2021 wildfire season: 7 acre brush fire -- San Diego County CA (May 22nd)

Thanks to my friends at NJFFS Section B10 for sharing a short video on May 23rd (videos updated daily) about a brush fire near the I-15 interstate in northern San Diego County, California. The brush fire, dubbed the Deer Fire, was first reported on May 22nd per this CAL FIRE San Diego Twitter post. Two S2-T tankers from Ramona Air Attack Base and about three helicopters responded to the wildfire to assist the firefighters on the ground in containing this fire. By late in the day on May 23rd, CAL FIRE San Diego reported that the Deer Fire was contained at 7.5 acres. The fire appeared to have started along the I-15. According to a report by CBS8 in San Diego (see the video that I embedded below), this brush fire may have started by a catalytic converter that came off a vehicle on the I-15, landing on the hill immediately adjoining the I-15.

I am always on the look out for videos showing air resources assisting wildland firefighters on the ground to fight a smaller brush fire. While this video is specific to California and the availability of CAL FIRE air resources, you can see what a difference a coordinated attack from the air and on the ground can make in keeping a brush fire on the smaller side. At the end of this video, you will learn about what California residents can do to protect their homes from wildfires. Again while specific to southern California, there are lessons here for all of us.

Direct link to video from CBS8 in San Diego

Coulson Aviation on night flying

Coulson Aviation has contracts  with the US Forest Service and internationally where they fly their fleet of aircraft to help the wildland firefighters on the ground. There fleet includes: 

• Chinook CH-47 Helitankers
• Blackhawk UH60 Helitankers
• 737 Fireliner
• C-130 Hercules
• Sikorsky S-61 Helicopters
• Sikorsky S-76 Helicopters

Coulson has a nice presence on Facebook where they post great photos and videos of their fleet in action as well as photos of their fleet being transported overseas. Today I come to you to share a one-minute video they recently shared on their Facebook page about their night time aerial suppression operations. (Coulson's Facebook page may be found here). Enjoy.

Kudos to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service for a job well done (May16-18 wildfires)

I want to give a shout out, as I can via this blog, to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service for your hard work fighting two wildfires in New Jersey the past three days, the Ballanger Fire and the Turkey Buzzard Fire, both are now contained with no property damage and no injuries reported. You stayed safe. Would if I could be in the fire area with a sign of thank-you and perhaps some goodies to express my gratitude for a job well done. But that is not possible, so this will have to do. Thankfully you contained both fires quickly so perhaps time away from your loved ones was minimal. I know that some of you are patrolling the area with the fires burned to do mop up duty and to be sure that the containment lines hold. While dry and with low relative humidity (for New Jersey), the winds are calm. That is a blessing. 

And while crews were working the Ballanger And Turkey Buzzard Fires, other NJFFS crews were and still are working other wildfires elsewhere in the State. 

As I can and as is appropriate, I am not shy in telling all how proud I am of all of you in the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, your contractors, mutual aid responders and various supporting agencies. It brought a tear to my eye to know that local fire companies were on the scene to provide assistance. 

In closing, I want to share a short video from CBS3 in Philadelphia reporting on both wildfires. The video report appears to have been made before the Turkey Buzzard Fire was contained.

Direct link to video from CBS3 in Philadelphia

2021 NJ wildfire season: wildfire in Brendon T Byrne State Forest (Burlington) Contained

Just now hearing that the Turkey Buzzard Fire that burned 407 acres in the Brendon T. Byrne State Forest in Burlington County, NJ has been contained. The Batona Trail in the fire area remains closed, roads are open. 

I want to give a shout out to the NJ Forest Fire Service for a job well done in fighting these two back to back wildfires. I am so very, very proud of you. You take good care of us in New Jersey.

2021 NJ wildfire season: Little Egg Harbor Twnshp Fire Contained

Yesterday I wrote about a wildfire in Little Egg Harbor Township, that my friends from NJFFS Section B10 call the Ballenger Fire. This fire is at 100% containment. No structures were damaged and no injuries were reported. Evacuations were voluntary, not mandatory.

Bill Gabbert of Wildfire Today wrote an article on this fire on May 17th including an excellent map of the fire and a list of resources. I would suggest that you look at Bill's article to look at his mapping of the fire.

2021 NJ wildfire season: wildfire in Brendon T Byrne State Forest (Burlington)

Thanks a good friend who gave me a heads up about a second wildfire in New Jersey. A wildfire, known as the Turkey Buzzard Fire, was reported at about 10:20 PM on Monday, May 17th in the Brendon T. Byrne State Forest in Pemberton NJ (Burlington County). It has burned about 407 acres, and according to a NJ Advance Media report (May 18th) is at approximately 50% containment. Portions of a popular hiking trail, the Batona Trail remain closed. This is the second wildfire in two days, the first one being the Ballanger Fire in Little Egg Harbor Township that is now at 100% containment. No structures have been damaged in either fire and no injuries have been reported.

I thank my friends from NJFFS Section B-10 for the names of these two wildfires. 

CBS3 in Philadelphia has a short report with a brief video on the wildfire in the Brendon T. Byrne State Forest. 

2021 NJ wildfire season: Little Egg Harbor Twnshp Fire Update

I would like to follow-up on the post I made earlier today on the wildfire in Little Egg Harbor Township -- known as the Ballanger Fire -- on the border of Ocean and Burlington Counties in New Jersey. Here is an evening update from the New Jersey Forest Fire Service. Residences are no longer threatened and all roads are open. A NJ Forest Fire Service helicopter flew over the fire, I do not know if it was an observation helicopter or if it made bucket drops. Thanks to my friends at NJFFS Section B10 for the name of this wildfire.

