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Wildfires east of Naples, FL force evacuations

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories WildfireTags 5 Comments on Wildfires east of Naples, FL force evacuations

The fires have burned at least 4,000 acres

Map for the 36th Ave. SE Fire wildfire Naples Florida
Map for the 36th Ave. SE Fire, released by the Florida Forest Service, May 15, 2020.

(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.

map wildfires Naples Florida
Map showing heat detected by satellites on the 22nd Ave. SE and the 36th Ave. SE fires, at 12:30 a.m. EDT May 14, 2020.

(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.

wildfires Naples Florida
Wildfire east of Naples Florida. Photo May 14, 2020 by Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services.

(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.

wildfires Naples Florida
Photo of the 22nd Ave. SE and the 36th Ave. SE wildfires, May 13, 2020. Collier County Sheriff’s Office.
map wildfires Naples Florida
Evacuation map posted by the Collier County Sheriff’s Office Wednesday night.

Thanks and a tip of the hat go out to Rob. Typos or errors, report them HERE.

Basin Fire burns 36,000 acres in northwest Arizona

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories WildfireTags 2 Comments on Basin Fire burns 36,000 acres in northwest Arizona
Basin Fire map Arizona
Map showing the location of the Basin Fire at noon MDT, May 10, 2020. Data is from a BLM GPS flight.

(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.

BAe-146 drops on the Basin Fire
A BAe-146 air tanker drops on the Basin Fire May 11, 2020. BLM photo.

(Originally published at 3:37 p.m. MDT May 11, 2020)

Map Basin Fire Arizona wildfires
Map showing the approximate location of the Basin Fire at 3:06 a.m. MDT, May 10, 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.

Basin Fire, May 10, 2020.
Basin Fire, May 10, 2020. BLM Photo.
Red Flag Warnings in effect May 11, 2020
Red Flag Warnings in effect May 11, 2020. NWS.
Red Flag Warnings in effect in Alaska, wildfires
Red Flag Warnings in effect in Alaska, May 11, 2020. NWS.

Dry thunderstorms expected Sunday in parts of NV and AZ

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories UncategorizedTags , 1 Comment on Dry thunderstorms expected Sunday in parts of NV and AZ

Lightning with little or no rain

Red Flag Warnings wildfires dry thunderstorms, May 10, 2020
Red Flag Warnings for dry thunderstorms, May 10, 2020. NWS

(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.

Moonfish Fire burns thousands of acres west of Miami

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories WildfireTags ,
Map Moonfish Fire Big Cypress National Preserve
Map showing the approximate location of the Moonfish Fire in Big Cypress National Preserve at 2:42 p.m. EDT May 8, 2020.

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.

radar Map Moonfish Fire Big Cypress National Preserve
Radar detects smoke from the Moonfish Fire in Big Cypress National Preserve, 8 p.m. EDT May 8, 2020.

Legislation introduced to provide benefits for families of firefighters killed by COVID-19

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories UncategorizedTags , , , , 2 Comments on Legislation introduced to provide benefits for families of firefighters killed by COVID-19

Senators are also seeking hazard pay for federal employees in essential positions whose jobs cannot be accomplished while maintaining social distancing recommendations

David Ruhl memorial service
The memorial service for fallen U.S. Forest Service firefighter David Ruhl, Rapid City, SD August 9, 2015. Photo by Bill Gabbert.

A bipartisan group of senators has introduced a bill to ensure families of public safety officers lost to COVID-19 can quickly access survivor benefits.

(UPDATE at 10:40 a.m. MDT May 15, 2020: the Senate passed the bill. Now it goes to the House of Representatives)

The Safeguarding America’s First Responders Act (SAFR), led by senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.), clarifies the certification requirements for survivor benefits under the Public Safety Officers Benefits Program (PSOB) to account for the unique challenges presented by the pandemic. The legislation is cosponsored by Senators Cruz (R-Texas), Feinstein (D-Calif.), Tillis (R-N.C.), Coons (D-Del.), Daines (R-Mont.), Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Scott (R-Fla.), Menendez (D-N.J.), Loeffler (R-Ga.), Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Moran (R-Kan.) and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).

