News and opinion about wildland fire
On December 31 Shane Fitzsimmons, Commissioner of the New South Wales Rural Fire Service, provided more information about the December 30 death of firefighter Samuel McPaul.
The NSW RFS Commissioner provides more information about the firefighter who was killed when a fire tornado or column collapse flipped his fire engine, causing his death and injuries to two other firefighters. https://t.co/MLVqXPUVSd
— Wildfire Today ? (@wildfiretoday) December 31, 2019
Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories Wildfire1 Comment on One NSW firefighter killed and two suffer burns in truck rollover It is believed that the truck rolled when hit by extreme winds associated with the fire
UPDATE: The New South Wales Rural Fire Service has identified the firefighter killed at the Green Valley Fire as Samuel McPaul from the Morven Brigade of the Southern Border Team. Today Service flags will be flown at half-mast as a mark of respect.
The New South Wales Rural Fire Service confirmed December 30 that a RFS volunteer firefighter died Monday evening near Jingellic. Two other firefighters on the same truck suffered burns and were transported to a hospital.
The firefighters were working on the Green Valley, Talmalmo Fire, approximately 70km (43 miles) east of Albury NSW when it is believed that “the truck rolled when hit by extreme winds associated with the fire” according to information released by the RFS. The incident occurred in NSW near the Victoria/NSW border 150km (93 miles) southwest of Canberra.
A second vehicle working in the same area was also blown over and the firefighter on board is being treated in a hospital.
Our sincere condolences go out to the family, friends, and coworkers of the firefighters.
New South Wales has been experiencing numerous large bushfires for the last month and in recent days Victoria has as well.
On the day two firefighters were killed on the Carr Fire near Redding, California July 26, 2018 winds associated with the fire were estimated at 136-165 mph (EF-3 tornado strength), as indicated by wind damage to large oak trees, scouring of the ground surface, damage to roofs of houses, and lofting of large steel power line support towers, vehicles, and a steel marine shipping container. Multiple fire vehicles were damaged by flying debris and had their windows blown out.
Thanks and a tip of the hat go out to Tom. Typos or errors, report them HERE.
Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories Wildfire1 Comment on NSW Premier says “there isn’t much left” of Balmoral A survivor rode out the fire storm in a coffin-sized kiln
Many structures have been destroyed by the rapidly spreading Green Wattle Creek bushfire in the small community of Balmoral, New South Wales. Prime Minister Gladys Berejiklian said “there isn’t much left” of the town in the Southern Highlands 49 air miles southwest of Sydney, Australia.
The fire burned through Balmoral twice, once on Thursday and again Saturday when it was pushed by strong winds that accompanied a frontal passage. The town, population 426 in the 2016 census, has about 150 homes.
The New South Wales Rural Fire Service reports that the Green Wattle Creek Bushfire has burned 474,000 acres. About 12km to the north is a huge blaze that is the product of four bushfires burning together — Gospers Mountain, Kerry Ridge, Little L Complex, and Three Mile. These five fires southwest and northwest of Sydney have burned a total of 2,228,000 acres (926,000 hectares).
As the Green Wattel Creek Bushfire burned through Balmoral Steve Harrison, a 67-year old artist, a potter, survived by climbing into a small kiln.
The day before I had actually built myself a small kiln down the back — a coffin-sized kiln — just big enough for me to crawl inside. I was in there for half an hour while the firestorm went over. That was my plan B.
Previously he had installed pumps and sprinklers to protect his home. Before the fire approached he and his wife wrapped their home in aluminum foil. The house survived, but his potting shed was destroyed.
Aviation rescue crews from the military have been checking homes and removing people at risk when there is no other option.
Thanks and a tip of the hat go out to Tom. Typos or errors, report them HERE.
Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories Wildfire2 Comments on Fires west of Sydney burn over 2 million acres The Gospers Mountain Fire northwest of Sydney, Australia has burned 1.1 million acres
Firefighters in New South Wales, Australia had another challenging day Saturday as a weather front came through which changed the wind direction. The 17 mph northeast wind shifted at about 5 p.m. local time to come out of the south at 36 gusting to 45. The only factor that was in their favor was the relative humidity was not extremely low — 46 percent rising to 80 percent after the frontal passage.
Major changes in wind direction can force a wildfire to begin spreading in a different direction. If it is unexpected, firefighters at the heel of a fire can suddenly be facing a fire spreading toward them. On the Yarnell Hill Fire in 2013 a passing thunderstorm forced a wind direction change that entrapped and killed 19 members of the Granite Mountain Hotshots. The wind shift in New South Wales Saturday was predicted — as was the passage of the thunderstorm at Yarnell Hill.
Very early Sunday morning local time the New South Wales Rural Fire service provided updated information: “Both the Gospers Mountain fire in the Hawkesbury area and the Currowan fire in the Shoalhaven area have been downgraded to Watch and Act. The winds from the southerly change have now eased, reducing the erratic fire behaviour.”
The largest fire in NSW started two months ago. The huge Gospers Mountain Fire northwest of Sydney has burned 1,156,000 acres. It has merged with three other fires, Kerry Ridge, Little L Complex, and Three Mile, to cover a total of 1,742,000 acres. The Green Wattle Creek Fire southwest of Sydney has been mapped at 467,000 acres to bring the five-fire total to 2,209,000. If they continue spreading as they have for weeks, the Green Wattle Creek Fire could merge with the other four.
We tend to call fires that reach 100,000 acres “megafires”. We need a new term for million-acre fires.
This is not normal.
There are other large fires north and south of Sydney and also in Eastern Victoria.
And then there is Western Australia. Last weekend the country’s new-to-them 737 air tanker, N137CG, flew 2,000 miles west across the continent to assist firefighters dealing with a fire about 100 miles south of Perth.
There were more injuries to firefighters Saturday, including one who was hit by a car during very smoky conditions. Thankfully he was not seriously injured.
Very impressive fire behavior in New South Wales https://t.co/PyM3vpIKNe
— Wildfire Today ? (@wildfiretoday) December 21, 2019
From the Australian Broadcasting Corporation:
“Today is going to be a tough day,” New South Wales Rural Fire Service Deputy Commissioner Rob Rogers said Saturday morning.
He said temperatures are expected to soar above 40C, humidity is predicted to drop below 10 per cent and there will be average winds of 30 to 40 kilometers, with gusts of up to 75 kilometers per hour.
“That’s obviously going to be very dangerous in areas where we have active fires.”
He said there are already “significant fires burning” in the Shoalhaven, Illawarra and Southern Ranges areas where the catastrophic fire ratings were issued.
“We can’t guarantee that every time someone wants a fire truck, we can’t get one there. Don’t expect a plane to be overhead straight away and don’t expect a helicopter. Don’t wait for a warning. Think about what you are going to do if you are in the path of the fires.”
The RFS said conditions will deteriorate around lunch time and if anyone is planning on leaving or moving around, they should do so before midday.
Two of them were airlifted to a hospital
In addition to the rollover of a fire truck on December 19 in New South Wales that killed two firefighters and injured three, in a separate incident the same day five firefighters were entrapped by fire, injuring three firefighters. Two males, age 36 and 56, were airlifted to a hospital after suffering face, airway, and other burns.
“Given the serious potential for airway burns, the advice is… they’ll be intubated,” said New South Wales Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons
A third person, a 28-year-old female, was transported by ground ambulance after suffering smoke inhalation and less severe burns.
Both incidents occurred on the Green Wattle Creek Bushfire in the Lake Burragorang area. The fire is more than 176,000 hectares (435,000 acres) in size and is out of control.
Thanks and a tip of the hat go out to Karl. Typos or errors, report them HERE.