Corrected on May 18th to say that at the time I wrote the article I did not know if the helicopter was observation only or making bucket drops. I just read Bill Gabbert's May 17th article where he reported that the helicopter was making observation flights. Thank-you Bill!

2021 NJ wildfire season: Little Egg Harbor Twnshp (Ocean) wildfire

10:16 AM update Thanks to 6ABC (WPVI), I just now listened to the Press Conference (live) from the NJ Forest Fire Service. I amm not sure if 6ABC has had a chance to update their report yet, but I took notes. Thanks to the efforts of the wildland firefighters last night, the acreage burned has been decreased to 617 acres at about 40 percent containment. Route 9 is reopened but I believe that local roads may still be closed. Thirty houses are threatened, down from 75 last night. They are hopeful for higher containment later today.

At about 11:45 AM 6ABC (WPVI) has updated their story to include a video from the NJFFS 10 AM press conference, see the link above. It appears that they are updating this report as the day progresses. In addition, NJ Advance Media published a second article at about 11:40 AM. Since I was relying on my notes when I wrote the paragraph above, I am relieved that they too reported that Route 9 has reopened and that there are thirty houses that are threatened. I will continue to monitor news of the wildfire, as I can through the afternoon.

9:47 AM Thanks to a breaking news alert from NJ Advance Media that I received this morning (May 17th), I learned of a wildfire in Little Egg Harbor Township on the border of Burlington and Ocean Counties. This wildfire was first reported yesterday afternoon at about 4 PM by the Bass River Fire Tower. On Sunday night it was estimated to have burned about 70 acres, by this morning the estimate of burned acreage had grown to about 1,000 acres. Voluntary evacuations are in place and an evacuation center has been set up at a local school. The fire is burning east of the Garden State Parkway with sections of Route 9, a major thoroughfare in the area, reported as being closed. No injuries have been reported. The New Jersey Forest Fire Service and local fire companies are working the fire.

6ABC (WPVI) in Philadelphia has a report this morning with a video that I will try to embed below. As always, I am never quite sure how long this video will be accessible, but it should be accessible for a few days. Full report from 6ABC (May 17th, 7:39 AM) including video. The Atlantic City Press is also covering this fire, their May 17th article may be found here (may have a paywall).

More about NWS Incident Meteorologists

On May 3rd, I made my first post of 2021 on NWS Incident Meteorologists where I shared a very nice video about what Incident Meteorologists (IMETs) do. The video that I shared last week has good information and while it is a few years old by now, the information in the video reflects good science. Just the other day,  thanks to my friends from the NWS IMET office on Facebook, I learned about a nice video that is under three minutes from the US National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Burlington VT where two of their Meteorologists are IMETs.  I enjoyed this short video and I hope that you do as well. What follows is a link to the tweet from the NWS Burlington VT Weather Forecast Office with the video. If the full tweet with the video does not show up for you it is because you are using some sort of ad blocker. It is up to you whether or not you disable your tracker, if you do not want to disable your ad blocker or tracker,  click on the link in the second line and you should be directed to the Tweet.   IMETs save lives!

For today's #WeatherKnowledgeWednesday we are going to learn about the National Weather Service's Incident Meteorologist Program. @NWS_IMET_OPS pic.twitter.com/a2dbgADwl8

— NWS Burlington (@NWSBurlington) May 12, 2021

2021 wildfire season: Port St. Lucie Fl brushfire

 In my reading of wildfire activity in the United States the last couple of days, I have been focusing on what is happening on the east coast a 94 acre brush fire near the Spanish Lakes community in Port St. Lucie, Florida caught my eye. Partly because I am interested in the Florida environment but also because of the video that I share below with a discussion of one of the lightning strikes that started the fire. 

I will reflect on my thoughts about the video, but first a little about this brush fire in Port St. Lucie. According to this May 10th report from NBC 5 WPTV in West Palm Beach Florida: as of Monday afternoon the brush fire which was first reported on Sunday afternoon had burned 94 acres, three homes and two vehicles were damaged. Fortunately there were no injuries. Evacuations were in place on Sunday afternoon and evening for nearby residential communities. According the the Florida Forest Service - Active Wildfire Points Dashboard (see the screen shot), the brushfire burned a total of 104 acres and is contained.

Screen shot taken at 1120 AM on May 12, 2021 from this FL Forest Fire Service Dashboard

My friends from NJFFS Section B10 posts three or four videos of wildfire news from around the U.S. on their home page day. At times they also post wildfire videos from around the world. On May 10th, they shared to following video from WPBF 25 in West Palm Beach FL with a May 10th update about the Port St. Lucie brushfire. As I stated earlier, this brushfire was started by a lightning strike. I have have had lightning strike a tree on my property and am familiar with the scars that lightning causes. I am, of course, aware that lightning is one cause of brush and wildfires. Until now, I had not had the benefit of seeing a knowledgeable wildfire fighter show us ad explain how a lightning strike sparked a brushfire.

Direct link to video from WPBF 25

2021 wildfire season: National Guard UH60 Blackhawks assist in North Dakota wildfires

Direct link to video

One of the aerial assets that most States in the United States have to assist wildland firefighters on the ground when conditions warrant are the aerial assets of the National Guard or Reserve units located in their State. In many cases, the aerial asset is the UH60 Blackhawk Helicopter. I am not certain of how much water the bambi buckets on the Blackhawks can carry but I believe that it is at least 500 gallons, perhaps more. I know that my own state of New Jersey has a National Guard unit with Sikorsky UH60 Black Hawks that can be used to fight wildfires if requested.

