Prescribed Burns in NJ (NJ Forest Fire Service): March 29-30th

The New Jersey Forest Fire Service continues to conduct prescribed burns in the central and southern sections of NJ.

A small map of New Jersey by county with a listing of counties in each of the three New Jersey Forest Fire Service (NJFFS) Divisions may be found here (scroll down a bit). A second map of New Jersey from the New Jersey Forest Fire Service shows the boundaries of the three NJFFS Divisions, with the location of each Division Section may be found here.

March 29 (obtained from New Jersey Forests Facebook post of Match 29)

Ocean County
Section B5, Greenwood WMA 150 acres of grass.
Near Rt 539, in Lacey, Barnegat, and Manchester Townships

Gloucester County
C9, Glassboro WMA, Glassboro, Grass

Atlantic County
C7, Galloway, Private Land 46 acres


March 30 (obtained from New Jersey Forests Facebook post of March 30)

Middlesex County
B10 Menino Park Old Bridge Township , Old Bridge Town Park in and near Rt 516 Old Bridge, 100 acres forest

Monmouth County
B8 Allaire State Park near Brisban Area of the Park in Wall Township, 100 acres of grass
B9 Assunpink WMA in Upper Freehold Township & Roosevelt near Rt 571. 100 acres of grass

Ocean County
B6 Manchester WMA near Rt 539 in Manchester Township
B4 Stafford Fordge WMA near Rt 539 and Fordge Rd in both Little Egg Harbor and Eaglewoods Townships

Eaglet born to a pair of Eagles in New Jersey

On a rainy day when there is no prescribed burns going on in New Jersey, I got to watch something very special almost an hour ago. Thanks to the wonders of web cams with live streams available on the internet I got to watch an eaglet (baby Eagle) being hatched.

There is a pair of Eagle that are nesting at Duke Farms located in Somerset County NJ. The Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey in collaboration with Duke Farms has a webcam, known as the Eagle Cam, mounted over their nest.

Link to Eagle Cam

Two eggs were layed a little over five weeks ago. Egg # 1 hatched today at about 3:37 PM EDT. I was fortunate to be watching when the egg hatched. Words escape me. All I can say is that it was very special and a privilege to watch something so awe inspiring. I took some screen grabs as I was watching the live stream which I'll share with you.

Duke Farms (NJ) Eagle Cam March 27, 2015 at 3.21.43 PM

Duke Farms (NJ) Eagle Cam March 27, 2015 at 3.22.07 PM EDT

Duke Farms (NJ) Eagle Cam March 27, 2015 at 3.36.44 PM EDT

Duke Farms (NJ) Eagle Cam March 27, 2015 at 3.36.57 PM EDT

Duke Farms (NJ) Eagle Cam March 27, 2015 at 3.36.58 PM EDT

Duke Farms (NJ) Eagle Cam March 27, 2015 at 3.37.00 PM EDT

Duke Farms (NJ) Eagle Cam March 27, 2015 at 4.09.09 PM EDT

Duke Farms (NJ) Eagle Cam March 27, 2015 at 4..18.14 PM EDT

Prescribed Burns in NJ (NJ Forest Fire Service): March 24th & 25th

Prescribed burns conducted by the New Jersey Forest Fire Service (NJFFS) continue this week. There has been some light rain this afternoon up in north Jersey, where the NJFFS are not conducting prescribed burns. I don't know if the rain reached to the areas where prescribed burns were planned and if so whether the burns were able to continue or had to be postponed. Rain is forecast the next couple of days, so I don't know if there will be any more prescribed burns this week.

A small map of New Jersey by county with a listing of counties in each of the three New Jersey Forest Fire Service (NJFFS) Divisions may be found here (scroll down a bit). A second map of New Jersey from the New Jersey Forest Fire Service shows the boundaries of the three NJFFS Divisions, with the location of each Division Section may be found here.

March 24 (316 acres)
Obtained from New Jersey Forest Facebook on Tuesday, March 24

Monmouth County
Section B-10, Manalapan, Monmouth Battlefield State Park, 100 acres grass.

