Respect for Wildland Firefighters Working in Extreme Weather Conditions

Here in New Jersey we had a major snowstorm a couple of weeks ago followed by cold temperatures, below freezing most days. This past weekend the weather was downright frigid with highs lower than 20F and breezy conditions. The snow from two weeks ago is still present in my area. I am not in the position to speak to if wildfires occur in snow covered terrain. I can say the frigid temperatures that we have experienced the last couple of days made me appreciate that wildland firefighters work fires in all kinds of temperatures from very hot temperatures in the summer to frigid temperatures in the winter. I know enough to know that under their Nomex gear that they will have added layers to protect them from extreme cold. Here in New Jersey we could have had frigid temperatures with no snow on the ground which would have meant that if their was a wildfire, that New Jersey Forest Fire Wildland Firefighters would have been working a fire in frigid temperatures. Of course in other parts of the United States, the extreme cold is not necessarily uncommon in the winter.

The purpose of this short post is to give a shout out to all wildland firefighters both on the ground, in the air, and support personal for working in all extreme temperatures. Thank-you from the bottom of my heart for all you do to keep us safe.

Reflections on Fifteen Years of Blogging on Aerial Wildland Firefighting

It was in January 2009 that I made a commitment to devote this blog to aerial wildland firefighting and related issues. If someone had told me 25 years ago that I would be writing a blog on aerial wildland firefighting I would not have believed them. Then a series of changes in my life 20 years ago started me on a quest to do some writing. I wrote a couple of articles related to a former job and then I took a trip to Malawi in 2007. I began this blog to record my thoughts before, during, and after my trip to Malawi. I had some hopes of turning my time in Malawi into something more than just a life changing trip. So I knew that at some point I would have to find something else to write about. I ran out of things to post about Malawi in early 2008 and then spent a few months writing about various things that interested me.

I got interested in wildland firefighting in the fall of 2008 after following a major fire in California so I began learning about wildland firefighting. To be clear, I am not a wildland firefighter, nor am I a pilot. It is hard to explain but deep down inside I knew that I wanted to write about aerial wildland firefighting and I knew that not being in the business would pose some challenges. I have to give credit to a couple of friends of mine for encouraging me to follow this dream, especially Tom Janney. Without Tom’s early help and encouragement and a couple of other friends in the business. the early days of this blog would not have been possible. 

I can never write from the point of view of a wildland firefighter or those who flew tankers and helos in support of wildland firefighters on the ground. What I lack in first hand experience, I’d like to think that I make up with my passion and some research skills that I learned in graduate school and a think tank where I used to work as support staff.

I make no money off this blog, it has been and will remain a labour of love. Sure I get discouraged sometimes, wondering why I keep the blog going. During those times when I am discouraged either something happens in the world of wildland firefighting that gives me a reason to keep going or a firefighter friend tells me that I need to keep this blog going. 

I owe a debt of gratitude to some good social media groups, blogs and websites for letting me observe news on current and past wildfires as well to my friends in the wildland firefighting business (past or present) for answering my questions. I sometimes delve into related areas, such as weather events, and first responders responses to flooding and the like. 

For those of you reading who are wildland firefighters on the ground or in the air and your support teams, I want you to know how much I care about what you do. In the way that I can, I hope that I honor you in this blog.

Finally, I save the most important people for the last. That is you, my readers. Whether you drop by only on occasion or are a frequent reader, I do this blog for you. Thank-you from the bottom of my heart for reading and being a part of my journey. I hope to keep this blog going for many more years. 

2023 New Jersey Wildfire Season: NJ Forest Fire Service and Local First Responders Working Together

 

For the last couple of weeks I have been reflecting on the important role that first responders e.g. -- local fire companies, police, and other local first responders -- work together with wildland firefighters from the NJ Forest Fire Service in putting out wildfires. Sometimes these smaller fires are referred to as brushfires.  In many cases, the brush fire might be on the small size, from an acre or two to ten acres or so. I know that no matter the size of the brush fire that there is often a call for mutual aid from local municipalities to help the New Jersey Forest Fire Service. Or perhaps the first responder is from the local fire company where the assistance of the New Jersey Forest Fire Service is requested. 

