The song and the photos in the video are about the largest wildfire in the recorded history of Washington — the 256,108-acre Carlton Complex of Fires. In July, 2014 it burned approximately 300 homes in and around the towns of Pateros and Malott as well others in more rural areas.
The video is very well done, beautifully sung by Brittany Jean, and is quite moving.
The Commissioner of Public Lands in Washington State is very disappointed that the legislature approved only one-third of the increase he requested to beef up the number of fire engines and helicopter crews in the Department of Natural Resources for initial attack on new fires.
Below is an excerpt from an article in the News Tribune:
State lawmakers didn’t hesitate to pay $70 million to cover the costs of fighting last year’s wildfires after the flames died down.
But now, as wildfires again rage across the state, the head of the state’s chief wildland firefighting agency says he’s frustrated the Legislature wouldn’t pay a fraction of that amount to help stop new fires from getting out of control.
Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark said he got less than one-third of what he requested for early fire response in the state’s new two-year budget, which Gov. Jay Inslee signed into law late Tuesday.
“The Legislature has left me in a precarious position, with what I view as insufficient resources to meet the threat,” said Goldmark, who leads the state Department of Natural Resources. “Even in the face of (the current fires) and the threat to public safety that those fires contained, the Legislature didn’t seem to care about the public’s safety at all.”
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On Friday, the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center reported more than a half-dozen large fires active throughout the state.
Fires scorched more than 400,000 acres in 2014, the most destructive fire season in state history.
Following that record-setting fire season, Goldmark requested more funding from the Legislature to staff additional fire engines and helicopter crews — about $4.5 million above what the agency received in its previous two-year budget for fire response. Yet in the state’s new $38.2 billion spending plan, Goldmark got only $1.2 million of the extra funding he requested.
The map above is a 3-D rendering of the perimeter of the Sleepy Hollow Fire that burned into Wenatchee in central Washington Sunday, June 28. The map is looking west, and was produced after a mapping flight at 1 a.m. PT, July 1. The fire burned 24 residences and several commercial structures.
One interesting thing is the spot fire that caused several businesses to burn near the river 1.2 miles away from the main fire. It is believed that a burning ember landed in some bales of cardboard that were to be recycled. While firefighters were engaged miles away trying to save homes, the fire spread from the cardboard to several nearby commercial structures, some of which were warehouses and fruit packing plants. Monday morning, June 29, smoke was still coming from the facilities of Michelsen Packaging Company, Northwest Wholesale, and Blue Bird Inc.
This is not unheard of, for a burning ember to travel that far and ignite a new fire, and has happened over greater distances. A recent example was on the King Fire in northern California in 2014, where a spot fire occurred 2 miles in front of the main fire.
More information about the Sleepy Hollow Fire on Wildfire Today.
(UPDATED at 7:32 p.m. PT, July 1, 2015)
The map above is a 3-D map of the Sleepy Hollow Fire in central Washington, looking west, produced after a mapping flight at 1 a.m. PT, July 1.
One interesting thing is the spot fire that caused several businesses to burn near the river. It was 1.2 miles away from the main fire. This is not unheard of, for a burning ember to travel that far and ignite a new fire. It has happened over much greater distances.
A recent example was on the King Fire in northern California in 2014 — a spot fire occurred 2 miles in front of the main fire.
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(UPDATED at 10:58 a.m. PT, June 30, 2015)
The Sleepy Hollow Fire 95 air miles east of Seattle has been mapped at 2,995 acres. The incident commander, according to @jwhittenbergK5, confirms that 24 residences burned.
Heavy rain Sunday evening stopped the spread of the fire, however the industrial facilities continued to burn.
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(UPDATED at 9:38 p.m. PT, June 29, 2015)
Fire officials are reported at 3:35 p.m. on Monday that the Sleepy Hollow Fire that spread into Wenatchee, Washington burned 24 to 28 residences, and that a more accurate count will be available when fire crews are able to access the entire burned area. They are estimating the size at 4,000 acres.
Wenatchee is in central Washington, 95 air miles miles east of Seattle.
Approximately four businesses also burned, some of which were about a mile from the main fire. The suspicion is that burning embers landed in some bales of cardboard that were being recycled and that fire spread into the industrial structures.