Thanks to Mike Archer of the Wildfire News of the Day Newsletter for May 10th, I found a nice report from KFYR in Bismark, North Dakota of a behind the scenes look at preparing National Guard Blackhawks to work wildfires. North Dakota has had at least two instances this year where the North Dakota National Guard's Blackhawks have been deployed to fight wildfires. As always, I am never quite sure how long news organizations maintain the link to their reports but it should be up for awhile.

Blackhawks and other helicopters from the National Guard and other military reserve units are an invaluable resource to assist wildland firefighters when conditons warrant. While I do not believe that National Guard Blackhawks have been deployed in New Jersey to assist in wildland firefighting, I am very glad that they are around to assist should the need arise.

69 Bravo helitanker refill station (Topanga, CA)

I knew from videos that there was a helipad somewhere in LA County where helitankers could go to refill their belly tanks while working wildland fires. Thanks to my friends at Coulson Aviation, I learned of a video (embedded below) about 69 Bravo and the underlying technology. There are four pumpkins, each have a capacity of approximately 6,000 gallons, where the helitankers refill their belly tanks. What fascinated me is that the pumpkins refill automatically. 69 Bravo, opened in 2010. is possible because of the generosity of Simon T. There is a nice November 2019 LA Times article (paywall) on 69 Bravo which you may read for more information, here is an excerpt from that LA Times article explaining the importance of Bravo 69:

The base has been vital over the years for dousing fires in Calabasas, Monte Nido, Pacific Palisades, eastern Malibu and Topanga — areas frequently on high alert, given the narrow evacuation routes. The rugged canyons within a five-mile radius of the site are home to more than 11,000 structures, most of them residential, and more than 30,000 residents, according to a Times analysis of building footprints and population data.

The base is also used by medical helicopters and deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for other emergencies. A patrol vehicle remains there just in case.

And the site is a resource for fighting fires farther away, as drought and sanitation efforts, such as the covering of Santa Ynez Reservoir in Palisades Highlands, have made other water sources less accessible.

Here are two images from Google Earth. The first image shows the location of 69 Bravo and the second image is a close-up.

Added on May 9, 2021: I seemed to have missed the fact that the four pumpkins were upgraded from 6,000 gallons each to 8,000 gallons each.Thanks to Bill Gabbert of Fire Aviation for his fine reporting, in particular the article he wrote on May 8th about the upgrades at 69 Bravo.

Enjoy this five minute video from 69 Bravo where you will learn a little about the importance of the location of 69 Bravo, some of the technology, and some background information.

Direct link to video from 69Bravo

Matt, I post this in your memory. You would love this. May you fly in favorable winds.

Lets look at a SEAT in action

I am in the mood to get in the cockpit with a SEAT pilot. Enjoy this video where you will hear commentary about what is involved in flying a SEAT on a fire. Allow about 11 minutes to watch the video.

Direct link to video

2021 wildfire season: NWS Incident Meteorologist deployments (April 27th)

As I write this National Weather Service Incident Meteorologists (IMETs)are beginning to be deployed to wildfires. Already IMETs have been deployed to three incidents, all were deployed on April 27th:

• A meteorologist from the US NWS in Pueblo Colorado was deployed to the San Juan National Forest for the San Juan National Forest Prescribed Burn Program that is being conducted this spring.
• A meteorologist from the US NWS in El Paso, Texas was deployed to the Three Rivers Fire burning in the Lincoln National Forest near Alamogordo, NM (7,119 acres)
• A meteorologist from the US NWS in Flagstaff, Arizona was deployed to the Flag Fire near Kingman, AZ (1,265 acres)

I want to pause and offer a great article from the National Weather Service called "Eyes in the Sky: A Day in the Life of an Incident Meteorologist (IMET) on the Front Lines of a Wildfire." It is a short article. Long time readers may recognize the article as I have referred to it in prior years. Here is an excerpt.

IMETs are located in numerous NWS offices across the country. Once a large wildfire has started, an IMET is contacted and given orders to travel to the site of the fire as quickly as possible. Ken Simosko, an IMET with the NWS Bismarck Weather Forecast Office (WFO), has worked five fire incidents. “You have to be ready at a moment’s notice. I have my bag ready to go so that when I get the call, I can spend my time getting spun up on the history of the fire, its current and future situation. Usually an IMET is on scene within 24 hours to 48 hours of the initial call. This depends on the mode of travel [car or plane] and how far the IMET is from the wildland fire.”

At the fire site, the IMETs check in at the incident command center. This is usually located relatively near the active wildfire and is either part of a temporary tent or trailer camp that is set up for those who are working the event. “Depending on the size of the fire there can be hundreds of folks involved. Some people bring tents to sleep in. I usually bring a blow-up mattress and sleep in the back of my truck. The command center supplies food and brings in shower and bathroom facilities on a flatbed for all of us who are working the event,” says Simosko.

Each IMET deployment lasts around two weeks, or until the wildfire is considered contained. If a fire lasts more than two weeks, another IMET will be sent to relieve the one who has just completed their two weeks on-site. There is very little “down time” when working a wildfire.

Here is a nice short video that I have posted before. You will hear from NWS IMET Jeremy Wolf in a 2014 video.

