be quicker than ground transport. I live not far from my local hospital and when I see a helicopter flying over my house at a lower altitude there is a decent chance that the helo is transporting someone to the emergency room. The hospital has an appropriate landing pad for the helicopter. While I have not personally been an interstate while traffic was stopped so a helicopter can transport and accident victim I know that this happens. I was on I-81 about five years returning home when we diverted to local roads because of a bad accident on the interstate. As we were on local roads, thanks to our alert from AAA, I have no idea if a helicopter serviced the accident or if it was only ambulances or a combination of the two. I was glad to get off the interstate and away from the traffic.

In this July 2022 video that I shared above, the video was posted by Michael Miller, a Medevac helicopter pilot was flying out of Virginia in July 2022. I enjoyed watching this video to get an idea of what it is like to see a Medevac helicopter working an accident on an interstate. Michael does a good service flying Medevac helicopters. 

Ag Aviation Helicopters

 

Direct link to July 2025 video by Garrett Stanfield on YouTube

I am interested in Ag Aviation so I do post on this every so often as I last did on November 3rd. On a somewhat quiet day I wanted to make a post highlighting what an Ag Aviation helicopter can do. I found the above video this morning to share with you. 

Thanks to All Veterans for Your Service

I pause on this day before Veterans Day to make an early post in honor of Veterans Day. I offer my heartfelt thanks to all veterans for your service and the sacrifices you made to keep us safe. 

Direct link to Oct 31 2024 vid from Aerial Northwest on YouTube

A Wildland Firefighters First Assignment from NIFC

Direct link to the April 2025 video from the National Interagency Fire Center on YouTube

I have been referencing videos shared by the National Interagency Fire Center this week and I continue sharing NIFC videos today. The NIFC website has a lot of good information, it may be found here. One of the ways I learn more about wildland firefighting and keeping up with current events in the wildland fire community is through videos and social media. The video that I shared above offers a quick look at what a wildland firefighter's first assignment under NIFC will be like. I suspect that the experience of a wildland firefighter in a State system, e.g. New Jersey, will be different as some State wildfires are not under NIFC.

Drone Safety Near Fire Zones

Direct link to August 2025 video from the National Interagency Fire Center 

There are lot of good and safe uses for drones, and the FAA has regulations for flying drones including when drone owners must register their drones, for more information see this FAA website on unmanned aircraft systems (aka drones). In addition the Forest Service under the USDA has a nice webpage on the safe recreational use of drones that may be found here,  one of their bullet points focuses on operations near wildfires: "Never fly your UAS over or in close proximity to any fire operation (wildfire or prescribed).  UAS flights over fire operations disrupt aerial firefighting operations and create hazardous situations." I have nothing against drones, I have seen good drone footage and am aware that agencies and the media and individuals safely operate drones and follow FAA regulations in their drone operationms

The FAA has a pdf file that they call "Drones & Wildfires Digital Toolkit", they talk about flight restrictions that are often in place over wildfires, penalties for illegally flying drones near wildfires and how to report illegal drone activity near a wildfire. They also refer to how first responders can get approval to fly drones near a wildfire. They include a paragraph on why it is dangerous to fly drones near wildfires:

The US Forest Service states: 

Firefighting aircraft fly at very low altitudes, typically just a couple of hundred feet above the ground, the same altitude as drones flown by members of the public and others. This creates the potential for a mid-air collision or pilot distraction that could result in a serious or fatal accident. In addition, an unauthorized UAS that loses its communication link could fall from the sky, causing serious injuries or deaths of firefighters or members of the public on the ground. Unauthorized UAS flights could lead fire managers to suspend aerial wildfire suppression operations – such as airtankers dropping fire retardant and helicopters dropping water – until the UAS has left the airspace and they are confident it won’t return.

Please fly your drone safely and legally and please stay away from the airspace over wildfires.

