USFS engine crews on the initial attack of the Caldor Fire, August 14, 2021. USFS photo.
As the western states were entering the busiest part of the wildland fire year in 2021 a U.S. Forest Service document written June 22 said that of the approximately 110 Federal hotshot crews, 25 percent, or about 27 crews, were not able to meet the required standards due to vacant positions. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that last year dozens of wildland fire engines across the state sat idle and others had to cut back to only five days a week because of a shortage of firefighters.
There are indications that the 2022 fire year could see even worse staffing shortages according to an article in Politico:
In an email obtained by POLITICO, Forest Service officials are already warning employees in California that there have been 50 percent fewer applications submitted for GS3 through GS9 firefighting positions this year compared to last. And regional Forest Service officials from across the Western fire regions reported struggling with low staffing on a Feb. 15 call with Fire and Aviation Management, the minutes of which were obtained by POLITICO. “Hiring frenzy – lack of candidates, unable to staff 7 days in many places. Continued decline of folks to do the work,” the minutes read, describing comments made by Regional Fire Director Alex Robertson.
The five federal agencies that have significant wildland fire programs have a total of about 15,000 positions related to fire. In the last few years the number of vacancies has been growing due to difficulty in hiring and experienced firefighters leaving the organization for better pay and working conditions.
Legislation pending before Congress, the Tim Hart Wildland Firefighter Classification and Pay Parity Act (H.R. 5631), could make a difference. It would address many of the heartbreaking issues wildland firefighters and their partners face, including raising firefighter pay, creating a wildland firefighter job series, providing health care and mental health services to temporary and permanent wildland firefighters, housing stipends, and other improvements. (More details are in the Wildfire Today article from October 19, 2021.)
60% report that their partners have been impacted by an incident at work that resulted in mental health challenges
Wildland firefighters. USFS image.
The Grassroots Wildland Firefighters (GWF) group has released information about their latest effort to focus on the issues of mental health and comprehensive well-being of firefighters.
In the summer of 2021, GWF made an anonymous survey available to partners and spouses of federal wildland firefighters. In completing the survey, 1,841 respondents shared their experiences as the loved one of a federal wildland firefighter, shedding light on what it’s like to raise a family, manage a household, and support firefighters battling mental health issues.
The results were astounding, according to the GWF. They revealed that:
73.1% of respondents regularly worry about the possibility of a tragic accident on the fireline. And 65.4% lack confidence in the agency to take care of them if something were to happen to their partner while on duty.
60.2% report that their partners have been impacted by an incident at work that resulted in mental health challenges. Of those respondents whose partners reached out for help, only 2.8% strongly agreed that the agency’s Employee Assistance Program was helpful.
Extended absence physically and/or emotionally was the number one stressor reported as “extremely impactful” to respondents.
For suggested areas of future support, wildland firefighters’ partners indicated that the top three areas they’d rate as “extremely helpful” were: higher pay to reduce financial stress (88.0%), year-round access to health care for seasonal firefighters (80.2%), and access to mental health professionals who understand fire culture (58.3%).
When given the opportunity to comment freely, survey respondents said things like:
“It is really hard being a partner to a wildland firefighter; his mental health has really deteriorated in the last few years. More stress with his newer roles and very little pay to compensate for it. There really aren’t enough resources for him to find help with the mental health issues he’s been having.”
“The mental health issues seem to have compounded over time with the nature of the job but also the loss of friends and co-workers to fire related deaths and suicide.”
The GWF said as another fire season begins it is urgent that Congress move forward in the House of Representatives to pass the Tim Hart Wildland Firefighter Classification and Pay Parity Act. (H.R. 5631). The legislation bears the name of a firefighter who died while working on the Eicks Fire in New Mexico in 2021. It would address many of the heartbreaking issues wildland firefighters and their partners face, including raising firefighter pay, creating a wildland firefighter job series, providing health care and mental health services to temporary and permanent wildland firefighters, housing stipends, and other improvements. (More details are in the Wildfire Today article from October 19, 2021.)
“Tim would be humbled and honored to have this legislation be a part of his legacy,” said Smokejumper Tim Hart’s wife Michelle Hart. “These issues were deeply important and personal to him. Wildland firefighters deserve to be recognized and compensated for the grueling conditions in which they work and for putting their lives on the line every day. This legislation is a major step forward in achieving that goal.”
"We've given too much for too little for too long," said one survey respondent.
The video below has more information about the partners and spouses survey.
Tuesday morning at 11:13 Captain Daniel Bertucelli of the Santa Barbara County Fire Department said the Hollister Fire 32 miles west of Santa Barbara, California was still 100 acres. About 175 personnel are assigned and aircraft are available if needed. Crews are reinforcing fire lines in areas inaccessible to dozers.
All evacuation warnings and orders have been lifted.
10:04 a.m. PDT March 13, 2022
Map showing the location of the Hollister Fire at 3:15 a.m. PDT March 13, 2022.
A wildfire 32 miles west of Santa Barbara, California has prompted evacuations in the Gaviota area. In an update Sunday morning at 7:37 Captain Daniel Bertucelli of the Santa Barbara County Fire Department said it had burned 100 acres and aircraft would be available to assist the firefighters. Dozers were used Saturday to construct fireline.
The blaze was reported at 11:35 a.m. on Saturday near Hollister Ranch Road and Del Norte Road, southwest of Solvang. It is near Gaviota State Park within a mile of the Pacific Ocean, west of Highway 101 and south of Highway 1.
At 10 a.m. Sunday Captain Bertucelli said the evacuation order would go from an order to a warning at noon today.
Hollister Fire. Image by Santa Barbara FD, Daniel Bertucelli, March 12, 2022.
