Friday Fun: Stearman biplanes performing flybys

On this edition of Friday Fun, I offer a video from AirshowStuffVideos of two WWII-era Stearman Biplanes performing at the 2021 Wings fo the North AirExpo. Allow less than seven minutes to watch the video.

Direct link to video from AirshowStuffVideos on YouTube

Hurricane Hunters fly into Hurricane Ian

 I have spent much of the morning in touch with a good friend on the gulf coast of Florida relaying information to her about Hurricane Ian as they are having a difficult time with communications and getting current information on Hurricane Ian. It therefore seems appropriate and fitting within the aviation focus of this blog to share two videos of our wonderful Hurricane Hunter Aircraft flying into Ian. Before I do, I have previously posted many articles on Hurricane Hunters that my be found here, note these are articles tagged Hurricane Hunters. I also have to be quick because I have to recharge my wireless mouse in advance of a midday online commitment.

Life of an Incident Meteorologist: NOAA photo story

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

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

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

About the Great Basin Smokejumpers

Better late than never. I had my Omicron Covid booster yesterday and was a little out of it. So this is late. Enjoy this short video about the Great Basin Smokejumpers by the National Interagency Fire Center.

Direct link to video on YouTube by the National Interagency Fire Center

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

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

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

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

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

A little more about wildland firefighting in Maryland

After returning from a short trip to the Chesapeake Bay area of Maryland on Friday, I was curious to see what I could learn about wildland fires in Maryland. It did not take me long to find the Maryland DNR's Forest Service Wildland Fire Page. Fire season peaks in the spring and the fall, similar to others areas in the mid-atlantic region. They have a nice downloadable page on wildfire behavior in Maryland

The first thing I checked out was their history page (pdf), the Maryland Forest Service was founded in 1906, the same year they started to fight wildfires. At one time there were many fire towers in Maryland, only a few currently remain. Today Maryland DNR has much of the same equipment and vehicles as other wildland fire fighting agencies: engines of various sizes and dozers along with GPS capability and vastly improved communications.

Finally, I was curious about the acreage burned by wildfires in Maryland. I found no information on wildfires in 2022, but perhaps I was not looking in the right place. I did find a page of wildfire statistics with annual reports from 2004 to 2021. I looked at the 2021 Wildfire Summary Report by the Maryland DNR. What follows is some information from the 2021 report:

• 102 fires burned 1,363 acres. 
• Looking at acreage burned, seven fires in January burning 973.8 acres, the second highest month was December where 17 fires burned 211 acres. 
• Current v ten year average
• number of fires: 102 wildfires in 2021, ten-year average is 122.4
• acreage burned: 1,363 acres burned in 2021 compared with a ten-year average of 1,947.5
• There is an active prescribed burning program with 2,769.2 acres in the 2021 prescribed burning program scattered across the state.

What I did not post here was the information that can be found in the daily intelligence briefings from the Eastern Area Coordination Center. I did take a peak at their EACC Detailed Situation Report by Protection Area (daily at least during fire season). There is a wealth of information in this report for the states in the Eastern Region. For example, in the report dated September 18, 2022, I saw that the 2 human-caused fires burned 18 acres in the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge which I visited last week. I believe but am not certain there have been 12 prescribed burns in the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge to date for 2,156 acres burned.

Finally, I did get the feeling that as in other States, local fire companies provide mutual aid as needed to the Maryland DNR firefighters. I do not know what aerial resources Maryland uses to fight and/or observe wildfires. I do not mean to imply that are no aerial resources, just that I do not know about such resources.

I know that I am barely touching the surface of fighting wildland fires in Maryland. I do so to show that I am interested. I am hoping to follow a social media site that might help me keep in touch with Maryland and Delaware wildland fire news. 