I have been keeping my eyes open for a report of a brushfire where local firsts responders and the New Jersey Forest Fire Service responded. I found the Facebook post about the brush fire in Mansfield Township on March 21st where a brush fire was burning in heavy downed trees requiring over three hours to contain the fire. 

I sometimes fall to acknowledge the important role of these local first responders who work with the NJ Forest Fire Service. My point with this post is to give a special shout out to all the first responders (fire companies, police, and ambulance squads) who do important work on brush fires and the larger wildfires.  The larger wildfires often make the local news outlets but not so with the smaller brush fires. 

Thank-you Tri-County Volunteer Fire Company, Mansfield Township Township Fire Company, Mansfield Township Police,  and Independence First Aid Squad for the work you did yesterday in containing this brush fire and in the case of the police department and ambulance squad in supporting the firefighters.

Reflections on fighting smaller wildfires

For not particular reason I found myself reflecting on all the smaller wildfres that wildland firefighters on the ground and in the air fight. Depending on where the fire is and what agency has responsibility for fighting this fire there may or may not air resources available. 

I can not even begin to dive deep and find out all the smaller wildfires in the United States that are put out within a couple of hours of crews responding to the fire.  In many areas, the term initial attack is used when crews go to work immediately to try to quickly contain the fire. The National Wildfire Coordinating Group defines initial attack as "an aggressive action to put the fire out by the first resources to arrive, consistent with firefighter and public safety and values to be protected." A few years ago I saw a post from a wildland firefighter, I don't remember who or where, saying something to the effect that if initial attack is successful then the public will never know about this fire. That is, it may not reported in local or social media. Of course, nearby residents and business may know about such a fire.

My line of thought is that a small wildfire requires ground and in some cases aerial resources, albeit with lesser person power than a larger fire, to quickly contain the fire. the crews are there working the smallest fire to try to keep it small and containable within a couple of hours. They do this to keep us safe. 

I have sometimes written after a larger wildfire to thank the crews for containing the fire, but it has been quite a while, if ever that I have written to thank wildland firefighters working a small fire. Thank-you from the bottom of my heart.

Reflections on Big Sur (CA) and Wildland Firefighting

In my wonderings in my news feed and elsewhere, I found out about the Colorado Fire  burning near the Big Sur coast in Monterey, County, California (see this Jan 23rd article from the Mercury News ( https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/01/22/rare-terrifying-winter-big-sur-fire-burns-down-to-iconic-highway-1-bridge/ ) and Bill Gabbert’s recent article on Wildfire Today I have heard varying reports of acreage burned from 700 to 1,050, but according to CAL FIRE’s update as of 7:52 AM PST on Jan 24th, the fire has burned 700 acres, one structure has been damaged and the wildfire is at 35 percent containment. 

Reading about the Colorado Fire brought me back to the summer of 2008 before I had decided to devote the blog to aerial wildland fire fighting and related issues. The Basin Complex Fire which burned 162,818 acres. It is hard to explain but through hearing media report about this wildfire I became interested in learning more about wildfires and how wildfires are fought. So, I decided to take my readers along on this journey and a few months later, thanks to the help of some friends who helped me to learn the ropes of wildland firefighting and aerial wildland firefighting in particular, I devoted this blog to aerial wildland firefighting and related concerns. That was almost 13 years ago now. 

Writing this blog has been and continues to be an adventure. I am still learning and I take you along as I learn. There is much that I can never know because I am not a wildland firefighter and am a non-pilot aviation enthusiast. I do care about the wildland firefighting community in the air and on the ground. I hope that comes across. I am grateful to all you, my readers, thank-you for reading me and following me over the years. 

reflections on wildland firefighting

If you have read the about me page of my blog then you know that I am not nor have I ever been a wildland firefighter or any other kind of firefighter, nor am I licensed pilot. However, my interest in wildland firefighting whether it be on the ground or in the air is genuine. I am aware of the dangers involved in wildland firefighting on the ground and in the air. There is a reason why the wildland firefighters on the ground (aka groundpounders) where protective equipment, are trained in how to be safe, and carry and are trained in when and how to deploy fire shelters. There is also the importance of exercising safety precautions when using chain saws, and having an escape route. In spite of all that, accidents happen. Firefighters are injured and sometimes killed. 