Atlantic County
Section C-5 Estell Manor City, Tuckahoe Wildlife Management Area, 10 Acres Grass
Section C-5 Estell Manor City, Maple Lake Wildlife Management Area, 1 Acre Grass
Section C-8 Hamilton Twp, NJFFS Strawberry Field, 100 acres grass

Camden and Gloucester Counties
Section C-6 Winslow Twp/Monroe Twp, Winslow Wildlife Management Area, 100 Acres Grass

Cumberland County
Section C-4 Maurice River Twp, Peaslee Wildlife Management Area, 5 Acres Grass

March 25 (at least 285 acres)
Obtained from New Jersey Forest Facebook on Wednesday, March 25

Middlesex County
Section B10 Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park in South Brunswick

Ocean County
Section B5 Pancoast Fuel Break in Barnegat Twp.

Cape May County
Section C-1 Beaver Swamp Wildlife Management, Middle Township, 40 Acres Forest
Section C-2 Belleplain State Forestt, Dennis Township, 95 Acres Fores

Cumberland County
Section C-3 Buckshutem Wildlife Management Area, Lawrence Twp and Fairfield Twp, 150 Acres Forest

Prescribed Burns in NJ (NJ Forest Fire Service), March 18th & 19th

The New Jersey Forest Fire Service conducted more prescribed burns last week before it snowed last Friday. The figure for acreage burned is mine from adding up each days burns.

A small map of New Jersey by county with a listing of counties in each of the three New Jersey Forest Fire Service (NJFFS) Divisions may be found here (scroll down a bit). A second map of New Jersey from the New Jersey Forest Fire Service shows the boundaries of the three NJFFS Divisions, with the location of each Division Section may be found here.

March 18
Prescribed burns 744 acres
see the March 18th Facebook post by NJ Forests

B1 Burlington County Park, Hainesport
20 Acres Grass

B6 Brendon Byrne State Forest
672 Acres Forest

B7 Double Trouble State Park, Berkley Township
52 Acres Forest


March 19
Prescribed burns 1,636 acres
see the March 19th Facebook post by the NJ Forests

B-1 Wharton State Forest, Shamong
200 acres forest

B-2 Wharton State Forest, Washington
60 acres forest

B-4 Stafford Forge, Little Egg Harbor
12 acres grass

B-5 Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area, Lacey/Manchester
150 acres grass

B-7 Whiting Wildlife Management Area, Manchester
100 acres forest

B-9 Colliers Mills Wildlife Management Area, Jackson
400 acres grass

B-6 Brendan Byrne State Forest, Woodland
400 acres forest

B-10 Pigeon Swamp, Jamesburg
20 acres forest

C2 Belleplain State Forest, Dennis
67 acres forest

C5 Atlantic County Park, Hamilton
25 acres forest

Strawberry Fields Airport, Mays Landing
100 acres grass

C7 Stockton University, Galloway
52 acres forest

C9 Glassboro WIldlife Management Area, Glassboro
50 acres grass

DC-7: present and 61 years ago

On a snowy March day in New Jersey I want to pause a bit and share two videos about the DC-7.

I came across the one below today and don't quite remember if I have seen this one before. If I have shared this one before, well enjoy the re-run. You will see DC-7 Tanker-66 on a take off roll in 2012 before Butler was acquired by Erickson Aero.


direct link to video

While I was looking at this video on youtube earlier today, I found this video from 1954 starring one of American Airlines DC-7 on a NY to Los Angeles flight. Allow about 29 minutes to watch this video. Thanks to Classic Airliners and Pop Culture for finding and sharing this video.


direct link to video

Enhanced fire danger for portions of NJ & more on prescribed burns

Enhanced fire danger

On a somewhat chilly yet blustery March day, the National Weather Service Forecast Office at Mt. Holly NJ (Philadelphia) has issued a special weather statement for enhanced fire danger for central and southern New Jersey for today. Depending on when you arrive at this post, the special weather statement may have expired, so I am copying it below. I believe that this is the first day of enhanced fire danger this year.

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ 932 AM EDT WED MAR 18 2015
NJZ009-010-012>027-182000- 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- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...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
932 AM EDT WED MAR 18 2015

...ENHANCED FIRE DANGER ALONG AND JUST SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 78 OVER SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL NEW JERSEY TODAY...

GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS TO 30 MPH COMBINED WITH HUMIDITY LOWERING TO NEAR 20 PERCENT THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL NEW JERSEY CAN LEAD TO A MORE RAPID RATE OF SPREAD OF ANY FINE FUEL FIRES THAT MAY DEVELOP.

EXTRA CARE IS ADVISED TO MAINTAIN OUTDOOR FIRE SAFETY TODAY.

$$

I'll do my best to see if there is any wildfire activity today, and I'll share any updates that I might come across. However, there is a chance that I won't hear any news about wildfire activity.


Prescribed Burns

As some of you know I wrote about prescribed burns in New Jersey on March 13th and March 16th. I came across an article on prescribed burns in NJ on Philly dot com (March 16, 2014). The article discusses the prescribed burns that were conducted by the New Jersey Forest Fire Service last Friday (March 13th). Of note is a reference in the Philly dot com article of March 16th saying that the end date for prescribed burning is not yet known:

Just how long the burns will continue is unknown, said DEP spokesman Larry Hajna. The end date "is a moving target because of the rain and snow," he said Friday. "We were trying for a few weeks to get this launched."

The burns will continue beyond the usual March 15 cutoff. "But we can't go too late into the season," Hajna said. "We go as long as we can safely do it."

The controlled fires are generally conducted during the winter months to minimize the amount of smoke produced, and when weather conditions tend to be safer for them.

I'll do my best to keep on eye on any future prescribed burns in New Jersey and post updates in future articles.

A little more about prescribed burns in New Jersey

Last Friday, March 13th, I wrote about several prescribed burns that were done that day. I have since heard from some friends in the NJ Forest Fire Service (NJFFS) that those prescribed burns that were done last Friday the 13th were the first prescribed burns of the season. A list of those burns that I listed on March 13th may be found in this NJFFS Facebook post.

The New Jersey Forest Fire Service released a press release about the 2015 Prescribed Burning season in New Jersey on March 13th that may be found here.

A couple of points from the press release that I'd like to highlight here.

1. Why do prescribed burns? I like what the press release says:

The Forest Fire Service, part of the DEP’s Forestry Services, expects to burn about 10,000 acres of forests and grasslands this season. These fires burn brush, leaves, needles and debris but do not reach the canopy of the forest or cause significant tree loss as wildfires do. They improve forest health by removing thick undergrowth and competing non-native trees that can harm the overall health of the forest.

2. The New Jersey Forest Fire Services warns that residents in areas where prescribed burning is happening may see smoke and suggest that if residents are in doubt about the source of the smoke that they may contact 9-11 or 877-WARN-DEP (877-927-6337).

3. I know from first hand experience that roads near or adjoining areas where prescribed burns are taking place are indeed clearly marked. In my experience the signage is clear and you will know before you drive through an area where prescribed burning is occuring.

I don't know what effect our colder than normal winter and only recent snow melt has had on the prescribed burning season here in New Jersey. But I do know that I can check the New Jersey Forest Fire Service Facebook page for updates. And I'll share any updates I find here.

Prescribed burns in New Jersey (2015)

I have to admit that with the recent cold weather that we have had in New Jersey it has been a little hard to believe that our spring fire season is coming up. And even if there was no snow, it was hard for me to imagine to prescribed burning in the frigid temperatures that we have experienced this winter in New Jersey. Even with the more normal (for us temperatures) in Northern New Jersey this week, a snow pack still lingers. In my case, the snow pack is minimal, a couple of inches, covering about one-half of my property. But north of me, the snow pack will be deeper. South of me, as you can see from the Snow Depth graphic from the National Snow Analyses from the U.S. National Weather Service’s National Operation Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center, there is no snow pack.

Obtained on March 13, 2015 from

NOHRSC Ntl Snow Analysis 

While I am hardly an expert in such things, I know that once the snow pack is gone the potential exists for the ground to dry out pretty quickly. And with that the start of the spring wildfire season.

