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.
Daniel Laird, the U.S. Forest Service Helitack Captain who was killed in a helicopter accident on March 27 was honored April 3 by a procession from Conroe, Texas to the Bush airport in Houston.
Chris Schenck, of the Texas Parks and Wildlife described it:
Today Adam Terry and I, representing TPWD, had the privilege of participating in the Memorial Procession for Daniel Laird, USFS Firefighter who perished in a helicopter crash last week.
It was for me an important element of respect for our fallen brother firefighter. More than 100 fire vehicles traveled in procession from Conroe to Houston Airport. Along the way fire companies with apparatus on overpasses and civilians saluted this fine young man as we passed.
It was both moving and helpful to those of us who have been involved in fire and aviation management.
The video shows the procession to the airport.
A United Airlines 737 transported Captain Laird from Houston to Sacramento where an honor guard escorted him to the Ullrey Memorial Chapel in Yuba City. On the trip to Yuba City firefighters and others paid their respects along the route and at overpasses.
Captain Laird was one of three people in a helicopter that crashed during aerial ignition operations on a prescribed fire in the Sam Houston National Forest in Texas. The pilot, Morgan J. Kozloski, and a passenger, Kelly Callahen, were injured. The privately owned helicopter was under contract to the government.
Captain Laird worked on the Tahoe National Forest in California and leaves behind his wife and daughter. He had served for 23 years with the U.S. Forest Service.
Scheduled memorial events:
Friday, April 5
4 p.m. to 7 p.m.: Public Viewing at Ullrey Memorial Chapel, 817 Almond Street, Yuba City, CA.
Saturday, April 6
9:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. — Processional from Ullrey Memorial Chapel to Sutter Cemetery at 7200 Butte House Rd. Sutter, CA. Many firefighters and pieces of fire apparatus are expected to participate in the processional.
10 a.m. — Graveside service. This is a family service and seating is limited but they have invited any members of the U.S. Forest Service, other agencies and the public to attend as room allows.
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. –The Laird family will be arriving at the House of Bread Church, through the Cordon of Honor. 6521 Hazel Ave, Orangevale, CA.
2 p.m. — Memorial service at the House of Bread Church, 6521 Hazel Ave, Orangevale, CA.
Cross-boundary prescribed fire in Everglades and Biscayne National Parks. NPS photo.
Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Park are conducting a cross-boundary prescribed fire this week in South Florida. So far they have completed 30,000 acres. Everglades is continuing ignitions today and tomorrow, April 4 and 5, 2019.
Cross-boundary prescribed fire in Everglades and Biscayne National Parks. NPS photo.
The south Florida National Parks often ignite prescribed fires with a helicopter-mounted device that drops plastic spheres which ignite after hitting the ground. It’s called a Plastic Sphere Dispenser, or PSD. Much of what the parks burn is vegetation over standing water. If the sphere lands in water it may not ignite the vegetation, but every sphere does not have to be successful.
The burn pattern in the photo below illustrates the paths of several helicopter flight lines. The direction of spread is being determined by a wind blowing from left to right.
Cross-boundary prescribed fire in Everglades and Biscayne National Parks. NPS photo.
When the PSD was first developed several decades ago it was called an
Aerial Ignition Device, or AID. When acquired immune deficiency syndrome, or AIDS, became a serious health issue, firefighters dropped the AID label and renamed it Plastic Sphere Dispenser, or PSD.