About Ag Aviation (crop dusting) from the pilot of a crop duster

Direct link to 2020 video from Scott Palmer on YouTube

I have seen crop dusters in action in New Jersey both over north western New Jersey where I live and down in the cranberry farms in the New Jersey Pinelands in central and southern New Jersey. I have also heard about crop dusters in northern New England. My point is that is not just in larger farms in the midwest and the west where you will crop dusters, as you see in this video, but crop dusting happens across the United States and Canada and elsewhere. Enjoy this video about crop dusting in 2020 from Scott Palmer who talks about crop dusting in this 2020 video.

Airtanker Operations: Coulson's Air Attack

Direct link to August 2023 video from Brit Coulson of Coulson Aviation on YouTube

One of the important elements of how airtankers of various sizes and helicopters work in the air to help firefighters on the ground to fight wildfires are the aircraft known as air attack. Air attack aircraft coordinate the aerial operations above the fire. Lead planes will lead the tanker or helicopter into the fire to make their drop. Watch to this eight minute video from Brit Coulson of Coulson Aviation where the various aspects that make up air attack are discussed. 

NOAA Hurrican Hunter "Kermit" Flys into Hurricane Melissa

Direct link to October 27, 2025 video taken by Lt. Col. Mark White, navigator with the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, flying into Hurricane Melissa

I have a great deal of respect for those who fly on Hurricane Hunter aircraft into Hurricanes. They do important work to provide good information with the goal of keeping us as safe as possible from hurricanes. 

I found a nice article by Matthew Cappuci, a regular contributor to the Washington Post and a Meteorologist with the weather app “MyRadar. He flew on “Kermit”, a NOAA hurricane hunter, on a mission flying through Hurricane Melissa. There were 19 people onboard Kermit, pilots, flight engineers, and researchers. Here is an excerpt from Cappuci’s October 27th article on the Washington Post (this article is a gift that expires in ten days on or about November 8th, for those coming on after November 8th I hope that you will still have free access to this article). Here is an excerpt from Cappuci's article to give you an idea of what it was like on Kermit:

Winds in the eyewall reach ridiculous speeds; over the open ocean, winds were gusting 140 mph or more. Eventually, all the rising air in an eyewall collides with the ceiling of the lower atmosphere; we call that the tropopause. Some of the air bounces against that ceiling, curling downward. It sinks (subsides), warms up and dries out. That punches out an oasis of calm: the eye. …

And then it happened. We emerged from the mist. A fingernail moon hung overhead in the deep twilight. I pressed my face against the glass. My jaw dropped.

I was sitting in the middle of a 10-mile-wide stadium of the gods. On all sides, hulking thunderstorms towered high above me — yet, directly overhead, the stars twinkled. With the faint glow offered by the moon, I could see brushstroke-like striations as the clouds in the eyewall swung around the eye at breakneck speeds. But, for a moment, I was in an oasis of calm.

My prayers are with all those affected by Hurricane Melissa as she struck Cuba and Jamaica, see this report from CBS News for more information.

Mobilization of Resources to Wildfires Through the National Interagency Coordination Center

Direct link to March 2022 video from the National Interagency Fire Center on YouTube

I do know that aerial and ground resources from one state can be deployed to a wildfire in another state through the National Interagency Coordination Center (NIFC) . But I was not quite certain of how these deployments work. Thanks to this march 20222 video that I just found today on the NIFC website I am finally able to share some good and reliable information with you about how emergency resources are mobilized. The video is a little over eight minutes long.

Friday Fun: CL-415 Scoopers, 2024 Fire Season

Direct link to November 2024 video from Michael Redwine on YouTube

A video from Michael Redwine summarizing the CL-415 Scoopers flying wildfires during the 2024 fire season. Enjoy

San Diego County CA Approved Purchase of Firehawk Helicopter for Nighttime Firefighting

 

Direct link to October 21st video from CBS 8 San Diego on YouTube

I want to thank my friends from the B10 NJ Wildland Fire Page for sharing this video on their webpage this morning.

I do try to follow aerial fire operations in other States including California but I may not  post about changes in a States aerial fire fleet right away. I am making an exception to this by sharing this video saying that San Diego County has approved $38 million for a Firehawk helicopter with the ability to fly fires at night. I have some close friends in San Diego County who know how to stay safe from wildfires, and I am always interested in available aerial resources to keep my friends safe from wildfires. This Firehawk, a type 1 firefighting helicopter, will have a 1,000 gallon tank, the ability to carry 12 firefighters and will be ready to fly in the spring of 2026.  This will mean that the County does not have to request a Calfire Firehawk from an adjoining county. In addition to dropping water and transporting firefighters to wildfires this helicopter will be used for rescues. Another source of information is this article from the San Diego County News Center.

