Wildfire Today

News and opinion about wildland fire

Wildfire Today

Tag: Canada

The fitness test for Canadian firefighters

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories UncategorizedTags , , , , 3 Comments on The fitness test for Canadian firefighters
WFX-FIT test ramp
The ramp used in the WFX-FIT test

The two articles about the fitness test for wildland firefighters in the United States published yesterday on Wildfire Today have generated significant interest so far, judging from the number of comments left by our readers in the last 24 hours. The fitness test we are referring to is the Pack Test version of the Work Capacity Test which requires carrying 45 pounds (20.4 kg) for three miles on flat ground (4.83 km) in less than 45 minutes. Federal land management agencies in the U.S. and some fire departments require that firefighters pass the test each year in order to work on the fireline.

It was a coincidence that the two articles appeared on the same day. Rae Brook’s piece about a possible new and tougher version of a fitness test for hotshot crews had been in the pipeline for weeks and was just completed yesterday, about the same time that we received word of the unfortunate fatality of someone who was attempting to take the test two days earlier.

We learn a lot from comments left by our readers. “BC Initial Attack” informed us about the fitness test required of Type 1 Firefighters in Canada. The WFX-FIT, which first saw widespread use in 2012, is described as “a valid job-related physical performance standard used to determine whether an individual possesses the physical capabilities necessary to meet the rigorous demands encountered while fighting wildland fires.”

The components of the  WFX-FIT, after pre-participation screening are:

WFX-FIT circuits

The pump, or simulated pump, weighs 62.7 pounds (28.5 kg). The simulated hose that is dragged is represented by a 40.7 pound (18.5 kg) weighted sled. The hose pack weighs 55 pounds (25 kg).

WFX-FIT hose drag

Firefighters must be able to complete the test within 14 minutes and 30 seconds to be eligible for the National Exchange. The  Ontario Provincial Standard is 17 minutes and 15 seconds, the Alberta Provincial Standard is 14 minutes and 20 seconds, and the British Columbia standard is 14 minutes and 30 seconds. A score between 14 minutes and 31 seconds and 17 minutes and 15 seconds will meet the Ontario Provincial Standard but will not permit deployment outside of Ontario.

The photos are from the WFX-FIT website and the above video.

Wildfire smoke forecast for Canada

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories UncategorizedTags , ,
wildfire Smoke forecast Canada June 1
Wildfire smoke forecast for Canada on June 1.

smoke legend

The British Columbia government has a very interesting website that provides a forecast for wildfire smoke. The image above is for Monday, June 1, and the one below is for Wednesday, June 3.

wildfire Smoke forecast Canada June 3
Wildfire smoke forecast for Canada on June 3.

To see the most current smoke reports on Wildfire Today, visit the articles tagged “smoke” at https://wildfiretoday.com/tag/smoke/

Aerial photo of wildfire near Smith, Alberta

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories UncategorizedTags ,

In this photo of a fire near Smith, Alberta, Canada the use of aerial retardant is evident.

Fire officials are calling the fire “held”, which means it will not grow under the current weather conditions and firefighting actions that have been taken on the fire.

It has been mapped at 139 hectares (343 acres). Still assigned to the fire are 40 firefighters and six helicopters.

Portions of western Canada could be in for a hot, dry summer

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories UncategorizedTags ,

western Canada summer weather

From CBCnews:

****

“Predicting the weather may not always be an easy task, but meteorologists are beginning to agree B.C. is in for a long, hot summer. Pennsylvania-based AccuWeather released its forecast Thursday, agreeing with last week’s prediction from Environment Canada that, for large parts of B.C., the heat is on.

“Sea temperatures have been averaging two or three degrees above normal across the Eastern Pacific,” Brett Anderson, senior meteorologist with AccuWeather told CBC News.

“That’s going to have a warming influence on places such as Vancouver, Victoria and even placed further inland.”

Anderson says that the higher sea temperatures combined with the effects of El Niño will mean the south coast will be one to one-and-a-half degrees warmer, but things are likely to be more dramatic in the interior.

“It does look fairly dry though the summer and the wildfire threat will be fairly high, ” Anderson said.

Nevertheless, while the B.C. Wildfire Management Branch say they do monitor long-term forecasts, their operations are planned on a short-term basis.

“As of right now, we’re looking to the immediate future.” fire information officer Melissa Klassen told CBC News. “We can always call in other resources if activities pick up.”  “

A brief look at the Little Bobtail Lake Fire

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories UncategorizedTags , , 2 Comments on A brief look at the Little Bobtail Lake Fire
Little Bobtail Fire
The Little Bobtail Lake Fire. Photo provided by the British Columbia Wildfire Management Branch, May 15, 2015. (click to enlarge)

We don’t usually put too much confidence in the containment percentages government personnel assign to wildfires, since sometimes it is extremely subjective and not always based on reality, but as the Little Bobtail Fire southwest of Prince George, British Columbia continues to grow, the containment percentage decreased today from 20 percent to 15 percent. The blaze has now blackened 25,000 hectares, or 62,000 acres.

Our main site for the Little Bobtail Lake Fire is HERE, with much more detail.

Ontario government sues railroad company for starting four fires

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories UncategorizedTags , ,
Timmins 9 Fire, May 2012
The Timmins 9 Fire burned about 20,000 hectares (98,000 acres) in May, 2012.

From CBCnews:

The province [of Ontario] is seeking compensation from Canadian National Railway over four forest fires in 2012, including $38 million for a massive fire near Timmins.

The province is alleging the fires were started by passing trains. The other three court actions involve another fires near Timmins, Chapleau and Thunder Bay. The damages sought in those cases are between $1 million and $2 million each.

The $38 million court action involves a fire called Timmins 9 in May of 2012.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry alleges the fire was started by the passage of a train through the area. The fire burned 40,000 hectares (98,000 acres) of bush and destroyed several camps.

The fire was the largest one in the province in half a century, and came within about 20 kilometers of the City of Timmins…

Documents filed in the case regarding the Timmins 9 Fire include the following:

14  The Ministry investigators also determined that the point of origin of the fire was within the railway right-of-way and approximately 2 1/2 metres from the western most rail at mileage 96.48.

16. At the point of origin, the investigators found a metal fragment whose particular characteristics indicated it had been heated and had been exposed to the elements for a short time.

17. Metal fragments are a competent source of ignition and may be released due to inter alia treading or wear or buildup from railway operations. This particular metal fragment, recently deposited, was a result of the railway operations of the defendant CNR.

The documents also accuse the railroad of failing to:

  • properly maintain, repair, and inspect the tracks and right-of-way;
  • properly maintain, repair, and inspect its railway cars, engines, and equipment including brake assembly and exhaust systems;
  • manage vegetation through controlled burns or other means;
  • provide a sufficient number of stations on its routes and personnel on the trains to detect and suppress fires;
  • control or extinguish the fire and failed to limit its spread beyond its property.