Next Generation Air Tankers: Coulson's C-130Q and Aero Flite's RJ85

Two short videos of US Forest Service Next Generation Air Tankers. The first video shows Coulson's C-130Q (N130FF) dropping on the. Wheeler Fire

. Thanks to my friends at the NJ Forest Fire Service Section B10 for posting the video on their video of the week page (new videos every weekend).

direct link to video (with some info on the tanker).

I was looking at Bill Gabbert's Fire Aviation Site when I noticed that he had written an article last October embedding a short video of Aero Flite's RJ85 making what appears to be a test drop (go here for Bill's article. Thanks for all your good work Bill!

direct link to video.

"Old Fire" (Old Bridge NJ) contained

As some of you may know, we here on the east coast of the U.S. have been under the influence of a coastal low that has brought rain and snow. According to my friends from New Jersey Forest Fire Service (NJFFS) Section B10, there was 1.8 inches on the fire near Old Bridge NJ that I wrote about on Nov. 24 and again  on Nov. 25. The fire, named the "Old Fire" because it started near Old Road, burned 230 acres and was declared contained at 8 AM this morning. I expect that rain probably helped to bring this fire into containment. 

A special thank-you to all firefighters on the ground and in air who worked the various wildfires in NJ, NY and elsewhere in the eastern region over this past weekend. I hope that with the rains, you can catch up on your sleep and then enjoy the holiday with your family and friends. You worked in very cold in windy conditions on Sunday, and those of you who where working or moping up a fire yesterday and last night where working in rain (and perhaps snow??). Thank-you for all you do to keep us in the eastern region safe from wildfires.

Speaking of rain, I am thankful for the rain that we here in NJ have received from this storm as it has been dry here the last couple of months. Not as dry, of course, as other areas of the U.S. I am sure that the NJFFS wildland firefighters and firefighters who provided mutual aid on the various wildfires around the state last weekend (and firefighters elsewhere on the east coast) are glad for the rain. Granted it comes on the busiest travel day of the year here in America. 

For those who are traveling today, stay safe.

Wildfire in Middlesex County NJ is almost contained

The wildfire in Old Bridge NJ that I wrote about yesterday is nearing containment. According to the latest report from my friends at NJ Forest Fire Service Section B10, the fire was at 80 percent containment at 5 AM this morning, be sure to check out some great shots of a helo and bucket (NJFFS Delta 5).

Go here to see a short article from NJ.com and a photo gallery of photos from the fire.

As for wildfires elsewhere in NJ and nearby NY, according to an article I saw yesterday in the Courier News there were numerous wildfires around NJ over the weekend (this article was written well before wildfire in Old Bridge was contained). CBS2 in NYC reported yesterday on two brush fires on Long Island.

Winds have died down considerably since yesterday. The National Weather Service is forecasting a nor'easter for Tuesday night into Wednesday. Depending on the exact tract of this storm, we could see some welcome rain. Although at a bad time for holiday travels. Stay safe everyone.

Wildfire in Middlesex County NJ

My friends in New Jersey Forest Fire Service Section B-10 are battling a multi-acre fire in Old Bridge, NJ. The wildfire was first reported about 8 AM this morning. Evacuations are in place and Cheese Quake State Park has been closed and evacuated. A helo with a bucket is on the way. Winds are gusting from 30-40 mph in places and Red Flag Warnings are in place until 6 PM. For more on this fire read this article from the Courier News and check out the New Jersey Forest Fire Service Section B-10 webpage (scroll down a bit to their current fire news).

This is the only wildfire that I know of, so there may well be other wildfires that I don't about.

I'm having intermittent problems with my internet connection. If I am able to get update information on the wildfire, I'll update later. Otherwise, check out the two links that I provided.