The San Diego County Fire Protection District  has a lot of good information relevant to fire safety. Unfortunately, I can  not find an online listing of any current county owned or contracted resources. I do know that Calfire’s aviation resources  are available to San Diego County .

About NJ Wildfire SMART

Direct link to March 2025 video from the NJ Dept of Environmental Protection 

I want to thank my friends from the B10 NJ Wildland Fire Page for sharing this video on their webpage over the last few days. My friends at the B10 NJ Wildland Fire Page share wildfire videos every day as well as photos of wildfires in and around NJ. They are a good resources and I visit their website a few times a week.

I had seen NJ Wildfire SMART on the New Jersey Forest Fire Service website  where they have a page devoted to NJ Wildfire SMART. Briefly NJ Wildfire SMART stands for safety, mitigation, awareness, response, and training. If you go to this page you can learn more details about each. I liked the video that I shared above for providing a brief overview of NJ Wildfire SMART. As an aside, as some of you know, I love the NJ Pinelands and have driven on  some of the sand roads in the Pinelands including the Bass River State Forest mentioned in this video. I appreciate the efforts that goes into maintaining these roads and more importantly to efforts in the Pinelands to mitigate wildland fires.

Friday Fun: Super Scoopers in Action

Direct link to September 2024 video on YouTube

Direct link to August 2017 video on YouTube

Super Scoopers are a great aerial resources for aerial firefighting because as you see in these two videos they scoop water out of a water body and fly to the wildfire to make a drop. The Scooper can make a many drops, the number depending on the distance to the fire and available fuel. I know that two Super Scoopers were on contract In California starting September 1st of 2025, I am not sure how long the contract period is. In January of 2025 Bridger Aerospace sent two Scoopers to California to help fight wildfires. Last but by no means least Super Scoopers from Bridger Aerospace were deployed to Minnesota May 2025 to provide needed aerial support in fighting wildfires.

Home Fire Safety: Preventing Home ignition in the Wildland-Urban Interface

Prevent Home Ignition, Part 1; Video from the National Fire Protection Video on YouTube

Prevent Home Ignition, Part 2; Video from the National Fire Protection Video on YouTube

Continuing with residential fire safety, I shared two videos from the National Fire Protection Association, they have a nice YouTube channel with lots of videos including many videos addressing fire safety in the houses iin the wildland-urban interface. However, I think that some of the things that they address in this video might be of interested to folk like me who do not live in the wildland-urban interface..

Home Fire Safety: Lithium-Ion Battery Safety

 I have been thinking about fire safety at my house recently. Like many of us, I have several devices that use lithium-ion batteries and I do understand that these batteries can pose a fire risk. While I do try to be safe at home, I appreciate that the Ocean County Fire Marshall shared about the dangers of lithium-ion batteries and how to be safe. I thought I'd share three slides with you from their October 10th Facebook post.

Of the items listed in this slide I admit that I did not think about my cordless vacuum cleaner and a couple of power tools in my garage. I admit to needing to be more careful to not leave my cordless vacuum plugged in.

Regarding the next two slides, I learned something about how lithium-ion batteries work and about thermal runaway.

More on the NEW U.S. Wildland Fire Service

Direct link to October 8th video from Wildland Fire Fit on YouTube 

As you may recall I wrote about the NEW Wildland Fire Service in a post on September 16th where I refered to the September 15 press release from the U.S. Departments of Interior and Agriculture announcing the new U.S. Wildland Fire Service Plan. I am repeating the five priorities of the new plan below. There may be federal legislation that needs to be passed before this new service can take effect, I am not certain if any needed legislation has passed Congress. 