Prescribed burning at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge (Chesapeake Bay)

I got back yesterday from a short trip with some good friends to the Chesapeake Bay region in Maryland. We only had three days there and one of the treasures was the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge near Cambridge, Maryland. Always being on the alert for anything about wildfires, in this case prescribed burns, when we got to the visitors center of Blackwater, I noted that they had a display talking about prescribed burning in the refuge and why it is important. I was not thinking at the time, so I did not take a photo to share with you. I did appreciate and applaud the Fish and Wildlife Service for putting up this display to educate the public about the importance of prescribed burning. 

We were there twice, the second time we were there, I was asking one of the rangers if there was any flooding on the shorter driving tour that we were going to take, there was not. By the way, this was our second time on the driving tour. Anyway, she took the time to tell me that there was a prescribed burn going on, that we might see smoke. If there was any smoke, we were distracted by looking at the beauty of Blackwater, and later troubleshooting our maps app so we could get back to the place we were staying. Anyway, I do appreciate this prescribed burn in preparation for planting winter crops to support wildlife.

I thought that some of you might enjoy getting to know the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge so I am sharing a video of the driving tour we took. This was shot in the summer of 2020 by the Friends of Blackwater

Direct link to video on YouTube by the Friends of Blackwater NWR

Aerial fire fighting tactics

 I was looking for something different to post today and came across this video from 2015 that I had bookmarked for later posting. The video is called "Basic Tactics" and is shot from a camera mounted on the aircraft, perhaps on the wing. You will listen to radio conversations directing the aerial attack on the fire with some printed commentary telling you what is going on. I always enjoy these videos, I always learn. Enjoy.

Direct link to video on YouTube

Reflections on a little rain during a drought

 

This is the current Drought Monitor Map for the area covered by the NWS Philadelphia/Mt Holly Weather Forecast Office. We have had some beneficial rains over the last week, some of which may not be reflected in this map. I do not know enough to know what the situation will be when the next Drought Monitor Map is issued, will there be a slight change for the better? I am not a Meteorologist, but I suspect that we need several beneficial rainfalls before we come out of the drought. However, I along with my trees and other greenery are grateful for the rain. I am not letting up on my efforts to conserve water.

What I do know is that last weeks beneficial rains and perhaps today's rains mean that the wildland firefighters in my area got a bit of break. According to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, fire danger today is low (map is updated daily, as it was last week following the beneficial rains (what you see will likely be different as conditions change). While I am grateful that the fire danger in New Jersey has been low the last few days, it is no time to be complacent. Wildfires can still happen. the crews of the NJFFS have not put away their equipment and trucks, they are still on call if the need should arise. 

I thank the wildland firefighters of the NJ Forest Fire Service and those in adjoining states for your service. Stay safe.

NOAA Satellites looking at wildfires

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

Fires Across Europe

Fires Across Alaska

Fire near Yosemite

Wildfire History: Lockheed P2V airtanker operations in 2017.

 I got side tracked yesterday with some unexpected business and was unable to make my usual Wednesday blog entry. I will be tied up with that same business this afternoon but I diid want to take a few moments to post. In this case, this is a video from Bob Webb showing the pilots view of air operations in steep terrain behind a lead plane. Enjoy

Direct link to video on YouTube from Bob Webb

Thank-you to all who are working this Labor Day

As I sit here at home on this Labor Day having a quiet Labor Day with my family, I am quite aware that many of you have to work today. I am not only speaking to wildland firefighters and other first responders and health care workers who are working today but all who work in retail, call centers, and other places of business who have to work today. Please accept my heartfelt thanks for all you do for us.

Friday Fun: aerobatics in Pitts Special

It is airshow season. I wanted to take a time-out to share something fun with you as we start the long Labor Day weekend here in the United States. In the video that I will share with you, you will see South Jersey native, Jason Flood flying a short version of his aerobatic routine in his Pitts Special, the Red Ghost. As I understand, the Pitts Special is designed for stunt and aerobatic flying. I enjoyed watching Jason's routine and I hope that you will. Allow about eleven minutes to watch the video. Jason performed his routine on August 30, 2022 at the New Garden Airshow in Toughkenamon, Pennsylvania

Direct Link to video by Zinger Aviation Media on YouTube. 

