Wildfire Today

Aero Union reportedly closes their doors

Bill GabbertAugust 15, 2011August 25, 2019UncategorizedAero Union, air tanker4 Comments

Station_fire_air_tanker P-3 Orion — A P-3 Orion drops on the Station fire Aug. 30, 2009 near Acton, California. Photo: Dan Steinberg

ChicoER.com is reporting that one of the three primary suppliers of air tankers has closed their doors, telling their employees they no longer have jobs, and to pick up their last checks this week. Aero Union, which earlier this year had eight large P-3 air tankers on exclusive use contracts with the U.S. Forest Service for wildland fire suppression, had their contracts for the last six P-3’s cancelled at the end of July due to their failure to participate in a continued airworthiness program.

The demise of Aero Union left 11 large air tankers, P2V’s supplied by Neptune and Minden, on exclusive use contracts with the USFS, compared to 44 in 2002. After the agency cancelled the Aero Union contract a few weeks ago, saying “we possess the aircraft support needed for this year’s fire season”, they brought on three Convair 580 air tankers to attempt to fill the void, bringing the total up to 14.

Coal Canyon fire injury update

Bill GabbertAugust 14, 2011March 3, 2017UncategorizedCoal Canyon Fire, Jim Strain, South Dakota1 Comment

Jim Strain, Assistant Chief for Operations with the South Dakota Division of Wildland Fire Suppression, distributed the information below about the condition of Austin Whitney who was seriously injured while fighting the Coal Canyon fire north of Edgemont, South Dakota on Thursday, August 11. This is the same fire on which Trampus Haskvisk was killed when their engine crew was burned over. Information about Trampus’ funeral can be found HERE. Three other firefighters were also injured on Thursday but were treated and released.

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Just wanted to pass on an update on the condition of Austin Whitney, the SDS WFS seasonal firefighter that was involved in the burn over of State Engine 561 on the Coal Canyon fire on Thursday.

This information has been provided by the family and Austin, and they want to share this information, so feel free to pass on to anyone else that wants to know. My e-mail list is by no means inclusive.

Austin is at the Western States Burn Unit in the North Colorado Medical Center in Greeley. I accompanied the family down to Greeley on Friday, and have been in contact since my arrival back home. But as of today, Austin had 13% of his body burned, and will be going procedures starting Monday to skin graft the serious burned area on his left elbow and arm. Thankfully, his lungs and airways were spared from the heat. But he has a long road ahead with recovery and rehab. Austin is engaged and alert, shows a determined spirit, visits with the nurses and family when he can, and is talking to friends and family on his cell phone.

The family asked if some of fellow fire crew members from the Hot Springs field office could visit, so I have sent down Steve Esser, Ben Maisel and Kevin Fees today to visit with family and Austin before he starts the skin graft procedure. Steve will provide an updated report to us when gets back. In addition, Bob Whitney, Austin’s dad, did an interview with the Rapid City Journal about Austin, and that should be in the newspaper soon.

The Wildland Firefighter Foundation has been most supportative and helpful. They have provided the rental car and motel rooms for the family and his fiancé, Becky Dawson. The Greeley Fire Department has dropped by everyday to check on the family.

Cards and letters can be sent to: North Colorado Medical Center, Attn: Austin Whitney, Burn Unit, 1801 16th St, Greeley Colorado, 80631. We will be working with the family to get a Caring Bridge website set up. Bob and Julie Whitney, Austin’s mom and dad, are always appreciative of any support they can get at this time.

Jim Strain

Asst Chief Operations

Coal Canyon fire fatality funeral arrangements

Bill GabbertAugust 14, 2011March 3, 2017UncategorizedCoal Canyon Fire, South Dakota

The funeral for Trampus Haskvisk who died fighting the Coal Canyon fire north of Edgemont, South Dakota will be at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, August 16 at the Mueller Center on 6th Street in Hot Springs, SD. Trampus was a five-year veteran with the South Dakota Wildland Fire Suppression Division so I hope there is a large turnout as a show of respect for him and his family.

Below is the information about the funeral service that was distributed by Rod Seals, Operations Chief for the Rapid City Fire Department:

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Schedule for Funeral Service for Firefighter Trampus Haskvitz

Note: All Public Safety and Emergency Responders are encouraged to attend the funeral/celebration of life services for Trampus Haskvitz. Because we are unsure of the number of you that will be attending, we ask that you RSVP by calling Rapid City Fire Department, Station 1 at (605) 394-4180 with the following information: Agency name, total number of personnel attending (including family) and number of emergency vehicles that will be in the procession.

Tuesday Line-Up:

 All South Dakota Wildland Fire Suppression Division, Black Hills National Forest – Hells Canyon District, and the National Park Service – Wind Cave personnel are asked to arrive at the Mueller’s Civic Center 11:30 to line up for the procession. Line-up for these agencies will be in front of the Muellers Center on 6^th street. Your family is welcome to sit with you in a designated seating area.

 All WFS, BHNF-Hells Canyon District, and NPS-Wind Cave personnel are asked to follow the signs to the staging area within the Mueller’s Civic Center. Seating will begin at 1:30 pm.

