Wildland fire has been a major part of Bill Gabbert‘s life for several decades. After growing up in the south, he migrated to southern California where he lived for 20 years, working as a wildland firefighter. Later he took his affinity for firefighting to Indiana and eventually the Black Hills of South Dakota where he was the Fire Management Officer for a group of seven national parks. Today he is the creator and owner of WildfireToday.com and Sagacity Wildfire Services and serves as an expert witness in wildland fire.
If you are interested in wildland fire, welcome… grab a cup of coffee and put your feet up. Oh, and by the way, this picture was taken in 1972 when I was on the El Cariso Hot Shots.
Bill Gabbert
any objections to doing a blog or link to your video of the jet tanker test drops ?
Al
I have no objections to you linking to WildfireToday.com
Hi Bill, I had dinner with Greg Greenhoe and Rich Wands the other night and they said you had this website up and going. I have not had a chance to really look at it but my initial reaction is good job with this. The picture of you looks familiar – from the CNF perhaps?
Scott vail
Hi Scott, thanks, and good to hear from you. Yes, it’s a very old picture from 1972 when I was one of the foremen on the El Cariso Hot Shots on the Cleveland National Forest in southern California.
Hey Scotty, ask Greenhoe how the flyfishing’s been lately.
Hello Bill —
Just sent a bunch of Clif Bars to the ECHS. Found their address etc. through the ECHS Facebook group, which is worth joining.
Hope this finds you well.
Bruce Lymburn
Hi Bruce-
It’s been a while since we worked on the El Cariso Hot Shots together. Good to hear from you. I had to Google “Clif Bar”, but I’m sure the Hot Shots will appreciate them. Sounds much better than the ham on white bread sandwiches we used to eat on the fireline.
El Cariso’s Facebook page, and their Blog.
Bruce!
Do you still carry a small broom with you? Ha! I seem to recall there were a few jokes floating around. But honestly, I don’t think many people understand how critical a CLEAN line in chaparral is. It’s just that, well uh, there wasn’t much heft to that fire tool. Nice to hear from you via WT.
Oh. While dispensing cookies to the El Cariso crew a few days ago, one of the guys mentioned Dennis Baldridge. Never a social animal, I, names long since faded are beginning to flesh out. Cool!
Is that me? Bottom, 3rd from right? I just don’t recall working a hook a lot but I think that’s my smile. I’m just not sure. And where and/or what fire was that? What the hell am I talking about?!
Lone Ranger
Bruce. Apologies! Middle of the night I awoke and realized you weren’t the “broom”. I do remember you though. It took several minutes of “disturbed-sleep-thought” to come up with yet another long forgotten name…. Rick(?) Bondar. Yes. Ring a bell? Note pad and broom. Or need I hang up my 1972 ECHS memories and recollections?
Regards,
Lone Ranger
No worries, mate. But yes, I did carry that broom around, as a badge of honor. Goofy I know, but heck, in those days I was young and weird. (Now I’m old and weird, or so my kids tell me….). Anyway, Rich Bondar was the broom holder before me, and I’m sure Rich would agree that the broom was a most practical and excellent piece of firefighting equipment, as long as it did not catch on fire. Rich’s story after the ECHS was a sad one, but I’ll leave that for another post.
Anyway, Lone Ranger, do you have another monicker, perhaps used back in the day? I’m having trouble remembering “Lone Ranger”….
Yo Bruce! I can’t recall any crew related monikers (ECHS, Pike and Roosevelt Hot Shots, BLM out of Glenwood Springs, CO)… other than what I overheard some Papagos refer to us as on a bus headed into an AZ fire back in ’68 or ’69, Hot Shits. I’m quite certain there were some choice words spoken of me at times. I like to think of myself as a black sheep.
I prefer to remain anonymous rather than incognito. I suppose because I’m pretty solitary even though for many years as a State Park Ranger park visitors/recreationists/party kids kept me anything but solitary during my 8-12 hour shifts. A few fellow employees referred to me as the Lone Ranger because that is how I preferred patrolling the Anza-Borrego Desert… alone, even on weekend enforcement night shifts. Such grand times! I hung up my gun and Super Man cape and went underground when I retired.
You aren’t old. Just older. I figure old is when you die.
I thought Rich and Dirk Muntean(?) went into a nursery business for a while.
As for having trouble remembering… wait a few more years!
LR
Bill,
I agree with your writing regarding the Saddler Fire back in August of 1999. I do wonder what Tom S. and Tim H. is doing now. I hope they are in good health. I think back on this incident often, and I try and use it as a tool to help others. As a matter of fact I have just finished a discusion on the incident today. It puts me in a not so good mood but I get over it. I am still fighting fire and am very happy. I cant think of a better job.
Thanks again
Ty Deaton
I have a bad habit of spelling Sadler Fire with two d’s. Ops..
I am glad–because I just shared- a lot!
Searching for info on Bokeelia fire in Florida ( I live here ) and Lower North Fork ( my Son’s family in Fort Collins). Yours is the absolute best info for forecast maps AND fire updates I could find on the whole web!
Thanx. Bookmarked for a looong hot! summer.
Thanks Desiree