Life on a hotshot crew

Join videographer Bureau of Land Management Contract Videographer Matt Irving following the Colorado Craig Interagency Hotshot crew on a fourteen day assignment. The incidents shown in the video were in California and Montana. I have seen various crew videos of Hotshot crews and learned a lot from those videos. This video gave me a different perspective as I followed the crew on the video and listened to some commentary from individual hotshots. Hotshot crews are but one of many crews fighting wildfires. There are other types of crews that may be on a fire for fourteen day assignments as well as engine crews, go to this NIFC page to learn about the different type of crews. While I notice that Hotshot crews do a lot of work on wildfires in the western U.S., they will work where needed including the eastern U.S.

Allow just under 25 minutes to watch the video, it is worth the time/ Enjoy!

Direct link to video from the National Interagency Fire Center on YouTube

Mental health challenges faced by wildland firefighters

I want to pause and acknowledge that wildland firefighters have mental health challenges. This has been on my mind for a few days now. I have struggled about how and what to share with you about mental health challenges faced by wildland firefighters. Let’s just say that part of my hesitation is because I am not now nor have I ever been a wildland firefighter so as sympathetic and supportive as I am about wildland firefighters living with mental health challenges, I can not know what it is like for wildland firefighters.  I want to respect all the challenges faced by wildland firefighters, mental health and otherwise and to be careful about writing about something I have no first hand knowledge of. In this case, it is not as simple as sharing a video. 

I know that Bill Gabbert of Wildfire Today  has written extensively about mental health challenges faced by wildland firefighters, Bill’s posts tagged “mental health” may be found here  . I believe that Bill has a background as a wildland firefighter so that gives him credibility that I do not have. So if you want to learn more these mental health challenges and how they are being addressed by fire fighting agencies, I suggest that you look through Bill’s articles. Among Bill's articles that I found insightful is an article he wrote on December 26, 2021 here is an excerpt

Wildland firefighters on crews that are often deployed on endless 14-day assignments far from home may become acclimated to the high energy adrenaline-fueled environment. They are part of a team working toward the same clear objective, constructing fireline, installing hose lays, or mopping up. The goal is usually very obvious, and when done they can look back and see what they accomplished while part of a group that over months together could complete each other’s sentences. They know what each would do when faced with a pulse-elevating situation, or how they deal with boredom while waiting for a ride back to fire camp.

When the fire season is over, their environment goes through a metamorphose. Almost overnight they may find themselves with their spouse, significant other, children, parents, non-fire friends, or, alone — a completely different situation from the previous six months. Some firefighters adapt more easily than others. Those that don’t, may experience mental health issues and mild or severe depression. Spouses or children of the often-absent firefighter may also show symptoms. obtained on August, 29, 2022 from  https://wildfiretoday.com/2021/12/26/this-time-of-the-year-can-be-a-challenge-for-wildland-firefighters/)

A couple of weeks ago President Biden signed the Public Safety Officer Support Act of 2022. Included in this act are benefits to families of First Responders who die by suicide after job related stress. Such suicides are now considered as dying in the line of duty making their families eligible for insurance, health benefits and the like. See this article from CBS News. About time.

2021 wildfire season: year in review from the NWCG with a focus on fire safety

One of the YouTube Channels that I follow is the channel of the National Wildfire Coordinating Group. The NWCG website has a wealth of information. I am drawn to their publications listing as well as training information where I may learn about some of the initial and recurrent training that wildland firefighters go through, both are listed at the top of the page Under toolbox menu at the top of the page there is also information for the media, no I am not media, an FAQ and information for those thinking of becoming a wildland firefighter. The NWCG does many other things that I am not listing here and I go to their website and YouTube channel periodically.  I did so today and while I was there, I noticed the 2021 WFSTAR Year in Review video. I am always interested in videos such as this as it takes me up close and personal from my study in New Jersey. In addition, this is another opportunity to continue learning. Thanks to all the wildland firefighters on the ground and in the air, and support crews for fighting these wildfires and keeping us safe. Perhaps the most important thing in this video is a focus on wildland firefighter safety on the fireline. The video is about twelve minutes long and I believe it was posted on YouTube around May 2022. Enjoy.