Direct link to video on Youtube 

 

 

RIP Micheal Collins

I am pausing today to remember Michael Collins, NASA astronaut from Gemini 10 and the Command Module Pilot of Apollo 11. Mike died on April 28th from cancer at the age of 90 with his family by his side, (obituary from the Washington Post). May you rest in peace and may you fly in favorable winds.

Direct link to video from NASA

I wish that I had an opportunity to meet and talk to Mike Collins in person, I think that we would have had a fun time. But I did get to know him through his book, Carrying the Fire. I purchased a paperbook copy of the book several years ago. Unfortunately, I can not seem to find it at the moment. I may have lent it to someone. But I did purchase a Kindle version two years ago (2019 edition) and read it from cover to cover. I appreciated what to me was a down to earth writing style. I felt like I got to know Mike through his writing. He took me into the cockpit and aboard Gemini 10 and Apollo 11. I recall that he made some of the more technical terms understandable to this lay person and non-pilot. Thank-you Mike for this book and for writing a children's edition of the book.

NASA posted some statements on the passing of Mike Collins and has a nice page on Mike with links to a biography, pictures and videos.

I found this 10 minute 2019 video of a PBS NewsHour interview with Mike Collins on the fiftieth anniversary of the Apollo 11 flight to the Moon. I share this here because you will hear him speak of some the reflections and experiences that he wrote about in Carrying the Fire.

Direct link to video from PBS NewsHour

Global Supertanker (T944) ceased operations

As some of you already know, the company that operates tanker 944 (Boeing 747), Global Supertanker ceased operating T944 on or about April 21st of this year. I read this news on Bill Gabbert's Fire Aviation site on April 23rd. Here is an excerpt of Bill's reporting on April 23rd.:

The investor group that owns the 747 Supertanker, Tanker 944, is shutting down the huge air tanker. In an email sent April 21 to officials in Colorado, Oregon, Washington, and the federal government, Dan Reese the President of Global Supertanker gave them the news:

This week the investors that own the Global SuperTanker just informed me that they have made the difficult decision to cease operations of the company, effective this week…This is extremely disappointing as the aircraft has been configured and tuned with a new digital drop system and other upgrades to make it more safe and efficient.

Mr. Reese said in the email they are in discussions with prospective buyers, but it was unknown at that time if the aircraft would continue to be configured as an air tanker capable of carrying more than 17,500 gallons or if it would be used as a freighter.

If you have not already done so, you will want to read Bill's full report about the cessation of operations of Global SuperTanker Services.

Global SuperTanker Services is owned by Alterna Capital Partners

On Monday, April 26th, thanks to Mike Archer's Wildfire News of the Day e-mail newsletter, I read an April 26th article on the Aerial Fire Magazine about the cessation of tanker 944 operations, Global SuperTanker/Alterna Capital Partners Release Official Statement on GST Shut Down: the management of Alterna Capital Partners says in part:

Unfortunately, the 2009 vintage Alterna fund that owns GSTS has a 10-year finite life and does not have the resources to see the vision to come to fruition. Accordingly, the decision has been made to immediately cease all GSTS operations and look for alternatives to maximize the value of the team, the drop system and the 747-400 aircraft.

Alterna is actively pursuing various options, including, but not limited to, the recapitalization of GSTS as an aerial firefighting business, the sale of GSTS to strategic or other investors and/or the sale of the aircraft as a freighter. The option to sell the aircraft as freighter has been in part driven by the COVID-19 crisis, which has led to a significant increase in value for freighter aircraft.

Please take a couple of minutes to read the full statement from Alterna Capital Partners about why the decided to cease operations of Global SuperTanker Services.

The 747 Supertanker (tanker 944) with her 17,200 gallon tank capacity was a great resource in the aerial firefighting toolbox. California, Mexico and Chile are among the places where she flew fires. She will be missed. I sincerely hope that any financial and any issues (if applicable) with the 747 and the tank will be resolved so that she may return to service as an airtanker. 

Firefighter with medical emergency during Lakewood Fire (March 2021) goes home

The firefighter that had a medical emergency during the Lakewood Fire (March 15, 2021). I wondered what had happened to him but heard no news. I figured that no news was good news. And it was.

I saw on a few social media accounts that the firefighter with the medical emergency, Brian Sauers, was released from the hospital on Friday, April 23rd. Brian is a 40-year veteran of the East Dover (NJ) Volunteer Fire Company and the NJ Forest Fire Service. The Asbury Park Press (paywall, but you get a couple of free articles) has a nice article on Brian's release from the hospital that you may find here (with photos). 

I was moved to see the response from the NJ Forest Fire and local fire companies lining up to greet him as he was released from the hospital. So nice to see a motorcade honoring and celebrating the living.

Direct link to video from New Jersey Shore Fire Response

Friday Fun: Congratulations Ingenuity on your first flights on Mars

I want to pause and to congratulate the entire team for your work in making the 2020 Mars Rover, Perseverance and the Ingenuity helicopter a success. Imaging that, a helicopter on Mars. I have been a space flight buff since I was six, so I find this pretty exciting. The image of Ingenuity that I embedded above is courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS.

Here are some videos courtesy of NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Direct link to video of first flight from NASA JPL

Direct link to video of second flight from NASA JPL

Direct link to video of enhanced of launch of Ingenuity with dust

2021 NJ wildfire season: Prescribed burn in New Jersey (April 20th)

It seems that the New Jersey Forest Fire Service is continuing with prescribed burns, as conditions allow, in northern New Jersey (Division A). Yesterday, April 20th, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service conducted a prescribed burn on in Hopewell, Mercer County, on County land (go to see this NJFFS Facebook post).

