Trampus Haskvitz was entrapped and killed while fighting the Coal Canyon Fire in 2011.
Continue readingFinal size of Cottonwood Fire: 41,360 acres
Above: Final official map of the Cottonwood Fire, produced by the Incident Management Team.
The Cottonwood Fire that started 12 miles east of Wall, South Dakota has been contained. After GPS mapping the 16-mile long fire the incident management team determined it had burned 41,360 acres. Jim Strain, the South Dakota Chief Fire Management Officer, said most of those acres were burned during the first eight hours. And according to Darren Clabo, the South Dakota State Fire Meteorologist, it is the fifth largest on record in the state.
Tuesday night the local Type 3 Incident Management Team was released and turned the fire over to the Wall, Interior, Philip, and Kadoka Fire Departments, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, and Buffalo Gap National Grassland.
Livestock losses reported to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office stand at 137 as no additional losses were reported to the team.
Mr. Clabo sent the tweet below when the estimated size of the fire was 31,000 acres.
The three largest western SD wildfires to date in 2016. #sdwx #sdfire pic.twitter.com/9ISiZfpfiZ
— Darren Clabo (@SDFireWeather) October 18, 2016
Mr. Clablo also looked at the data recorded at the weather station in Badlands National Park south of Wall.
Yes it was hot, dry, and windy during #CottonwoodFire but precip stats and wind shift(s) better frame the larger issues. #sdfire #sdwx pic.twitter.com/DDQi2MQjKB
— Darren Clabo (@SDFireWeather) October 19, 2016
Moderate weather and air tankers slow the Indian Canyon Fire near Edgemont, South Dakota
Above: The north side of the Indian Canyon Fire along the Cheyenne River late in the evening of July 17.
(UPDATED at 7 p.m. MDT July 18, 2016)
Around noon on Monday we visited the west side of the Indian Canyon Fire south of Edgemont, South Dakota. It was very quiet. Not much was going on at the airport, the incident command post, or along Highway 471. We only saw one location that was putting up much smoke and it was on the north side in some cottonwood trees near the Cheyenne River. That area probably has logs and dead trees that could smoulder for days.
The order for the Type 1 Incident Management Team was cancelled. The latest size estimate for the fire is 13,500 acres. At 9 a.m. today the incident management team reported there was zero containment on the fire. Then at 4:06 p.m. that increased to 60 percent. This just illustrates that containment numbers are meaningless most of the time and is the reason why we rarely regurgitate that statistic.
The six photos in the next gallery were taken around noon on Monday. Scroll down to see two other galleries. Click on a photo to see a larger version, then click on the arrows to view more.
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(UPDATED at 10:28 a.m. MDT July 18, 2016)
Monday morning the Great Plains Fire Information office reported there had been “heavy rain” on the Indian Canyon Fire in South Dakota. When I left the Edgemont area at 7:30 Sunday night a thunderstorm was moving in and light rain was falling. Two rain gauges that are near the fire but not within the perimeter recorded 0.03″ and 0.07″ overnight.
The heat-sensing satellite did not detect any large heat sources Sunday night on the fire. That does not mean it is out. The sensors, about 200 miles overhead, can only “see” large concentrations of heat. And the grass, which comprises most of the vegetation in the fire area, can burn and then cool before the next satellite overpass.
The behavior of the fire on Sunday was affected by the moderate weather conditions — temperature around 80, relative humidity in the 30’s, and an 8 mph east wind. The forecast for the fire area on Monday predicts 96 degrees, southwest winds of 14 to 18 gusting in the mid-20’s, and 30 percent relative humidity. These conditions could dry much of the Sunday night rainfall.
Another factor slowing the fire was the use of air tankers, helping to keep the fire out of Edgemont. In addition to a DC-10 Very Large Air Tanker, seven other air tankers were used on the fire Sunday — four Single Engine Air Tankers and three large air tankers, T-02 and T41 (both BAe-146’s), and T-45 (a P2V). In addition, two National Guard Blackhawk helicopters worked on the fire Sunday.
The photos in the gallery below were shot around 7 p.m. MDT Sunday night. To see larger versions, click on one, then click the arrows to see more.
This was the first time that a Very Large Air Tanker has dropped retardant in the state of South Dakota. It carries 11,600 gallons, far more than any other air tanker currently certified in North America. The other Large Air Tankers hold between 2,000 and 4,500 gallons. Global Supertanker has a 747 Very Large Air Tanker with a 19,600-gallon capacity working its way through the FAA and Interagency AirTanker Board approval process.