Red Flag Warnings for most of NJ and portions of adjoining states

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
343 PM EST SAT NOV 23 2013

DEZ001>004-MDZ008-012-015-019-020-NJZ007>010-012>027-PAZ060>062-
070-071-101>106-241145-
/O.NEW.KPHI.FW.W.0002.131124T1500Z-131124T2300Z/
NEW CASTLE-KENT-INLAND SUSSEX-DELAWARE BEACHES-CECIL-KENT MD-
QUEEN ANNES-TALBOT-CAROLINE-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-BERKS-LEHIGH-NORTHAMPTON-
DELAWARE-PHILADELPHIA-WESTERN CHESTER-EASTERN CHESTER-
WESTERN MONTGOMERY-EASTERN MONTGOMERY-UPPER BUCKS-LOWER BUCKS-
343 PM EST SAT NOV 23 2013

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM TO 6 PM EST SUNDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MOUNT HOLLY HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM TO 6 PM EST SUNDAY.

* LOCATIONS...MUCH OF EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA...MARYLANDS EASTERN
  SHORE...ALL OF DELAWARE AND ALL OF NEW JERSEY EXCEPT SUSSEX
  COUNTY.

* WINDS...NORTHWEST 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 20 TO 25 PERCENT.

* TEMPERATURES...FROM THE MID 20S TO THE MID 30S.

* IMPACTS...DESPITE THE UNUSUALLY COLD TEMPERATURES...ANY OUTDOOR
  FINE FUEL FIRES HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO SPREAD MORE RAPIDLY THAN
  USUAL DUE TO THE STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS AND THE GENERALLY VERY
  DRY CONDITIONS OF THE PAST 3 MONTHS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY DUE TO A COMBINATION
OF STRONG WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND DRY FUELS. ANY
FIRES THAT DEVELOP MAY QUICKLY GET OUT OF CONTROL AND BECOME
DIFFICULT TO CONTAIN.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WILDFIRE DANGER...BURN RESTRICTIONS...
AND WILDFIRE PREVENTION AND EDUCATION...PLEASE VISIT YOUR STATE
FORESTRY OR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION WEBSITE.

&&

$$

---

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW YORK NY
345 PM EST SAT NOV 23 2013

...VERY DRY AND WINDY CONDITIONS ON SUNDAY...

CTZ005>012-NJZ002-004-006-103>108-NYZ067>075-078>081-176>179-
240445-
/O.NEW.KOKX.FW.W.0003.131124T1500Z-131124T2300Z/
NORTHERN FAIRFIELD-NORTHERN NEW HAVEN-NORTHERN MIDDLESEX-
NORTHERN NEW LONDON-SOUTHERN FAIRFIELD-SOUTHERN NEW HAVEN-
SOUTHERN MIDDLESEX-SOUTHERN NEW LONDON-WESTERN PASSAIC-
EASTERN PASSAIC-HUDSON-WESTERN BERGEN-EASTERN BERGEN-
WESTERN ESSEX-EASTERN ESSEX-WESTERN UNION-EASTERN UNION-ORANGE-
PUTNAM-ROCKLAND-NORTHERN WESTCHESTER-SOUTHERN WESTCHESTER-
NEW YORK (MANHATTAN)-BRONX-RICHMOND (STATEN ISLAND)-
KINGS (BROOKLYN)-NORTHWESTERN SUFFOLK-NORTHEASTERN SUFFOLK-
SOUTHWESTERN SUFFOLK-SOUTHEASTERN SUFFOLK-NORTHERN QUEENS-
NORTHERN NASSAU-SOUTHERN QUEENS-SOUTHERN NASSAU-
345 PM EST SAT NOV 23 2013

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM TO 6 PM EST SUNDAY FOR
CONDITIONS FAVORABLE FOR THE RAPID SPREAD OF WILDFIRES...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN NEW YORK HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING FOR CONDITIONS FAVORABLE FOR THE RAPID SPREAD OF
WILDFIRES...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM TO 6 PM EST SUNDAY.

* AFFECTED AREA...LOWER HUDSON VALLEY...NEW YORK CITY...LONG
  ISLAND...NORTHEAST NEW JERSEY...AND SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT.

