Wildfire Today

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Wildfire Today

Tag: California

California passes bill to allow former inmates who served on fire crews to pursue a career in fire

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories UncategorizedTags , 41 Comments on California passes bill to allow former inmates who served on fire crews to pursue a career in fire

AB2147 passes inmates fire crewsThe California legislature has passed a bill, AB 2147, that would allow former prisoners who worked on inmate fire crews to pursue a career in firefighting.

The  bill authored by Assemblywoman Eloise Gomez Reyes will allow nonviolent offenders who have logged time fighting fires on inmate crews while incarcerated, an opportunity to have their records expunged upon release, allowing them to become firefighters.

Released inmates who have successfully petitioned a judge to expunge their records and waive parole time, will also have the ability to apply for an emergency medical technician’s license.

Previously, California law has instructed emergency service agencies to deny EMT certification to anyone who has been convicted of two or more felonies, is on parole or probation, or has committed any kind of felony within the last decade.

COVID spreading through inmate crew camps and prisons this summer has cut the number of inmate crews available from 192 to 94. On July 9 California Governor Gavin Newsom said 12 inmate camps had to be quarantined due to the virus.

Compounding the firefighter shortage was the early release of thousands of state inmates to create more space in the facilities during the pandemic, and before that, the state’s initiative to reduce the incarceration of those jailed for lower-level offenses.

More details about the August 31, 2020 fatality on the Mendocino National Forest

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories UncategorizedTags , 3 Comments on More details about the August 31, 2020 fatality on the Mendocino National Forest

Diane Jones fatality firefighter California

The U.S. Fire Administration released a notice about the August 31 death of Diane Jones on the Mendocino National Forest. She was repositioning an engine when it backed over an embankment into a fire.

The firefighters were working on the Tatham Fire, part of the August Complex of fires southwest of Red Bluff, when the vehicle accident occurred.

May she rest in peace.

West side of the Dolan Fire along California coast is mostly contained

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories WildfireTags , 3 Comments on West side of the Dolan Fire along California coast is mostly contained
Dolan Fire
CALTRANS contractors on the Dolan Fire work to make Highway 1 safe for drivers. InciWeb.

Firefighters have almost half of the 31,409-acre Dolan Fire south of Big Sur contained. The fire’s spread on the western side is stopped, aided by Highway 1, the beach, and the Pacific Ocean, but there is much work left to do on the east side some of which is in very rough terrain.

Below is an update from the Incident Management Team Thursday morning:

“The Pacific Northwest 2 Incident Management Team assumed command of the Dolan Fire this morning following a successful transition with California Incident Management Team 2. Thank you to Incident Commander Mike Minton and his entire team for their expert management and work to date.

“The marine inversion layer kept fire activity minimal overnight, active fire in the east and south ends especially around Cone Peak. Although limited fire spread has occurred over the last few days, the excessive heat watch forecast for this weekend is expected to increase fire behavior. Firefighters continue to bolster containment lines in the northern and southern perimeters, mopping up and increasing the line depth along McWay Ridge and within the Lucia and Hermitage areas. Crews continue to work on the primary containment line north of the Naciemento-Ferguson Road and along the road to Cone Peak. This indirect line will serve as the primary containment line to keep the fire from spreading to the south toward nearby structures. Dozers, hand crews and masticators are also working on additional contingency lines farther south. Overnight crews continued improving lines and patrolling Highway 1 for roll outs and increased fire behavior. Crews began building direct line in the eastern edge of the fire within the Ventana Wilderness yesterday.

“Firefighters continue with structure protection all along Highway 1, in the Partington area north, and in the Lucia and Hermitage areas to the south. Currently on the fire there are: 5 Type 1 Hotshot crews, 8 Type 2 hand crews, 60 engines, 10 dozers, 10 helicopters, 8 water tenders, 2 masticators, and a variety of other equipment to support firefighting efforts.”

