Month: September 2020

Hot, dry weather brings elevated fire danger to much of the western U.S.

Labor Day Weekend

Conair installs glass flight decks on their air attack aircraft

On three Turbo Commander TC-690Bs

Firefighters from Canada arrive in the US

Three 20-person crews from Quebec, Canada arrived in Boise Wednesday September 2. They received a briefing orientation and participated in fire shelter deployment training. After a one-night rest in Boise, the crews will fly to Reno, Nevada and board ground transportation to their fire assignment on the North Complex in California — numerous lightning fires being managed as one incident on the Plumas National Forest.

(Photos provided by the National Interagency Fire Center)

More details about the August 31, 2020 fatality on the Mendocino National Forest

The U.S. Fire Administration released a notice about the August 31 death of Diane Jones on the Mendocino National Forest. She was repositioning an engine when it backed over an embankment into a fire.

The firefighters were working on the Tatham Fire, part of the August Complex of fires southwest of Red Bluff, when the vehicle accident occurred.

May she rest in peace.

California lodd

Kaman Aerospace orders mandatory inspection of K-MAX helicopters

A K-MAX helicopter working the Myrtle Fire in South Dakota, July 19, 2012. Photo by Bill Gabbert for Fire Aviation.

Kaman Aerospace has issued a mandatory action service bulletin requiring operators of K-1200 K-MAX aircraft within a specified range of serial numbers to conduct an inspection before their next flight. An issue with the planet carrier has appeared and must be checked with a borescope — and thereafter, every 100 hours.

It is unknown if this inspection is related to the August 24 K-MAX crash in which the pilot, Tom Duffy, 40, died.

K-Max

Research finds the greatest barrier to conducting prescribed fires is lack of capacity and funding

Air quality is often thought to be a key barrier

prescribed fire research

New hybrid quad-rotor UAS is being used on fires this summer

It can stay aloft for 12 hours mapping the fire and providing real-time video

Arizona Cinnabar Fire Montana Sawtooth Fire

West side of the Dolan Fire along California coast is mostly contained

Firefighters have almost half of the 31,409-acre Dolan Fire south of Big Sur contained. The fire’s spread on the western side is stopped, aided by Highway 1, the beach, and the Pacific Ocean, but there is much work left to do on the east side some of which is in very rough terrain.

Below is an update from the Incident Management Team Thursday morning:

“The Pacific Northwest 2 Incident Management Team assumed command of the Dolan Fire this morning following a successful transition with California Incident Management Team 2. Thank you to Incident Commander Mike Minton and his entire team for their expert management and work to date.

“The marine inversion layer kept fire activity minimal overnight, active fire in the east and south ends especially around Cone Peak. Although limited fire spread has occurred over the last few days, the excessive heat watch forecast for this weekend is expected to increase fire behavior. Firefighters continue to bolster containment lines in the northern and southern perimeters, mopping up and increasing the line depth along McWay Ridge and within the Lucia and Hermitage areas. Crews continue to work on the primary containment line north of the Naciemento-Ferguson Road and along the road to Cone Peak. This indirect line will serve as the primary containment line to keep the fire from spreading to the south toward nearby structures. Dozers, hand crews and masticators are also working on additional contingency lines farther south. Overnight crews continued improving lines and patrolling Highway 1 for roll outs and increased fire behavior. Crews began building direct line in the eastern edge of the fire within the Ventana Wilderness yesterday.

“Firefighters continue with structure protection all along Highway 1, in the Partington area north, and in the Lucia and Hermitage areas to the south. Currently on the fire there are: 5 Type 1 Hotshot crews, 8 Type 2 hand crews, 60 engines, 10 dozers, 10 helicopters, 8 water tenders, 2 masticators, and a variety of other equipment to support firefighting efforts.”