Leicester, North Carolina — Lt. Ross Dillingham of the Buncombe County Sheriff’s office said on Tuesday a man that had been reported missing had been killed in a brush fire. Lt. Dillingham told the Citizen-Times Pavel Bruskiy was found dead on property owned by his family in Leicester, NC, about 8 miles northwest of Ashevill, NC.
From the Citizen-Times:
A brush fire reported in the area Thursday evening, March 5, scorched between 5-7 acres, Dillingham said. Bruskiy was reported missing Thursday night.
“We learned that his vehicle was found over there on Pilgrim Drive,” Dillingham said. “We also learned that he liked to go over there, walk in the woods and clear brush on occasion.”
Evidence at the scene showed Bruskiy was in the process of burning brush when he lost control of the fire, Dillingham said. His body was found Friday.
“We don’t know yet if he was overcome by smoke, but he died as a result of the fire,” Dillingham said. “We don’t know if the fire got away too quick or what the exact circumstances were, but we determined it to be accidental.”
Authorities are waiting for results from an autopsy, Dillingham said.
Today will be the second day of the penalty hearing to determine if Raymond Oyler will receive the death penalty or prison time for setting the Esperanza fire which resulted in the deaths of five firefighters from the U.S. Forest Service in southern California in 2006.
As Wildfire Today reported yesterday, the proceedings on Tuesday were halted after a request from Oyler’s attorneys for a psychological evaluation of their client which was prompted by Oyler’s odd behavior. The judge ordered that the results of the doctor’s exam be presented Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. The jury will return at 1:30 p.m.
Here is an excerpt from an article in the Press-Enterprise about Tuesday’s court proceedings:
Oyler’s lead counsel, Mark McDonald, said Oyler’s behavior was “new since yesterday,” and that he had not seen any evidence of mental deficiency or defect in Oyler in the more than two years he has been working with him.
“It’s a distraction to me,” McDonald said of Oyler’s behavior. “Whether voluntarily or involuntarily, he is hurting his own cause in front of this jury.”
Oyler takes seven medications to treat high blood pressure, depression, stomach upset and tremors, Morgan said in court. Oyler began behaving oddly Monday and it continued Tuesday, with the defendant audibly muttering to himself. His head and shoulders moved suddenly from time to time.
Thomas K. Eckhardt, the defense lawyer who sits next to Oyler, asked for an in-chambers conference to discuss a “medical issue” before the jurors returned from their mid-morning break. After the closed meeting, Morgan called the jurors in and dismissed them for the rest of the day.
Oyler, 38, was convicted Friday of five counts of murder and all but three of the 40 arson-related counts against him. Jurors began hearing the penalty phase Tuesday. They can recommend a sentence of either death or life without parole. Two weeks of testimony are expected.
U.S. Forest Service battalion chiefs Christopher Fogle and Richard Gearhart recalled the scene on Oct. 26, 2006, when the Esperanza Fire swept over the five men of Engine 57 in the San Jacinto Mountains community of Twin Pines.
They recounted witnessing the burn-over, the desperate effort to reach Engine 57 by radio and efforts by them and others to reach the burn area by engine or by foot.
They talked about the horror of finding the badly burned men, of having to extinguish the flames on the bodies of two of their dead comrades — one by using water from canteens — and of the desperate efforts to save the two survivors who would eventually die from their burns.
During their morning testimony, family members of the firefighters who died rushed from the courtroom in anguish. Jurors were moved to tears.
Fogle and Gearhart were captains of their own engine companies at the time. Along with Engine 57, they had been deployed in the early hours of the fire to assist in evacuation and home protection. Five Forest Service engines were involved in the operation.
Fogle said he was a close friend of Loutzenhiser. Both men lived in Idyllwild and were active in community sports together, including Little League baseball. During testimony Tuesday, Fogle called him by his nickname, “Lotzy.”
Fogle, who testified first, told of watching the approaching fingers of fire from the main blaze as they raced up the mountainside toward the Twin Pines community where the Forest Service engine crews were working.
One finger of the blaze swept “up and over” the home, which was under construction, where Fogle and his crew on Engine 52 were working. His crew took refuge in their engine and escaped injury.
Engine 57 was stationed about a quarter- to a half-mile away and across a ravine from Engine 52. The Engine 57 crew was at an octagon-shape house that overlooked a deep gully that ran to the base of the mountain. Fire was roaring up the gully
Grim Discovery
Fogle said within “three to five seconds” the rushing fire had engulfed the home and the land it was setting on as well as some land behind it. Gearhart recalled that a few minutes later “it was like a flamethrower.”
Fogle said he called on his radio: “Captain 57, Captain 52?” No answer. He asked others in the area to try. No response.