Direct link to video from the NWCG on YouTube

Revisiting Neptune Aviation and their BAe-146 air tankers

Sometime around 2010 I first learned about the BAe-146 where one BAe-146 airplane was being developed by Tronos and later delivered to Neptune Aviation. Bill Gabbert of WildfireToday reported on September 23, 2011 that the BAe-146 received interim approval from the Interagency Air Tanker Board, he also provides some basic information about the BAe-146 and some links. I believe but am not certain that by 2015 Neptune Aviation may have had at least one BAe-146 air tanker under contract with the US Forest Service. I have no specific information on Neptune's contracts with the US Forest Service and other agencies from 2015 to 2020, but to the best of my knowledge Neptune Aviation has had contracts (exclusive use and call when needed) with the US Forest Service since then. I have no specific information about 2022 contracts, but according to Neptune Aviation's Neptune Today page (accessed on August 24, 2022) 

In 2021 Neptune Aviation provided four airtankers on Exclusive Use Contracts with the USFS, three airtankers on Call When Needed Contracts with the USFS, one airtanker on Exclusive Use Contract with CalFire, and one airtanker on Exclusive Use Contract with the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention & Control. Neptune Aviation also had Call When Needed Contracts in Australia and Chile.

For specifications on Neptunes BAe-146 see Neptune's fact sheet on the BAe-146  (accessed August 24, 2022). Briefly, according to the fact sheet, the Bae-146 can carry up to 3,000 gallons of retardant, with a cruising speed of 400 knots, and a range of 1,100 nautical miles. For those of you who are interested, I shared a cockpit tour of the BAe-146 by Blancolirio on October 6, 2021, I learned of this video on Neptune's Facebook page.  I am embedding it below for your convenience.

Neptune Aviation has a very nice webpage with good information that you may want to spend time exploring, Neptune has a Facebook page that I believe is freely available without a Facebook account. Bill does a great job of reporting on Neptune Aviation in Fire Aviation and Wildfire Today, his Fire Aviation articles tagged BAe-146 may be found here and on the main page of either Wildfire Today or Fire Aviation you will see that he has a search function with filters that I myself have used and found it very useful, for example when I want to easily review the history of certain air tankersI myself have written some articles about the BAe-146 that I have tagged but Bill has far more articles than I do. 

Memories of air tankers in 2009 (part 2 of 2)

Direct link to video by Bob Webb on YouTube

Among the air tankers that I watched on either news streaming or YouTube in the early days of my blog in 2009 into 2010 was the Lockheed P2-V air tankers that were then under contract with Neptune Aviation. By 2017 Neptune had retired the last of their P2-V air tankers from active service, most are now in museum's around the United States. Neptune Aviation has always had a nice website chock full of information, the have a webpage about their history and a list of museums that have one or two of Neptune's historic P2-V I hope to see one of these historic air tankers in person one day. 

Neptune is now flying BAe-146 air tankers on contract with the US Forest Fire Service, other state agencies and internationally, go here for more information. I will write more about Neptune's BAe-146 air tankers sometime this week.

I close with a tribute to the P2-Vs upon the retirement of the last of Neptunes active P2-V's in 2017. This video is by Scorched Sky Productions, I shared this video and the video from Bob Webb in previous posts on my blog.

Direct link to video by Scorched Sky Productions on YouTube

Memories of air tankers in 2009 (part 1 of 2)

 It was approximately 14 years ago, August of 2008, when I first became interested in learning more about wildland firefighting. The focus of those early entries were on what I was learning. In early 2009 I began to learn about airtanker operations thanks to the help of a few friends, current and former airtanker pilots. I took you along as I learned about the airtanker business and learned about the contractors that then had contracts with the U.S. Forest Service. I cut my teeth in 2009 into 2010 by watching live stream and other videos of Aero Union's P-3's, 10 Tanker Corp's DC-10, and Evergreen's 747 tanker flying fires. most of the videos that I am embedding below were previously shared on my blog.