This new plan has five interdependent priorities:

• Address systemic inefficiencies and modernize aviation and coordination systems
            ◦ Create a joint federal firefighting aircraft service
    ◦ Consolidate predictive services into a national intelligence capability
• Strengthen interagency wildfire coordination and response
    ◦ Modernize and right-size qualifications and training
    ◦ Standardize the Emergency Firefighter Program
• Improve federal partnerships and reduce administrative burden
    ◦ Streamline cooperative agreements
    ◦ Establish a joint contracting, procurement and payment center
• Ensure wildfire research, technology, and IT investments are mission-ready
    ◦ Build a modern, cohesive Wildfire Enterprise IT System
    ◦ Modernize personal protective equipment standards to better safeguard firefighters
• Integrate pre- and post-fire activities into a complete wildfire strategy
    ◦ Deploy a unified wildfire risk mapping tool
    ◦ Establish a consistent Emergency Stabilization and Rehabilitation framework
    ◦ Expand beneficial use of biomass and residual forest products

I wanted to be able to share a little more about this new plan and I thank my friends at the B10 NJ Wildland Fire Page whereI found just what I was looking for yesterday when they shared the video I shared here.  The women in the video is knowledgeable about wildland firefighting. She discusses the new plan as well as some pros and cons. I think that her main audience in this and the other videos she posts are wildland firefighters and those interested in becoming wildland firefighters.I share this here because I am interested in what she shares about the new plan. As you know, I am not a wildland firefighter and have no opinions, pro or con, about this new plan. I will be interested in following how things unfold, pros and cons, after this new plan is implemented.

2025 Wildfire Season: Brownell Mt Brushfire Contained

On October 6th I wrote about the small wildfire on Brownell Mountain near Williston VT (ChittendenCounty) I was not able to find information about the containment of this brushfire. I was very happy that a large firefighting helicopter was based in Lebanon NH, just across the border from VT that aided wildland firefighters in fighting the brushfire. If you are interested in more information about this brushfire you might want to checkout this October 5th  facebook post from Northern/Central VT Fire Alerts, you will see information and comments while the brushfire was being fought, there is no containment information in that post. The good news is that the fire has been contained according to this October 6th article from The Hinesburg Record; according to this article

The fire covered an acre or so on top of the mountain. Steep terrain and waning daylight prompted a special request for a firefighting helicopter which was staged in Lebanon, NH.

Vermont Wildland Fire Specialist Devin Healy said that the helicopter, which dumped 2,000 gallons of water at a time, was unable to extinguish the fire but was essential in keeping it from spreading.

At the time that article was written no one could say for sure how the brushfire on Brownell Mountain was started but it may have been started by humans. 

2025 Wildfire Season: Small Brushfire on Brownell MT (Williston VT)

Direct link to October 5th video from WCAX Channel 3 News on YouTube

Obtained from Google Earth on October 6th.

I was very interested in the video that my friends at the B10 NJ Wildfire Page shared on their website earlier today, thank-you! Being somewhat familiar with Vermont though less familiar with the area where this small brushfire burned on Brownell Mountain in Williston VT, I wanted to share the video with you. Brownell Mountain is 850 feet in elevation. 

If you have watched this short video then you know that the fire is about an acre in size and was started sometime on Saturday, October 4th. I was pleased to know from the video that the large firefighting helicopter, a SkyCrane, that is based in Lebanon NH to help northern New England during a very dry summer. Expectations were that the fire would be fully contained by Sunday evening, October 5th, I have not been able to ascertain if this brushfire is indeed contained. As the brushfire is in a hard to reach area on Brownell Mountain, the assistance of the Skycrane made a huge difference in assisting the firefighters on the ground work the brushfire. In addition, see this October 5th news report from WCAX. Kudos to the all the firefighters who are working this brushfire to keep everyone safe.

Winter Maintenance of Firefighting Aircraft is Important

Direct link to July 2025 video from Airborne Firefighters on YouTube

I was looking around for something related to aerial firefighting to share with you today, when I came across the above video from Airborne Firefighters dated July 12, 2025. This video provides a behind the scene look at CAL FIRE's winter maintenance. While specific to the winter maintenance ofCAL FIRE's aircraft, this video gave me a glimpse into what might happen in the winter maintenance of any firefighting aircraft. I learned something and perhaps some of you will also learn something as well. Enjoy!