South Dakota: Sheep Draw Fire
(UPDATED at 6:10 p.m. MDT, March 31, 2015)
The size of the Sheep Draw fire in northwest South Dakota is now estimated at 13,949 acres.
- Firefighters are calling it 70% contained
- One non-commercial structure burned. The structure was a protective shed for a natural gas well. The gas well caught fire the first day and was put out by the first night.
- As of 6:00 PM Monday night, two Dozers met and tied in the line around the fire (one from the north and one from the south)
- The successful burnout operation ended at 10:00 PM last night
- No injuries of firefighters or the public have been reported
- This fire is burning mainly on public and private land with a small portion of Bureau of Land Management Land
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(UPDATED at 12:20 p.m. MDT, March 31, 2015)
The Rapid City Journal has an article about the Sheep Draw Fire.
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Originally published at 9:54 p.m. MDT, March 30, 2015
Jim Strain’s Type 3 Incident Management Team has assumed command of the 10,000-acre Sheep Draw Fire in northwest South Dakota. Two National Guard helicopters are assisting with the fire which is burning on state and private land.
Firefighters were calling it 15 percent contained at noon on Monday.
The weather forecast for Tuesday calls for 17 mph southwest winds gusting to 28 mph, temperature of 80, and a relative humidity that will be in the teens overnight, 16 percent at dawn and rising to 40 percent by sunset.
Can clearly see the #SheepDrawFire in northwest South Dakota on visible satellite this afternoon #sdfire pic.twitter.com/NCC2Q7tLQL
— Chip Redmond (@wx_chip) March 30, 2015
Topics discussed at meeting of Fire Compacts
Notes from the meeting of the Alliance of Forest Fire Compacts in Denver.
Continue readingFuels and firefighting discussion for the northern plains
During fire season the Fire Meteorologist for the state of South Dakota, Darren Clabo, distributes on a regular basis a paper describing the predicted weather and the current condition of the fuels. In the edition published on Tuesday a section about fuels written by Jim Strain, the Chief of Operations for the South Dakota Wildland Fire Suppression Division, caught my eye. He references the 28-mile-long Wellnitz fire that burned 77,159 acres in Nebraska and South Dakota.
…Do not underestimate the spread potentials of Fuel Model 1 and Fuel Model 2 fuels during the evening and night hours. When wind, slope and fuels are in alignment, with no natural barriers, these fires will burn just like in the middle of the day. The Rosebud complex in eastern MT last month went from 7000 acres to 100,000 acres in one night! When the Wellnitz fire crossed the state line on late Friday afternoon, the forward progress of the fire was finally stopped in the south portion of the road ditch on US Highway 18, at 2230 hours that evening.
The head of the Wellnitz fire spread quickly through green crop fields such as standing sunflowers. The head of the Wellnitz fire was finally corralled by tactic used by Pine Ridge BIA. Pine Ridge BIA units scraped a line with a grader on the south side of the Hwy 18 Right of way, and as the fire moved through the shorter grass (FM1) to the scraped line, it meet a pretty significant barrier of 10 feet of bare mineral soil, and 33 feet of pavement. This allowed fire units to patrol larger sections of line and hold the fire. Pine Ridge BIA and the Tribe did an outstanding job of pulling the trigger real fast for evacuation once the fire crossed the state line, and good thing they did. Fire was up to many housing units just as fire trucks arrived that evening.
So for any fire in our zone, if you think evacuation needs to take place, just do it, because it probably needs to happen!
Fund raiser for the Wildland Firefighter Foundation
The family that lost their son, Trampus Haskvitz, to a wildfire last year was so impressed with the support they received from the Wildland Firefighter Foundation that they are helping to organize a fund raiser for the organization. Here is a message from them and others asking for us to contribute.
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Dear Firefighters,
On August 11, 2011, South Dakota lost a brave Wildland Firefighter in the Coal Canyon Fire near Edgemont, South Dakota.
Trampus S. Haskvitz was a recent graduate of Dickinson State University in Dickinson, North Dakota and was in his fifth year of firefighting based out of Hot Springs, SD with the South Dakota Wildland Fire Suppression Division as a FFT I ICT 5. He was an Engine Boss when he tragically lost his life saving others from a wildfire.
In his memory and to honor all Wildland Firefighters, his family is planning the First Annual Trampus S. Haskvitz Golf Tournament in Hot Springs, South Dakota on June 2, 2012 to raise funds for the Wildland Firefighters Foundation (WFF) based in Boise, Idaho. All proceeds collected as a result of the golf tournament will go to the WFF.