Added on April 22nd: Bill Gabbert of Wildfire Today reported in an April 21st article that the U.S. Forest Service has suspended prescribed burn operations in the northern region -- Montana, northern Idaho, North Dakota, and a small portion of north west South Dakota because four firefighters experienced burn injuries while conducting prescribed burns. Two firefighters experienced severe third degree burns with surgical intervention. You will want to read Bill's April 21st article for more information. Stay safe out there.

Speaking of prescribed burns, thanks to my friends at the NJFFS Section B10 who shared a nice video yesterday from CBS Miami on prescribed burns conducted by the Nature Conservancy in western Maryland. Enjoy.

Direct link to video from CBS Miami

A close up of Air Tractors

I have had the privilege of meeting some Air Tractor 602's up close and personal and seeing them in action as an agricultural aircraft thanks to my friends at Downstown Aero Crop Service in Vineland NJ. Downstown just celebrated their 75th year in business. What can I say, they are elegant planes specially built for their tasks in agricultural and firefighting operations. 

Here is a four minute video from Texas Country Reporter (2017) of a video interview and tour of Air Tractor's factory in Olney Texas. Enjoy.

Direct link to video from Texas Country Reporter.

2021 wildfire season: wildfire at Vermont Quebec border

I was catching up on two days worth of Mike Archer's Wildfire News of the Day e-mail newsletters this morning when I saw that he posted a link to a short report from WCAX in Burlington, Vermont about a wildfire (size unknown) that burned at the Quebec-Vermont border, go here for the article. The wildfire started on April 14th in Quebec and burned into a remote area of Franklin County, Vermont. I do not know the exact location of this wildfire, but in years past I have driven through this area and can attest to its remoteness. Having spent portions of some summers in northeastern Vermont not far from the Canadian border, I often found myself wondering about wildfires near the border and how Quebec and Vermont agencies would respond. This fire gave me my answer. Quebec sent a spotter plane and two tankers while Franklin Vermont provided ground resources. 

A brief very brief overview of Pennsylvania's state wildfire agency and their 2021 wildfire season

Pennsylvania is a large state, but New Jersey does share a border with Pennsylvania and I do find myself thinking about wildfires in Pennsylvania, especially during the spring and fall wildfire seasons. I believe that the spring fire season in Pennsylvania is the same as here in New Jersey, March through May and again in the fall. I am not always tied into wildfire news in Pennsylvania, so I want to thank Mike Archer of Wildfire News of the Day, whose April 12th newsletter included a couple of articles about wildfires that burned in Pennsylvania the end of last week. 

• Two wildfires, fueled by strong winds, in Ohiopyle State Park in western Pennsylvania burned about 450 acres were contained on Friday, April 9th, see this article by CBS in Pittsburgh. 
• On or about Wednesday, April 7th, according to this report from YourErie two wildfires were reported in the Allegany National Forest in Pennsylvania. One burned about 261 and was estimated to be at 90 percent containment on April 12th, the second burned about 227 acres and was at 90 percent containment.

Reading about these two wildfires in western Pennsylvania got me interested in checking out the Pennsylvania state agency responsible for wildfires. The agency responsible for wildfires in Pennsylvania is the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) . I knew from poking around that there are 20 State Forest Districts in Pennsylvania, I believe each district is responsible for wildfires in their district. The DCNR has a page for wildfires that may be found here, with links for wildfire danger, historical statistics (some are by district), burn bans,  a nice fire tower story map, etc.. As I write this there is a summary report for 2020 wildfire season in PA that is available, it can be found here, but be advised that if you are arriving here in future years that the link may no longer be valid. I was interested in the following statistics from the 2020 summary report:

• 1.508 wildfires burned 3,021 acres with 17 structures destroyed, 2 fatalities and 12 injuries;
• 99.5 percent of these wildfires were caused by humans;
• the 10 year average is 750 wildfires and 3,500 acres burned;
• the largest wildfire burned 812 acres in early November in Monroe County, PA in northeastern PA.
• Pennsylvania DCNR air operations worked seven wildfires dropping 8,200 gallons.

A rainy and overcast day during spring wildfire season in New Jersey

Due to a rainy day, we are perhaps having a short respite during our spring wildfire season in New Jersey. I am pretty sure that the lookout towers are not staffed today and the contract aircraft may have an off day as well. It rained yesterday and it looks showers at least through the middle of the week. Nonetheless, depending on the location and the soil types, the soil can dry out pretty quickly. I know that even though the fire danger here in New Jersey is currently low, we are protected by the New Jersey Forest Fire Service and their mutual aid partners should the unforeseen wildfire start. And whether or not the rest of our spring fire season is wet or dry remains to be seen. Of course, wildfires do not follow a calendar, and dependent on rain and/or snowfall, can happen most any time of year. 

Today, as we have a short respite in our spring wildfire season, I want to share a three-minute video tribute to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service. Perhaps I have shared this before, and if so, reruns are always good. Enjoy

Direct link to video

2021 wildfire season: prescribed burning in NJ (April 9th)

This is our spring wildfire season here in New Jersey, our 21 fire lookout towers are all staffed today, our SEATs and helicopter are ready to go to help the firefighters on the ground should the call come. We did have some high fire weather concerns earlier this week, I do not know of any larger wildfires, and I still have no access to any kind of numbers on wildfire activity in New Jersey. Once the updates to the NJ Forest Fire Service web page are completed, I am sure that there will be some numbers available to the public.

