The Government of Canada has released the Blueprint for Wildland Fire Science in Canada (2019—2029). Led by the Canadian Forest Service, the Blueprint provides a national consensus view of Canada’s key wildland fire research priorities over the next 10 years. It also makes 15 recommendations intended to guide science investments, attract new collaboration, and align national research efforts. These recommendations are broadly focused on:
Increasing national capacity for wildland fire research through new investments into academic programs, public sector science, and postsecondary networks;
Recognizing Indigenous knowledge as an equal and complementary way of knowing wildland fire, to inform future fire management policies and practices;
Creating new knowledge exchange mechanisms to improve the way science and technology is shared, understood, and implemented;
Creating new multidisciplinary, multi-partner, collaborative research opportunities; and
Improving national governance and coordination of science activities through development of a national research agenda and the creation of a national coordinating committee.
The west side of Lame Deer, Montana was evacuated Sunday as a wildfire burned into the town. Residents said it originated from a structure fire that spread into nearby vegetation, and pushed by strong winds it spread quickly. Rosebud County Sheriff Allen Fulton estimated the fire grew to approximately 1,700 acres before firefighters contained it. There were no reports of any additional structures burning.
The fire jumped across Highway 212 but firefighters were able to stop it at Highway 39, the main road that runs north and south through the town.
Sunday afternoon a weather station on Badger Peak east of Lame Deer recorded a high of 63 degrees, 23 percent relative humidity, and winds out of the west and southwest at 10 to 22 mph with gusts up to 42 mph.
Several residents posted videos and photos on social media.
Wildfire in Lamedeer, Montana on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation today. Evacuations have been issued. US HWY 212 in Lamedeer is closed from milepost 41 to 43. The fire is believed to be contained now but it did make its way into town. pic.twitter.com/UqauqjBs7k
A fire in Montana already. While it was caused by a trailer burning down, I hope this isn’t a sign of a long fire season. Wind spread the fire quickly and caused Lame Deer to be evacuated. I hope it gets under control soon. pic.twitter.com/paOzOb4iTt
Last year 104 people, including 6 firefighters, were killed on wildfires in California.
Fire tornado filmed by the Helicopter Coordinator on the Carr Fire July 26, 2018 near Redding, California.
During a visit to the US/Mexico border in California on Friday President Trump was asked if he had a comment about recent lawsuits filed by California about his proposed declaration of a national emergency at the border. According to a report from CNN he replied:
California’s always the first one to complain. And I don’t mean the people of California. They’re fantastic. I’m talking about the politicians in California. They complain.
When their forests go up, they complain. They gotta take care of their forests a lot better. But when the wall – they want the wall in San Diego and they’re always the first one. They were the first one to pull the National Guard. And they need the National Guard.
Fire near Goseong in South Korea. Screengrab from MBC video.
A wildfire described as the worst to hit South Korea in years was pushed by a strong wind from city to city Thursday, prompting President Moon Jae-in to declare a national emergency.
At least one person was killed by the fire while another died after being struck by falling object pushed over by the wind. Eleven people were treated for injuries.
The fire started Thursday night near Goseong, a city on the east coast about 15 miles south of the border with North Korea.
Below is an excerpt from an article published Friday at NPR:
The main fire is now nearly under control according to President Moon Jae-in, who visited the area Friday. Taking note of the hundreds of homes and buildings that have reportedly been destroyed, Moon urged government officials to “take extra care of displaced victims who — after having lost their homes in an instant — may now find time to catch their breath.”
“Moon’s office said he would cooperate with North Korea on fighting the fire if it spread northward,” NPR’s Anthony Kuhn reports from Seoul. “But as it happened, the winds were blowing to the south.”
South Korea’s Unification Ministry said Friday approximately 135 homes and 525 hectares (1,297 acres) burned. About 60 helicopters, 300 vehicles and 17,700 firefighting personnel were being deployed, the ministry said.
praying for all those affected by the devastating wildfires raging across South Korea! please stay safe everyone! ??? pic.twitter.com/bHujNWKb6k
— ً (@bubblykoook) April 5, 2019
#RedCross teams in #Korea are distributing emergency relief supplies including blankets and hot meals for people affected by the fire in Goseong city. More information to follow. pic.twitter.com/T3scGoVIQQ
— IFRC Asia Pacific (@IFRCAsiaPacific) April 5, 2019
Thanks and a tip of the hat go out to Rick. Typos or errors, report them HERE.
Fire at the headquarters of the CAL FIRE Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit in St. Helena, California April 4, 2019. Photo by Angwin VFD. Click to enlarge.