Fogle first tried to get his engine to the octagon house, realized it was still too dangerous, put the engine and the rest of his crew in a safe spot on the road and tried to make his way to the house on foot with his emergency medical technician.
Meanwhile, Gearhart had also seen the overburn and, coming a different way, was able to get on the scene. He saw Pablo Cerda first, and feared the worst. Gearhart called out on his radio, “They’re dead — I think they’re all dead,” Fogle testified.
Gearhart recalled the same moment when he took the stand, then testified, “When I said, ‘They’re dead,’ Pablo moved his arm. He heard me.” Cerda would survive until Oct. 31.
Loutzenhiser also had survived. Gearhart, who found him, prepared Fogle. “They wanted to warn me of Lotzy’s condition,” before he went to him, Fogle said.
“I held his hand and told him it would be OK,” Fogle testified, his voice breaking. Loutzenhiser lived long enough to be evacuated but died shortly after that. Fogle said that as the scope of the tragedy became apparent, he called two ambulances, then four and then asked for a coroner.
The other firefighters, Jess McLean 27, of Beaumont, Jason McKay, 27, of Apple Valley, and Daniel Hoover-Najera, 20, of San Jacinto, were dead at the scene.
UPDATE @ 10:35 PT, March 11
Judge W. Charles Morgan ruled this morning, after reading the report prepared by a psychologist who examined Oyler, that Oyler is mentally competent and the penalty phase of the trial can continue. The jury is expected to return at 1:30 p.m.
A USFS contract helicopter works the fire near Old Fort, NC on Tuesday. Photo: Richelle Bailey
Fire officials say it is likely that a train was the cause of multiple fires that began near Old Fort, North Carolina Tuesday afternoon. Four or five fires together burned hundreds of acres by late in the afternoon.
Dozens of firefighters from the state of N.C., the U. S. Forest Service, and volunteer firefighters from several fire departments were working on the fires. Two helicopters from the USFS made numerous water drops.
Three groups of hikers had to be located and removed from the area.
Bill that addresses fire funding introduced again
A bill to fix the way wildland fires are funded was introduced in the House of Representatives and the Senate today. Called the Federal Land Assistance, Management and Enhancement (FLAME) Act (H.R. 1404), the bill would create a reserve account that the Forest Service and Department of Interior could tap if they exhaust their firefighting budgets. Without this safety net, the agencies have had to take money from other non-fire programs in order to suppress wildfires.
A similar bill died in the last congress, being passed unanimously by the House but stalled in the Senate. The 2008 version of the bill was endorsed by at least 40 conservation and forestry organizations, including the National Association of State Foresters.
More information is HERE.
Esperanza fire penalty phase begins
Raymond Oyler appeared “mentally disoriented”, attorney Thomas Eckhardt told Riverside County Superior Court Judge W. Charles Morgan during a hearing on Monday. “He doesn’t know where he is… he keeps staring at the clock”.
The jury was not present for Monday’s hearing, which was to go over motions, arguments, and witness lists for the penalty hearing which begins today, Tuesday, and is expected to last two weeks. Jurors can recommend the death sentence or life in prison without parole.
The judge said on Monday that he would allow several autopsy photos of the five U.S. Forest Service firefighters who were killed in the fire. Morgan barred the jury from seeing the images during the trial, saying the photos were “the worst photographs I have seen in my career”.
UPDATE, at 2:00 p.m. PT, Tuesday, March 10. From the Press-Enterprise:
Oyler trial halted over medical issue apparently involving Oyler
Testimony in the penalty phase of the Raymond Lee Oyler trial halted abruptly over a medical issue that apparently involves Oyler.
The action took place after a morning of emotional and graphic testimony, including pictures, about the deaths of the five-member crew of U.S. Forest Service Engine 57. Testimony included extinguishing two still-burning bodies, including one with canteens, by the firefighters who discovered them.
Firefighter family members rushed from the courtroom and several jurors were visibly crying.
Court reconvened at 10:40 a.m. after a 20-minute break, and Oyler attorney Thomas K. Eckhardt immediately asked Riverside County Superior Court judge W. Charles Morgan for a chambers conference.
Attorneys emerged 10 minutes later. Morgan called the 8-woman, 4-man jury back into court and dismissed them for the day.
He then instructed his clerk to contact three doctors from an authorized list, seeing if they could set up an examination within 24 to 48 hours. Morgan disclosed nothing about Oyler or the need for the doctors. Attorneys on both sides declined comment.
Morgan then told Oyler case attorneys to return to court at 2:30 today.
Oyler did not stand with his council when jurors entered and departed the room in the late morning session. At one point, he appeared to be muttering to himself.