In advance of the spring fire season here in New Jersey, prescribed burning is done. I suspect that the persistent snow pack through much of January into late February/early March has resulted in fewer prescribed burns. The lack of snow cover in central and southern New Jersey means that they are able to do prescribed burning. Unfortunately, I don’t quite know when prescribed burning started in the central and southern part of New Jersey (Sections B and C). However, thanks to my friends at the NJFFS Section B-10 website  I know that  there is prescribed burning going on today in the following areas in New Jersey (what you see when you access tPete's NJ Wildland Fire Page: Section B10
will differ depending on when you accessing their page):

NEW JERSEY FOREST FIRE SERVICE DIVISION B


• Section B2 — Burlington County, Washington Twp. Warton State Forest, 50 acres, grass

• Section B4 — Ocean County, Eagleswood Twp, Stafford WMA, 50 acres, grass
• Section B6 — Ocean County, Manchester Twp, Manchester WMA, 50 acres, grass
• Section B10, Monmouth County, Monmouth Battlefield, 203 acres, grass

NEW JERSEY FOREST FIRE SERVICE DIVISION C

• Section C3 — Cumberland County, Commercial and Downe Twp., Milleville and Buckstutem WMA, 90 acres, grass
• Section C4 — Cumberland County, Maurice Twp. Peasley WMA, 100 acres, grass

It is supposed to rain tonight into Saturday and possibly into early Sunday which probably means no prescribed burning anywhere in the State this weekend.

Smokejumping: Reflections

When I first got seriously interested in wildland firefighting I got in touch with a former professor with whom I studied a little about forestry (among other things) while I was in graduate school. I told Marc about my interest in wildland firefighting. He suggested that I read Young Men and Fire by Norman McLean about Mann Gulch . A short time later, I read Jumping Fire, by Murray A.Taylor about his life as a smokejumper. So you could say that one of my introductions to wildland firefighting was through smokejumping.

One of these days on one of my treks out west, I’ll have an opportunity to visit a Smokejumper Base or two. I’d love to see up close and personal some of what I’ve seen in videos about what happens at a Smokejumper Base. Perhaps I’d be able to visit one of the smokejumping aircraft up close and personal.

Over the last several days, I have grown to appreciate the complexity of all that is involved in smokejumping. I don’t know if what I have posted previously or plan to post in the capture will adequately capture all that is involved in smokejumping from training to practice jumps to getting the call to a fire to jumping to the fire to working the fire.

As I continue to write this blog on the different aspects of aerial wildland firefighting, I hope that some of my respect for all wildland firefighters whether the be on the ground or in the air as well as their support staff comes through in what I share.

Before I leave, I do hope to continue the series on smokejumping 101 (see articles from March 3rd, March 4th, and March 9th). I have some queries out to get some more information on smokejumping to share with you. But this process may take a several days. So stay tuned, I'll be back with more articles in my series on smokejumping as soon as I can.

Added on May 29, 2015: I spent some time thinking about how I will approach any future articles on smokejumping. I'm not sure at this point when I'll be making more posts on smokejumping. Over the course of the current wildfire season (2015) I will be looking to try learn more about smokejumping. Because I do not live in close proximity to any Smokejumping bases, this will be difficult. However, I am hoping that I might be able to learn something about smokejumping that I can share with you.

Smokejumping 101 part 3: More on Smokejumper Aircraft

Here are some videos and or pictures of four smokejumper aircraft. Later this week I'll be back with more in this series

Twin Otter
8 smokejumpers


direct link to video

Casa 212
10 smokejumpers

Practice jump Casa 212


direct link to video

Shorts Sherpa
10 smokejumpers

I believe that the aircraft you are seeing in the video from KQED on the California Smokejumpers that I embed below is a Shorts Sherpa. If the embed code doesn’t work, the direct link should work. I first shared this video in August 2014, but it is approrpriate to share it again.

direct link to video

I shared some links to photos and videos of the Sherpa on February 27, 2015. (I was having trouble with this link, and if it doesn't work just scroll down a bit on the main page of my blog and you should find the post).

Dornier 228
8 smokejumpers
picture from California Smokejumpers Aircraft page (bottom of page)

Alaska Smokejumpers

I was hoping to write a little more about the different types of smokejumper aircraft. As sometimes happens, I have to take a little more time to do some more research before I write my article. Sorry about that. I’m not going to take too long on this phase of my research, and it is my intention to post a second article next week, either on March 9 or March 11.

