I don’t know which year Bill Gabbert started this PL5 poll but I always enjoyed it and I’m reviving it.
When do YOU think we will move to PL5 this year? And, will there be a “Moses Letter” this year?
In 2018 on this date, Bill wrote that the National MAC Group had just moved the national fire level up to PL4 “due to increased significant wildland fire activity from central TX to WA state, the commitment of IMTs, and the potential for new wildland fires across multiple GACCs.”
The highest level is 5. Today on July 2 at the NICC in Boise, we’re at PL2.
NIFC has more information about Preparedness Levels, but here are the criteria for PL5:
This is the highest level of wildland fire activity. Several geographic areas are experiencing large, complex, wildland fire incidents, which have the potential to exhaust national wildland resources. At least 80 percent of the country’s IMTs and wildland firefighting personnel are committed to wildland incidents. At this level, all fire-qualified federal employees become available for wildfire response.
Please tell us what you think in our poll. Last day to vote is August 19.
Loading ...Sometimes when we’re in PL4 or 5 the honchos in Washington will distribute what’s called a “Moses Letter,” telling regional and local units to Let My People Go so they can go fight fire and save lives.
Exodus 8:1 — Then the Lord said to Moses, Go in to Pharaoh and say to him, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Let my people go, that they may serve me.'”
Of course they don’t officially actually call it a Moses Letter and probably won’t quote the Bible if they do send one, but you never know — this country’s in a new norm now, for many reasons. For bonus points, let us know in the comments if you think the folks in the head shed will send a Moses Letter this year.
https://kpic.com/news/local/northwest-fire-preparedness-level-rises-to-5-highest-on-the-scale-wildfire-wildland-firefighter-tankers-planes-helicopters-oregon-washington-idaho#
The Moses Letter always struck me as funny and mostly useless because it has zero teeth. “Let my people go…” Or what exactly? Too many supervisors, FMOs, district rangers, etc. think they “own” the resources they manage and whether it’s laziness, incompetence, or because they’re “waiting for the Big One” on their local unit, they don’t want to share their toys with others. We like to think we’re a nation-wide federal agency but really we’re just a confederation of fiefdoms where the kings and queens make up whatever “rules” they want. Until control of agency resources is wrested away from local units and given to the GACC or NICC at PL 4 & 5 we’ll continue to have an inefficient use of agency resources and therefore taxpayer dollars.
That’s funnier than you know, Trainee. Great Basin used to be famous for that, particularly with aviation resources. The rest of your post I’ll not comment on …
When I pointed out a Moses Letter from the NPS director one year as I tried to get out, the superintendent of the large national park I worked for looked at me and scoffed “I don’t f_king care what that letter says.
There’s the type of leadership that needs a, what we termed in the US Army…at times….. little wall to wall counseling and then shipped out on a rail to manage a 100 acre desert NPS area
I ve got folks in the volunteer orgs that I work with that have this GD type of “God complex”
Time fer a taxpayer house cleaning
When I pointed out a Moses Letter from the NPS director one year as I tried to get out, the superintendent of the large national park I worked for looked at me and scoffed “I don’t f_king care what that letter says.
September 3rd or later
I would like to see the fire-fighters go on strike, next time there is a fire near a wealthy town on the California coast. I suspect that the strike would be over in a day or 2, and the firefighters would be better treated.
There is a definite Caste system at play in the US, which is kind of a “Third Rail” because it is rarely talked about.
Ask the programmers making $200K+ at Google to breathe wildfire smoke as part of their job, and see what happens.
What does politics have to do with this PL survey…..just curious…..Hey Kelly maybe we could again have the open topic forum from time to time………We could really talk about politics, that’s a topic I enjoy…..very much……..Peace……
It’s too bad that the political climate supports the funding and classification of firefighters because it’s the popular belief and not the right thing to do. The temporary funding will run out, unfortunately people will lose their livelihoods and possibly be injured or killed, and the government representatives will still ask why.
Left or Right, doesn’t matter. Neither side cares about the wellbeing of anyone. The political climate of late is unfortunate. Everyone wants to weaponize their platforms and use their opinions to attack the other side. Long gone are the days of sensibility and partisanship with the interests of the US front and center. Sorry I got distracted.
PL5 August 20th. No Moses letter.
I’m all in with Militia Bro…
Just wish the Political Bureaucrats would get as wound up about FF pay & Compensation, as they have been about paying off college loans. We all know that isn’t going to happen.
Politicians will f up the pay raise and supporting the forestry technicians. We’ll get a post Oct. 1st Moses Letter after another 25% plus resign.
Otherwise no Moses Letter this year.
I think the political climate is more supportive to missing resource output targets to help fire suppression efforts this year. Only time and Nature will tell. And Ma Nature always deals the last hand.