Dolan Fire September 2, 2020
Dolan Fire as seen from Plasket Road September 2, 2020. Credit: Scott Babinowich?
Dolan Fire map
Dolan Fire map, September 2, 2020.

Firefighter killed while working on northern California wildfire

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories WildfireTags , 1 Comment on Firefighter killed while working on northern California wildfire

September 1, 2020 | 3:09 p.m. PDT

Diana Jones Cresson Volunteer Fire Department, Texas
Diana Jones (Photo credit, Cresson Volunteer Fire Department)

A firefighter-EMT from Texas died in a vehicle accident Monday August 31 while working on a wildfire in northern California.

Fox4 News reported  the deceased was “…Diana Jones, a firefighter and EMT with the Cresson Volunteer Fire Department, about 25 miles southwest of Fort Worth. Her son was also a member of the department. Each summer, they would work with a company that contracts with the federal government to respond to wildfires in western states.”

A statement from the Mendocino National Forest said two additional firefighters were involved in the accident; one is receiving medical attention for burns to their hand and arm, while the third received no injuries.

The Press Democrat reported that Ms. Jones was widowed and lived in Cresson, Texas. She had been with the Cresson Volunteer Fire Department about five years.

KQED reported Cresson Fire Chief Ron Becker said Tuesday the community was stunned by news of Ms. Jones’ death.

“We’re all numb. We’re shell-shocked. She’ll be sorely missed,” Becker said.

The firefighters were working on the Tatham Fire, part of the August Complex of fires southwest of Red Bluff, when the vehicle accident occurred.

The Cresson Volunteer Fire Department wrote on their Facebook page, “Our department is numbed by the news and we are hurting.”

“This was a tragic incident and our hearts go out to the family, friends, and colleagues of the fallen firefighter,” said Acting Forest Supervisor Sandra Moore. “Right now we are committed to providing support to those involved, while safely continuing firefighting operations.”

California Highway Patrol is currently leading the investigation. Forest Service officials, Federal Southern Area Blue Team Incident Management, and CAL FIRE Incident Management Team 4 are working to support the families, who have been notified.

The August Complex of fires has burned nearly a quarter million acres, 242,941, the Forest Service said Monday morning.

Map of the August Complex of fires
Map of the August Complex of fires in northern California, 11:45 p.m. PDT August 31, 2020.

Our sincere condolences go out to Ms. Jones’ family, friends, and co-workers.

Thanks and a tip of the hat go out to Tom.

United States is seeking firefighting help from Canada and Australia

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories UncategorizedTags , , , 1 Comment on United States is seeking firefighting help from Canada and Australia
Incident Management Teams arrive in Victoria, Australi
File photo of Incident Management Teams from the United States arriving in Victoria, Australia. Photo posted February 11, 2020 by Emergency Management Victoria.

The United State is reaching out to Canada and Australia, hoping to get more than 130 firefighters to assist with the battling the 93 uncontained wildfires in the country.

In spite of the travel difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Multi-Agency Coordinating Group is “working on a request for 55 overhead wildland fire personnel from Australia and about four to five crews from Canada”, said Kari Cobb, an Acting Public Affairs Officer at the National Interagency Fire Center. In the United States, hand crews usually consist of 20 people.

If the Australian’s accept the assignment, they will be leaving a continent where the virus has been nearly controlled, to come to a country where the opposite is true.

The international assistance has worked in both directions. In July, 2008, 44 Australian and New Zealand firefighters came to the United States to assist with fires in California. The first deployment of firefighters from Australia to the U.S. was in 2000.

Although Australia is no stranger to wildfires, the 2019-2020 season was one of the worst fire seasons on record. Major bushfires began in June, 2019, and by September were stronger, more intense, and more frequent. The fire situation continued to worsen, and by November, Australia requested international assistance to suppress the thousands of fires on the landscape.

Over a span of four months, the United States responded to the request for firefighters by providing personnel from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Forest Service, and National Park Service. In total, The U.S. deployed more than 200 USFS and DOI wildland fire staff to the Australian Bushfire response.