News and opinion about wildland fire
Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories Wildfire1 Comment on Photos of mask-wearing personnel at the 36th Av SE Fire near Naples, Florida 
These photos of personnel at the 36th Ave. SE Fire about 10 miles east of Naples, Florida show that many of the emergency management staff members were wearing masks.
The photos by the Greater Naples Fire Rescue District were posted May 14, 2020.
More information about the 36th Ave. SE Fire east of Naples.
The CDC has published Frequently Asked Questions for Wildland Firefighters
The National Multi-Agency Coordinating Group has issued a checklist to be completed before the interagency mobilization of resources working in the COVID-19 environment. An electronic copy of the document can be downloaded, but here is a screenshot:
In another COVID-19 development, the CDC has published Frequently Asked Questions for Wildland Firefighters.
Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories Wildfire5 Comments on Wildfires east of Naples, FL force evacuations The fires have burned at least 4,000 acres
(UPDATED at 1:37 p.m. EDT May 15, 2020)
The Florida Forest Service Green Incident Management Team assumed command of the 36th Ave SE Fire at 7 a.m. today. The team reports the latest size of the fire is 8,500 acres.
Mandatory evacuations are still in place on both sides of Alligator Alley (Interstate 75). Friday morning, the Collier County Sheriff’s Office gave an update on the situation, saying no additional evacuations are expected today those in effect will remain throughout the day.
Currently, the FFS has 16 tractor/plow units from around the state battling the blaze, along with 3 single engine air tankers, 1 fixed wing aircraft, and 4 helicopters, including the Collier County Sheriff’s Office Air Rescue 1 which is assisting with water drops.
A large air tanker out of Lake City, Florida an MD-87, is also being used. Yesterday the aircraft completed four sorties to the fire — each time dropping 4,000 gallons.
(UPDATED at 6:25 p.m. EDT May 14, 2020)
The two wildfires 10 to 12 miles east of Naples, Florida have merged and by 4 p.m. EDT Thursday had grown to about 8,000 acres according to the Florida Forest Service (FFS). The fire is now known as the 36th Ave. SE Fire.
The FFS is working in unified command with local fire and emergency responders, including the Greater Naples Fire Rescue, North Collier Fire Rescue, Marco Island Fire Rescue, Collier County Emergency Management, Collier County Sheriff’s Office and many others. Currently, the FFS has 16 tractor/plow units battling the blaze, along with 3 single engine air tankers, 1 fixed wing aircraft, and 3 helicopters, including the Collier County Sheriff’s Office Air Rescue 1, which is assisting with water drops.
Additional FFS resources have been deployed, including the Green Incident Management Team, a dozer strike team from Northeast Florida, and 2 dozer strike teams which are en route from the Five Mile Swamp Fire in the Panhandle. The Florida Fire Chiefs Association is securing resources to provide additional structure protection.
Details about evacuations can be found at the Facebook page for Collier County Emergency Management.
Currently, there are 80 active wildfires burning nearly 16,000 acres in Florida. Last week, the Florida Forest Service battled the 2,000-acre #5MileSwamp Fire in Santa Rosa County and the #MussettBayouFire in Walton County, in which an arrest was announced on Tuesday.
Two helicopters shown working the #wildfires about 10 miles east of Naples, Florida — a UH1 and a H60; at 4:15 p.m. EDT today. pic.twitter.com/Hsz3bQBuP1
— Fire Aviation (@FireAviation) May 14, 2020
(Originally published at 1 p.m. EDT May 14, 2020)
Two wildfires about 12 miles east of Naples, Florida have prompted mandatory evacuations and closed parts of Interstate 75 (Alligator Alley). Named 22nd Ave. SE Fire and 36th Ave. SE Fire, the two blazes merged Wednesday night and have burned approximately 4,000 acres according to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office in a Wednesday evening update. That night, pushed by winds described as moderate, the fire spread south across the Interstate requiring additional evacuations.