To make the golf tournament as meaningful and successful for the Wildland Firefighters Foundation as possible, Trampus’ family is respectfully soliciting donations from the fire community. Any merchandise, gift certificates or cash will be gratefully accepted. Cash donations can be sent directly to the 1st Annual Trampus S Haskvitz Golf Tournament at Wells Fargo Bank in Hot Springs SD. Questions or concerns about merchandise and gift certificates, please contact Jim Stevens Chief of the Hot Springs VFD.
The mission of the Wildland Firefighter Foundation is to honor past, present, and future Wildland firefighters. The Foundation helps maintain and grow the national monument established for those who have lost their lives in Wildland fires and to operate a financial fund providing assistance to the families of fallen and injured Wildland firefighters. In addition, the Foundation partners with private and interagency organizations to educate the public about Wildland fires and to promote excellence and safety in firefighting.
Trampus’ family and his firefighting colleagues in Hot Springs would like to thank you in advance for any support you can provide this annual event. It promises to be an exciting and fun weekend in the Black Hills of South Dakota and you can make a very positive impact on the Wildland Firefighting Community with your support.
Compassion Spreads Like Wildfire.
Respectfully,
Trampus’ Family: Don, LuJean, Benjamin, Betsy and John Haskvitz
Jim Strain, Assistant Chief of Operations, South Dakota Division of Wildland Fire Suppression; Office Phone: 605-393-8114, for any questions or concerns.
Jim Stevens, Chief of the Hot Springs VFD; Cell #: 605-890-2124, for any questions concerning merchandise and gift certificates.
P.S. We will be putting the information to register for the 1st Annual Trampus S Haskvitz Golf Tournament on the internet soon and will inform you of the domain in the near future.
Firefighter appreciation night at Rapid City Rush game
Saturday night, January 14 the Rapid City Rush hockey team in Rapid City, South Dakota is honoring firefighters and the Wildland Firefighter Foundation with a Firefighter Appreciation Night. This is part of their “Heroes Weekend” — police on Friday and firefighters on Saturday. Discounted tickets for both groups are available by calling 605-716-7825. The team will have Special Edition Police and Fire Jerseys that will be worn this weekend and auctioned off after each game.
Here are some more details from Jim Strain, Assistant Chief for Operations with the South Dakota Division of Wildland Fire Suppression:
…For Saturday Night, the Western Dakota Tech Fire Science program students under the direction of Megan Jaros’ Dad, Tom Jaros, will sell “Chuck-a-Puck” fundraiser pucks for the 2nd period intermission Chuck a Puck throw. All proceeds from the fundraiser will go to the Wildland Firefighter Foundation. Vicki Minor, Executive Director, will be there with *Trampus Haskvitz’ s Mom and Dad and Tramp’s sister and brothers as well. The Rush will show a picture of Tramp up on the big screen, and have a moment of silence in his memory.
In addition, all firefighters in the audience will be asked to stand and be recognized at some point in the game, so if you do go, wear your fire hoodie or shirt, and nomex pants and boots.
*Trampus S. Haskvitz was entrapped and killed on the Coal Canyon fire in the Black Hills of South Dakota on August 11, 2011.
Thanks go out to Jim
South Dakota: A third engine burnover on October 5
Earlier we had a report of two burnovers of engines on two fires in South Dakota on October 5. We just found out from Jim Strain about another one that occurred the same day.
Subject: Third Engine burnover in South Dakota
Wednesday, October 5th, saw yet another report of an entrapment on a prairie fire in the State of South Dakota. This is the third burn over/entrapment incident to be reported for that date. This incident occurred in Hutchinson County, about 1 mile South and 1 ¼ miles west of Tripp, SD. Jim Burk called the fire department today and gathered some more facts on the situation.
The fire was burning in CRP (Fuel Model 3) and had jumped the county road. The Tripp VFD engine was driving through the smoke, become disorientated, and drove down the steep embankment on the south road ditch. The engine did not roll, but as the firefighters exited the vehicle, one firefighter twisted his ankle trying to get up the steep embankment, and the other firefighter tried to crawl up the ditch, but could not, so exited the ditch running towards the west. That firefighter sustained 2nd degree burns to the face and arms. He will require skin grafts on the upper arms and is in the hospital at Sioux Falls. No damage to air ways. The firefighter was wearing his structure turn out bunker pants.
