This year, 25 women attended the two-weekend camp
Continue readingSmoke affects northwest U.S.
Thursday morning there were very few wildfires producing large quantities of smoke, however the Kincade Fire 63 miles north of San Francisco has the potential to become an air quality problem for residents in northern California especially on Friday.
There is a surprising amount of smoke in the Northwest, especially in Idaho, Oregon, and western Montana presumably created by extensive prescribed burning.
Heads Up, Bay Area! Although the #KincadeFire isn’t causing smoke issues over the Bay Area today, shifting winds tomorrow will likely cause the smoke to be directly over much of the region. Impacts to SFO may begin as early as 11am Friday. pic.twitter.com/3tlCIXIC5r
— NWS CWSU Oakland (@NWSCWSUZOA) October 24, 2019
Tankers battling the Lime Fire spotted at Medford
Air Tanker 167 at Medford Oregon September 9, 2019. Photo by Tim Crippin.(Originally published at 2:32 p.m. PDT September 11, 2019)
Tim Crippin shot these photos of air tankers that were working on the Lime Fire and reloading at Medford, Oregon on September 7 and 9. They were all departing when the pictures were taken.
The Lime Fire, according to a mapping flight at 1:42 a.m. Wednesday morning, has burned 2,011 acres, but it was reported to be 1,911 acres at about 10 a.m. Wednesday by the Incident Management Team. The blaze is in Northern California 32 miles south of Medford, west of I-5, and just north of Highway 96. The fire has been fairly quiet for the last 24 hours. Fixed wing and satellite overflights Tuesday night did not detect a great deal of heat.
This is the first photo we have published of Tanker 167, an Aeroflite RJ85, and we have very few of Tankers 93 and 96.
Thanks Tim.
Air Tanker 93 at Medford Oregon September 7, 2019. Photo by Tim Crippin.
Air Tanker 96 at Medford Oregon September 7, 2019. Photo by Tim Crippin.Report that a fire recon plane made forced landing in Oregon
File photo (not the aircraft that crashed) of a Cessna 206.Little information is available about a reported forced landing made last week by the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) air attack plane, 52 Uniform.
The Cessna 206 was on a fire recon mission when the pilot reported a mechanical malfunction and was forced to set down in the Black Bear Swamp northeast of Butte Falls. Both occupants of the aircraft escaped injury, but the plane was severely damaged.
There is a report that both men walked away, literally hiking out to meet personnel on the way to assist them.
The accident occurred around August 9. We will update this article when personnel at the ODF return our calls.
Lightning and helicopter activity in Oregon
Shahaylie Smarr got this photo of lightning in the distance as a crew worked around a Huey.With the abundant lightning in the Northwest United States over the last few days it’s a good bet that helicopters and their crews are going to be busy.
Todd McKinley sent us these photos taken Saturday, August 10, 2019 in Oregon. He said the AS350 B3 was at Ritter Butte in northern Grant County and at a nearby fire in the Ritter/Long Creek area. The Huey was at the Grant County Regional Airport Helibase in John Day.
Thanks Todd!
An Airbus AS350 B3 under contract with the Oregon Department of Forestry at an LZ. Apexheli Oregon Inc. photo.
An Airbus AS350 B3 under contract with the Oregon Department of Forestry at a fire scene with ODF firefighters. Apexheli Oregon Inc. photo.Falling tree causes serious injury to firefighter
On August 6, 2019 a 72-hour report provided information about a serious injury that occurred August 3 on the East Evans Creek Fire about 18 air miles north of Medford, Oregon:
“On August 3, 2019, at approximately 0230 (PST), a snag fell and hit a member of a 20 person hand crew that was building direct handline on the East Evans Creek Fire during initial attack. The firefighter struck by the snag sustained serious injuries to the head and facial regions.
“The hand crew, along with adjacent fireline resources, initiated an emergency extraction of the injured firefigther via SKED stretcher from the tree strike site on the fireline to a pickup truck, and then to a staged ambulance that was already enroute. From there, the injured firefighter was transferred to a Lifeflight helicopter and airlifted to a regional medical center for treatment.
“The injured firefighter remains in the hospital in critical condition, and a hospital liaison has been assigned to assist the family during this time.
“A Lessons Learned Review Team has been assigned, and is working with the Butte Falls Field Office and Oregon Department of Forestry in Medford to provide a review and detailed report of the incident. The intent of the review is to learn from the events surrounding this incident and prevent future occurrences.”
The August 9, 2019 National Situation Report had the East Evans Creek Fire listed as a suppression fire at 156 acres with 10 hand crews, 16 fire engines, and 5 helicopters for a total of 287 personnel.
Photos of air tankers at Medford supporting the Milepost 97 Fire
Tanker 62 at Medford, Oregon July 27, 2019. Photo by Tim Crippin.Tim Crippin got these excellent shots of air tankers that were at Medford, Oregon July 27, 2019 supporting the Milepost 97 Fire south of Canyonville. Thanks Tim! The fire has burned 12,578 acres since it started on July 24, 2019.
Tanker 95 at Medford, Oregon July 27, 2019. Photo by Tim Crippin.
Tanker 88 at Medford, Oregon July 27, 2019. Photo by Tim Crippin.
Tanker 134 at Medford, Oregon July 27, 2019. Photo by Tim Crippin.Milepost 97 Fire slows traffic on I-5 in Southwest Oregon
(Originally published at 6:08 a.m. PDT July 29, 2019)
Firefighters on the Milepost 97 Fire just south of Canyonville, Oregon were able to knock down a 20-acre spot fire Saturday and Sunday on the east side of Interstate 5 near Turkey Creek that threatened to suddenly complicate the suppression of the fire. Following that, the Incident Management Team established a Division of resources dedicated to picking up any additional spot fires across the freeway.
(To see all articles on Wildfire Today about the Milepost 97 Fire, including the most current, click here.)
Most of the active fire behavior Sunday was on the southeast side one ridge to the west of Interstate 5 about half a mile from the freeway, and two locations on the west side. Approximately 4.5 miles of the fire perimeter is adjacent to or very near the Interstate south of Canyonville. This is a step toward containment and after that area is mopped up it will reduce the chances of spotting across the highway in that location and the need to possibly close the highway to traffic in that particular area. So far the Interstate has remained open to traffic, but at times has been reduced to one lane in each direction in some areas.
A mapping flight Sunday night determined the fire has burned 11,668 acres, an increase of 659 acres in the previous 24 hours.
In the video below the Mail Tribune reports that after the fire started Wednesday, July 24 at approximately 10:00 p.m., there was only one air tanker working the fire Thursday morning beginning at 9:45 a.m. By that night the fire had grown to 1,650 acres.
On Sunday the firefighting resources assigned to the fire included 48 hand crews, 41 Engines, 45 Dozers, 14 Water Tenders, 13 helicopters, and 2 Single Engine Air Tankers for a total of 931 personnel.
Thieves steal equipment from firefighters busy fighting a wildfire
It happened on the Milepost 97 Fire in southwest Oregon
Continue readingMilepost 97 Fire moves south
The fire is 25 miles north of Grants Pass, Oregon
Continue reading