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(UPDATED at 4:03 PT, June 29, 2015)
The Wenatchee World has a gallery of photos showing the neighborhoods that burned.
Rain on Monday, heavy in some areas, will make the job of firefighters much easier. The precipitation even caused a mud slide that closed Highway 2 near the mouth of Pine Canyon shortly after 3 p.m.
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(UPDATED at 11:42 a.m. PT, June 29, 2015)
As you will hear in the video above, the number of structures burned in the Sleepy Hollow Fire in Wenatchee, Washington has been revised upward, from 24 to 28.
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(UPDATED at 9:30 a.m. PT, June 29, 2015; originally published at 8:53 a.m. PT, June 29, 2015)
Approximately 24 structures have burned in a rapidly spreading wildfire in Wenatchee, Washington, reports Jake Whittenberg of King 5 News. The Sleepy Hollow Fire started Sunday afternoon, June 29 and by Monday morning had burned 3,000 acres. The number of structures destroyed could change as firefighters are able to get a better look at the damage caused by the fire in central Washington 95 miles east of Seattle. More than 1,000 people have been forced to evacuate, including a Walmart store in the north part of town.
Strong winds on Monday afternoon and triple-digit temperatures helped spread the fire quickly from where it started three miles west of town through sage and grass into a “pretty dense urban interface area”, said deputy state fire marshal Bill Slosson.
Some of the structures that burned were warehouses and fruit packing plants. Monday morning smoke was still coming from the facilities of Michelsen Packaging Company, Northwest Wholesale, and Blue Bird Inc.
“The city is asking residents to severely curtail water use”, Carl Buick, who lives nearby, told Wildfire Today. “This is significant because we have a robust water system and supply. The reservoirs have been severely drawn down.”
The fire was still very active through Sunday night, but firefighters hoped rain falling Monday morning would help them corral the devastating fire.
A weather station 14 miles north of the fire recorded 0.01″ of rain at 7:24 a.m. Monday morning, but there was a report of heavier rain at the fire. That same station reported a high temperature of 111 degrees on Sunday. Most of Washington, including the Wenatchee area, is under a Red Flag Warning on Monday for gusty winds and the possibility of dry lightning, which could ignite more fires.
The video below is from a Sunday night newscast.
A Type 2 incident management team has been ordered.
Skyking captured the devastation on Broadview in Wenatchee. 24 structures lost. #SleepyHollowFire @KING5Seattle pic.twitter.com/ePwvHMy7IO
— JakeWhittenberg (@jwhittenbergK5) June 29, 2015
At least 12 homes destroyed in Wenatchee fire. So sad. | via @KING5Seattle: http://t.co/w28H2eW7m1 pic.twitter.com/QruIgpWiU1 — Susie Rantz (@SusieRants) June 29, 2015
(UPDATED at 11:51 a.m. PT, July 3, 2015)
This photo and Facebook post are from July 2, 2015.
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(UPDATED at 11:15 a.m. PT, June 29, 2015)
Below is an update on the 1,025-acre Paradise Fire in Olympic National Park, released Monday morning, June 29.
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“Crews on the Paradise Fire reported moderating weather and limited fire growth on Sunday, a change from the previous several days of high temperatures and low relative humidity. While other parts of the Pacific Northwest experienced lightning and thunderstorms, only intermittent sprinkles fell on the fire area. A smoke inversion also contributed to a quieter day. Yesterday’s highlight for fire crews camped out in the Queets River drainage was the delivery of a satellite communications unit. This will allow the firefighters to keep in closer contact with fire management officials at the Incident Command Post in Port Angeles. The unit improves safety conditions by giving the crews access to maps and creates more secure communications links in the event of an illness, emergency, or other situation that requires increased coordination of fire management activities. It also provides a convenience of telephone and internet contact with the outside world.
Yesterday’s milder weather conditions will be repeated for the next two days as a high pressure system breaks down and is replaced by an upper level low that should last until Tuesday. However, high temperatures and increased fire potential return mid-week and are expected to remain through the upcoming 4th of July holiday weekend. Crews will continue their work to confine the fire north of the Queets River.
