2022 Wildfire Season: Entiat Hotshots 2022 Fire Season

Enjoy this video summarizing the 2022 fire season of the Entiat Hotshots, out of central Washington. According to the Facebook Page of the Entiat Hotshots some of the fires they worked in 2022 were the Calf Canyon and Hermit Peaks Fires in New Mexico, working assorted wildfires in Alaska, working various wildfires in Montana, and the Cedar Creek Fire in Oregon. Nice job Entiat Hotshots, stay safe during 2023. 

I hope you enjoy this short video, under five minutes, summarizing the Entiat Hotshots 2022 fire season. I always like meeting the crew at the end of the video. 

Direct link to video by Entiat IHC Crew Media on YouTube

2022 Wildfire Season: Tatanka Hotshots 2022 Highlight Video

 I continue to share videos from wildfire crews here in the U.S. summarizing their 2022 wildfire season. Today I am sharing a video showcasing the Tatanka Hotshots 2022 wildfire season. The Tatanka Hotshots are based in South Dakota. Thanks to the 2022 Tatanka Hotshots for all you did to protect us from wildfires in 2022. Your service and sacrifice will not be forgotten.

The video that I share below is not associated with the U.S. National Forest Service or the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Direct link to video on YouTube

2022 Wildfire Season: Fire Season Highlights

When things appear to be a little quieter I am always looking for interesting wildfire videos to share with you. To that end, I was looking around YouTube just now and not quite finding what I was looking for when I came upon this video created by Forrest Moreland.  This is a highlight video from a longer video from a recent fire season. I enjoyed the videography in this video and thought you might too.

Direct link to video by Forrest Moreland on YouTube

2022 Wildfire Season: Red River Initial Attack 2022 season

On a slightly more personal note I have been involved in purchasing my first new car in 18 years the last couple of days. Needless to say I have been slightly distracted taking care of various details prior to and just after the purchase. I continue with Subarus. Anyway, I am not here to talk about cars but I am here to continue posting about aerial wildland firefighting and related concerns. To that end, I continue with sharing videos from wildfire crews summarizing their 2022 wildfire season.

I came across a very nice video with some great fire photography from Ben Johnson summarizing the Red River Initial Attack Crew's 2022 wildfire season. I think but am not sure that this crew may be based in the northwestern United States. It does not always matter that I don't know for sure where a wildfire crew is based. The point in continuing to share these videos is both to provide folk like me with a glimpse into life on various kinds of wildland fire crews in different parts of the United States as well as my way of acknowledging and thanking a particular wildfire crew for their sacrifice in working on a wildfire crew in order to keep us as safe as possible from wildfires.

Please enjoy this video of the Red River Initial Attack Crew's 2022 wildfire season.

Direct link to video by Ben Johnson on YouTube

2022 Wildfire Season: Stanislaus Hotshots 2022 Season

 I will be posting more in a couple of days or so on the prescribed burns that the New Jersey Forest Fire Service are conducting in New Jersey. In the meantime as I will be busy most of the day visiting a good friend I will continue posting videos from wildfire crews summarizing their 2022 season. Today I am sharing a video by Riley Yuan with highlights from the Stanislaus Hotshots 2022 season. I enjoyed this video getting a peak in to what life is like for the Stanislaus Hotshots in action and during important downtime to refresh and recharge. 

March 3, 2023 update. I did enjoy this video, unfortunately this video is no longer available, but I do want to thank the Stanislaus Hotshots for the work they did during the 2022 fire season to protect us from wildfires.

Direct link to video by Riley Yuan on YouTube

2022 Wildfire Season: Wyoming Hotshots 2022 Season

I continue sharing 2022 season summary videos from wildland fire crews. Today I am sharing a short but very nice video from the Wyoming Hotshots. The Wyoming Hotshots are based in the Medicine Wheel Ranger District of the Bighorn National Forest, here is their Facebook page. I have seen references for a webpage for the Wyoming Hotshots but it did not look like an active website to me. I like this short video summarizing the Wyoming Hotshot crew's 2022 season because you see the crew working fires, playing, and taking a meal break. 