As an aviation enthusiast I know the importance of regular maintenance of any type of aircraft to keep the aircraft, pilots, and any passengers safe. In addition, if an aircraft crashes their is always the risk of damage to infrastructure on the ground, including buildings as well as injuries or death of people on the ground. From time to time I have shared about aircraft maintenance and inspections.

US Forest Service: temporary assignment of helicopter to New Hampshire

Direct link to September 29th video from WMUR TV on YouTube

Obtained from Google Earth on October 1st.

Obtained on October 3rd from https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/

I noted this September 19th report in the Concord Monitor that after weeks of drought in New Hampshire that the National Weather Service designated the State of New Hampshire as being in high risk of wildfires. As someone who used to vacation in northern New England, I am familiar with the White Mountains having done some day hikes on Mt. Washington in my younger days. I am also interested in when the U.S. Forest Service assigns helicopters or air tankers to the eastern United States. So when I noted that the U.S. Forest Service has temporarily assigned a fire fighting helicopter to New Hampshire I knew that I had to write this post. The helicopter will be based at Lebanon Municipal Airport until drought conditions improve and there is no longer a high risk of wildfires.

NJ Forest Fire Service: Three Generations of NJ Wildland Firefighters

 I have a busy day and do want to get my Monday post in. Here is a heartwarming video that I learned about from my friends at the B10 NJ Wildland Fire Page the other day. The video is from CBS Philadelphia (2023) showcasing three generations of NJ Wildland Firefighters

Direct link to June 2023 video from CBS Philadelphia on YouTube

NJ Forest Fire Service Aerial Operations

Direct link to April 2023 video from  Eyewitness News ABC7 NY on YouTube

I thank my friends at the B10 NJ Wildland Fire Page who shared this April 2023 video on their webpage this morning. In this short video you will learn about how the NJ Forest Fire Service use airtankers and helicopters with buckets to support the firefighters on the ground. This video was shot during the spring 2023 wildfire season when airtankers were specifically on contract in NJ to fly wildfires. During other times of the year there is an airtanker and helicopters with buckets that are available if they are called upon. And I believe that the same applies to helicopters with buckets

A Humorous Take on Girls in Aviation

Direct link to September 20th video from Coulson Aviation on YouTube

I love the humor in this Happy Girls in Aviation Day video and might have done the same things when I was girl if given the chance. I support girls in the cockpit and hope to see more girls and women flying.

How Community Managers Can Work with Communities on Fire Management

Direct link to 2020 video from pennstategeography on YouTube 

Thanks to my friends at the B10 NJ Wildland Fire Page for sharing this video on their website the other day. I believe that this video targets community managers so that they can start the process of learning how to protect their community and work with community residents and business on things that the community can do to protect themselves from wildfires. Among the tools they discuss is a program called Firewise a program that provides "provides simple, effective steps to help communities reduce the risk of destruction from wildfire." 

BurnBot Machine - New Technology to Create Firebreaks

Direct link to September 17th video from NewsNation on YouTube 

I am intrigued by what I saw in this video about the new BurnBot, a large Zamboni like machine that can create fire breaks next to homes, highways and businesses. I understand that BurnBots are being used in California and other states are interested in BurnBots. More BurnBots will be built in 2026 and 2027

US Wildland Fire Service to Debut in January 2026

Direct link to September 16th video from KREM12 on Youtube

I thank Mike Archer of Wildfire News of the Day and my friends at the B10 NJ Wildland Fire Page for making me aware that on September 15th the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture announced the establishment of the U.S. Wildland Fire Service in January 2026 to implement President Trump's June 12th Executive Order “Empowering Commonsense Wildfire Prevention and Response. Please see the September 15th Press Release from the Department of the Interior for more information. In brief, the U.S. Wildland Fire Service plan

focus(es) on on five interdependent priorities:

• Address systemic inefficiencies and modernize aviation and coordination systems

