News and opinion about wildland fire
The map above is the forecast for the distribution of wildfire smoke at 6 p.m. MDT August 25, 2018. The states being the hardest hit today include California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming.
Below are the areas under Red Flag Warnings (red) on August 25 and Fire Weather Watches (yellow).
Areas under Red Flag Warnings (red) on August 25 and Fire Weather Watches (yellow).
Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories Uncategorized3 Comments on Tatanka Hotshots assist at major accident 
While en route to the the Hirz Fire in northern California the Tatanka Hotshots came upon a major accident. According to the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, they were the first on scene and assisted the EMT’s and helped with traffic control until additional emergency services units arrived.
Thanks for your service, Tatanka!
The crew, formed in 1999, is based out of Custer, South Dakota on the Black Hills National Forest.
The Hirz Fire has burned 24,098 acres north of Redding, California.
Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories Uncategorized1 Comment on Wildfire in Germany sets off WWII ammunition Firefighters are being kept out of the area
Firefighters in Germany are having to deal with a unique hazard at a wildfire 30 miles southwest of Berlin — old rusting ammunition left over from World War II. After several detonations, firefighters are not being allowed to enter certain areas. They are using water-dropping helicopters and water cannons on fire engines to slow the fire in the dangerous areas.
The fire has burned approximately 660 acres.
The Los Angeles Times reports that the munitions that are exploding include grenades. Below is an excerpt from their article:
Some of the heaviest fighting in World War II took place in the forests outside Berlin, starting with the battle at the Seelow Heights on April 16, 1945. More than 2.5 million Soviets launched their attack on and around Berlin with some 6,000 tanks and 7,000 warplanes. The area was left littered with ammunition, grenades and other explosives.
Some of the munitions and ordnance in the area could also have been left behind by Soviet troops who occupied and engaged in “war games” with training exercises in the forests around Berlin during the Cold War.
In July firefighters in Germany also had to contend with WWII munitions at a fire near Fichtenwalde.
The fire is in north-central Washington 10 miles west of Winthrop
Above: The Crescent Mountain Fire on August 15, 2018. Inciweb photo.
(Originally published at 1:50 p.m. PDT August 24, 2018)
The Crescent Mountain Fire in north-central Washington has burned over 40,000 acres since a lightning strike started it on July 29. The fire is being managed at least in some areas as a less than full suppression fire. One of the primary reasons as you can see in the 3-D map below, is that the west side is burning into sparse vegetation above 7,000 feet in steep, remote, inaccessible terrain.
The fire is about 10.5 miles west of both Twisp and Winthrop, Washington.
Evacuation orders are in effect for West Buttermilk Creek Road and Twisp River Road, west of the Buttermilk Creek intersection.
Northwest winds on Thursday caused the fire to be very active. The area with the greatest growth was on the south slope above the Twisp River on both sides of Scaffold Canyon and up to Scaffold Ridge. It has burned down to the West Fork of Buttermilk Creek.
Firefighters provided structural protection and assistance to homes along the Twisp River corridor throughout the day Thursday. Air operations were able to effectively slow the advance of the fire.
On the southwest side crews continue to monitor the fire within North Cascades National Park. Most of the fire is on land administered by the U.S. Forest Service.
Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories Uncategorized1 Comment on New rhabdomyolysis resources for firefighters If left untreated, severe rhabdo may be fatal or result in permanent disability.
Too many wildland firefighters have suffered from rhabdomyolysis (often referred to as rhabdo) in recent years. In some cases they could have been treated much earlier if the victims and those around them had recognized the symptoms.
Firefighting, both structural and wildland, involves tasks in environments that place fire fighters at increased risk for this condition. Rhabdo is a breakdown of muscle tissue that releases proteins and electrolytes into the blood stream and can cause heart and kidney damage. If left untreated, severe rhabdo may be fatal or result in permanent disability. Heat exposure and intense physical effort are just two of many known risk factors for rhabdo.
NIOSH has developed two sets of factsheets and wallet cards—one for structural firefighters and their healthcare providers and another for wildland firefighters and their healthcare providers—to increase awareness about the signs and symptoms of rhabdomyolysis and help fire fighters get early treatment to prevent more serious medical problems.
Factsheets for wildland firefighters and their healthcare providers:
What Wildland Fire Fighters Need to Know about Rhabdomyolysis
Rhabdomyolysis in Wildland Fire Fighters: A Patient Population at Risk
Wallet cards for wildland fire fighters
Factsheets for structural firefighters and their healthcare providers:
What Structural Fire Fighters Need to Know about Rhabdomyolysis
Rhabdomyolysis in Structural Fire Fighters: A Patient Population at Risk
Wallet cards for structural fire fighters
Thanks and a tip of the hat go out to Bryan.
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KRCR has the story of how a retired police officer in Redding, California who was trapped in the Carr Fire survived the same fire tornado that killed a Redding firefighter.
As the fire approached, Steve Bustillos was driving away from his home with his most important possessions in the back of his truck when the strong winds and debris broke a window in his vehicle allowing burning embers to blow inside the cab. He turned around to see that everything in the bed of the pickup was on fire, then the seats in the cab ignited.
He told the reporter, “The truck is moving and I’ve got both feet planted on the brake pedal and the truck is literally starting to lift itself up off the ground.”
CAL FIRE issued a Green Sheet report about the incident which included this information about the fire tornado that entrapped Mr. Bustillos.
Winds at the base of the fire tornado reached speeds in the range of 136-165 mph (EF-3 tornado strength), as indicated by wind damage to large oak trees, scouring of the ground surface, damage to roofs of houses, and lofting of large steel power line support towers, vehicles, and a steel marine shipping container within ½ mile of the entrapment site. The strong winds caused the fire to burn all live vegetation less than 1 inch in diameter and fully consume any dead biomass. Peak gas temperatures likely exceeded 2,700 °F.