Direct link to video from Jake Lang on YouTube

2022 Wildfire Season: Mad River Hotshots 2022 season

 I continue sharing videos from various wildfire crews summarizing their 2022 season. This video is from the Mad River Hotshots. According to this listing from the U.S. Forest Service of North Ops National Interagency Hotshot Crews, the Mad River International Hotshot Crew is based out of the Six Rivers National Forest, Mad River Ranger District in Mad River California. As I understand Hotshot Crews are a national resource so may be deployed anywhere in the United States. For example, as I write this the Mad River Hotshots are currently in South Carolina in the middle of a two week deployment in Greenwood South Carolina putting in control lines and cutting snags helping South Carolina as they prepare for their prescribed burning season, see this January 24th post from Six Rivers National Forest. Great photography and videography giving us a brief overview into what life was like on the Mad River Hotshot Crew last season and getting a glimpse into the camaraderie and teamwork of this crew. I enjoyed meeting each of the crew at the end of the video. 

Direct link to video from Mad River IHC on YouTube

2022 Wildfire Season: Ventura County Fire Hand Crew 11 2022 season

 As I look for and then post videos from various wildfire crews highlighting their season, I keep my eye out for videos summarizing the wildfire season of local crews, in this case crews from county fire departments. I like the video uploaded by Tyler Montoya of the Ventura County Fire Hand Crew 11. I believe but am not certain that this a crew based out of Ventura County California. I felt like I got to know the crew from watching this ten-minute video and enjoyed "meeting" the people from the crew at the end of the video. Thanks Ventura County Fire Hand Crew 11 for all you did to keep us safe from wildfires in 2022. 

Edited on May 22, 2023. I enjoyed this video documenting 2022 fire season the Ventura County Fire Hand Crew so I shared it with you. As sometimes happens, I am no longer able to access the video because it is now a private video. I am leaving this post up to thank the Ventura County Fire Hand Crew for all keeping the residents of Ventura County safe in 2022.

Direct link to video from Tyler Montoya on YouTube

2022 wildfire season: Grayback Forestry

 Enjoy this video highlighting Grayback Foretry's 2022 fire season. Thanks Grayback wildfire crews for all you did to keep us safe from wildfires.

Direct link to video on YouTube from Galen Huntsman

2022 wildfire season: Bald Mountain Helitack 2022 season

I continue posting 2022 season summary videos from various wildland fire crews. Today's offering is from Bald Mountain Helitack 517, located in Stanislaus National Forest southeast of Sacramento, California. As I have no first hand experience of working on a wildfire crew, nor will I in the future, the best way that I can share with you what life is like is through sharing videos like the one I am sharing today. More importantly I hope that the wildland fire crews know that I have deep respect for all that you do to keep us safe and the sacrifices you make in time away from your loved ones. 

I enjoyed getting a feeling of the crew's season including on the fireline, resting, and crew interactions during downtime. I also enjoyed the footage of their helicopter. Enjoy! Allow about 12 minutes to watch the video.

 

Direct link to video by Mark Welsh

2022 wildfire season: Clackamas crew 30

Let's just say that I am a bit superstitious so I am not going to suggest any commentary on current wildfires. The beginnings of a major wildfire could start at any time. That being said, it is the time of year when I like to post videos from various wildfire crews summarizing their 2022 wildfire season. Here is a video from the Clackamas crew 30 providing with a look at their just completed fire season. I believe but am not certain that Clackamas is located in Oregon.

Direct link to video from Cuttin' Chris on YouTube

2022 wildfire season: Diamond Mountain Hotshots 2022 fire season

Enjoy this wonderful video by 6shopfilms summarizing the Diamond Mountain Hotshots 2022 fire season. Allow nine minutes to watch the video. You will see scenes of the hotshots on the fireline, some helicopter bucket work, a couple of airtankers over the fire, a larger helicopter dropping on a fire along with some fire footage.

Direct link to video by 6shopfilms on YouTube 

2022 wildfires: Hurricane Ridge Fire (Haywood County NC)

As I am interested in current wildfires of any size currently burning in the United States because I know that in this day and age, wildfire season can run all year or at least from early spring into late fall in areas that receive snowfall. I did a little checking around to find out what  was going on. In my wonderings, I had seen reference to the Hurricane Ridge Fire in a remote section of North Carolina was first reported on November 23rd. I understand this fire has burned about 500 acres. There may be a specific page on the web devoted to this fire outside of media, but I have not found it. However, there is some media coverage, current as of the day I am writing this. ABC13 News out of Asheville NC has some coverage dated November 19th that may be found here, there have been smokey conditions along nearby highways. Rainfall Tuesday night into Wednesday November 30th may help firefighters as the work to contain the fire.