 All other Public Safety Departments & Agency Personnel not included in the list above are asked to line up on Galveston Avenue (1/2 block east of the Mueller Center) starting at 12:30 pm. Departments are asked to use the following route when lining up on Galveston Ave. Highway 18 Bypass turning right onto Galveston Avenue.

 Seating will begin at 1:00 pm.

 The funeral service will begin at 2:00 pm.

Tuesday Procession:

 Following the service, WFS, BHNF-Hells Canyon District, and NPS-Wind Cave personnel should line up outside the Mueller Civic Center as Firefighter Trampus Haskvitz is escorted to a fire engine. After Trampus is escorted firefighters are asked to return to their vehicles as quickly as possible.

 The procession will run west of 6^th street, left on South River Street, right on Cold Brook Avenue, left on School Street, entering Evergreen Cemetery. A map will be handed out as you line up in the staging area.

 During the procession the Fall River County Dispatch will sound the emergency sirens twice.

 If your agency provides you with a Class A Uniform, please wear it.

 Should you not have a Class A Uniform, you are asked to wear your Class B (tie and uniform shirt) or Class C Uniform (agency uniform with no tie).

 Crew personnel should wear their crew shirts.

 Incident personnel should wear either a Rocky Mountain Team shirt or nomex.

Eagle fire pictures, part 4

Bill GabbertAugust 14, 2011July 31, 2011Uncategorized

Here are some pictures taken at the Eagle fire in San Diego County, which burned between Warner Springs and Borrego Springs, California. All of these photos are from the CalFire Flickr page. All three of these photos were taken by Kevin Pack, CalFire VIP photographer. There were no captions on the photos that described exactly what was taking place, so I made up my own. However, the dates the photos were taken are available. Most of these photos were uploaded to Flickr on July 31, 2011. The fire was contained after burning 14,100 acres.

What is missing in the photo above? There are no flip chart easels, or maps or agendas taped to the walls. How can you have a meeting of fire overhead without that stuff? Maybe it’s a religious service.

Update on the fatal Coal Canyon fire, August 13, 2011

Bill GabbertAugust 13, 2011August 25, 2019UncategorizedCoal Canyon Fire, fatality, lodd3 Comments

Road leading through Coal Canyon fire. Credit: Black Hills National Forest

A few more details are now available about the incident that claimed the life of Trampus Haskvitz, 23, of Hot Springs, South Dakota on August 11, 2011. In addition to Mr. Haskvitz four other firefighters, two others from the state of South Dakota and two from the U.S. Forest Service, were injured. Austin Whitney, 20, of Hot Springs suffered third-degree burns to his hands and neck and is being treated at a burn center in Greeley, Colo. Kevin Fees, 20, also of Hot Springs, was treated and released Thursday at Rapid City Regional Medical Center after suffering burns to his hands and neck. Both Mr. Whitney and Mr. Fees are employed by the state of South Dakota.

Other than the fact that they were treated for injuries and released and one worked out of Custer and the other out of Hot Springs, nothing else has been released about the USFS firefighters.

Joe Lowe, director of the South Dakota Wildland Fire Suppression Division, said during a news conference Friday that the firefighters had been making an initial attack with an engine on a lightning caused fire approximately 9 miles north of Edgemont, South Dakota. (It is unclear if Lowe’s description includes the two USFS injured firefighters or just the three firefighters from the state of South Dakota.) Some of the firefighters were working on a flank of the fire from a mid-slope road when strong winds from thunderstorm activity caused spotting below them. The firefighters could not suppress the spot fire and became trapped between it and the main fire. They deployed fire shelters in the timber fuel type but the heat was very intense. The aluminum hose bed on an engine melted off.

Map of the Coal fire 8-13-2011, showing heat detected by satellites. MODIS

Rocky Mountain Type 2 Incident Management Team C, Jay Esperance Incident Commander, took over management of the fire at 6 p.m., Friday evening August 12. The fire has burned 1,325 acres and is 20% contained as of Saturday night.

Visitation for Mr. Haskvitz will be held from 6:00 pm until 9:00 pm, Monday, August 15, 2011, at McColley’s Chapel of the Hills in Hot Springs, SD.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 pm, Tuesday, August 16, 2011, at the Mueller Auditorium in Hot Springs with Chaplain Morris Nelson officiating.

The Argus Leader had this quote from Joe Lowe:

We will send this fire back to hell, where it belongs. It has taken one of ours and become very personal.

Eagle fire pictures, part 3

Bill GabbertAugust 12, 2011July 31, 2011Uncategorized

Crew boarding helicopter — From the context of this photo, I believe this crew is preparing to board a helicopter. July 24, 2011.

Here are some pictures taken at the Eagle fire in San Diego County, which burned between Warner Springs and Borrego Springs, California. All of these photos are from the CalFire Flickr page. The first photo was taken by Kevin Pack, CalFire VIP photographer. The second two are credit: CalFire. There were no captions on the photos that described exactly what was taking place, so I made up my own. However, the dates the photos were taken are available. Most of these photos were uploaded to Flickr on July 31, 2011. The fire was contained after burning 14,100 acres.

OCFA helicopter — Orange County Fire Authority helicopter. July 26, 2011.

This appears to be the Incident Base. July 26, 2011.

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