* WINDS...NORTHWEST 25 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 25 PERCENT.

* TIMING...FROM LATE MORNING INTO THE AFTERNOON ON SUNDAY.

* IMPACTS...RAPID FIRE SPREAD IF IGNITION OCCURS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. A COMBINATION OF STRONG WINDS...LOW
RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND DRY FUELS WILL CREATE EXPLOSIVE FIRE
GROWTH POTENTIAL.

Still more fall wildfire activity in the Mid-Atlantic

As I sit here and contemplate the meager rainfall that I have recorded in my rain gauge coupled with yet more enhanced fire danger weather this week and more enhanced fire danger expected this Sunday in my corner of NJ, I want to take a bit of time to note some of the wildfire activity that I have noted in the eastern region of the United States. But first, please read this article on the persistent fire danger in NJ this fall

• A Nov. 19th report from WVMetronews that the Smoke Hole Fire in WV was at 70 percent containment. Today's morning briefing from the Eastern Area Coordination Center reports that the fire is 90 percent contained.
• The Landfill Fire has burned 1,507 acres in Wythe County VA and is at 85 percent containment as I write this.
• The South Fork Fire has burned 600 acres in Page and Shenandoah Counties VA and is at 50 percent containment as I write this.
• Five to seven acre wildfire in MA (11/16/13)
• Wildfire in Berks County, PA (11/19/13
• A wildfire that burned hundreds of acres in Orangeburg NY (north of NYC) was was thought to be extinguished on Sunday, Nov. 17 only to rekindle on Tues. Nov. 19, 2013

Thanks to all the firefighters who have been working these fires. Stay safe everyone!

Note: I'm never sure how long news articles that I link to will be freely available. I viewed all of the articles before posting this article.

RIP Walt Darran

Walt,

You died on November 15, 2013 after a battle with cancer. You leave your beloved wife Christine, two sons, two grandchildren, your extended family and many friends and colleagues who love you. May you rest in peace.

It is my loss that I never got an opportunity to meet you in person. However, I have known you through your presence on the Associated Aerial Firefighters (AAF) Website.  It was not long after I began writing about aerial wildland firefighting in early 2009 that I first ran across your posts  and articles on the AAF. It did not take me long to learn that you flew as a tanker pilot for CAL Fire before you retired. I only recently learned that you flew in Vietnam and flew for the airlines. You did not just retire and disappear, you continued to have the best interests of the tanker biz in mind through your work with the AAF where, among other things, you  served on their board as well as working and writing about safety in the tanker biz. Over the last almost six years you have taught me a lot about the tanker business.  Somehow saying thank-you seems wholly inadequate. 

I suspect that you may have been a quiet follower of my blog over the years and you quietly had my back. Thank-you. We exchanged e-mail a couple of times, and you were most generous with your time, answering my questions and steering me in the right direction. Somehow saying thank-you seems wholly inadequate.

I know that you are flying in favorable tail winds. I offer my thoughts and prayers for your family, friends, colleagues and all who love you and mourn your death. 

To learn more about Walt's life, you might want to read some reflections on Walt's life by tanker pilot's and friends on the AAF webpage. Bill Gabbert, of Fire Aviation reposted an an interview with Walt that he did earlier this year. 

Entiat Hotshots in Action

direct link to video

A video highlighting the Entiat Hotshots 2012 fireseason. The Entiat hotshots work in the Pacific Northwest.

NJ Forest Fire Services helping out at WV Wildfire

The Smoke Hole Fire is still buying in the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia. The wildfire (WV-MOF-130010) continues to be reported in the morning briefing (under the intelligence page) of the Eastern Area Coordinating Center (EACC). In this morning's briefing (Nov. 15), the EACC reports that the fire has burned 1,450 acres and is 30 percent contained, reporting that crews have made significant progress in constructing line.  A helicopter continues to work the fire.