In thinking about the dangers faced by groundpounders, I don't know about you, but I sometimes watch fire footage. Footage included structures burned, while depressing, shows the reality of what groundpounders assigned to some wildfires face. Whole towns can and have come close to being wiped out. Then there is the footage of close calls faced by ground pounders in engines or residents escaping a wildfire down a road with the raging fire on both sides, at times coming across the road. I am sure that many of you have seen such footage. I am not interested in that footage today. 

I am interested in raw wildfire footage, that is not too long, showing ground pounders with air support going about the business of fighting a wildfire and hopefully staying safe from the danger that surrounds them. I found some raw wildfire footage from KPIX CBS in San Francisco shot in July of this year of the River Fire that was then burning in Yosemite National Forest. The River Fire ultimately burned  9,656 acres and destroyed at 12 homes, see this article from the Visalia Times for more information. To the best of my knowledge, no firefighters were injured or killed on this fires, nor were any civilians injured or killed. The cause of the fire was under investigation

So I watched just under four minutes of footage of ground pounders working this fire a day or so after it was first reported. The lens of the camera allowed me to watch as an observer from the safety of my study. I get an extremely small taste of what it is like to watch ground pounders in action. But it is the best that I can do. 

I have oodles of respect for all ground pounders and for the pilots and crews working the fire from the air to support the ground pounders.  Thank-you ground pounders for all that you do in your efforts to keep us safe from wildfires. Sometimes you can not save our homes, that has to be hard. Sometimes you have to escape a dangerous situation to stay safe. And sometimes you mourn when ground pounders working the same fire die. I hope that my respect for you comes across in this post. There are times like this when I feel like my words are wholly inadequate, but my feelings and concern are genuine. In my own way, I pray daily for all of you.

Direct link to video from KPIX on Youtube

Reflections on wildland firefighting training

I am working on a still developing series of articles looking at how wildland firefighters protect themselves while working a fire, the gear and tools they carry, safety concerns, training, etc. See my recent posts on PPE on an engine crew, the line pack, and hand tools.

What got me started in writing this series is knowing that in many parts of the U.S., it is the time of year where wildland firefighters on the ground and in the air go through their spring training. My regular readers know that I have not know nor have I ever been any kind of firefighter, wildland or structure. So, I can not speak from any kind of personal experience. But I have been doing this blog long enough that training in the classroom and passing physical tests is not just a once and done deal. As I understand, every wildland agency -- federal, state, and local -- have annual recurrency training. The National Wildfire Coordinating Group has information on Wildfire Safety Annual Refresher Training (WFSTAR) that is used by Federal Agencies. This year's Refresher Training (2021) is being done virtually. As I understand it, The Wildfire Safety Annual Refresher Training is also known as RT-130. The requirements for the US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Indian Affairs, the National Park Service and RT-130 are found in the Interagency Standards for Fire and Aviation Operations (Red Book), Chapter13. I believe that many state and local wildfire agencies may use a variation of WFSTAR, RT-130 for their refresher training.

My point in this post is to say that I respect the hard work and the sacrifices made by wildland firefighters on the ground and in the air. I can appreciate the need for annual classroom work, field exercises, and physical tests including but not limited to running and carrying a loaded pack on a timed course. Wildland firefighting is physically demanding work so the need to pass physical tests each year is important. Likewise, the classroom work and any field exercises are important as a means of reviewing and reinforcing knowledge as well as learning new fire science and perhaps to be advised of local conditions that may affect local and state wildland firefighters.

I am sorry that I do not have a video to show you at this time. I have looked around and need to keep looking. If I find one that seems appropriate, I will revise this post.

In the meantime, my wish and prayers for all wildland firefighters is to stay safe and know that I appreciate all that you do to keep us safe. Please know that I have a great deal of respect for all wildland firefighters, and it is my intention to try to honor you in writing this blog. 

In Honor of Martin Luther King

Today we honor Martin Luther King, whose legacy of working towards freedom and equality for all has had an impact on me. It is also a day to think of service to others. So I want to honor today all the wildland firefighters on the ground and in the air as well as all who provide support for your service to us and the sacrifices you make so that we may be safe.

The post that I have embedded below is from the National Interagency Fire Center's Facebook Page (go here for direct link). I'd like to make a special shout out to the North Jersey Wildland Fire Association for pointing me to the NIFC post. If you do not see the Facebook Post below, it is because your tracking program or ad blocker is blocking the link. 