The winds have been very strong in the area. Saturday afternoon the Gaviota weather station recorded 8 to 30 mph winds gusting to 60 mph from various directions. Saturday night the direction became consistent out of the north, as did the speed, 30 to 36 mph gusting up to 60 mph. The relative humidity rose from 20 percent in the afternoon to 91 percent at 8 a.m. Sunday. Overnight cameras showed a marine layer moving into the fire area.
The spot weather forecast is for clear skies on Sunday, 69 degrees, RH of 35 to 40 percent, with ridgetop winds out of the northwest at 20 to 30 mph gusting to 40 mph.
Fire Behavior on Hollister Fire. This fire behavior is not typical of a fire in March. Please be fire aware and limit opportunities for fires to start. For more info on wildfire preparedness go to https://t.co/EhDNA9KZp7pic.twitter.com/zf2M1o8ntE
Fire in Yukon Charley Rivers National Preserve, Alaska. NPS photo.
The Departments of the Interior, Agriculture, and Homeland Security through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are now accepting membership applications for the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission.
The establishment of the commission was required by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, H.R.3684, signed by the President on November 15, 2021, which became Public Law Number 117-58.
The commission is tasked with recommending federal policies and strategies to more effectively prevent, mitigate, suppress, and manage wildland fires, including the rehabilitation of land affected by wildland fires. It will include representation from federal, state, Tribal, county and municipal governments as well as non-governmental stakeholders from private industry.
The new law is very specific and detailed in laying out the deliverables of the new Commission, perhaps worrying that if it was too vague not much would get done. The 27 members of the commission will have their work cut out for them — 9 from federal departments and 18 non-federal stakeholders, plus an Executive Director they can hire. They may also bring on staff if needed. The members will serve “without compensation” but can be reimbursed for travel expenses and per diem.
The appointments of the members of the commission were to be made no more than 60 days after the date the legislation became law, which works out to January 14, 2022. Their initial meeting was to be held within 30 days after all members have been appointed — no later than February 13, 2022. They are to meet at least once every 30 days, in person or remotely.
The first meeting is now being rescheduled for “late spring 2022,” after a failure to meet the first two of Public Law Number 117-58’s requirements.
Members will commit to serve for the life of the commission, which is estimated to be a year and a half. They should expect to devote between 10 and 15 hours a month to commission duties, which include attending meetings, strategic planning, and development of the reports. The Departments of the Interior, Agriculture, and Homeland Security through FEMA will provide support and resources to assist members with coordination and facilitation of their duties for the duration of the commission.
The Department of the Interior Office of Wildland Fire distributed an announcement March 10 which said applications for membership must be submitted via the online form by 11:59 pm Pacific Time on March 25, 2022. To ensure the process is equitable for all applicants, those who have previously expressed interest in membership must still apply via the online form.
In addition to establishing the commission, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides historic funding to address wildfire hazards, including $8.25 billion for a suite of programs aimed at reducing wildfire risks, detecting wildfires, instituting firefighter workforce reforms, and building more resilient infrastructure.
Deliverables
As of mid-March, the commission which does not yet exist, is already about two months behind the schedule required by the new law.
Their assignments fall into two broad categories; here are some of the highlights:
1. Develop recommendations to mitigate and manage wildland fires
By February 13, 2023 develop a report describing recommendations to prevent, mitigate, suppress, and manage wildland fires; consider protection of human life, short- and long-term forest management; wildland-urban interface; utility corridors; rehab after fires; streamlining environmental reviews; and, recommendations for modernizing and expanding the use of technology, including satellite technology, remote sensing, unmanned aircraft systems, and any other type of emerging technology to prevent, mitigate, suppress, and manage wildland fires.
2. Report on aerial wildland firefighting equipment, strategy, and inventory
By March 30, 2022 prepare an inventory of surplus cargo and passenger aircraft that may be used for wildland firefighting purposes.
By June 28, 2022 develop an assessment of the number of aircraft needed to fight wildland fires through 2030. The report will include an assessment of the federal government’s authorities to provide or sell surplus aircraft to Federal, State, or local organizations to be used for wildland firefighting, and, identify any additional authorities that are needed. The Commission is directed to consider all private and public sector options for accessing necessary aircraft and aircraft parts, including procurement, contracting, retrofitting, and public-private partnerships.
One of the fires has burned more than 57,000 acres
File photo of a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter from the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division using a Bambi Bucket to drop water on a wildfire in Gangwon province, South Korea, April 5, 2019. (South Korean Army)
The U.S. Army has mobilized helicopters and crews to help suppress wildfires in eastern South Korea following a formal request from their government.
The Army’s 2nd Infantry Division will send UH-60 Black Hawk and CH-47 Chinook helicopters, according to Stars and Stripes. Approximately five helicopters are expected to be deployed.
Map showing the location of heat detected by satellites on wildfires in eastern South Korea, at 5:33 a.m. PST March 12, 2022.
South Korea has been battling several wildfires since March 4. The blaze the 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade will assist in controlling began in Uljin County and had burned nearly 57,400 acres as of Thursday afternoon, according to a Ministry of the Interior and Safety official speaking on condition of anonymity, which is customary in South Korea.
South Korea is not inexperienced in aerial firefighting. The Korea Forest Service (KFS) has at least six S-64 Air-Crane helicopters. In 2001, KFS became the first foreign government to purchase S-64 helicopters from Erickson. The most recently delivered versions have composite main rotor blades and glass cockpits. Some of the S-64 helicopters in the KFS fleet have the optional front-mounted water cannon.
The Camp Fire, November 8, 2018. NASA (Joshua Stevens) – NASA Landsat 8.
We often publish statistics about wildfires, such as acres burned, average size, number of fires, and average size by decade. Here are some examples. Others are at an article updated February 2, 2022.