I knew from media reports that other states had sent wildland firefighters and equipment to West Virginia to help fight the Smoke Hole Fire (go here). I found out yesterday from both the NJ Forest Fire Service Section B10 website and this article dated Nov. 13 from MetroNews - The Voice of West Virginia that New Jersey send a crew to work the Smoke Hole Fire. According to the NJFFS Section B10 website, the NJFFS sent a type 4 truck and 3 crew to West Virginia.

A photo gallery from photographer Darin Vance who was embedded with the U.S. Forest Service posted this photo gallery on WV MetroNews. Another article about the Smoke Hole Fire with links for more information may be found on the WJLA --ABC7 -- Weather Blog (Nov. 14).

More fall wildfire activity in the mid-atlantic

As I write this on November 13 we are experiencing an enhanced risk of wildfire spread through early this evening on the 13th in much of New Jersey (except for the five northeastern counties, southeastern Pennsylvania. Delaware, and the Maryland eastern shore. This is from the special weather statement issued by the Mt. Holly Office of the National Weather Service at 11:28 AM on Wednesday, Nov. 13 2013:

...ENHANCED RISK OF WILDFIRE SPREAD THROUGH EARLY EVENING...
LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY LEVELS, GUSTY WINDS AND DRY FINE FUELS WILL
CONTINUE AN ELEVATED RISK FOR THE SPREAD OF WILDFIRES THROUGH
EARLY EVENING. MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES IN THE LOW 30S
WITH WIND GUSTS OF 20 TO 25 MPH ARE EXPECTED BEFORE WIND DECREASES BY
EARLY EVENING.

According to the New Jersey State Forest Fire Service's (NJFFS) website, Division A (northern NJ) and Division C (southern NJ) are experiencing moderate wildfire risk today with Division B (central NJ) experiencing a high risk of wildfire danger. The NJFFS does have a webpage where they report wildfire danger levels, permits, and restrictions that may be found here. This page is updated as conditions change so depending on when you are reading this article the information that you see will be different, but you'll get an idea about current fire danger current fire statistics, and current fire danger. You will see a map showing the counties that make up each of the three NJFFS Divisions (A,B, and C).

I wrote a few days ago about the dry weather that I've been experiencing in my little corner of NJ, along with linking to some media reports about some wildfire activity or concerns in the eastern region of the US. 

Before I get to wildfire activity that I know about in NJ and other states in the east, I want to continue with the dry weather we've been experiencing. In the image below, you can see that northern and portions of central New Jersey were abnormally dry on November 5, 2013. 

direct link to map

And here is the same map for the United States.

direct link to map

Todd B. Bates, the EnviroGuy from the Asbury Park Press, wrote an article yesterday on the dry conditions in New Jersey and the related wildfire danger yesterday. He has a few good maps from NOAA in his article.  Todd's article may be found here. Thanks to my friends at the NJFFS SectionB10 website for providing me with the link to this article.

Moving on to recent wildfire activity in New Jersey:

An 80 acre wildfire in a remote area of Atlantic County NJ is now contained, go here and here to read about the fire and see some short video clips. The fire is now contained.

In addition to reporting on the Atlantic County wildfire, my friends from the NJFFS SectionB10 website reported on these wildfires in their current wildfire activity area (information may be different depending on when you access their site):

two wildfires totaling two or three acres in Monroe Township (Middlesex County; 

a 2.5 acre wildfire in Allaire State Park in Howell Township (Monmouth County), 

and a 13-acre wildfire in Lakewood NJ (Ocean County) not far from the Garden State Parkway.

Today's Morning Briefing from the intelligence division of the Eastern Area Coordinating Center

lists only one large fire, the Smoke Hole that started on Nov. 10, 2013 in the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia (WV-MIF-130010) that has burned 1,400 acres to date and is 20 percent contained. According to today's morning briefing:

The fire is burning in hardwood litter and blow-down. Crews are cutting hand-line. A Type-3 helicopter is doing bucket work. A major gas pipeline is threatened and secondary residences are threatened. Steep difficult terrain is impeding containment efforts.