A few reflections as we begin a New Year

Many of us were happy to bid 2020 a fare thee well. I feel like I would be remiss if I did not mention COVID-19 as  COVID-19 pandemic is foremost on the minds of many as too many died and many more were sickened. We hope that 2021 might bring some hope. The wildland firefighters on the ground and in the air fought these wildfires with COVID safety protocols in place where some were sickened and at least one has died, see this September 2020 article by Bill Gabbert on Wildfire Today for more information. 

But more to the point and the reason I write this blog is about aerial wildland firefighting and related concerns. This is the third year since 2010 with over 10,000,000 acres burned in the United States.

Year-to-date statistics obtained on January 4, 2021 from https://www.nifc.gov/fireInfo/nfn.htm
2020 (1/1/20-12/31/20)	Fires: 58,258	Acres: 10,274,679
2019 (1/1/19-12/31/19)	Fires: 50,469	Acres: 4,664,369
2018 (1/1/18-12/31/18)	Fires: 58,113	Acres: 8,767,801
2017 (1/1/17-12/31/17)	Fires: 71,499	Acres: 10,026,086
2016 (1/1/16-12/31/16)	Fires: 67,595	Acres: 5,503,538
2015 (1/1/15-12/31/15)	Fires: 68,047	Acres: 10,113,927
2014 (1/1/14-12/31/14)	Fires: 63,487	Acres: 3,571,493
2013 (1/1/13-12/31/13)	Fires: 46,839	Acres: 4,308,297
2012 (1/1/12-12/31/12)	Fires: 67,578	Acres: 9,197,224
2011 (1/1/11-12/31/11)	Fires: 74,081	Acres: 8,709,442
2010 (1/1/10-12/31/10)	Fires: 71,971	Acres: 3,422,724
10-year average Year-to-Date
2010-2019	Fires: 62,882	Acres: 6,789,149

My heart went out to the wildland firefighters on the ground, assisted by aerial support who worked hard to bring these devastating wildfires under control. Thousands of residences were destroyed. While wildfires have died down out west, the danger is never over. For many out west, the danger did not end with the containment of wildfires. Until the burn scar can be rehabilitated, mud slides remain a danger. Then there are those who are living elsewhere, perhaps in temporary quarters until they can rebuild.  

Rarely a day goes by when I do not think about the efforts of wildland firefighters on the ground and in the air to fight wildfires. They make sacrifices to try to keep us safe. Somehow offering my prayers and mediations to the firefighters, their families and all those who were affected by wildfires burning in or near their homes or businesses does not always seem like enough, but what do I know? So I write these so that all who read know that I care.

We have entered a New Year, and who really knows what type of wildfire season we will have in the United States? Time will tell. 

continued reflection for wildland firefighters during a pandemic

I wrote on March 30th that I am not going to write about the Covid-19 pandemic, this still holds true as I write this. However, as wildfire season ramps up in other parts of the country and we in New Jersey have a week or so more to go in our spring wildfire season, I continue to hold all of you who engage in wildland firefighting in any capacity in my daily meditations. This is nothing new as in the eleven years that I have writing this blog on aerial wildland firefighting hardly a day has passed when I did not think of all of you. What has changed for me at least is that I figure that there are two ways I can help you. One is to shelter-in-place, as I continue to do. The second and more to the point of this blog is to keep you in my daily meditations. So, to all of you who are in the wildland firefighting community in any capacity. this post is for you. I know enough to know that there are protocols being put in place for wildland firefighting during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Those of you who are interested in this topic will find Bill Gabbert's reporting on Covid-19 on Wildfire Today to be good reading. Bill is doing is usual excellent job of reporting and he has written a great deal about Covid-19 over the last month. It was Bill's reporting that provided some motivation for this post. Highlights include but are not limited to:

• his interview with the Forest Service about changes in wildland firefighting during the pandemic (April 11th)
• US Forest Service, NW Region, Covid-19 protocols (April 15th)
• Covid-19 protocols issued by the National Geographic Area eastern region (April 16th)
• Simulation for managing Covid-19 during wildfires (May 2nd)

Thank-you all wildland firefighters (ground based and in the air) and all support personnel for keeping us safe from wildfires.