Here is a video report that I found on YouTube from WSPA 7News dated November 29th reporting on the Hurricane Ridge Fire.

Direct link to video from WSPA 7News on YouTube

CH47 Chinook

Several years ago when I was still going on occasional scenic flights with a pilot friend, I have a memory of seeing a CH47 Chinook. If memory serves, my pilot friend saw it first, and then I saw it. The Chinook was probably a few miles away so it appeared to be small. However, considering that I can recall seeing small single engine aircraft from the same distance that looked like a large dot in the sky, the fact that we could recognize the Chinook said something about its size. That was the first and last time I was even close to seeing one in person, so to speak. For some reason I was thinking about this apparent sighting of a Chinook while on a scenic ride this morning and decided to focus o the CH47 Chinook today. Knowing that the CH47 is being used for wildland firefighting I wanted to devote today's post to the CH47.

The CH47 has a sixty plus year history dating back to the Vietnam War era, for specifications, history, and some photos of the CH47 go to this page from Military.com. 

Some CH47 Chinook's have been repurposed for use as a heavy lift helicopter that can be used in wildland firefighting and other heavy lift operations. Billings Flying Service out of Billings, Montana operates CH47 Chinooks. With a range of 360 miles, a maximum gross weight of 50,000 pounds, a maximum air speed of 140 knots and a hook that carry about the 26,000 pounds (Billing's CH47 Chinook page for this and more specifications and information about their CH47 Chinooks) they are an impressive helicopter. The Billing's CH47 Chinooks, with a tank capacity of 2,500 gallons and a bucket capacity of 2,700 gallons, are used for wildland firefighting, see Billings aerial firefighting page for more information.

In the video below from Earl Watters featuring a Billings Chinook CH47, you will see some shots of the instrument panel, shots of dipping to fill her tanks, shots from the cockpit of dropping water, and shots on the ground getting her read to fly a fire. The CH47 was working a fire near Folsom California in August 2022. Enjoy. Allow just under five minutes to watch the video.

Direct link to video from Earl Watters on YouTube

2022 wildfire season: WZ (Superior National Forest) 2022 crew video

 I am always on the look out for fire crews based in the region covered by the Eastern Area Coordination Center (EACC), for a map of the EACC region go here. I saw this WZ 2022 fire crew video when I was looking at 2022 fire crew videos on YouTube. From the description on the about page of the video (see the direct link below), the crew featured in the video is from the Superior National Forest (Minnesota), for information about the fire and aviation program at the Superior National Forest go to this webpage. When I saw this video and then realized that the crew featured in the video is based in the EACC region, I knew that I had to share this with you sooner rather than later. While based in northern Minnesota, from the description of the video in the closing credits, the crew worked all over the western United States in addition to service in the EACC and in Texas.

Direct link to video by Luke Macho on YouTube

2022 wildfire season: Midewin Hotshot 2022 season video

 To the best of my knowledge, the Midewin Hotshots are the only hotshot crew based in the eastern region of the United States. They are based out of the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie in Wilmington, Illinois. They have a nice Facebook page where they post including periodic posts during their season, Midewin Hotshots on Facebook. They released their 2022 season video which I am embedding below. Crew videos from past seasons may be found here. I checked out their Facebook page and saw that the Midewin Hotshots fought fires in the following regions in 2022: Eastern, Southern, Southwest, Great Basin, and Northern California, a map of the regions in the United States may be found at the Geographic Area Coordination Center National Website Portal.

According to the description of their 2022 season video, the Midewin Hotshots nine fourteen day assignments during 2022. Thanks Midewin Hotshots for all you do to keep us safe. Enjoy your off season.

Direct link to video from Midewin Hotshots on YouTube

2022 wildfire season: NWS Incident Meteorologist (IMET) deployments (Sept 28 to October 10)

 

As you can see from the Facebook post from the NWS IMET Operations Office that I embedded above, on September 27th, there were 10 IMETs deployed nationwide. I would imagine that since that time some of those IMETs that were deployed on September 27th have finished their deployment and returned home. Also of note is that the National Wildland Fire Preparedness level was lowered to 2 on September 27th. As I write this, to the best of my knowledge the Preparedness Level remains at 2, even so that does not mean that the worst of the fire season is over, one never knows what might happen. While IMET deployments have decreased, IMTs continue to be deployed to wildfires.  Since September 27th four IMETs have been deployed.