The weather from the nearest RAWS (Lake Andes) showed 95 degrees, 19 RH and winds SE at 25.
I have filed the ‘Wildland Fire Fatality and Entrapment Initial Report” through GPC and RMCC to NICC.
The SD Fire Marshal’s Office is checking into this report as well. This report is initial, and all information is preliminary and subject to change.
JIM STRAIN
Asst. Chief — Operations, South Dakota Dept of Agriculture – Division of Wildland Fire Suppression
Update on firefighter burned on the Coal Canyon fire (updated)
(Scroll down to see an update.)
The Rapid City Journal has an article that updates us on the condition of Austin Whitney who was seriously burned on the Coal Canyon fire in southwest South Dakota August 11, 2011. Austin’s partner on the engine crew that was burned over, Trampus Haskvitz, was killed on that fire.
Here are some excerpts from the article:
Firefighter Austin Whitney said he will be back at his job with South Dakota Wildland Fire Supression as a seasonal firefighter.
“I’m still a little sore in the arms, but that’s why there’s physical therapy,” Austin, 22, said Wednesday during a telephone interview from the Western States Burn Center at North Colorado Medical Center in Greeley, Colo. Doctors will tell Austin today if he is ready to head home to Hot Springs and begin the next phase of his recovery.
[…]
“The pain was unbearable,” Austin said, when asked about his injuries. Immediately after the incident, all he wanted to do was go home and see his family, he said.
Austin has a lengthy recovery ahead of him. He had four skin grafts Aug. 15 to cover third-degree burns on his left arm and second-degree burns on his right arm and both calves. The largest is about 29 inches along and covers most of his left arm. Skin was grafted on his right elbow and small areas below the elbow, and there are 4-inch by-6-inch grafts on the calf of each leg, his father, Robert Whitney, said.
[…]
Austin Whitney said his personal protective fire-resistant clothing “did its job for what I was in.” His leather gloves prevented any significant injuries to his fingers. He had only a couple minor burns on a finger and thumb.
For the next year, Austin will require therapy to flex and stretch the skin grafts. Most of his range of motion has returned, his father said.
“On the elbows, I still need to stretch the skin,” Austin added, noting that the graft areas are still tender. “Everything else, I’m doing just fine.”
[…]
Since his hospitalization, Austin has received visits from countless firefighters. His T-shirt and hoodie collection of fire agency logos has grown by 16 pieces.
The cards, flowers and letters made a “big difference” in Austin’s recovery, Robert Whitney said.
The Wildfire Firefighter’s Foundation has assisted the Whitneys with their expenses in Greeley, Robert Whitney said. He suggests that anyone who is interested in supporting firefighters make a donation to the organization.
“It’s an overwhelming deal, that when something like this happens, how the firefighter brotherhood will band together and support the families and friends,” Robert Whitney said.
[…]
Austin remembers most of what happened the afternoon of the fire, but there are parts of the incident he cannot talk about because of the investigation.
“I do know that I did get pulled out by a couple Forest Service guys,” Austin said. “They got me into a safety zone after the fire was backing down.”
According to a U.S. Forest Service 72-hour report on the incident that killed Haskvitz, Forest Service, state and volunteer firefighters responded to the fire about 1:30 p.m. in Coal Canyon, 9 miles north of Edgemont.
Firefighters were digging a line around the flank of the fire when they were trapped about 3:10 p.m., when their escape route was overtaken by what the report termed a “rapidly spreading fire.” Haskvitz died in his vehicle, according to the report.
Austin said there wasn’t time for him to deploy his “shake and bake,” the small safety tents wildland firefighters carry.
“I didn’t have time to. I wish I would have,” Austin said.
Austin Whitney has told his father that flames were probably 100 to 200 feet tall coming up the canyon.
“It was just one of those things you just couldn’t avoid,” Austin said. “It’s one of those things that everyone wishes they could have” avoided.
The Forest Service firefighters who pulled Austin Whitney out of the fire have not been identified by fire authorities.
Robert Whitney joins his son in thanking those firefighters.
We hope Austin has a speedy recovery.
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UPDATED at 4:40 p.m. MT, August 25, 2011:
Jim Strain of the South Dakota Division of Wildland Fire Suppression tells us that Austin was discharged from the Burn Center in Greeley, CO this afternoon. His plans are to stay overnight in Greeley and visit some local fire departments on Friday morning before returning to his home in Hot Springs, South Dakota. Then with visiting nurses, he will continue home care, including rehab and physical therapy.
This is good news!