    ◦ Create a joint federal firefighting aircraft service

    ◦ Consolidate predictive services into a national intelligence capability

• Strengthen interagency wildfire coordination and response

    ◦ Modernize and right-size qualifications and training

    ◦ Standardize the Emergency Firefighter Program

• Improve federal partnerships and reduce administrative burden

    ◦ Streamline cooperative agreements

    ◦ Establish a joint contracting, procurement and payment center

• Ensure wildfire research, technology, and IT investments are mission-ready

    ◦ Build a modern, cohesive Wildfire Enterprise IT System

    ◦ Modernize personal protective equipment standards to better safeguard firefighters

• Integrate pre- and post-fire activities into a complete wildfire strategy

    ◦ Deploy a unified wildfire risk mapping tool

    ◦ Establish a consistent Emergency Stabilization and Rehabilitation framework

    ◦ Expand beneficial use of biomass and residual forest products

I think that the creation of the U.S. Wildland Fire Service is a good step forward to managing wildfires in the United States. I look forward to following the new service after it is implemented in January 2026 

New Mobile Weather Observing System (CLAMPS) from NOAA

Direct link to September 9th post from NOAA Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research

While perusing Facebook today I came across an interesting post from NOAA Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research about a new mobile fire weather system known is the Collaborative Lower Atmospheric Mobile Profiling System (aka CLAMPS) that is currently being tested. If you follow the link in the Facebook post about CLAMPS that I embedded above (or go here to access the referenced document) you will see a short document about the development of this new mobile unit. I am always intrigued by any systems that will help improved fire weather forecasting and observations before, during and after wildfires. I hope that you take a little time to go and read this short document. According to this document about CLAMPS:

CLAMPS provides a novel combination of observations from multiple instruments designed to simultaneously observe the surface and lower atmosphere—specifically the boundary layer, where the surface interacts with it—and can be deployed quickly to wildfire-prone regions in the U.S. The data it collects will be used to improve our understanding of how changing conditions in the atmosphere influence fire weather in these areas, and how fires influence the atmosphere.”

The CLAMPS system is equipped with an array of instruments that were selected by experts at the participating labs. A primary aim is collecting measurements along a vertical profile from the surface upward into the atmosphere. For some of these instruments, CLAMPS utilizes GSL’s Tropospheric Remotely Observed Profiling via Optimal Estimation (TROPoe) software to retrieve the desired profiles from the observed data. ...

The instruments, several of which are part of ARL’s innovative collapsible, mobile observing tower, installed in CLAMPS include:

• Doppler lidar wind profiler, providing vertical profiles of wind speed and direction, as well as profiles of turbulent mixing
• Infrared spectrometer, providing vertical profiles of temperature and humidity from the surface to 3km, and cloud properties
• Ceilometer, measuring the height of aerosols, smoke, and cloud layers
• Surface radiometers, measuring downward shortwave and longwave radiation, which help observe the impacts of clouds, smoke, and aerosols on the surface radiation budget
• Sonic anemometers and moisture probes, which measure turbulent fluxes of heat, water vapor, carbon dioxide, and momentum
• Surface meteorology sensors, which measure near-surface temperature, relative humidity, atmospheric pressure, precipitation amount, and wind speed and direction
• Soil moisture probes, which measure soil moisture at different depths, allowing for a better understanding of the relationship between atmospheric conditions and the evolution of soil properties
• Trace gas and aerosol detectors, measuring concentrations in the air just above the top of the trailer of particulate matter (below 2.5 microns in size), carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide, thereby providing key measures of unhealthy air quality"

Obtained on September 15, 2025 from https://gsl.noaa.gov/news/new-mobile-noaa-research-fire-weather-observing-facility-undergoes-testing-in-colorado 

I look forward to learning more about CLAMPS in the future, according to the referenced document about CLAMPS, one CLAMPS system is currently deployed in Colorado and a second will be available in 2026. 

Never Forget September 11, 2001

 

Obtained on September 12, 2025 from NJ Forest Fire Service Section B10 

I took the photo below at Liberty State Park in New Jersey in 2024. You are looking at the site of the World Trade Center. Those with ties to New Jersey who died from the attacks on the World Trade Center are engraved on the inside walls.