According to an article dated November 12, 2013 from Your4State crews from five states are assisting West Virginia crews in fighting the fire.

There may be other smaller wildfires in other areas of the eastern region that I do not know about that either are burning or are now contained.

Rim Fire - Burned Area Emergency Response (2 of 2)

direct link to video

This video from the Tuolumne River Trust shows aerial footage shot in 2008 of the area burned in the Rim Fire in the first two minutes of the video. In the final two minutes you will see some footage shot on the ground in early September 2013 of some of the burn area. I believe that the river you see in the footage is the Tuolumne River which runs through the area burned by the Rim Fire, go here to see a map of the Rim Fire burn area on inciweb (it might take a couple of minutes to load).

I found the video when I read a nice article from a KQED report on the Rim Fire BAER. I also found a Sept. 8, 2013 article from the Huff Post Green (with photos) on the team of scientists involved in the Rim Fire BAER.

I was interested in some pictures of the Rim Fire Burned Area Emergency Response that are posted on this flickr page. In addition there are some more photos, some of them seem to be identical or similar to the ones posted on flickr that I found on Inciweb's Rim -- BAER photo page, with captions so you know exactly what you are looking at. There are over 60 photos on this page, I was interested in the damage to the soil and how the area has recovered in the weeks immediately following the fire, so I am highlighting these photos here:

soil damage

soil stabilization

water repellency

recovery 1

recovery 2

recovery 3

recovery 4

Revised on November 19, 2015 to correct URLs to Rim Fire - BAER on Inciweb. I am never quite certain how long such links remain active.

Super Typhoon Haiyan

direct link to video on youtube

I am taking a time out from writing about the Rim Fire Burned Area Emergency Response to remember all those impacted by Super Typhoon Haiyan that hit the Phillipines early on Nov. 8, 2013. I found the video that I embedded above from this article from NASA - Goddard. Winds around the eye could be as much as 195 mph. Here are some radar images of Haiyan and a link to an animated (gif) satellite image.

Various media outlets are covering the Typhoon, here is a report from NBC News, and a report from the National Geographic.

Added at 5:21 EST on 11/8/13: 
visible satellite landfall loop from the Korean COMS-1 satellite courtesy of Scott Bachmeier of the University of Wisconsin CIMSS group I found this link on Dr. Jeff Masters blog on wunderground for Nov. 8, 2013.

My thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by Haiyan.

Rim Fire - Burned Area Emergency Response (1 of 2)

Some wildfires cause damage that if unchecked could jeopardize the ecosystem, watersheds, and even human populations (see U.S. Forest Service on Burned Area Emergency Response). Where there is post fire damage Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) kicks in, the USFS has a webpage with some background information on BAER that may be found here.

It has been a couple of years since I have written about BAER, and when I saw a couple of references on the internet about the Rim Fire BAER, I thought I'd write an article or two about BAER. Recall that the Rim Fire burned 257,314 acres or 402 square miles late last summer and was not fully contained until Oct. 24th.

There are three main stages of rehabilitation after a wildfire (see the Rim Fire - BAER page on inciweb for more information, 

1. fire suppression repair

2. emergency stabilization - BAER

3. long-term recovery and restoration

The latest progress report (Oct 30th, 2013) available to me as I write this on 6 November of BAER accomplishments at the Stanislaus National Forest where the Rim Fire burned may be found on this inciweb page. Among other things, one focus of BAER in the aftermath of the Rim Fire is to prepare for rain.

Stay tuned for more on the Rim Fire BAER in my next article.

Revised on November 19, 2015 to correct URLs to Rim Fire - BAER on Inciweb. I am never quite certain how long such links remain active.

Wildfires in New South Wales Australia in pictures

I suspect that many of you saw news of the wildfires that burned in New South Wales, Australia recently. The NSW Rural Fire Service has a webpage chock full of information and maps where you may go for current information.

