Wildfire in Mississippi burned more than 1,000 acres
Continue readingUS Forest Service firefighter dies in off-duty accident in Mississippi
The Associated Press is reporting that a wildland firefighter died Wednesday night in Mississippi.
Evan Batson, 34, worked for the U.S. Forest Service in Colorado on the San Juan National Forest’s Columbine Wildland Fire Module. The crew was on an assignment in Mississippi assisting with prescribed fires.
Mr. Batson and his co-workers had gone to dinner in Natchez. They were walking to a casino when he jumped a fence to take a shortcut from the top of a bluff to a grassy area, but he jumped too far. Natchez Police Department Cmdr. Scott Frye said the drop was about 100 feet down.
His co-workers, some of whom are EMTs, administered first aid along with the Natchez Fire Department.
“There was no motor vehicle access where he was,” Police Chief Joseph Daughtry said.
Later Mr. Batson was pronounced dead.
“His death occurred outside of work hours and is still under investigation,” said Lawrence Lujan, a spokesman for the US Forest Service. “Evan worked on the Payette, Medicine Bow-Routt, Manti La Sal, and San Juan National Forests as a career wildland firefighter during his tenure. We share this profound loss with Evan’s family, friends, and crew members and hold them in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.”
From the USFS website:
“The Columbine Wildland Fire Module (WFM) is a ten-person crew based out of the Columbine Ranger District of the San Juan National Forest. Columbine WFM is a resource that responds to fires locally, regionally, and nationally, and provides self-sufficient, highly skilled fire professionals to assist with wildland and prescribed fire operations, fire behavior and fire effects monitoring, hazard fuels reduction, and a range of other fire and resource related missions. Columbine has existed as an “initial attack” module since the early 2000s. With support from Forest Leadership working to expand the San Juan National Forest’s managed and prescribed fire programs, Columbine was reborn as a Wildland Fire Module in 2013.”
Our sincere condolences go out to Mr. Batson’s family, friends, and co-workers.
Thanks and a tip of the hat go out to Mike and Scott.
Heavy Equipment Academy completed in Mississippi
A week-long class aimed at training forest rangers and technicians to use heavy equipment to fight wildfires
Continue readingTillman Road Fire burns 1,700 acres in south Mississippi
The fire was about two miles northwest of Gulfport
Continue readingMeet the Jackson Hotshots
The Jackson Interagency Hotshot Crew is the only Bureau of Land Management Hotshot Crew east of the Mississippi River. Formed in 1997, the crew has fought wildfires from Alaska to Florida. They have been called upon to assist with numerous national emergencies, including Ground Zero after 9/11 and search and recovery operations from the Space Shuttle Columbia. The Hotshots were also involved in recovery efforts following several devastating hurricanes, including Katrina, Rita and Sandy. They are based in Jackson, Mississippi.
The crew is supported by Historically Black Colleges and Universities as well as the International Association of Black Professional Firefighters Foundation. The Jackson Hotshots are also committed to working with veterans and veteran organizations such as Team Rubicon.
Two Hollows Fire burns over 2,000 acres in south Mississippi
The Two Hollows Fire burned about 2,200 acres of industrial timber land in Pearl River County, Mississippi, approximately nine miles southeast of Poplarville. Jason Scott of the Mississippi Forestry Commission said 22 homes and 18 outbuildings were threatened but all were saved. The MFC responded with 19 employees, one fixed wing aircraft, seven bulldozers, and one drone. Multiple VFDs also responded with six engines and one water tender.
The fire was reported Saturday night, February 28. It took 12 hours to contain, and the Mississippi Forestry Commission monitored the fire for an additional 48 hours.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
If you are having trouble playing the video below, you can view it at YouTube.
In a 5-year period two helicopter crashes during aerial ignition operations resulted in three fatalities
The risk of flying low and slow with a single-engine helicopter while igniting fire
Continue readingNTSB preliminary report on helicopter crash during prescribed fire
Flying low and slow in a single-engine helicopter while igniting fire below the aircraft is obviously very, very dangerous.
Continue readingHeavy equipment operators train for firefighting in Mississippi
Earlier this year Mississippi Forestry Commission technicians took part in a heavy equipment academy to learn safe practices and proper techniques when they suppress wildfires.
Grass fire in Tate County Mississippi
A grass fire burned a couple of acres today near a home at Yellow Dog Road in Tate County Mississippi before Senatobia Fire & Rescue knocked it down.
