Fire Explorers memories: Greg Greenhoe

 ~ Memories from Greg Greenhoe, from 30 years ago:
It was the fall of 1994 and the adult leaders and several fire explorers walked into the Angeles National Forest Supervisor’s Office and inquired whether we would consider sponsoring their Fire Explorer Post. Their sponsor at the time was the City of South Pasadena Fire Department, who had decided to go with a Fire Cadet program and terminate their relationship with Explorer Post 99.

Greg & Shirley RETIRED!
Greg & Shirley RETIRED!

I said why not — this could be a good way to recruit young wildland firefighters into our  temporary ranks.

With the help of Training Officer Jim Hall and a large number of rank-and-file firefighters from stations and crews all over the forest, the Post was launched. In the spring of 1995 we hosted the first Wildland Firefighter Explorer Academy at Little Tujunga. Now 30 years later the ANF has three Explorer Posts and is hosting their 30th annual academy.

Graduates of the program are now in leadership positions throughout the Forest Service and other agencies. Hats off to all those who have carried the torch and kept this program going over the years — I’m impressed!

Wildland Firefighter Explorer Academy
Wildland Firefighter Explorer Academy

Wildland Firefighter Explorer Academy

Feser

Firehouse MagazineFROM GREG:
(currently in travel status)
Just got off the phone with one of my explorers from Class #1 in 1995!

He’s a retired San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Deputy.

We worked on the Angeles for 5 years. The kid was on the cover of the September 1997 Firehouse Magazine. Haven’t talked to him in 25 years!

 

 

Pines Fire required 300 to be evacuated from camps near Wrightwood, California

(UPDATE at 7:40 a.m. PT, July 19, 2015)

Pines Fire
Pines Fire, InciWeb image posted July 18, 2015.

More than three-quarters of an inch of rain has helped firefighters make significant progress on the Pines Fire near Wrightwood, California. As of Saturday evening the Incident Management Team was still calling it 200 acres.

The evacuation of organization camps and campgrounds involving 300 people remains in effect. No Injuries have been reported and no structures are eminently threatened. Highway 2 is open but campgrounds remain closed.

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(UPDATE at 11:36 a.m. PT, July 18, 2015)

Just before noon this morning the U.S. Forest Service released this little map of the Pines Fire near Wrightwood, California.

Map of Pines Fire USFS

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(Originally published at 10:15 a.m. PT, July 18, 2015; updated at 10:56 a.m. July 18, 2015)

Pines-North Fires map
Map showing heat detected by a satellite on the Pines and North Fires at 11:15 p.m. PT, June 17, 2015. Very little heat was detected on the North Fire, possibly because light fuels, or vegetation, were present which was consumed quickly by the fire then cooled before the satellite passed overhead at 11:15 p.m. In contrast, the North Fire, about 2,000 feet higher in elevation, was burning in heavier fuels, including timber, which can continue to burn for hours, days, or weeks after the fire initially passes through. (click to enlarge)

While the North Fire that burned 22 vehicles trapped on Interstate 15 in southern California received most of the attention on Friday, another fire 10 miles to the west created some havoc as well. At 1 a.m. Saturday morning about 300 people, mostly children, in 11 organizational camps near Wrightwood had their sleep interrupted and were told to evacuate when the Pines Fire erupted nearby. About 130 of the evacuees were deaf or hearing impaired children.

The fire was reported at approximately 9:30 p.m. on Friday, July 17. As of the last update from the Angeles National Forest Saturday morning it has burned 200 acres near the Angeles Crest Highway (Highway 2) north of Wrightwood in the Big Pines area. No injuries have been reported and no structures are threatened.

Pines Fire
A view of the Pines Fire from the command post. LA Co. Sheriff Dept. photo.

Overnight five aircraft worked the fire: one Angeles NF helicopter, one USFS air attack fixed wing, and three Los Angeles County Fire Department helicopters.

Some of the camps evacuated were Apple Tree, Lion, Verdugo, Peavin, and a Girl Scout Camp. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Station in Palmdale has established an evacuation center at Serrano High School in Phelin, 9292 Sheep Creek Road.