Direct link to video on youtube

Reflections on wildland firefighting and other emergency responders during a national emergency

As I write this post today, with the exception of essential trips, I have been sheltering-in-place for the last three to four weeks. I started this to be sure I was healthy for a cataract surgery earlier this month. Then Covid-19 cases ramped up in the United States, including my part of the country, so I took sheltering in place more seriously.

I did think about trying to write something about how the Covid-19 pandemic might affect wildland firefighting. I finally decided that such an article would be time consuming to research to try to get the best information for you. But more important, writing such an article is beyond my knowledge and capabilities. I suspect that all or most of you have seen various federal and local websites devoted to Covid-19 along with local journalism. Those of you who are wildland firefighters may, undoubtedly, know more than I about where to find information on how you handle Covid-19 and other infectious diseases on the fireline. So, If you are here looking for such information, I leave you to your own devices to find the information you are looking for. 

So, why am I mentioning Covid-19 at all? I mention this virus to provide a context for this post that I am writing in the middle of this pandemic.

I write this post for wildland firefighters who are considered essential workers along with structure firefighters, law enforcement personnel, EMT’s and ambulance drivers, medical personnel, National Guard troops, and other first responders.

I want all of you who are first responders, including but not limited to wildland firefighters to know that I am paying attention. I can only imagine the additional risks that wildland firefighters might be taking as you fight wildfires during a pandemic in order to keep us safe. I suspect that your training covers measures you can use to safe as you fight wildfires, whether it be on the ground, in the air, or the various support staff.

Wildfire season occurs at different times in different parts of the United States. The same may be true in your country. However, in some parts of the United States, the wildfire season never really ends.

I thank you, who are wildland firefighters and other first responders, for all you are doing, at added risk to yourself and your families, to keep us safe.

I thank the first responders in my town and elsewhere for your service, in my case some of you are volunteers for what you are doing to keep us safe.

To all wildland firefighters, on the ground and in the air, I think of you daily and will continue to keep you in thoughts and meditations as this pandemic continues.

Reflections: an abnormally dry period in NJ, increased fire danger, and the New Jersey Forest Fire Service

It is a quiet but slightly warm late September day in northern New Jersey. However, after we had above average precipitation in 2018 lasting into at least the first six months of 2019, the rain faucet has been down to a trickle the last five weeks. I recorded no rain at all from August 24th through the end of that month and .85 inches to date in September. No, this is not a drought, at this point it is abnormally dry according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

There would have been a time before I started this blog eleven years ago when my only thoughts would have that I might have to pay more attention to watering some plants and shrubs and wondering how my teenaged trees are making out. Asides from the need to do more watering, I doubt if I would have given five weeks with little rain more thought. I doubt if increased fire danger would have crossed my mind. I am a different person now.

Now I am quite aware that with the lack of rainfall over the last five weeks comes an increase in fire danger. To be clear, the National Weather Service has not, to date issued any fire weather watches or red flag warnings for New Jersey and environs, but according to the New Jersey Forest Fire much of northern New Jersey (Division A) is seeing high fire danger with stage 1 camp fire restrictions in place. Stage 1 campfire restrictions mean that

Fires directly on the ground will be prohibited unless in a prepared fire ring. Fires on mineral soil which will not endanger the forest, such as in a gravel pit, may be permitted at the discretion of the Forest Firewarden issuing the permit. A prepared fire ring must be constructed of steel, stone, brick, or concrete with a gravel or masonry base.

For more information on fire danger and restrictions in New Jersey go to this NJFFS webpage.

I am very comforted to know that with what might be an early start to the fall wildfire season they have ramped up their activities across the state to keep us as safe as possible from wildfires. All fire towers in Divisions A,B, and C have been staffed at least since Wednesday, September 25th. I am fairly certain that NJFFS wildland firefighters have been doing daily patrols, at least in northern New Jersey but perhaps in central and southern New Jersey as well.  I have not heard any information about major wildfires, and if I learn of any such activity I will report back.

I want to offer my heartfelt thanks to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service for all that they do to keep us safe here in New Jersey.

Labor Day 2019

I am taking a day off from my labors on this Labor Day in the United States. Having said that, I want to remember all the first responders including but not limited to wildland firefighters for either working today or being on call. Thanks all for all you do to keep us safe.