On September 30th, an IMET was deployed to the Moose Fire in Idaho

. @NWSReno IMET en route to #MooseFire located 17 miles N of Salmon, ID #IDwx #IDFires @NWSPocatello @salmonchallisnf https://t.co/9M4o3ybV9Y pic.twitter.com/P7oNlcxFhn

— NWS IMET Operations (@NWS_IMET_OPS) September 30, 2022 

On October 3rd, an IMET was deployed to the Mosquito Fire in California

. @NWSAnchorage IMET en route to #MosquitoFire located 20 miles S of Emigrant Gap, CA #CAwx #CAFires @NWSSacramento @Tahoe_NF https://t.co/sozZbFGw2P pic.twitter.com/60wNn8NHzF

— NWS IMET Operations (@NWS_IMET_OPS) October 3, 2022

On October 4th an IMET was deployed to the Goat Rocks Fire in Washington.

. @NWSMoreheadCity IMET en route to #GoatRocksFire located 8 miles E of Packwood, WA #WAwx #WAFires @NWSSeattle @GPNF https://t.co/4QvNgdG8tn pic.twitter.com/q9GSwJCyn0

— NWS IMET Operations (@NWS_IMET_OPS) October 4, 2022

On October 5th an IMET was deployed to the Bold Creek Fire in Washington.

. @NWSPortland IMET en route to #BoltCreekFire located 2 miles N of Skykomish, WA #WAwx #WAFires @NWSSeattle @waDNR_fire @MtBakerSnoNF https://t.co/uxi2yVQOsM

— NWS IMET Operations (@NWS_IMET_OPS) October 5, 2022

IMETs save lives! Thanks all IMETs for your service.

Life of an Incident Meteorologist: NOAA photo story

 I have a deep respect for the work that National Weather Service specially trained Incident Meteorologists (IMETs) do. IMETs are deployed for up to two weeks to provide weather forecasts specific to a wildfire. If you are like me, and I believe that some of you are, then you are wondering what it is like for an IMET on the fire line this summer. This photo story from NOAA called "Fighting Fire with Forecasts" provides an answer. Enjoy! IMETs save lives. If you have trouble accessing the tweet from the NWS IMET Operations or prefer not to access Twitter, here is the direct link to the NOAA photo story "Fighting Fire with Forecasts". Plan on spending some time with the photo story, there are several photos and a couple of videos.

Ever wonder what life as an IMET is like? Here's a good summary of life on the fire line for IMETs this summer helping our land management agency partners. @NIFC_Fire @NWS #WeatherReadyNation #ClimateReadyNation #Wildfire https://t.co/IrAvXUb0Ge

— NWS IMET Operations (@NWS_IMET_OPS) September 20, 2022

2022 wildfire season: NJ Forest Fire Service crews working in TX & MT

 Here in New Jersey we have been in a drought for the last couple of months and I know that the New Jersey Forest Fire Service (NJFFS) have been working to keep us in New Jersey as safe as possible from wildfires. I know that each year the NJFFS responds to requests to help wildland firefighters in other parts of the country to fight wildfires and this year is no exception. At no time did they put New Jersey at risk by sending crews and engines to assist crews in other parts of the country. I am always honored by the service of the NJFFS crews and engines working in other parts of the country, I am so proud of the NJFFS crews. This year NJFFS crews and engines have worked in Texas, Montana and Idaho. Typically, crews work on two week rotations.

This summer, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service spent eight weeks supporting the @TXForestService during heightened wildfire risk.

In total 26 firefighters from New Jersey spent a two-week rotation on one of three firetrucks that New Jersey provided to Texas. pic.twitter.com/HpvvKKGBv1

— New Jersey Forest Fire Service (@njdepforestfire) September 15, 2022

NOAA Satellites looking at wildfires

Coming off of a busier than normal couple of days, so I am sharing three videos of NOAA Satellites looking at wildfires. All three videos are from four to six weeks ago.

Fires Across Europe

Fires Across Alaska

Fire near Yosemite