Olympic National Park has instituted a ban on open fires in the park’s wilderness backcountry, including all locations along the coast. Campfires are permitted only in established fire grates at established front country campgrounds. The burn restriction will remain in place until further notice. Camp stoves may still be used in the park’s wilderness backcountry, but should be operated well away from flammable vegetation and forest litter. Because of the extreme conditions on the peninsula, Olympic National Forest has also implemented fire restrictions.
Information on this fire can be obtained on Inciweb athttp://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4305/, and by calling Paradise Fire Information at 360-565-2986. For real time information, visit the Paradise Fire Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Paradise-Fire/831205013596015.”
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(UPDATED at 11:12 p.m. PT, June 24, 2015)
The managers of the Paradise fire in Olympic National Park said today, after two recent infrared mapping flights, that the fire has been steadily moving uphill, and has now burned 949 acres.
The following photo was posted on the Facebook page of the Missoula Smokejumper Visitor Center with this caption: “Good sized trees on the Paradise fire in North Cascades National Park. This fire was jumped by Redmond and NCSB jumpers. credit: @ppbutton”. They may have meant the fire was in Olympic National Park. The firefighter in the photo, possibly a jumper, appears to be traveling light.
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(UPDATED at 3:39 p.m. PT, June 23, 2015)
@OlympicNP Tweeted the above graphic above, saying:
A graph from the fire assessment team tells it all. May/June 2015 holds the record since 1895 for the driest on record.
You can click on the graphic to enlarge it slightly.
Here is an update posted by the Park on Tuesday:
Yesterday, clouds slowed activity on the Paradise Fire throughout the morning hours; fire activity increased when the clouds lifted in the afternoon. The fire remains north of the Queets River and the west flank is holding well. It continues to move to the east-northeast and into the high country where the terrain is exceptionally steep and inaccessible. Helicopters used bucket drops to cool the northwest corner. A reconnaissance flight in the late afternoon allowed fire managers to get a better view of the fire’s movement. An infrared flight last night revealed the fire’s exact location, which was mapped at 798 acres. A public meeting was held at the Vern Burton Community Center in Port Angeles; approximately 12 members of the public attended.
Today, crews will continue to monitor the fire activity and engage when it is safe to do so. The weather forecast calls for a chance of showers over the mountains tonight, and progressively warmer temperatures as we move closer to the weekend.Lightning is possible later in the week and this creates the potential for new ignitions.
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(UPDATED at 8:33 p.m. PT, June 22, 2015)
A National Incident Management Organization (NIMO) team has been ordered to manage the Paradise Fire in Olympic National Park. The team consists of seven people including the Incident Commander, Fire Behavior Analyst, Public Information Officer, and specialists in Operations, Planning, and Finance.
An infrared mapping flight Monday night will give the firefighters a better idea of the size and and location of the fire.
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(Originally published at 5:17 p.m. PT, June 21, 2015)
A rare early summer wildfire in Olympic National Park’s rain forest has burned a surprising 407 acres. Fire behavior analysts have determined that this is the Olympic Peninsula’s driest year since 1951, the year of the Forks Fire.
The Paradise Fire, 13 miles northeast of Quinault, has moved into exceptionally steep terrain. Heavy mixed conifer fuels, snags, and the precipitous landscape pose a significant threat to firefighters. Rolling rocks, burning debris and falling snags are common in such areas. Smoke jumpers who had been staffing the fire were released on June 21 since after the fire spread into an area that is inaccessible. Firefighter safety remains a top priority, and crews will engage only when it is safe to do so.
“We are doing everything possible to minimize the fire’s spread, but right now we do not have many options,” said Todd Rankin, the park’s Fire Management Officer. “Traditional suppression tactics do not work in this fuel type since the fire spread is occurring in the forest canopy, not on the ground.”
Lichens, growing high in the tree tops, are catching on fire and carrying the flames from tree to tree.
Large wildland fires have historically been rare in Olympic National Park’s rainforests. They generally occur in late summer, during years when it is especially hot and dry. This spring, however, the logs, dead branches, and hanging lichen in the rainforest are able burn at a time when they are usually soaked with moisture. Fire is being carried by patches of these fuels, while the understory plants and deciduous trees are still too green and moist. As a result, the burn pattern is patchy, with low and moderate severity effects.
The weather forecast calls for continued hot and dry weather, and the Paradise Fire suppression efforts will likely get more complex. A Type 2 Incident Management Team has been ordered and is expected to arrive on Wednesday. Current resources include two fire modules with 18 total firefighters, two helicopters, and numerous support personnel.
