Sheriff’s helicopter helps guide firefighters to a wildfire Thursday night in Northern California

The Terrace Fire is near Monte Rio, northwest of Santa Rosa

10:31 a.m. PST Feb. 11, 2022

fire near Monte Rio Northern California
Using its spotlight, Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office helicopter Henry 1 directs firefighters to a fire near Monte Rio in Northern California. As seen from the Alert Wildfire camera at Siri, in infrared mode at 10:32 p.m PT Feb. 10, 2022.

Firefighters in Northern California had assistance from a Sonoma County Sheriff’s helicopter Thursday night as they were finding the best route to hike to the Terrace Fire near Monte Rio. It was reported at about 9 p.m. on a slope above Highway 116. The helicopter known as Henry 1 used its spotlight  to direct the personnel as they hiked through the densely forested area.

When crews reached the blaze at about 11 p.m. they reported it had burned about one acre. Friday morning the Alert Wildfire camera at Siri showed that it is still generating a fair amount of smoke which is being blown close to the ground by the wind.

smoke from a fire in Sonoma County near Monte Rio
Image of smoke from a fire in Sonoma County near Monte Rio as seen from the Alert Wildfire camera at Siri, 9:37 a.m. PT Feb. 11, 2022. The intersection of the lines from the two camera locations indicate the approximate location of the fire.

The fire is about 14 miles west-northwest of Santa Rosa.

The Press Democrat reported Friday morning that Stephane Lunsford, a public information officer for CAL FIRE, said crews had completed a line around 85 percent of the fire.

Kent Porter (@kentphotos) shot some very interesting photos Thursday night. Here are a couple. Click on them twice to see larger versions:

Our take:

A one-acre fire is not huge news. We don’t often hear about fires like this. But it’s an example of how firefighters are usually successful in keeping fires small, even when it requires hiking for hours at night through dense woods to find and then put out a fire.

In addition, it’s a fire in early February, far outside the traditional fire season in Northern California. But also the images are fascinating — the infrared photo showing the spotlight from the helicopter, smoke from the fire the next morning, and especially the great photos taken by Mr. Porter.

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Author: Bill Gabbert

After working full time in wildland fire for 33 years, he continues to learn, and strives to be a Student of Fire.

9 thoughts on “Sheriff’s helicopter helps guide firefighters to a wildfire Thursday night in Northern California”

  1. My first thought was that it looked like the perfect fire to manage for resource benefits…if only it was burning on a professional land management unit. Slow burning, accessible, shoulder season, in a veg type that needs it. Those who take the view that we can keep suppressing our way out of the problem are those who continue to contribute to the core problem with their misrepresentations of truth, fear based decision making, and their myopic belief that more of the same will produce better results in the future. Fire is here. Learn to live with it.

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    1. Hi DZ,
      You can check my thinking on this. I agree that the forests are in need of treatment with densities nearing 30x more then what is healthy. However, I’m not sure burning our way out of the problem is a great solution either.
      Would it be better to apply fuel treatments (see the recent Midnight Fire which was containable despite red flag weather ) for the many years required to thin and clean the forests? Treatments would allow fires to burn slow and on the ground, like we are told was typical in the 1900’s. Thinning and cleaning our forests after 30+ years of suppression is a massive undertaking and would create many jobs over a long duration and may be on par for paying for fire suppression at millions per day, while saving homes and lives.
      Thanks to all those who fight fire, in all of its many stages.

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  2. wonderful escape route if things went sideways. Why bother with printing IRPGs, IAPs, and holding RT-130s if the basics are going to be ignored anyway. Can anyone imagine what the 8 line would have sounded like if there was a IWI on that?

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  3. This incident highlights in very bold terms the difference in philosophy – or SOP’s or policy or mindset or agency culture, between wildland fire agencies in northern California.

    Had that been a fire on the Stanislaus National Forest, regardless of season or weather or fuel conditions, they would have chosen to “monitor” the fire for at least a day or so; justifying that choice by claiming “rough terrain” or “difficult access”, or “lack of resources”. They have a history of this… see the Rim fire and the Donnell fire for recent examples; each of which were allowed by the Stan decision makers to become huge devastating fires.

    By contrast, Cal Fire and local government agencies develop strategies that acknowledge both the on-the-ground situation and the big picture potential and then employ aggressive but safe initial attack tactics, to do what needs to be done on the ground to prevent little ones from becoming conflagrations. Staffing availability? Cal Fire does not go off duty at 1800 hrs. No roads? Hike ’em in! After dark? Take advantage of available resources to enhance safe access! Monitor? Nope! Aggressive initial attack. Even in the “off season”!
    No “monitoring”! No delay in ordering the needed resources. No hesitation to fight fire aggressively while providing for safety first.

    The Stanislaus and other Nor Cal National Forests (see the Tamarack fire) could learn something from this incident.
    Cheers

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    1. Yeah, take note USFS. Triple your work force, pay firefighters equally, portal to portal, 24 shift plans……if only.

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    2. We used to get called back in to go to these types of fires. No issues. Not sure what’s changed in the FS in the last several years. I’m thinking risk aversion.

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  4. Mr. Porter’s timeline has quite a few photos of interest to people following the effects of fire in Sonora county.

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  5. Henry 1 has helped spot fires and direct FF’s in the past. They are such an essential and vital part of our public safety community and we living in Sonoma County are very grateful for their excellent work and commitment to the community!

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