The fire behavior was described as extreme and burning embers were causing spot fires. Greater Naples Fire reported “several” structures have been lost or damaged, but they did not have an exact number.
At 1 p.m. EDT Thursday Interstate 75 was still closed between Highway 29 and Collier Blvd.
The Florida Forest Service has mobilized the Green Incident Management Team to assist local firefighters.
Thanks and a tip of the hat go out to Rob. Typos or errors, report them HERE.
Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories Wildfire2 Comments on Basin Fire burns 36,000 acres in northwest Arizona 
(UPDATED at 9:54 p.m. MDT May 11, 2020)
Data from a GPS mapping flight Monday afternoon revealed that the Basin Fire in northwest Arizona is three times larger than previously estimated and now covers 36,355 acres.
The lightning-caused fire is 14 miles southeast of Mesquite, Nevada.
A Red Flag Warning is in effect for Tuesday with a forecast for 20-30 mph southwest winds with gusts of 35 to 45 mph with relative humidity of 10 to 20 percent. This could cause the fire to spread further to the northeast if the fuels are receptive.
Approximately 134 personnel are assigned to the fire.
(Originally published at 3:37 p.m. MDT May 11, 2020)
A lightning-caused wildfire has burned approximately 10,000 acres in northwest Arizona 17 miles north of the Grand Canyon, 17 miles southeast of Mesquite, Nevada. It was reported in Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument at 2 p.m. Sunday after the passage of thunderstorms.
The area has been under a Red Flag Warning since Sunday morning — for dry lightning on Sunday and low relative humidity and gusty winds on Monday. The dry, windy conditions will lead to another Red Flag Warning on Tuesday.
Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories Uncategorized1 Comment on Dry thunderstorms expected Sunday in parts of NV and AZ Lightning with little or no rain
(UPDATED at 10:54 a.m. PDT May 10, 2020)
Red Flag warnings are in effect in areas of Nevada and Arizona.
Forecasters are predicting thunderstorms with little or no rain Sunday and Sunday evening in southern Nevada and northwest Arizona. Dry lightning brings the threat of wildfire ignitions.
The warnings are in effect until 11 p.m. Sunday.
From the National Weather Service Sunday morning:
* TIMING…11 AM this morning through 11 PM this evening.
* WIND…Generally southwest winds 10 to 15 mph with gusts to 20
to 25 mph. Winds near thunderstorms may be erratic with gusts up
to 50 mph.
* HUMIDITY…10 to 20 percent depending on elevation.
* THUNDERSTORMS…Isolated to scattered dry thunderstorms with
little or no precipitation are expected to develop over
southern Nevada and northwest Arizona today, bringing the threat
of cloud to ground lightning strikes and possible fire starts.
* IMPACTS…Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly.
A wildfire that started May 7 is spreading rapidly in Big Cypress National Preserve 37 miles west of Miami, Florida. The fire is south of Tamiami Trail near the shared boundary with Everglades National Park.
The Moonfish Fire is actively burning in sawgrass prairie and cypress strands. Full suppression actions are taking place given the current drought and wind conditions. Wildfire Today’s very unofficial estimate of the size is approximately 6,000 acres.
An MD-87 air tanker, Tanker 101, delivered a total of four loads of retardant on Thursday and Friday, flying out of the Lake City Tanker Base, a 650-mile round trip. On April 21 that aircraft lost an engine after dropping retardant on the Holcombe Road Fire in Crockett County Texas. The crew declared an emergency and landed safely on one engine after diverting to Midland, Texas (MAF) as airport crash-rescue trucks stood by.
Personnel from Big Cypress National Preserve and Everglades National Park are working the Moonfish Fire along with interagency assistance from Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, and Miami-Dade Fire to protect structures in the area. Two helicopters and three engines were assigned to the fire on Thursday.
South Florida is currently experiencing hot, dry conditions typical of this time of year.
