Wildfire Today

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Wildfire Today

Chimney Tops 2 Fire discussed at Senate Confirmation Hearing

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories UncategorizedTags , , , , 1 Comment on Chimney Tops 2 Fire discussed at Senate Confirmation Hearing

Today the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources conducted a hearing to consider the nomination of Montana Representative Ryan Zinke to be the new Secretary of the Interior. I watched a portion of it and two items caught my attention.

Mr. Zinke said in no uncertain terms that he was against turning over federal land to states or other organizations. In fact it has been reported that he resigned from the Republican National Committee this summer when they insisted on making land divestiture a part of their platform.

The other issue was the Chimney Tops 2 Fire that in November burned from Great Smoky Mountains National Park into Gatlinburg, Tennessee. We captured this 3-minute portion of the hearing in the video above. The fire killed 14 people and destroyed 2,013 homes and 53 commercial structures. Tennessee Senator Lamar Alexander wanted assurance from Mr. Zinke that he would commit to “paying close attention” to a scheduled review of the incident “so that we can see if there are any lessons to be learned for the future”. Mr. Zinke said, “Senator, I will absolutely commit to that.”

Mr. Alexander also made a pitch to increase the funding for Great Smoky Mountains National Park, arguing that the agreement when the land bought by the people and given to the federal government stipulated that entrance fees could not be charged. He said Yellowstone NP has half as many visitors as Smoky MNP but twice the budget. The Senator did not mention that Yellowstone is almost four times as large, 522,427 acres vs. 2,219,791 acres

After the hearing concludes a video recording of the entire event will be available at the Committee’s website.

For the most current information about the Chimney Tops 2 Fire at Gatlinburg, see our articles tagged “Chimney 2 Fire”.

Typos or errors, report them HERE.

Three firefighters killed in Chile wildfire

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories UncategorizedTags , 1 Comment on Three firefighters killed in Chile wildfire

At least four other firefighters were injured.

Three wildland firefighters were killed Sunday January 15 while battling a fire in the commune of Vichuquén, Maule Region of Chile. An ongoing drought and variable winds led to extreme fire behavior when the accident occurred.

According to Cooperative.cl the deceased were identified as:

  • Ricardo Salas, head of the Maqui 3 brigade,
  • Wilfredo Salgado, crew chief Maqui 3 and,
  • Sergio Faúndez, head of the second crew Maqui 6.

Below is another quote from the above website. It is translated by Google and is a little rough:

The manager of Fire Protection Conaf, Andrés Mascareñ or, noted that 14 years ago no such fact occurred in the region and said that activate the relevant protocols to protect personnel.

“Since 2003 we did not have an accident of this level and all these years we have been presenting a critical situation of forest fires and we have faced them properly,” said the executive.

“According to the protocol we have, when situations such as these occur, the tasks are stopped and measures of safeguarding the personnel are taken,” added Mascareño.

Because this incident has consumed about 50 hectares of pine and presents a conflictive behavior, given the high temperatures and wind generating new outbreaks of fire, the Municipality of Maule decreed for the commune of Vichuquén Red Alert until conditions so They deserve it.

Firefighters in Chile have been very busy in recent weeks. The pilot of a single engine air tanker was killed December 28 when the aircraft crashed about 15 kilometers from the town of Santa Juana after working on a wildfire in the Bío Bío region.

Google translation of the above tweet:

President Bachelet lamented death of Brigadiers of Conaf and expressed its appreciation for the work carried out.

Our sincere condolences go out to the families and coworkers.

Thanks and a tip of the hat go out to @Tragahumosfire.

Typos or errors, report them HERE.

Currandoole Fire burns 6,000 acres near Tarago, NSW

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories UncategorizedTags , 2 Comments on Currandoole Fire burns 6,000 acres near Tarago, NSW

Above: A helicopter flies over the Currandooley Fire near Tarago. New South Wales Rural Fire Service photo.

The Currandoole Fire has burned 6,054 acres (2,450 ha) and one structure in the Boro and Mount Fairy area south of Tarago, New South Wales.

On Tuesday a severe thunderstorm moved across the fire and dropped some rain, but not enough to extinguish the blaze. Firefighters will continue to strengthen containment lines Tuesday night ahead of challenging hot, dry and windy conditions predicted for Wednesday.

The DC-10 and RJ85 air tankers were dispatched and assisted firefighters on the ground.

Currandooley Fire map
Map produced by an infrared line scanner of the Currandooley Fire near Tarago, New South Wales, Australia.