In the meantime, I have previously shared videos about Alaska Smokejumpers on December 28, 2012 (SJ training) and on January 2, 2013 (2012 season). I found some more videos about Alaska Smokejumpers that I want to share with you to share with you from the Alaska Film Archives. They have a collection of nine videos showcasing Alaska Smokejumpers, I am sharing three with you.

Air to air video of Alaska smokejumpers jumping from a Volpar aircraft (1986)



direct link to video


Alaska smokejumpers exiting airplanes (2005)



direct link to video


Wildfire and retardant drops from Alaska Smokejumpers collection (1985-1996)



direct link to video

Smokejumping 101 - part 2: About Smokejumper Aircraft

Just as the Interagency Airtanker Board approves Interagency Airtanker Board (IAB) Multi-engine Tankers, SEATS, Helitankers and Retardant tanks the Smokejumper Aircraft Screening and Evaluation Board (SASEB) evaluates and approves

smokejumper/paracargo aircraft and related accessories, initiatives, proposals and issues. SASEB will provide guidance for standardization, when evaluating new interagency smokejumper/paracargo aircraft and related aircraft accessories (Smokejumper Aircraft Screening and Evaluation Board (SASEB)).

There is a list of SASEB approved aircraft dated 2004 on the Smokejumper Aircraft Screening and Evaluation Board (SASEB) website, but if you click on the 2004 Meeting Approved List the resulting document is dated August 2, 2000. It isn’t quite clear to me if the SASEB approved aircraft list has been revised since that time.

What I do know is that I found a listing of Smokejumper Aircraft 2015 from the National Interagency Coordination Center’s aviation page. Of course, if you are landing here sometime after 2015, I’m not sure what will happen when you click on the link that I gave. Anyway, the listing of smokejumper aircraft that will be used in 2015 includes some useful information. such as the tail number, aircraft type, aircraft identifier and assigned base.

Four types of smokejumper aircraft will be used in 2015: Twin Otter DHC-6, Sherpa, Dornier, and Casa 212. I will write more about these four aircraft types on Friday, March 5.

Looking to the future, Bill Gabbert of Fire Aviation has been reporting about 15 Sherpa C-23B aircraft that the U.S. Army is transferring to the U.S. Forest Service, his latest article was written on October 28, 2014. He asked Jennifer Jones, a U.S. Forest Service spokesperson for an update:

As of 9/11/14, a total of 10 C-23B+/SD3-60s have been transferred from the DoD to the U.S. Forest Service and the remainder are scheduled to be transferred within the next few weeks. . . . 

The U.S. Forest Service will locate one aircraft in Ogden, Utah to serve as the prototype aircraft for FAA Civil Certification as an SD3-60 Sherpa and will then conform the rest of the C-23B+ aircraft to that standard. One of the three aircraft located in Redmond, Oregon will be used to complete the Smokejumper Aircraft Screening and Evaluation Board (SASEB) approval process and to develop pilot familiarity and training. The other aircraft will be progressively certified, configured for wildfire suppression missions, and brought into service. 

The U.S. Forest Service expects to begin bringing the aircraft into service incrementally (two to four aircraft per year) beginning in 2016 . . .

For more information on the 15 Sherpa C-23B aircraft read Bill’s October 28, 2014 article. I expect that Bill will continue to report on this as new developments arise so you might check out Fire Aviation every so often.

Stay tuned for my next article in this series where I’ll continue to write about smokejumper aircraft.

Smokejumping 101 - part 1

Some of you might have guessed that I am working on a series on Smokejumpers. I am still developing this series as I write this. I hope to present either some different information from that I have presented in earlier articles or else (hopefully) present some additional information about subjects that I have already written about.

I thought that I’d begin with an article, which will be a review of sorts, listing the Smokejumper Bases. In one article that I wrote on Smokejumping, on July 15, 2009, I listed the nine Smokejumper Bases. To review, these bases are:

US Forest Service
McCall, Idaho
Grangeville, Idaho
Redding, California
West Yellowstone, Montana
Missoula, Montana
Winthrop, Washington
Redmond, Oregon

Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
Boise, Idaho
Fairbanks, Alaska [note smoke jumpers in Alaska are a branch of the Alaska Fire Service and the BLM]

The USFS maintains a webpage listing the current Smokejumper Bases along with locations and contact info that I obtained from here.