In 2009, Tanker 910, operated by 10 Tanker Corp was under contract with CAL Fire, see my May 16, 2009 article for more information. Tanker 910 was capable of carrying up to 12,000 gallons of retardant though I suspect that most of the time she carried less retardant. I enjoyed watching her lay down a line of retardant. 

Direct link to 2008 video uploaded by palealien on YouTube

10 Tanker Corp is still around in 2022 and continues to fly DC 10 air tankers, download their fact sheet for more information. 10 Tanker has four DC 10 tankers -- T 910, 911, 912, and 914 -- in their fleet. Her current retardant capacity is 9,400 gallons. I believe that 10 tanker corp has contracts with the US Forest Service as well as State agencies.

I will never forget watching Evergreen's 747 tanker link up and drop a long line of retardant on the 2009 Station Fire in southern California. You will have to take my word for this as the video is no longer available. I recall watching a live stream of this drop on one of the Southern California TV News outlets, awesome. While that video that so impressed me is no longer available, check out this 2009 video 

Direct link to video from elvladyman on YouTube

According Bill Gabbert's May 2, 2014 Fire Aviation post Evergreen's 747 was not under contract in 2014. Sometime later, I don't recall exactly when and I have no link at the moment, I believe that this 747 was no longer operated by Evergreen.  A newer 747 tanker, T-944,  operated by 747 supertanker  began operations sometime in 2017 and had some contracts but ceased operations in April 2021, see Bill Gabbert's April 23, 2021 article. On September 3, 2021 Bill Gabbert reported that a 747 tanker, owned by Logistic Air, is expected to return to service for wildland firefighting by late 2022, see Bill's May 4, 2022 for updated information.

Finally, I enjoyed watching AeroUnion's P-3 tanker (3,000 gallon retardant capacity) fly fires. Sadly, the U.S. Forest Service terminated its contract with Aero Union for their P-3's in August 2011 and shut down operations a few months later after selling off their assets including some of their P-3s (see my January 18, 2012 article)

Enjoy this tribute to the P-3 tanker from Scorched Sky Productions.

Direct link to video on YouTube from Scorched Sky Productions

Another air tanker company, Neptune Aviation had contracts with the US Forest Service in 2009 and is still in business  flying airtankers. I will write about Neptune Aviation on August 22. Stay Tuned

About incident meteorologists (IMETs): meet a couple of IMETs (Aug 17)

As you may know, I follow the NWS IMET Operations office on Twitter. You should not need an account on Twitter to view the posts from IMET Operations. In the last few days, they have made a couple of posts that they call "Meet our IMETs". I thought that some of you might want to read more about these IMETs. Steve Fano 

Meet our IMETs:
Meet @NWSFortWorth Incident Meteorologist Steve Fano. While he's been on 8 missions, one of his most memorable was the 2017 Brian Head fire in UT. He got an undergrad degree at @msudenver, and a masters degree at @TexasTech.
Steve is currently on a mission in TX! pic.twitter.com/sksUHmLcCh

— NWS IMET Operations (@NWS_IMET_OPS) August 11, 2022

and Dan Borsum.

Meet our IMETs:
Meet @NWSBillings Incident Meteorologist Dan Borsum. Dan has been an IMET for 20 years and is a double ace at 62 missions. He's a true servant leader of our program. Dan went to college @penn_state pic.twitter.com/rHP5AcPF7Y

— NWS IMET Operations (@NWS_IMET_OPS) August 16, 2022

Thanks to Steve Fano and Dan Borsum for your work as an IMET when you are deployed to wildfires to provide site specific forecasts those fighting the wildfires. IMETs save lives.