Photo taken by Tyler of Random Ramblings on April 24, 2024

2025 Wildfire Season: British Columiba Wildfires (Sept. 10th)

Direct link to September 9th video from CTV News on YouTube

I have been hearing about the bad wildfire season in British Columbia Canada for several days now so perhaps somewhat belatedly I want to make this post focusing on these wildfires. 

According to the September 9th Dashboard from the British Columbia Wildfire Service (updated daily so you may see something different), there are 152 active wildfires with 48 out of control wildfires. Campfire restrictions are currently in place. There are evacuation orders in place for some wildfires. There are 125 aerial resources assigned to work British Columbia Wildfires. You will also see a listing of other resources

They also have a map view and a list view with a list of all the wildfires, these pages are updated daily so what I am sharing here may be different from what you will see if you visit these pages. If you are interested in a specific wildfire, go to the map view and zoom in to the area you are interested and click on the dot representing a specific wildfire and you may find more information about that fire. To give you an overview of the wildfire situation in British Columbia I am inserting a screen shot I took of the current map view.

Obtained on 09102025 from https://wildfiresituation.nrs.gov.bc.ca/map

The BC Wildfire Service also has a blog, account on Facebook that you should be able to access without an account, as well as an account on YouTube.

My thoughts are wish all who are affected by these wildfires, wildland firefighters, aerial support, and support teams working these fires, 

2025 New Jersey Wildfire Season: Buckabear Wildfire Final Update

Direct link to Sept 6th, 9:20 PM, post from the NJ Forest Fire Service on Facebook

As of Sept 6th the fire was at 90 percent containment at 200 acres burned. A road closure and boat ramp closure was still in effect.

2025 New Jersey Wildfire Season: Buckabear Wildfire Update #4

Direct link to Sept 6th, 10:50 AM post from the New Jersey Forest Fire Service on Facebook

The Buckabear Fire remains to 200 acres burned, containment is now at 80 percent. A road closure remains in effect. In addition a boat ramp is closed at a reservoir near the fire.

2025 New Jersey Wildfire Season: Buckabear Fire Update # 3

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Direct link to the Facebook post from the NJ Forest Fire Service at 10:30AM post on Sept 5th. 

The Buckabear wildfire continues to burn in West Milford Township in Passaic County NJ. As I write this at 11:50 AM, according to the  10:30AM update from the NJ Forest Fire Service on Facebook 200 acres have burned and the fire is at 60 percent containment. Acreage burned has increased slightly from 185 acres that the  NJ Forest Fire Service reported last night and containment has remained the same. A road closure remains in effect and no structures are threatened and a boat launch at a reservoir near the fire is closed. I will make another update tomorrow morning unless there is a significant change in the status of this wildfire.

There was rainfall in northern New Jersey last night, and I hope that this rainfall helped the wildland firefighters. The NJ Forest Fire Service will be assessing the impact the rainfall had on the fire and hopefully the containment percentage will increase

2025 New Jersey Wildfire Season: Buckabear Fire Update # 2

Direct link to the Facebook post from the NJ Forest Fire Service at 9:25 AM post on Sept 4th. 

The Buckabear wildfire continues to burn in West Milford Township in Passaic County NJ. As I write this at 10:10 AM, according to the 9AM update from the NJ Forest Fire Service on Facebook 160 acres have burned and the fire is at 50 percent containment. The good news is that there is no increase in acreage burned from what the NJ Forest Fire Service reported last night and containment has increased from 40 to 50 percent. A road closure remains in effect and no structures are threatened. I will make another update tomorrow morning unless there is a significant change in the status of this wildfire.

2025 New Jersey Wildfire Season: Buckabear Fire Passaic County

September 2, 1:00 PM

The Buckabear Fire currently burning in New Milford in Passaic County NJ has now burned 120 acres and is at 30 percent containment. A road closure remains in effect and no structures are threatened. A helicopter with a 325 gallon bucket from the NJ Forest Fire Service is currently working this fire in support of wildland firefighters on the ground.