Today the weather appears favorable for prescribed burning in northern New Jersey. The New Jersey Forest Fire Service is conducting two prescribed burns in northern New Jersey today, April 9th (go to this NJFFS Facebook page for more information. As always, this schedule is weather dependent and subject to change.

• Sussex County, Walpack Township, Walpack Wildlife Management Area
• Warren County, Mansfield Township, Pequest Wildlife Management Area

There is a very nice article by Nancy Parello in the Spring 2021 issue of Jersey's Best about the NJ Forest Fire Service: On the front lines: Elite N.J. Forest Fire Service charged with protecting life and land. It is a great article, please take a few moments to read this article. You will learn about fighting wildfires in New Jersey, mutual aid, and prescribed burning. What Ms. Parello reports on prescribed burning fits right in to this post on prescribed burns:

While battling blazes is an important part of their work, preventing fires may be even more critical. That also means using fire to fight fire, using “prescribed” or controlled burns — a practice that dates back to Native Americans who set fires to maintain an ecological balance between the forests and the land.

  

“The best way to manage this situation is to actively manage the land and try to create forests that are healthy and less prone to large wildfires,’’ McLaughlin said. (Greg McLaughlin is Chief of the NJ Forest Fire Service)

 

These controlled burns clear out dried leaves, brush and branches that fuel wildfires. The fire service strategically sets these fires each year, targeting areas dense with old trees and thick kindling.

  

“We work through a very planned process,” McLaughlin said. “We use technology like GIS (geographic information system mapping) and field data collection to determine which areas need to be treated.”

 

“Without the prescribed burns, the same situation could happen here that happens in California,” Robertson added. “There’s so much flammable material that it would build up.”            

More on fire towers in New Jersey

obtained on April 7, 2021 from https://www.nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/fire/program/detection.html#

From time to time I like to write about the important role that fire lookout towers play in detecting wildfires in New Jersey. There are 21 fire towers in New Jersey, at least half of all wildfires in New Jersey are reported by fire tower observers (see this NJ Forest Fire Service page for more information including a brief description of each of the 21 fire towers). The lookout towers are staffed today because it is the spring wildfire season and the fire danger has been high of late.

To read about how lookout towers are used to detect wildfires, click on "how do fire towers find and report fires" they say in part

After spotting a fire the attendant uses a tool called an Osborne Fire Finder or an Alidade. This is an indicator or sighting apparatus on a plane table, used in angular measurement. A topographic surveying and mapping instrument with a telescope and graduated vertical circle is used to obtain the radial and distance to a suspected fire. From these measurements he will call in a "Smoke Report." By lining up this machine with the fire they can calculate the direction and bearing of the fire.

I have driven by or hiked by a couple of the towers, for example, Catfish Tower in northern New Jersey and the Lebanon Tower in central New Jersey. I know where the Culvers Tower is but do not recall  hiking on the trail that goes near that tower. 

The New Jersey Herald has a nice story, written by Bruce A. Scruton on published on April 7th, on a visit to the Culvers Fire Tower. The Mr. Scruton's article may be found and it includes a video which I am embedding at the end of this article. Here is a separate link to the video if you have trouble with the embedded video. I never know how long media outlets leave these videos up, it should be up for at least a couple of weeks. I warn you that the New Jersey Herald has a pay wall, but you should be able to read this article for free as you get a couple of free articles each month.

Mr. Scruton visited with Nick Valerio, the attendant at the Culvers Fire Tower. Mr Sruton reports in part

On Monday morning, Valerio stood at his post at the Culvers Tower, paying close attention to his surroundings. It's wildfire season in New Jersey, and the current fire danger is listed as yellow, or high. The spring and fall are the most dangerous for wildfires, said the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, part of the state Department of Environmental Protection.

Valerio guards in solitude in the steel tower that replaced the previous wooden one. The Culvers tower is only 47 feet tall, one of the shortest structures in the network. But it is built atop the Kittatinny Ridge, giving the observation deck an elevation of 1,509 feet above sea level, the second-highest in the network.

2021 NJ wildfire season: enhanced fire danger in NJ (April 5-6)

Tanker 61 is on duty to fight wildfires as New Jersey and nearby locations in Delaware, Pennsylvania and the eastern shore of Maryland are experiencing enhanced fire danger today and tomorrow (April 5 and 6).

Special Weather Statement

National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ

634 AM EDT Mon Apr 5 2021

DEZ001>004-MDZ012-015-019-020-NJZ001-007>010-012>027-PAZ054-055-

060>062-070-071-101>106-060000-

New Castle-Kent-Inland Sussex-Delaware Beaches-Kent MD-

Queen Annes-Talbot-Caroline-Sussex-Warren-Morris-Hunterdon-

Somerset-Middlesex-Western Monmouth-Eastern Monmouth-Mercer-Salem-

Gloucester-Camden-Northwestern Burlington-Ocean-Cumberland-

Atlantic-Cape May-Atlantic Coastal Cape May-Coastal Atlantic-

Coastal Ocean-Southeastern Burlington-Carbon-Monroe-Berks-Lehigh-

Northampton-Delaware-Philadelphia-Western Chester-Eastern Chester-

Western Montgomery-Eastern Montgomery-Upper Bucks-Lower Bucks-

Including the cities of Wilmington, Dover, Georgetown,

Rehoboth Beach, Chestertown, Centreville, Easton, Denton, Newton,

Washington, Morristown, Flemington, Somerville, New Brunswick,

Freehold, Sandy Hook, Trenton, Pennsville, Glassboro, Camden,

Cherry Hill, Moorestown, Mount Holly, Jackson, Millville,

Hammonton, Cape May Court House, Ocean City, Atlantic City,

Long Beach Island, Wharton State Forest, Jim Thorpe, Stroudsburg,

Reading, Allentown, Bethlehem, Media, Philadelphia, Honey Brook,

Oxford, West Chester, Kennett Square, Collegeville, Pottstown,

Norristown, Lansdale, Chalfont, Perkasie, Morrisville,

and Doylestown

634 AM EDT Mon Apr 5 2021

...Enhanced Danger for Fire Spread Today and Tuesday...