I came across a slide show showing images from the State Mine Bushfire that burned near Lithgow in NSW from ABC Central West NSW (on Oct. 30, 2013). Along with the slide show is an audio report from Clarence resident, Matthew Millet talking about his experiences with the State Mine Fire.

Fall Fire Season in the East???

I wrote yesterday about my weather observations for the National Weather Service and recording daily rainfall totals from my rain gauge located in northwest New Jersey. I had recorded less then one-tenth of an inch rainfall from Oct. 13 through Oct. 30, and knowing that wildfire danger often picks up in the fall I got curious about the fall fire season here in the east.

I had noted some media reports of smaller wildfires in MA and NH, see for example this report about dry and windy conditions in NH reported on Oct. 30 and small wildfires in MA. At the same time there had been some concern expressed in an October 30 article that dry conditions in NJ could increase wildfire danger, go  here to read the article on NJ.com. Finally there was a 110 acre fire in Rockland County, NY dubbed the Mt. Eve Fire according to the RecordOnline. I also saw a  reference to the Mt. Eve Fire in todays morning briefing from the Eastern Area Coordinating Center (EACC), being the only large fire activity in the East.

However and more importantly, I have also noted that while there has been some smaller wildfires in the East and one large fire reported in todays EACC morning report (over 100 acres, the Mt. Eve Fire), it seems that the fall fire season here in the eastern U.S. has not yet materialized. Bill Gabbert of Wildfire Today offered this observation in an article he posted on October 29:

The eastern and southern fire season that follows leaf fall and the first severe frost seems to be still waiting in the wings (Bill Gabbert).

Gabbert also referred to a National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) report on the fall fire season in the U.S. in an October 29 post on their Facebook Page:

The normal transition of fire season back to the southern and eastern U.S. in the fall associated with leaf drop also did not occur as would be expected (NIFC).

All I can say on the afternoon before we may get some needed rain in my little corner of New Jersey is that I hope that fall fire season continues to not occur as NIFC expects.

Weather Observer

For the last eleven  months I have had a CoCoRaHS rain gauge that I got from the WeatherYourWay Store. No I do not make observations for CoCoRaHS though I do read and rely on their reports that I get either through my local office of the National Weather Service on their daily CoCoRaHS Precipitation Summary Page or from the CoCoRaHS page for my State. But I do volunteer work for the Mt Holly Office of the National Weather Service (NWS) as a skywarn spotter. I took my basic skywarn spotter training six days before Superstorm Sandy hit, and I made my first spotter report to the Mt. Holly office of the NWS the morning after Sandy.

As a skywarn spotter I call my local NWS to report severe weather eventss: tornado or funnel cloud, hail of any size, winds of 50 mph or stronger, wind damage (trees, wires down, damage to structures, snow accumulation, ice accumulation, and flash or river flooding. I monitor rainfall and it is useful information to have when I call the NWS with a spotter report. For example, when I made my first spotter report after SS Sandy the meteorologist asked me how much rain we had. I could not give an accurate answer because I did not have my gauge up, but I gave her an estimate. Another time, I was reporting small stream flooding along with the possibility that a River was rising quickly and might reach the point where she might spill her banks. They asked me how much rain I recorded and I told them. 

I enjoy making my observations for the NWS, I'm hardly an expert on meteorology, but I did learn something about weather when I was studying for the FAA private pilot written exam over three years ago. Remember I am not a licensed pilot, but I go on scenic flights with supportive pilots when I can. Anyway, making observations for the NWS seemed like a good fit because of my interests in aviation.

So, I have my sheet where I have been recording rainfall from my rain gauge and have noticed the dry weather in September and October. Yes, and I have cloud chart in my kitchen. So since I have been recording daily rainfall for the past eleven months, I am more sensitive to rainfall extremes. And it has been a tad dry here. The dry weather that I've observed here got me wondering about wildfire activity in the northeast and mid-atlantic regions of the U.S., and I'll be writing about that in my next post.