A fire at the headquarters of the CAL FIRE Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit in St. Helena, California destroyed at least one vehicle maintenance building and four trucks Thursday night.
The Angwin Volunteer Fire Department wrote on their Facebook page that both of their water tenders that were undergoing maintenance in the structure are a total loss. There was a report that a CAL FIRE engine and a Utility vehicle also burned.
The structure that was destroyed, which is located at the unit’s headquarters at 1199 Big Tree Road in St. Helena, serviced all CAL FIRE and Napa County Fire equipment in the unit.
This is an image from Google Street view that appears to be the back side of the main structure that was destroyed April 4, 2019.
Fuel and vapor can be expelled with force from a chainsaw fuel tank
This map was originally prepared by ExxonMobile to indicate the areas with “U.S. Gasoline Requirements”, hence the shaded areas and the legend at bottom-left. Someone added the Xs for the location, by year, of fuel geyser incidents reported from 2015 to 2018, and the legend at top-right. Click to enlarge.
In 2018 there were 28 reports of fuel geyser incidents, in which fuel and vapor are expelled with force from a fuel tank or container. These can be dangerous, especially when ignition sources may be in close proximity, such as when a person is fighting a fire.
For years the land management agencies have been warning firefighters about the dangers of gasoline being forcefully released from chainsaws. Some of these incidents have occurred with saws that have the newer quarter-turn gas caps. After a saw has been running for a while pressure can build up in the gas tank causing vapor lock, which can prevent the saw from running. Thinking it may be out of fuel, the operator opens the quarter-turn gas cap and the pressure in the tank forces out fuel and vapor. If there is an ignition source nearby, it can quickly ignite and cause very serious injuries.
The Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center reported that of the 28 fuel geyser incidents reported in 2018, 23 involved chainsaws (21 with Stihl saws and 2 with Husqvarnas). Four incidents occurred with fuel containers, and one occurred with a leaf blower.
Over the last half decade or so several firefighters have been seriously burned in fuel geyser incidents. We reported some of them here, here, and here.
The BLM and other agencies have been working to figure out why fuel geysers occur and how to prevent additional injuries. On the list of recommendations that they have developed one of the most important is to open fuel caps very slowly and cover the cap with a rag to contain potential fuel geyser spray. If it begins to geyser, close it and let the engine and tank cool for an extended period of time. And don’t open the cap at all if the tank is over half full.
Here is the complete list from the National Wildfire Coordinating Group:
Always assume fuel tanks and fuel containers are pressurized.
Ensure the cap is correctly secured.
Always check fuel levels before opening the fuel tank or filler cap. Fuel levels greater than ½ tank may geyser.
Open cap slowly and if able, direct potential spray away.
Cover the cap with a rag to contain potential fuel geyser spray.
Always check fuel levels before opening a fuel cap.
Be extra vigilant when equipment is running poorly with fuel levels above ½ tank.
Move at least 20 feet away from any heat source.
Start the saw at least 10 feet from the fueling area.
Do not use fuel older than one month.
If the equipment is running poorly or vapor lock is suspected:
Do not open fuel cap. Relieving the pressure does not alleviate a “vapor lock” equipment.
Check fuel level through the tank or use the bar oil level to gage fuel level.
If fuel level is over ½ full, DO NOT open the tank.
Allow the equipment to thoroughly cool. This could take over 45 minutes.
When the equipment is cool, restart the equipment.
This video demonstrates what fuel geysering looks like. I don’t know which is worse — having it happen when you are 30-feet above the ground or near a wildfire.
The National Technology and Development Program’s National Fuel Geyser Project has proposed some possible solutions to fuel geysering, including 1) Vaporless Refueling Systems; 2) Formalized Fuel Geyser Training; 3) Standard Saw/Requirements; 4) No Gas Chainsaws; 5) Specialized Fuel; and 6) Fuel Conditioning.
In the meantime the Project hopes to continue its field evaluation of vaporless refueling systems. This would include 50 test crews and 30,000 refueling cycles from May through November of this year. This field evaluation would be implemented on all handheld-engine powered devices — chainsaws, string trimmers and blowers.
They are also working on these issues:
Vaporless Refueling System – by Industry and the National Technology and Development Program.
Saw Specification/Requirements – by the National Technology and Development Program.
Training – by Saw Program/Office of Safety and Occupational Health (OSOH)
The NWCG encourages field personnel to continue to report incidents of fuel geysering. Their National Fuel Geyser Awareness page has a link to a reporting system.