The National Smokejumpers Users Guide-2011 (SJ Users Guide) is an easy to read document with a lot of basic information. I found some useful information that answered some questions that I had. On page 5 of the SJ Users Guide I found the same listing of USFS and BLM Smokejumper Bases this time listed by region with the number of personnel at each base, along with a map. According to the SJ Users Guide (2011), page 5 there “are about 325 Forest Service smokejumpers” based at the seven USFS bases (at least when the SJ Users Guide was printed in 2011), and 145 BLM smokejumpers. USFS and BLM smokejumpers are interchangeable.

I had read that smokejumpers sometimes operate out of other bases, these bases are listed on page 5 of the SJ Users Guide and are also included in the map. Unfortunately I can not reproduce the map here, so I hope that you will take a few moments and look at the map.These other bases that have been used are referred to as “spike bases:”

Vernal, Utah
Price Utah
Moab, Utah,
Pocatello, Idaho
Salmon, Idaho
Santa Fe New Mexico
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Prescott, Arizona
Cannon City, Colorado
Durango, Colorado
Elko Nevada

I will continue with this series on Smokejumpers tomorrow or Thursday where I’ll write a little more about Smokejumper aircraft.

A little about the history of California smokejumpers and their aircraft

Between going outside and working on some ice that is or was blocking the underground pipe that drains one of my gutter downspouts I have been reading more about the Smokejumper program. I had been hoping to make a post today, perhaps the first of a few posts, but I am running out of time today. I will return tomorrow with some more information.

But in the meantime, I thought you might enjoy reading some information that I found on the California Smokejumpers-Redding wepage. They have a lot of great information, and I have spent at least one hour, perhaps more, looking at various pieces of information. I will point you to three items that I read this afternoon:

Development of Smokejumping in the U.S.
How the California Smokejumpers Began
California Smokejumper Aircraft

Smokejumper Aircraft: Shorts Sherpa C-23A

I  am pretty certain that I embedded a video last August showing the California Smokejumpers from Redding shows the smoke jumpers jumping out of a Shorts Sherpa C23A.  The California Smokejumpers - Redding have an aircraft page where you can learn more about the current aircraft they use (Shorts Sherpa and Dornier (contracted) as well as past aircraft.

The Sherpa 330 is made by the Shorts Brothers in Northern Ireland and is known as a flying wing because of its unique, aerodynamic body shape. The Sherpa has a cruise speed of 160 knots, carries up to 10 jumpers and is jumped from a stand-up position. It has a range of approximately 300 miles and is currently still used at Redding. (California Smokejumpers-Redding about aircraft) 

The Missoula Smokejumpers have a publicly available Facebook page that may be found where their aircraft photo album has a couple of pictures of a Sherpa.

More on McCall Smokejumpers and their aircraft

I shared a great video about the McCall Smokejumpers on January 5th and if you haven't looked at this video (just under seven minutes), I hope that you take the time to look at it. I wanted to dig up some photos of the other smokejumper aircraft, the DH-6 300 series Twin Otter, the Shorts Sherpa C-23, Dornier, and Casa. I have just begun this process and in found a couple of photo galleries from the McCall Smokejumpers with some photos of the Smokejumper aircraft.

I loved the first photo gallery, McCall Smokejumpers 2014 which you may view as a slide show starting with here with the first photo. Included in this wonderful photogallery (please take a few moments to go thru the pictures) you will some pictures of a Twin Otter Smokejumper aircraft. In fact there are several pictures of the Twin Otter through out the gallery.

The McCall Smokejumpers have a photo page which includes an aircraft gallery including photos of Smokejumper aircraft (DC-3T, and the Twin Otter).

Last season for last DC-3 smokejumper aircraft - Jump 15

Earlier today, I read that this is the last season for the last DC-3 smokejumper aircraft, see Bill Gabbert's Fire Aviation Blog (February 22, 2015) and an article (February 21, 2015) from the Missoulian. Here is passage from the Missoulian February 22nd article where I got a sense of how much she is loved by her pilots and passengers.