SS Storm Sandy's impact on the Delaware Bayshore

As many of you know, one year ago tomorrow, SS Sandy hit New Jersey. I was lucky, we only lost power, one tree down, damage to a couple of outdoor light fixtures, and a couple shingles off of my roof. Others were not as fortunate. I knew about the damage that the New Jersey shore (aka the east shore) saw. I am embarrassed to say that it was only yesterday that I found out about the damage to the Delaware Bayshore of NJ (or the western shore), thanks to an article I saw in the print edition of the Sunday Star Ledger, that may be found here on NJ.com. Please take the time to read the article. The title of the article and the headline in Sunday's Star Ledger is "The Forgotten Shore." After reading the article and spending time on NJ.com looking at the interactive map, videos and photos, I knew that I had to tell you about the Delaware Bayshore.

For those of you are interested in maps and seeing where the Delaware Bayshore region of NJ is, there is an interactive map featuring stories, videos and photos of those featured in the article. There is a nice photo gallery of pictures of the damage to the Delaware Bayshore and her people here (also found on the interactive map). There were a few videos that I liked, I picked out one to embed here for you on damage to dikes in Greenwich, NJ.

direct link to video

RIP David Black and Peter Brereton

I was saddened to read about the deaths of two pilots who died in two separate crashes in New South Wales, Australia within a day of each other. Both were flying in support of wildland firefighters fighting the wildland fires in New South Wales.

David Black, owner and chief pilot of Rebel Ag, died on Thursday Oct. 24 when his PZL M18A Dromader aircraft crashed while he was performing aerial wildland firefighting operations on a wildland fire in a remote and rugged section of New South Wales. He leaves a wife, Julie and three children. A press release issued on behalf of Rebel Ag may be found on this webpage of the NSW Rural Fire Service.

Peter Brereton, a pilot,  had just retired from a 40-year career with the CFA firefighting agency in Australia. However, when his help was needed to support the wildland firefighters in New South Wales, he was there. He was flying a Cessna 182 on Wednesday morning Oct. 23 after dropping off some spare parts for a helo that was being used in aerial operations on the bush fires in New South Wales. When he failed to return to the airport on Wednesday morning, a search ensued and the wreckage was found Thursday morning in rugged terrain. For more on Peter Brereton, read this article from The Age (out of Victoria AU. Brereton, 60, is survived by his wife, Lyn and five children.

My thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends, colleagues and all who love Peter and David. May Peter and David always fly in favorable tail winds.

A-26 Tanker's service in Canada still to come

Some of you know that I have written a couple of series about the Douglas A-26, first was a series about her military service last March, and then a second series about her service as a tanker in late July/early August 2013. To read both series, go here and stop from the bottom as the latest article is at the top and will include this one.

When I finished up writing about the Douglas A-26's service as a tanker in the U.S. on August 12, 2013, I wrote that I wanted to write about A-26 tankers in Canada. As sometimes happens, I had an idea for this series that has not yet quite panned out. I am still hopeful that I'll be able to return that idea in the future and write a series of articles on A-26 tankers in Canada. That being said, there are some things that I have learned about A-26 tankers in Canada. I will be working on this over the next couple of weeks and hope to post some articles about the A-26 in Canada before the American Thanksgiving Holiday. 

Remembering the Cedar Fire ten years later

direct link to video

Shortly after I began writing about wildland fires five years ago, I heard about the Cedar Fire which burned something like 280,000 acres +/- near San Diego. I believe that it still is the largest fire in California history. October, 2013 marks ten years since this fire. Fifteen people died and over 2,200 homes were destroyed in this Santa Anna wind driven fire. To read more about this fire see this article from the Ramona Patch (and another link to the video that I embedded above).

direct link to video

Added on Oct. 22, 2013:

CAL FIRE incident info on Cedar Fire (last updated Nov. 5 2003
The 2003 San Diego County Fire Siege: Fire Safety Review (pdf file)
Wikipedia article on Cedar Fire
2003 San Diego Fire Facts from San Diego State University (with links)