Direct link to September 2nd (1 PM) post on Facebook from the New Jersey Forest Fire Service

September 2, 8:40 AM

Direct link to September 2nd (8:40 AM) post on Facebook from the New Jersey Forest Fire Service

A shout out to my friends at the B10 NJ Wildland Fire Page where I just learned about the Buckabear Fire that is burning in West Milford Township in Passaic County, NJ. The fire was first reported during the early evening on September 2nd. The fire has burned 90 acres and is currently at 20 percent containment according to this update (September 2nd, 8:40 AM). There is a road closure in the fire area and no structures are threatened. 

Eastern Area Wildfire Crew Deployments (Sept 2nd)

I would like to thank my friends at the B10 NJ Wildland Fire Page for sharing this on their website. After reading this presentation on their website, I knew that I had to share this with you.

I am always interested in deployments of eastern area wildfire crews to fires in other parts of the country. this report from the Eastern Area Coordination Center Predictive Services reports on the latest deployments with a map, pictures, and commentary. I like this report because they provide an easy way to read updates on where Eastern Area crews are deployed and the fires they are working on.

Thank-you to all wildfire crews from the Eastern Area working on fires in other parts of the United States. Stay safe. 

Note: scroll down to see the content, the map may not display in the Chrome Browser.

Labor Day 2025

Direct link to video from History on YouTube

I appreciate the history behind the Labor Day holiday in the United States and recall enjoying this end of summer holiday in years past.  On this Labor Day, I remember wildland firefighters; structure firefighters; first responders; emergency medical technicians; law enforcement personal; physicians, nurses, nurses aides and other hospital staff; and utility workers who work on this day so that we may be safe. Moreover, most retail establishments are open on Labor Day so that we may have the convenience of purchasing a needed item. So, on this Labor Day while some of you have a holiday, I want to honor all those who are working today. 

If you are traveling today please be safe.

Edited to add on September 1st and 12:30 PM. I don't know what I was thinking when I left essential government workers such as the National Weather Service off of my original post. Most weather service office work around the clock every day including holidays in order to provide timely weather forecasts and alerts to keep us safe/

Friday Fun: A Look at CAL FIRE's Firehawk Helicopter

Direct link to July 31st video from CAL FIRE TV on YouTube

According to the information supplied by CAL FIRE in the text accompanying the video the Firehawk helicopter has a 1,000 gallon capacity water tank, is equipped with night vision, external hoist for rescue operations and can seat a nine-person helitack crew.

2025 Wildfire Season: West Dalhousie/Long Lake Wildfire Nova Scotia Canada

Direct link to August 26th video from CBC News Nova Scotia

Thanks to  a friend in eastern Canada who told me about the West Dalhousie/Long Lake Wildfire that is currently burning in Nova Scotia. The latest information is that this wildfire has burned  8,278 hectare (20,455 acres) with approximately 1,000 people being evacuated due to this wildfire that was first reported on August 13th. The fire is categorized as being out of control. For more information see this August 27th (9:31 AM) article from CBC Nova Scotia with photos and a video. Another media report on this fire may be found on Global News (dated on or about August 26th. You may also want to see the Interactive Map from Canada's Natural Resources that I accessed a couple of hours ago, the fire name is "06-007-2025"

According to the latest updates from Nova Scotia DNR posted on X (formerly Twitter) that I am unable to embed but you can find the information about this fire at the Nova Scotia DNR post to X (formerly Twitter) at 10:10 AM on August 27th (note that you may not be able to access the link without an account on X). To review what the Nova Scotia DNR said this morning: "The Long Lake Wildfires Complex is now estimated at 8,278 hectares. ... no new reports of damage to homes. ... Air resources: 6 helicopters, 6 planes plus bird dogs." 

Aerial Firefighting Training in New South Wales Australia

Direct link to August 24th video from Coulson Aviation on YouTube

I know that Coulson Aviation has a significant presence in Australia including Tanker B10, a 737 large air tanker, of the New South Wales Rural Fire Service. I enjoyed this video because it gave me a peek into what flight crew training is like in Australia. While there are likely some differences in how flight crew training (pilots and other crews) in Australia and flight crew training in the United States, Canada, and elsewhere the goal is the same. That the flight crews have adequate training in the necessary procedures while flying fires and that they do so as safe as possible.