A briefing in New South Wales

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories UncategorizedTags ,

Above photo by New South Wales Rural Fire Service

The New South Wales Rural Fire Service, in the middle of their down under bushfire season, posted this photo yesterday with the following description:

Multi-agency briefing held this morning at NSW RFS State Operations Centre, ensuring all involved are aware and sharing details of current situation and latest weather forecasts for today. Currently we have 18 fires across NSW, 5 of which are yet to be contained. There are are over 60 vehicles and 200 personnel deployed, as well as 4 Rapid Aerial Response Teams (RART) and 20 aircraft tasked to assist.

UPDATE January 18, 2017: here is a better photo of the NSW RFS State Operations Center on January 18, 2017:

New South Wales State Operations Center
New South Wales State Operations Center, January 18, 2017. Photo by NSW RFS.

Tallac Hotshots

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories UncategorizedTags ,

Above: Photo by Tallac Hotshots

We were not familiar with the Tallac Hotshots until yesterday when we ran across this recently taken photo. The crew, based near Lake Tahoe in California, was officially certified in 2014.

Below is an excerpt from their website:

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“Crew Profile

On June 19, 2014, the Tallac Hotshots completed the extensive certification process to become the first Interagency Hotshot Crew (IHC) from Lake Tahoe. Formerly, the Tallac Hand Crew, the Tallac Hotshot Crew joins an exclusive group of roughly 2,000 firefighters in the country. The Tallac Hand Crew was established in 2001 as part of a nationwide buildup of resources for a maximum efficiency level of preparedness as direct by the National fire Plan. The original intent of the crew was to perform fuels management projects along with resource management objectives and to be availalbe for wildland fire response. The crew evolved through extensive training, recruitment, and retention of leadership to become a highly skilled 20 person crew. The crew completed the 2-day certification process, which covered all the standards for IHC operations.

Forest Organization Overview

The Tallac Hotshots are based on the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit and are one of three federally funded, Forest Service 20 person, fire suppression and fuels management crews in the Tahoe Basin. There are two on call organized crews O.C 36 and O.C 37. The Lake Tahoe Basin also has four type 3 engines, four fire prevention staff, a VUFF Staff Officer, Forest Fire Management Officer (Chief 1), one Assistant Forest Fire Management Officer (Chief 2), one Fuels Battalion (Battalion Chief 42)and Fuels Division (Division 4). Everything is overseen by Forest Supervisor and Deputy Forest Supervisor. ECC Dispatch is located at Camino on the Eldorado NF.”

Chad Fisher selected for NPS Fire Operations Leader

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories UncategorizedTags ,

He had been the acting Fire Operations Program Leader for most of the last three years.

Chad Fisher.
Chad Fisher. NPS photo.

Chad Fisher has been selected as the National Park Service’s Wildland Fire Operations Program Leader for the Branch of Wildland Fire. In this position he will lead the team responsible for operations, safety, facilities, equipment, training, and wildland fire qualifications.

Fisher began his wildland fire career in 1990 at Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in North Carolina after graduating from Haywood Community College with an Associate’s Degree in Fish and Wildlife Management. Chad worked seven seasons at the refuge as a firefighter and helicopter manager. In 1992 he began to spend his summers in the west working on the Payette National Forest. Chad left Pocosin Lakes for a position on the NPS Alpine Interagency Hotshot Crew and to return to school at the University of Montana where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Resource Conservation in 1997.

While in college, he worked as a smokejumper and helitack crew leader. Upon graduation he received his first permanent appointment on the Lewis and Clark National Forest and then spent four years as the assistant leader and leader of the Great Smoky Mountains Fire Use Module.

In 2001, Chad moved to the National Interagency Fire Center as a wildland fire training specialist with the NPS. In the mid 2000’s he spent a little more than two years as the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s fire management national training specialist. Chad has been the wildland fire safety program manager with the National Park Service since 2008 and has been the acting operations program leader for much of the last three years. In 2013, he was a recipient of the Paul Gleason Lead by Example Award for his work with the Dutch Creek mitigations.

“I look forward to officially leading the Wildland Fire Operations Program” Fisher said. “I feel it is our responsibility to set others up for success. The Operations Program is comprised of accomplished employees. I’m confident our group will continue to be responsive to the field while also being strategic in our work and looking for ways to improve. It is important we do the right work so all NPS employees go home physically and mentally well at the end of each shift.”

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