I would also like to thank all my friends at the various National Weather Service office for working today to keep us safe, especially those putting in extra time  because of Hurricane Dorian.

Reflections on wildland firefighting sacrificing family time from a non-firefighter

I took a day off from my usual posting schedule yesterday to enjoy some family time. I found myself reflecting on the fact that normally when I am planning family time, as I did yesterday, I often have something prepared ahead of time to post. Obviously, that did not happen yesterday. I thought about our wonderful wildland firefighters in the air and on the ground. They often work through holidays, and their own family's special days so that we may be safe. That means they sometimes miss out on holiday time, birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, and the like.

I enjoyed my family day yesterday. While there was no particular wildfire danger that I knew of in my neck of the woods yesterday, I know that wildland firefighters of the NJ Forest Fire Service were ready to respond if the call came. And the NJFFS wildland firefighters and those in your State, Province, or Country will be ready to respond to a wildland fire to keep you safe, even if it means forgoing some family time.

We have a holiday coming up here in the United States as we celebrate Memorial Day this Monday, May 27th. I hope that all who are traveling this weekend safe travels.

Reflections on annual wildland firefighter's training (ground crews)

It is the end of February and that means that in parts of the United States the wildland firefighter crews on the ground are training new firefighters and experienced firefighters are getting refresher training. Both new recruits and experienced firefighters will be taking courses and physical tests. The physical test may include carrying a pack of a certain weight for a certain distance with a time requirement. The exact requirements will vary be agency and the type of crew. State agencies will have their requirements that may be based on federal requirements.

My point here is not to delve into the different course and testing requirements. Rather I respect and understand the need for wildland firefighters to be physically fit with the appropriate updated knowledge to work a wildfire, in some cases they are on the fireline for several days. This is physically and perhaps emotionally demanding. Not only are they working hard, they are away from their families.

In my own state of New Jersey, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service wildland firefighters will soon be going through their training. Returning wildland firefighters will be taking their annual refresher course and a pack test, both have to be successfully completed. New recruits will be successfully complete a few course in addition to the requisite physical training which includes a pack test.

I would imagine that the training also serves to help the firefighters to bond and become a cohesive unit, communicating well on the fireline and enjoying downtime together. Their lives depend on each other.

I wish all wildland firefighters, new and returning, a successful training period as you prepare for your upcoming fire season. Stay safe and thank-you for the sacrifices you make to keep us safe from wildfires.

More reflections on ten years of blogging about aerial wildland firefighting from a non-pilot aviation enthusiast

In the fall of 2008, I got interested in wildland firefighting, see my June 29, 2018 article for reflections on learning about wildland firefighting. In late 2008 and early 2009, I met a now very good friend and retired tanker pilot and aviation historian who offered to introduce me the world of aerial wildalnd firefighting. I took him up on his very generous offer. He and I remain good friends to this day. He spent a lot of time with me over e-mail and sometimes over the telephone in the first three or four years of this blog. Through him, I met other retired and current tanker and helicopter pilots as well as others in the business. The help of all this fine folk has been invaluable to me over the years. Ten years later, I know that these friends have my back. This is important because I write this blog more as an observer and not a participant.

I wrote my first article introducing my interest in aerial wildland firefighting on January 23, 2009. About 18 months later I made the decision to change the name of the blog, making a quiet but more public commitment to blogging aboutaerial wildland firefighting and related concerns. Little did I know that for years I had buried what I know now to be a lifelong passion for aviation. As I learned about the world of aerial wildland firefighting, my thirst for knowing about aviation grew.

A dream that I had of getting a pilot’s license can never happen. That is the things are sometimes. But I did not let the fact that I will never be licensed pilot stop me. I attended aviation ground school, but never went further than that. Through aviation ground school, I learned the basics of flying, at least as much as I could through books. I was fortunate that I found some pilot friends who took me flying, I was always in the right seat and never handled the controls of the airplane. Yes, at the direction of the pilot, I may tune in the radio to the correct frequency. I had learned a little about navigation so I can plot a route and follow along on my maps using visual cues on the ground.

I love to read about flying. When I am reading a book that was written by a pilot, in a sense I can fly through their words and their descriptions of the landscapes they flew over. I like reading about aviation history and am currently reading a couple of books about the early female pilots, including but not limited to Amelia Earhart, there a slew of lesser know female pilots of that era, some died. But many male pilots died as well. I have huge amounts of respects for these early women of the air. I promise to write more about some of these women in later articles, but I want to finish reading these books first.