The PSOB program provides the families of public safety officers who are killed in the line of duty with a one-time lump sum payment of $359,316 and/or education assistance of $1,224.00 per month to their children or spouse. Wildland firefighters who work for the federal agencies are included in the PSOB program.

Infectious diseases are covered under a line-of-duty death as long as evidence indicates that the infectious disease was contracted while on duty. Providing evidence that a deadly disease was contracted on duty can be straightforward in instances where an officer comes into contact with a dirty needle, however in the case of COVID-19, it can be very difficult to provide evidence that the virus was contracted on duty.

What the bill does:

  • Creates a presumption that if a first responder is diagnosed with COVID-19 within 45 days of their last day on duty, the Department of Justice will treat it as a line of duty incident.
  • The presumption will guarantee payment of benefits to any first responder who dies from COVID-19 or a complication therefrom.
  • The presumption will run from January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2021.
  • The presumption will require a diagnosis of COVID-19 or evidence indicating that the officer had COVID-19 at the time of death. This covers officers in high impact areas where finding tests can be difficult.

Another proposal – Hazard pay

A group of 19 Senators have sent letters  to the Office of Personnel Management and the Office of Management and Budget requesting 25 percent hazard pay for federal employees in essential positions whose jobs cannot be accomplished while maintaining social distancing recommendations

The letter is below:

2020-05-05 Senators Letter … by FedSmith Inc. on Scribd

Firefighters that are already victims of COVID-19

Victor Stagnaro of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation said on May 8, 2020 they are tracking 26 people connected with fire departments and 30 Emergency Medical Services personnel whose deaths appear to be caused by COVID-19.

Thanks and a tip of the hat go out to Jim. Typos or errors, report them HERE.

Wildfire burns structures and closes I-10 south of Milton, Florida

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories WildfireTags , , 8 Comments on Wildfire burns structures and closes I-10 south of Milton, Florida

Started from an escaped prescribed fire on May 4

map Five Mile Fire Milton Florida Interstate 10
Map showing heat detected on the Five Mile Swamp Fire by a satellite at 2:48 a.m. CDT May 7, 2020.

(UPDATED at 9:50 a.m. CDT May 7, 2020)

Satellite data collected overnight shows heat from the Five Mile Swamp Fire well south of Interstate 10 on both sides of Garcon Point Road approaching Blackwater Bay.

(Originally published at 9 p.m. CDT May 6, 2020)

map Five Mile Fire Milton Florida Interstate 10
Map showing heat detected on the Five Mile Swamp Fire by a satellite at 3:24 p.m. CDT May 6, 2020.

Strong winds and low relative humidity caused a wildfire in the panhandle of Florida to grow about eight times its size Wednesday. The Five Mile Swamp Fire started from an escaped prescribed fire Monday afternoon and by Wednesday afternoon had blackened approximately 2,000 acres (up from 250 acres Wednesday morning) forcing the closure of Interstate 10 south of Milton, Florida.

The fire is burning on both sides of Interstate 10 about five miles south of Milton. The Florida Forest Service (FFS) reports several structures south of I-10 have been damaged or destroyed.

On Wednesday resources working the fire included 18 tractor/plow units, 3 helicopters, and firefighters from multiple departments throughout Santa Rosa County.

Residents of Ski Lane north of I-10, and those south of I-10 and east of Avalon Boulevard have been ordered to evacuate.

About 1,100 residences are threatened by the Five Mile Swamp Fire.

Five Mile Fire Milton Florida Interstate 10

The prescribed fire from which the wildfire escaped was on private land east of the former Moors golf course, east of Avalon Blvd., and north of I-10. Described as a “#GoodFire” by the Florida Forest Service in a May 4 tweet, it was expected to burn only 250 acres.