He was dressed in a light brown shirt and no jacket. During the trial, he had been dressed in the full suit.
UPDATE @ 4:33 PT, Tuesday, March 10
This afternoon the judge ordered an overnight psychological evaluation of Oyler. The doctor’s evaluation is due Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. Jurors will be called back in at 1:30 p.m.
Oklahoma fire training turns into the real thing
Tracy Allen, a McAlester Army Ammunition Plant firefighter, after suppressing a fire in a double-wide trailer. McAlester News photo
Wildfire Today reported yesterday on the wildland fire training in Oklahoma that drew 400 firefighters from 90 departments. During Sunday’s classes, some of the firefighters interrupted their classes to respond to a fire in a double-wide mobile home a mile outside the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant, the site of the training.
Here is the way it was reported in the McAlester News-Capital by Mark Hughes, Public Affairs for the Ammunition Plant:
First in the front door of the blazing double-wide were Tracy Allen and Tommy Howard, both seven-year veterans of the ammunition plant’s fire department, handling a one-inch hose.
“We found the structure completely engulfed in smoke with the roof and both sides of the double-wide already on fire,” Howard said.
Not knowing whether the residents were accounted for, Howard broke out a window which was used to to ventilate the smoke filled house, clearing his field of vision so he could look for possible victims.
Unbeknownst to the fire fighters the residents, Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Kifer, were not inside. Earlier that afternoon they were riding their four-wheelers when the fire began.
As his wife was calling 911, Kifer tried to go back in to save personal items but was overcome by smoke. However, their six Chihuahua’s and a Blue Heeler were rescued.
“It’s like a bad dream you wish you could wake up from,” he said, describing the impact of the fire while he stood in a neighbor’s yard watching as ammunition plant firefighters, along with community volunteer firefighters, frantically worked to save the home. In the end, it was a total loss.
Mexican firefighters receive wildland training in Minnnesota
A group of 11 firefighters from the city of Cuernavaca, located 45 minutes southwest of Mexico City, traveled to Bemidji, Minnesota to receive training taught by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The topics covered include fire behavior, weather, tools used in wildland firefighting, pump operation and radio communications.
Did you know that you can subscribe to Wildfire Today and many other sites? If you subscribe, you can then read the new posts from multiple sites all in one place.
One of the easiest ways to do it is to set up a Google Reader account, or you can use Microsoft Outlook. Then you can click on the orange RSS (Really Simple Syndication) subscription icons you will see on many sites to subscribe, and then all of the new posts from the sites to which you subscribe will be assembled for you in one place, in Google Reader or Microsoft Outlook.
Just copy and paste this address into your news reader in order to subscribe to Wildfire Today.
https://wildfiretoday.com/feed
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There may be some compromises, though. Photos and videos may not always show up on the subscription page. And you may not see every post in its entirety. But at least you will know if there is new content on your favorite sites, and there are links you can click to go to the sites and read the original posts.
If you have an iGoogle account your subscriptions can also be displayed there along with your other personalized content.
We just received this message from Nate, one of our readers:
Great site, its my source for breaking news every morning.
I wanted to report to you that Roger Hershner, a long-time fire helicopter pilot was killed in Kansas yesterday, March 8. He was ferrying a helicopter from Hillcrest Aircraft Co. in Lewiston, ID to Virginia to start a USFS contract in Virginia. Not much info as to cause is available yet. He refueled in Ogalala, Nebraska and was enroute to Topeka, Kansas when he crashed.
Roger most recently has flown the joint Santa Fe/Musselshell Exclusive use contract in R3/R1. He also flew the Grangeville Exclusive use contract, and several other contracts in the southern region. He was employed by Hillcrest for about 5 years. He has been flying contract helicopters for the USFS for about 30 years, maybe more.
A program used in Australia called Recognition of Prior Learning is being introduced in the U.S., sponsored by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, the New South Wales Rural Fire Service, and the International Association of Fire Chiefs. The process assesses the competencies of structural firefighters to determine whether they are qualified, or the degree to which they are qualified, for wildland fire fighting positions.
More details are HERE.
Oklahoma town evacuates in front of fire
As of late Monday afternoon, March 9, the 1,000 residents in the town of Laverne in Harper County, Oklohoma are being evacuated due to a large wildfire. At 5:10 p.m. local time the fire was less than a mile west of Laverne and moving northeast toward the town. Updates can probably be found at KOCO.com.
Aussie firefighter demoted for cussin’ on the radio
John Willis
John Willis had 40 years of experience with the Country Fire Authority (CFA) in Australia when he was demoted for swearing during the Black Saturday bushfires in February. He had worked his way up to Captain of the Carrajung brigade, south of Traralgon when he was demoted to the rank of firefighter by local operations manager Greg Flynn.