The danger for fire spread will increase across the region this

afternoon as relative humidity values drop into the low to mid 20

percent range and northwest winds gust 20 to 25 mph at times. This

combination of low humidity, warming temperatures, and gusty

northwest winds will produce favorable conditions for wildfires to

ignite and spread, especially this afternoon and early evening.

On Tuesday, relative humidity values will again fall into the low

to mid 20 percent range across Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Northwest winds will be slightly weaker Tuesday, with gusts up to

20 mph at times.

Residents are urged to exercise caution handling any potential

ignition source, including machinery, cigarettes, and matches. Be

sure to properly discard all smoking materials. Any dry grasses

and tree litter that ignite will have the potential to spread

quickly.

For more information about wildfire danger, burn restriction, and

wildfire prevention and education, please visit your state forestry

or environmental protection website

Friday Fun: Blue Angels (2019)

For those of you celebrating Easter, this is the start of a holiday weekend, Passover began March 27th. I wish any of you traveling this weekend safe travels.

It is time for some Friday Fun in the form of a video showing the Blue Angels (2019). I do not believe that I have shown this before and if I have, reruns are always good.

Enjoy.

Direct link to video

2021 NJ wildfire season: prescribed burning in NJ (March 30th)

As I write this it is cloudy with rain forecast today.  I do not know if the NJ Forest Fire Service is conducting any prescribed burns today, March 31st. Perhaps not.

But I do know that the NJ Forest Fire Service conducted prescribed burns yesterday, March 30th, in all three divisions in New Jersey: North, Central, and South. See the NJ Forest Fire Service Facebook post (embedded below) for more information.

Remembering Vietnam Veterans on March 29th

Today, March 29th,  is National Vietnam War Veterans Day. I came of age during the Vietnam War. Some of my older high school classmates were drafted to serve in Vietnam. Many fine young men served in Vietnam, many died and others are still living with the effects of their service. So, I am pausing today to offer my remembrances and gratitude to all Vietnam Veterans for your service. I thank-you from the bottom of my heart. For more information on Vietnam Veterans go to Vietnam Veterans of America.

Direct link to video uploaded by The United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration

Friday Fun: USAF Thunderbirds (July 2019)

Enjoy! 

Direct link to video uploaded by US Military Power

2021NJ wildfire season: prescribed burning in NJ (March 23rd)

As I write this it is raining over much of New Jersey so if the New Jersey Forest Fire Service (NJFFS)  had prescribed (Rx) burns on the schedule for today, then I expect that these Rx burns have been postponed. As I have said in other posts on the NJFFS late winter and spring prescribed burning season, I have no special information on these Rx burns, I rely on the NJFFS Facebook page for my information. Before I get to yesterday's prescribed burns, I want to say how very proud I am of the New Jersey Forest Fire Service's prescribed burning program, to read more about the NJFFS prescribed burning program go my March 5th post. The New Jersey Forest Fire Service conducted its first prescribed burn in 1928 (go here for more information). Even if they skipped some years in the 1930s due to the Great Depression or in the early 1940s during World War II, that is a lot of years. I am very proud of the NJFFS prescribed burning program, helping to reduce wildfire risk. I certainly feel safer knowing that there are prescribed burns in my state, in northern New Jersey where I live and across the State. You are setting an example that I hope other States in the U.S. as well as other countries can follow. Keep up the good work.

As for prescribed burns on March 23rd, enjoy this short report from News12 NJ that the NJ Forest Fire Service shared on their Facebook page (embedded below). You will learn about some high school students who are learning about the benefits of prescribed burns through in person observation.

On March 23rd, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service conducted prescribed burns in the following locations (see this March 23rd NJFFS Facebook Post)

DIVISION A (northern NJ)

Hunterdon County 

• -Kingwood Township - Private Land

Morris County 

• Chester Township - Black River Wildlife Management Area
• Madison Borough - Municipal Land

Sussex County 

• Montague Township - State Land
• Wantage Township - Private Land

DIVISION B (central NJ)

Ocean County 

• Jackson Township - Private Land

2021 wildfire season: prescribed burning in New Jersey (March 22nd)

When I went to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service (NJFFS) Facebook page this morning, I noted that there was prescribed burning in southern New Jersey on March 20th and 21st. Today (March 22nd) the  NJFFS is conducted prescribed burns in southern New Jersey (Division C) and northern New Jersey (Division A). As always these schedules are weather dependent. I do believe that these prescribed burns are happening beyond the normal prescribed burning season that ended on March 15th, but I have no specific information. As you can see, I rely on the NJFFS Facebook page for my information.