“It has been flying since my grandpa was in the Army Air Corps,” smokejumper Colby Jackson said as the big plane’s engines howled through a pre-season test run. “He always gets a kick seeing pictures of us with the DC-3. He was stationed with them in Africa, when they were C-47s.” 

Jump-15 (its radio call sign) is the last DC-3 still hauling smokejumpers and backcountry cargo for the U.S. Forest Service. Pilots love her ability to land and launch from tiny forest airstrips, her muscle and endurance. Jumpers love her big exit door and reputation for reliability. With room for 16 parachute-strapped firefighters and all their gear, Jump-15 has twice the capacity of any other jump plane on the runway.

And in the 2005 video below at about marker 1:45 Smokejumper Skodt Jones talks about one of the DC-3 smokejumper aircraft (not sure which one). Jump 15's sister, Jump 42 retired a couple of years ago. I wrote about the DC-3 Smokejumper Airplanes on December 31, 2010.

direct link to video

Jump 15, I have never had the privilege of meeting you in person. I know that you are loved. You have served long as well as a smokejump aircraft. I wish that I knew how many missions you flew and where. You are almost 70 years old, wow. I wasn't born yet. A lot of us weren't born yet. You are a special lady, the last one of your kind flying as a smokejumper aircraft. I wish you, your pilots, and your smokejumpers in this your last season. Be safe. 

Geronimo Hotshots 2014 season - part 2 of 2

When I posted what is now part 1 of 2 about the Geronimo Hotshots 2014 season video - Life as a Geronimo Hotshot (posted on February 16th), I did mean to watch the entire video and add some comments prior to the time the post went live. To make a long story shorts, I had to attend some unexpected personal issues the last four days, so I only now was able to sit down and watch this 25 minute video.

If you haven't watched the video, I hope that you take 25 minutes and do so now. I certainly learned a lot about the life of a hotshot crew by watching this video. More importantly, I feel like I learned about what it means to be a Geronimo Hotshot thanks to having this peak at their 2014 season. the video was shot using a Go Pro Camera, thanks to Mario Dia.

A few minutes at the start of the video is spent showing the recruitment, focusing on at least some of the fitness and agility tests that Geronimo Hotshots must pass. Footage was shown of the following tests, I suspect that there are other fitness tests that were not shown

• running 1.5 miles in under 10 minutes 35 seconds,
• 40 situps in one minute,
• pull ups, the number is based on body weight, and
• 25 pushups in one minute,

Much of the video focuses on some (but not all) of different tasks the Geronimo Hotshot crew does on a wild fire. You will see labeled footage on the following tasks:

• handlines,
• chain saw operations,
• line preparation,
• (tree) falling operations,
• ignition operations (with a drip torch),
• the lookout,
• hot spotting, cold trail, and mop-up operations,
• hiking into and out of the fire,
• air operations (at 13:15) shot from the ground including a couple of scenes where a couple of the crew are cheering a drop,
• single resource firing boss, and
• single resource crew boss (leading other crews into fires)

You will also learn about some of the instruction and teaching that the Geronimo Hotshots do. The all important role of the wilderness medic on the crew is discussed along with how the crew medevacs an injured crew member.

Included near the end of the video is a nice tribute to fallen wildland firefighters. The video ends with an introduction to each of the Geronimo Hotshots.

The beauty of this video for me was twofold: (1) an educational video where I learned about some of the specific tasks that the Geronimo Hotshot crew does, and by extension other Hotshot crews, and (2) getting to know the 2014 Geronimo Hotshot crew as a crew, seeing them working together on wildfires.

Dash Cam footage from Colorado grass fire.

direct link to video

Thanks to my friends at the NJ Forest Fire Service Section B-10 website for posting this video on their fire videos of the week page (updated weekly).

Geronimo Hotshots 2014 season - part 1 of 2

I admit that I only had time to watch less than half this video from the Geronimo Hotshots about their 2014 season, including their training. But in the interest of getting something out here for Monday in case I am unable to post on Monday due to outages, well here it is. Enjoy.

Allow just under 25 minutes to watch this video.

Updated on February 20th, you might be interested in what is now part 2 of 2 on the Geronimo Hotshots 2014 season (posted on February 20th) where I offer some brief reflections and include a list of what I learned from the video. Circumstances prevented from doing so before this post went live.



direct link to video