I also like videos shot from the cockpit, both fire fighting tankers and helicopters as well as general aviation aircraft.

My passion for aviation has broadened my horizons in other ways, I have gotten more interested in weather and try to pay some attention to the aviation resources that NOAA and other agencies use to help weather forecasters.

I would be remiss to not take a moment to remember all the wildland firefighters on the ground, I have learned about the work that you do over these ten years. The air support, when available, is there to help these “ground pounders” fight wildfires. I learned about how the ground pounders communicate with aerial resources, that they work together to contain the fire.

I am not a wildland firefighter or any other kind of firefighter. I hope that my blog honors all the great work that you do, whether you be a firefighter on the ground or in the air.

Most important, I’d like to thank all of you who read this blog, I try to take you along on these various journeys that I have embarked on over these ten years.

Seasons Greetings and thank-you to all wildland firefighters

I took the last two days off to spend time with my family and friends during this holiday season. I am well aware that for many wildland firefighters -- on the ground or in the air -- as well as structure firefighters were working those two days to keep us safe. At times sacrificing time with their families. So, I want to take some time again, to thank all wildland firefighters for your service. I also want to wish all wildland firefighters and structure firefighters a very happy holiday season and a happy New Year.

The tribute video below may be a rerun, so to speak, as I have shared it at least twice on the blog. The video was uploaded to Youtube over tent years ago, but it stands the test of time, offering a good tribute to wildland firefighters. Further it was one of my favorites. I post this with thanks in my heart for all that wildland firefighters -- on the ground and in the air -- do to keep us safe.


Direct link to video on Youtube

Reflections on 10 years of blogging on wildfires: early explorations into the world of wildfires

June 29, 2018
Reflections on 10 years of blogging on wildfires: early explorations into the world of wildfires

After I first got interested in wildfires in July 2008, I recognized that I knew very little about wildland fires. By mid=August 2008, I had a couple of humbling and embarrassing conversations with folk in the business of fighting wildfires. These conversations demonstrated how much I did not know. I suspect that there are some things that I got wrong in my first few weeks of writing about wildfires, especially but not including what I wrote about the Basin Complex Fire (Los Padres National Forest, California. However, even though my ramblings at that time were those of someone who was very new to the world of wildland firefighting, I did care. Perhaps I was not then able to articulate my caring about wildland firefighters and those affected by wildfires in words. But I did care. And it was that caring which kept me going through those sometimes difficult period in the fall and early winter of 2008 to January 2009.

In the early fall of 2008, not quite knowing what else to do, but knowing that I wanted to learn more about fighting wildfires, I did a couple of things on my own. I also kept blogging about other things I was interested in.

The first and perhaps most important thing I did was to continue reading various books and articles I found on the internet about wildland firefighting. After reading Norman MacClean’s book, Young Men And Fire, on the smokejumpers who died in the 1949 Man Gulch Fire, I read about some historic wildfires, as well as other accounts of wildfires where firefighters died. I also read at least one book by a wildland firefighter. I enjoyed that first hand account. I did most of this reading quietly, taking in what I was learning and making notes of things that I wanted to learn more about.

I knew how to do research on the internet, and began to explore the internet for good information on wildland firefighting based in part on what I had been reading. Thanks to a now defunct wildland fire forum, wildlandfire dot com, I began to learn about wildland firefighting from folk who were on the frontline fighting wildfires and their friends. They had a links page, and I began to explore those links. I got interested in how wildland firefighters stay safe, and began reading up on safety. I did some blogging about what I learned, while at the same time trying to be careful of my sources.

I began to follow wildfires around the country, although I suspect that I may have had more of a focus on California. However, I also tried to pay attention to wildfires that burned closer to home, reading and then writing about a couple of late summer wildfires in New Jersey.

I continued to learn. I did enjoy the process of learning about wildland firefighting. I felt a new purpose for my writing after over four years of struggling with what and how I wanted to write about. At the time, I knew that I was only scraping the surface of the world of wildland firefighting. I kept going.