Mr. Willis said he was criticized for using the f-word when his crew attacked a fire against orders.
But CFA executive manager of public affairs Robert Hogan said there had been three complaints in four days about “bullying language” by Mr. Willis. One was from a strike team leader and the other was from a sector controller.
Mr. Hogan said that Mr. Willis had been counselled during the previous two years over his behavior.
“He wasn’t a suitable person to represent his brigade, let alone CFA in a senior role,” Mr Hogan said. “He’s got a history of that sort of behavior.”
Interestingly, this followed a slip by Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd who raised eyebrows by describing on TV the economic crisis as a “political shitstorm”.
Pueblo air tanker base opens earlier than usual
The U.S. Forest Service has opened the Pueblo, Colorado air tanker base a month earlier than usual due to unusually dry conditions and recent large fires. This is the earliest the base, which can refill tankers up to 3,000-gallon capacity, has opened since 1994.
Fires in Louisiana close school
Officials closed the Monteleone Junior High School in Madeville, Louisiana because of a threat from two fires burning near Mandevill and Slidell. The one near Mandeville has burned about 300 acres while the fire near Slidell has covered at least 1,200 acres. The students were moved off campus “out of an abundance of caution” school system spokeswoman Meredeth Mendez said.
The first fire broke out near the Slidell Airport and the Bellaire subdivision. Firefighters started fighting that blaze Saturday around 11 a.m. and stayed until about midnight, when it appeared to be under control, according to department spokesman Sam Irwin.
They left the Slidell site to focus on the Mandeville fire, north of Fontainbleau State Park off U.S. 190 and west of Louisiana 1088, Irwin said.
But the winds blew hard and the fire near Slidell jumped the fire-break and continued to spread before it was again contained, he said.
Oklahoma firefighters have been busy
Last week a fire burned down about two-thirds of a city block in Weleeta, including a cafe, a flower shop, and several other buildings.
In Dewey County, a fire on March 5 forced evacuations in the towns of Taloga and Putnam. About 500 firefighters fought the blaza along with county employees and a Blackhawk helicopter from the National Guard. The fire was pushed by winds of 10 to 20 mph with higher gusts, and was complicated by dry conditions and temperatures up to 25 degrees above normal. At least one mobile home was destroyed by the flames and numerous ranchers reported significant livestock losses, said ODEM spokeswoman Michelann Ooten. The ODEM estimated the damage to be $570,000. The Federal Emergency Management Agency approved the governor’s request for federal assistance suppressing the fire.
Over the weekend more than 400 Oklahoma firefighters from 90 fire departments found the time to attend the Ninth Bob Smith Wildland Roundup for classroom instruction and hands-on training on wildland and other types of fires.
Oklahoma firefighters participate in wildland fire training / newsok.com
“Most of these rural fire departments in Oklahoma were specifically set up to fight wildland fires,” said Paddy Metcalf, OSU’s fire programs coordinator. “They may fight 50 wildland fires in a year, but only one structure fire.”
About 90 percent of those taking the weekend classes were volunteer firefighters from rural departments.
Metcalf praised their commitment, noting they attended the instruction on “their own nickel,” paying their own transportation, food and lodging for the three-day event.
Some departments brought along their own brushfire trucks, while OSU and the Army Ammunition Plants had their own rigs to help in the demonstrations.
U.S. Forest Service releases stimulus funds
The USFS has released almost $100 million of the $1.15 billion which was designated in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 for USFS projects. The funds will be used for hazardous fuels reduction, forest health protection, rehabilitation and hazard mitigation activities on federal, state and private lands. According to the USFS, the funds released this week will create over 1,500 jobs for individuals involved in urban forestry, restoration projects, fire prevention, roads, bridges, buildings and recreation facilities.
200 tourists rescued from fire in India.
From The Hindu:
Udhagamandalam (PTI): About 200 tourists, who were caught in a forest fire near Coonoor, have been rescued, official sources said on Monday. (map)
The forest department has suspended tourism activities, following the incident, the sources said.
The fire, which was noticed in the early hours of Monday, had spread from Lampsrock on one side and Dolphin Nose (both tourist spots) on the other, around noon, as tourists in buses arrived for sight-seeing in the Coonoor forest range.
Seeing the fire spreading, the tourists became panicky and forest department officials assisted by fire force personnel and local people brought them out of the forest.
While a tourtist’s motorcycle was gutted in the fire, several tourists developed nausea and itching in the eyes, due to the smoke emanating from the fire.
Some 500 acres of forest area were damaged in the fire, the sources said.
Forest fires have been destroying the green cover in the Nilgiris district over the past two months.