March 20th and 21st

Division C - Cumberland County

• Commercial Township & Lawrence Township - Bevans Wildlife Management Area
• Fairfield Township - Dix Wildlife Management Area
• Maurice River Township & Vineland City - Peaslee Wildlife Management Area

March 22nd

DIVISON A 

• Sussex County: Hopatcong Borough - Private Land

DIVISION C

• Cape May County: Lower Township - Higbee Beach Wildlife Management Area
• Cumberland County: Maurice River Township - Belleplain State Forest
• Gloucester County: Glassboro Borough - Glassboro Wildlife Management Area 

2021 NJ wildfire season: Lakewood/Brick wildland fire was intentionally set

 Sadly, an investigation wildfire that burned in Lakewood and adjoining Brick Township in Ocean County NJ on March 14 to 15 was set intentionally. See this March 19th article from NJ Advance Media and this press release (Facebook) from the Ocean County Prosecutor's office for more information. 

2021 wildfire season: a word about other brush fire activity in NJ in early March

 While I was focusing early this week on the brush fire that burned 167 acres in Lakewood NJ (see for example my late afternoon article on March 15th), I was aware that there were many smaller brush fire in New Jersey last week. As I write this on March 19th, it seems that the New Jersey Forest Fire Service is in the process of updating their website. They are pretty good at statistics, so I am sure that in a few weeks, they will have fire statistics on their website. News reports on other brush fire activity is scarce but I did save a link to a New Jersey Advance Media report from March 15th on multiple brush fires in New Jersey. I did see, but failed to save reports about multiple brush fires in New Jersey last week. So, you'll have to trust me. I write this to give a shout out to all the New Jersey Forest Fire Service wildland firefighters, mutual aid responders, and contract aircraft who worked brush fires large and small. Thank-you for your past service and for your service in the coming weeks and months to keep us in New Jersey safe from wildfires. The spring wildfire season in New Jersey is or soon will be upon us here in New Jersey. Who knows what this spring wildfire season will bring. But we in New Jersey are in good hands.

When the New Jersey Forest Fire Service finishes updating their website, I will write about on this blog, so stay tuned.

2021 NJ wildfire season: brush fire in Lakewood/Brick Township (follow-up, March 17)

I am so very proud of all the NJFFS firefighters, municipal aid firefighters, and contract aircraft for an absolutely great job containing this fire in 24 hours during Red Flag conditions. You honor us with your service so that we may be as safe as possible from wildfires. I spent an hour watching footage of you fighting the fire and saving homes and have read media reports of residents thanking you for saving their houses. It could have been a lot worse. I want to give a special shout out to the US National Weather Service Philadelphia/Mount Holly for your forecasts, you gave plenty of warning about the fire danger ensuring that firefighters knew what to expect.

You might be interested in two recent articles from New Jersey Advance Media :

• Firefighters saved my home with a photo gallery, March 15th.
• Homeless couple lost everything, March 17th

Here is a nice video from the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, just under three minutes, about the brush fire that burned in Lakewood and Brick Township (Ocean County, NJ) on March 14-15. Greg McLaughlin, Chief of the New Jersey Forest Fire Service summarizes the recent brush fire. For those who are interested, I wrote three posts about this brush fire: March 14th, and two on March 15th (one in the morning and the second late afternoon).

Direct link to New Jersey Forest Fire Facebook post (I hope that this link works for you)

NWS Incident Meteorologists getting ready for wildfire season

 The U.S. NWS Incident Meteorlogists are getting ready for the 2021 wildfire season. There annual continuity of excellence exercise is being done virtually this year. Training continues year round but their annual get together is an important part of their preparations for the wildfire season. IMETs save lives!

Nearly 80 Incident Meteorologists & around 30 Trainees are training virtually this week for the IMET Continuity of Excellence Exercise! Although training continues year round, this is our time to get together as a group and prepare for the fire year. pic.twitter.com/9q74H9RZWv

— NWS IMET Operations (@NWS_IMET_OPS) March 15, 2021

2021 NJ wildfire season: brush fire in Lakewood/Brick Township contained

At 5 PM the New Jersey Forest Fire Service released the following statement on their Facebook page, the statement may be found here.

WILDFIRE UPDATE - LAKEWOOD, NJ - 5:00 P.M.

As of 2 p.m. today, the Lakewood area wildfire is at 167 acres and has reached 100 percent containment. Cold temperatures overnight aided fire suppression efforts. The fire will continue to smolder in interior areas east of the Garden State Parkway, south of Cedar Bridge Avenue, and north of Route 70. Patrol and mop-up activities will continue through the remainder of the day and into the evening. All roadways in the vicinity of the fire are open.

The fire's cause is under investigation.

A New Jersey Forest Fire Service firefighter remains in critical condition at a nearby hospital. (obtained on March 15, 2021, 6:55 PM from https://www.facebook.com/NJForestFireService/posts/793660281256590)

Residents in Brick Township New Jersey where 29 homes were damaged by the fire, but not significantly, spoke to the Asbury Park Press on March 15:

Firefighters quickly extinguished the flames consuming the exterior of Verlingo's home. Police officers told him it was the first house fire called in to 911, he said.

"That's why they were able to knock it down so fast," he said. Verlingo was able to return to his home.

Jennifer Baum of Francis Drive felt the same way as Verlingo."We were very, very lucky," she said. "The fire didn’t even touch our house.”  

The blaze did destroy her shed, pool heater, and a section of fence, she said.

After her daughter Laura noticed on a neighborhood Facebook group that some of her neighbors smelled the fire, she went outside to see what was happening.

“You could smell it in the house a little bit, but it wasn’t that bad. Then we came outside and we could see the firemen racing down the street. You could see it starting from the woods (behind their home) and then like 20 minutes later, they (the firemen) were telling us that we needed to evacuate, so it was pretty fast."

 See also an article from New Jersey Advance Media, March 15, 5:35 PM