Ten years later, I’d like to think that I know a little more about wildland firefighting. At least as I can without being a wildland firefighter.  I do admit that sometimes I still feel like I am only scraping the surface of what there is to know about wildland firefighting. I keep going with this blog with some minor changes in the last ten years. Most important I continue to care, I care deeply. I feel a strong commitment to wildland firefighting; aerial, troops on the ground, various support staff, and other agencies providing support.

Reflections on 10 years of blogging on wildfires: introduction - stumbling into wildfires

This reflection piece is what I hope will be the first of several periodic reflections on what I have learned in 10 years of blogging on wildfires. In this piece I am looking back on how I first got interested in wildland firefighting in July 2008 and how I got interested in aerial wildland firefighting in early 2009.

For those of you who don't know, I first got interested in blogging on wildfires on July 9, 2008 when I made a post on a wildfire that was then burning in southern California, the Basin Complex Fire. The post is still up but most of the links are all outdated, so I am not linking to that article. But it is easy enough for you to find if you scroll down to the right side of this blog and look under blog archives for July 2008, the post is called "Fires in CA." I was interested in the Basin Complex Fire because I had heard about the fire on the national news, and I had some acquaintances that lived near the area where the Basin Complex Fire burned. For those of you who might want to read more on the Basin Complex Fire, Big Sur Fire (provides fire, rescue, and EMS services to the Big Sur Community)  has a page devoted to the Basin Complex Fire with several links you can go to, most but not all of the links still work.

I will be the first to admit that I knew I had to lot to learn about wildfires. I am not sure that I fully understood how much I did not know. After a half year of knowing that I wanted to keep writing a blog, but not really knowing what I would write about,  I stumbled upon the Basin Complex Fire. Realizing that I had a lot to learn gave me the motivation to learn more. I began reading more about wildfires on the internet and a former grad school professor who knew something about fighting wildfires suggested that I start by reading Norman McClean's book, Young Men and Fire, on the smoke jumpers who died fighting the Mann Gulch Fire in 1949. After reading this book, I was hooked. I did some more reading on the internet and read some more books. During the fall of 2008 and early 2009. I blogged on what I was learning

Eventually with the help of a couple of now very good friends (retired and current air tanker and helicopter pilots), I (again) stumbled into the world of aerial wildland firefighting in early 2009. Those friends, took me by the hand so to speak, and helped me learn about the world of aerial wildland firefighting. I was again hooked. I have my Grandpa to thank for my passion for aviation. While he and I never talked much about airplanes until just before he died, I believe I got the aviation gene from him. He was an early aeronautical engineer. I know that he is pleased and smiles down at me.

As I began to blog on aerial wildland firefighting, I found a deep sense of purpose of what direction my writing and blogging would take. I had been searching for almost four years to find a purpose for my writing. In July 2008, it was as if someone left a door slightly ajar and I entered the world of wildland firefighting through the Basin Complex Fire. I had found that which I had been searching for for over four years. I was home.

Thanks to wildland firefighters on the ground and in the air

I was taking some down time just now watching an old tv show from the 1970s, Emergency, the episode (from season 3) depicted a (fictional) account of a wildfire in the Los Angeles area of southern California. As I was sitting there watching the show, with what may have been some actual footage of a southern California fire from the period.

The show had a scene when three firefighters were surrounded by a fire after rescuing another firefighter who was trapped under a truck. They called for water drops and then made a safe space and dug in and waiting for help to come. In the manner of feel good TV, this had a happy ending. Water drops were made and the trapped firefighters were rescued.

In real life there are not always happy endings. Sometimes firefighters die, sometimes civilians die, firefighters and civilians are injured,  houses are lost and businesses are lost. In time, structures can be rebuilt. In some cases people will heal from their injuries and resume their lives. But sometimes lives are changed. People injured in a wildire may face a long recovery and may not be able to go back to what they were doing before the wildfire. Loved ones die.

I am reminded about how tankers and helos work a wildfire in the air to support wildland firefighters on the ground. It is dangerous work, that they do keep us safe.

I want to pause and remember all wildland firefighters, in the air and on the ground. Thank-you for keeping us safe. Thank-you for your sacrifice. Thoughts and prayers for all who have died in the line of duty.

This is one of my favorite tribute videos, and I have shared it at least once a few years back on this blog. I share it again in honor of all wildland firefighters. Thank-you


Direct link to video on Youtube