Washington adds to their helicopter fleet
The Washington Department of Natural Resources is adding an eighth UH-1 Huey to their helicopter fleet. Their goal is to have six operational helicopters at any given time during the fire season. King5 has a video report.
It is interesting how the color scheme on the helicopters is similar to that of the Seattle Seahawks.
Reno-Stead air attack base prepares for fire season
KTVN has a story about how the BLM air attack base at Reno-Stead is getting ready for the wildfire season.
Wired writes about smokejumpers
Wired has a lengthy article about how smokejumpers and hand crews in Redding, California are training and preparing for the fire season.
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https://www.facebook.com/MedfordAirTankerBase/videos/722569831202986/?fref=nf
(UPDATED at 2:26 p.m. MDT, May 9, 2015)
The Hungry Hill fire, started when a logging helicopter crashed, has burned about 70 acres in the northeast corner of Washington. The fire is burning in a logged area, and firefighters are challenged by rolling logs. Two additional Type 1 crews arriving today should enhance their progress.
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(Originally published at 12:20 p.m. MDT May 8, 2015)
On May 7 a helicopter working on a logging operation in the northeast corner of Washington crashed and started a fire. A spokesperson for the Forest Service said the 30-year old female pilot was rescued and is in stable condition at a hospital in Colville.
The crash of the UH-1 helicopter, at about 5:45 p.m., occurred on the Colville National Forest, 26 miles northwest of Colville, Washington and 7 miles south of the Canadian border.
A witness said the helicopter had just lifted off with a load of logs when there was a loud popping noise before it crashed.
The crash started what has become a 50-acre fire named Hungry Hill. It is being fought by 100 firefighters.
KHQ reports on Aeroflite’s RJ85s based in Spokane.
Representative Joel Kretz of Waconda, Washington has introduced several bills in the legislature that would affect wildland firefighting.
The Washington Department of Natural Resources does not agree with all proposals in every bill, but the DNR has worked with Rep. Kretz to craft a bill containing the concepts they can support, according to the Yakima Herald.
That bill is HB 2093. One of the provisions would authorize an individual to enter privately owned or publicly owned land for the purposes of attempting to extinguish a wildland fire, regardless of whether the individual owns the land. The person would also be protected from civil or criminal liability.
There are some caveats, such as, the individual would not be allowed to fight fire with fire, that is, they could not ignite burnouts or backfires. They would also have to believe that suppression measures would extinguish the fire, and they would be required to notify emergency personnel and the landowner prior to entering the land or within a reasonable time.
Another provision of the bill requires the DNR to conduct outreach to provide basic Incident Command System and wildland fire safety training to landowners in possession of firefighting capability to help ensure that any wildland fire suppression actions taken by private landowners on their own land are accomplished safely and in coordination with any related incident command structure.
The DNR would be required to cooperate with federal wildland firefighting agencies to
maximize the efficient use of local resources in close proximity to wildland fire incidents.
There will be two hearings on the legislation this week. On February 17 a public hearing is scheduled in the House Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources at 10:00 AM. On February 19 there will be an executive session in the House Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources at 1:30 PM.
Other pending legislation in Washington state related to wildland fire sponsored by Rep. Krertz:
Below is an excerpt from an article at King5 in Washington state:
KING 5 News has learned that the [Washington] Department of Natural Resources has demoted the manager in charge of the controversial firefighting operations at this summer’s wildfires in Central Washington.
Albert Kassel’s removal as DNR’s Resource Protection manager “…reflects DNR’s current leadership needs within the agency,” spokesperson Sandra Kaiser said in a statement issued to KING 5 Friday.
DNR was roundly criticized for what Okanogan County leaders – and many citizens say – was a weak initial response to what became known as the Carlton Complex fires. Four fires merged into a firestorm that scorched more than a quarter million acres and destroyed 300 homes.
In its statement, DNR said that “(Kassel’s) change in position is not connected to any specific event or action.” Kaiser specifically denied that the demotion is due to Kassel’s handling of the Carlton Complex fires.
However, Kassel’s reassignment to a wildland fire investigator’s position will cost him $1,461 per month in salary. His monthly pay rate is now $6,205 per month…