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Post Fire, 100 Structures Threatened in Kern County

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There’s a theme developing with wildfires in SoCal as the second season starts. Fires are quick to 1,000 acres and then succumb to solid initial attack measures that include full use of air resources.

The latest is the Post Fire burning near Lebec, a mountain community at the top of the I-5 Grapevine in Kern County.

The Post Fire was reported around noon today and has quickly burned 1,250 acres and is threatening 100 structures. According to chatter on Wildland Fire the DC-10 Supertanker, Tanker 910 is on scene. Air Attack reports ground commanders have ordered all available heavy air tankers.

I will roll updates from here until this one develops beyond initial attack. If history repeats, calming overnight winds should give ground crews a chance to collar it before it can get a foothold.

Map of Post Fire vicinity.
Follow updates on Twitter.

Update; Day 2

They caught it. Great job Kern County, USFS and cooperating agencies. Great work in the sky. This is turning out to be the year of the air tanker! Anyone else noticing more air resources on initial attack? There has to be a correlation between more AT’s and fewer acres burned.

Amateur video from Lebec looking towards the Post Fire

If video does not resolve click here.

Posted by on August 24, 2010 • Filed under: 2010 California Fire Season, wildfires, Wildland, wildland fire • Tagged:

Pozo Fire, Room To Run 1,200 Acres in First Three Hours

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(Scroll for updates)

The Pozo Fire has burned 1,200 acres since the start at 1300 hours today. The fire is burning in the Los Padres National Forest, east of San Luis Obispo in the central California coast region.

It’s a bit early to pin campaign designation to this but the Los Padres National Forest is an incubator of historically large fires. Major fires that burned in this general region in the past three years include the Basin (162k), Zaca (248k), Indians (79k) and in 2009 the La Brea (90K).
I will roll Pozo Fire updates to this post for the rest of the night at least.  Continuous updates on Wildland Fire and Twitter.

California firefighters have been itching for a big one this season. This may be the one.
Cal Fire and USFS responded initial attack but since the fire made a run into the Los Padres it will likely be a Fed show.

Update; Late Night Day 1
2,500 acres
No Containment, no estimate
Pozo Fire header image from Twitter user @StarFortress.
Fire information from Cal Fire.

Update; Pozo Day 2 Morning

Information is hard to come by without a 209 report. Information sent to InciWeb by Pozo command looks stale. If it is accurate this fire will certainly stall. GeoMac imagery signals there is no active burning along the perimeter. It is possible the overnight crews caught a break and clipped it. More facts will come to light as the day unfolds.

Update; Day 2 Noon
Some activity showing on GeoMac and if this is accurate the fire is still very active with no anchor points and multiple heads.

Click image to expand

Final Update; Evening Day 2
When this fire changed jurisdiction from Cal Fire to USFS information stopped almost dead. What a shame in the modern era of communication with Twitter, FaceBook and 3 and 4G smart phone technology the Forest service can’t get with it and put fire information out there.
Anyway for this fire I had to count on GeoMac which is only sort of reliable. GeoMac says the fire is basically over!  This says a lot about the first responders to the Pozo yesterday afternoon!

Here is the (now fully outdated) information sent from fire command to InciWeb in the past few hours.

Basic Information
Incident Type Wildfire
Cause Under Investigation
Date of Origin Saturday August 21st, 2010 approx. 12:34 PM
Location Hwy 58 at Santa Margarita
Incident Commander Dana D’andrea (usfs)

Current Situation
Total Personnel 355
Size 1,263 acres
Percent Contained 5%
Estimated Containment Date Tuesday August 24th, 2010 approx. 06:00 PM
Fuels Involved 6 Dormant Brush, Hardwood Slash Grass/Brush/Oaks

Fire Behavior Multiple spot fires with rapid rate of spread.

Significant Events Incident is merging from state to federal command.

Outlook
Planned Actions Aggressive fire suppression tactics to include direct line construction.

Growth Potential High.

Terrain Difficulty Extreme.

Posted by on August 21, 2010 • Filed under: 2010 California Fire Season, Wildland, wildland fire • Tagged:

New Hip

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Last Wednesday afternoon I went under the knife to replace my right hip. It took the pre-surgery nurses 5 tries to get in two IV’s but once they found success I knew I would not feel anything else for the next few hours.  I was awake as they rolled me into the surgery room where the surgical team was waiting. There the anesthesiologist had three of the team of five (all male team) prop me up in a sitting position for insertion of one more needle necessary for the spinal anesthesia. Just a minor needle prick and we are ready.

I had a chance to talk to the team briefly before lights out. The one guy I did not get a name from was standing over a rolling cabinet full of Zimmer Company hip replacement parts. The medical device company brings in the whole tool box because the surgeon has to measure and re-measure as he cracks, saws and shapes the bones. The procedure I ended up getting was an Anterior Supine. I was on my back the entire time and the cut was on the front. As a result I have about a 9 inch scar on the upper quad. It was concluded on the table I was not a candidate for the two, two inch incision procedure. What I got is still considered non invasive because less muscle and soft tissue was compromised than the standard (soon to be outdated)  posterior approach.

About three quarters of the way into the procedure I woke up. I was looking straight up into the shielded face of the anesthesiologist. I could hear banging and clanking going on down and to the right. I asked if it was still going on and the sleep doctor said they are ready to close. OK, from hammering to closing in minutes?  I’m thinking we have a ways to go.

It was pretty amazing listening to the team work. It was mostly quiet except for the clanging and I did not interrupt. After drifting in and out of sleep for a bit the surgical assistant came up to my head and said we are done. I asked how it went and he said, “rough”. Sorry doc, really.

Turns out my femur was brittle and they had to wrestle on a collar around the femur. I broke that leg when I was a kid and that knee has been replaced so they chalked it up to beat up bones. I found out the next morning that would not compromise their ability to do the other hip. That was good news.

Two men from post op came in to wheel me down to their den where I laid for 3 hours mostly staring at the ceiling as three nurses contemplated my low blood pressure. About 8:00 pm I was wheeled to my room where my wife, parents and brother Frank from Arizona were waiting.

My fantastic overnight nurse was a Jamaican woman via Canada who watched me with her aide all night and into morning. I got maybe an hour of sleep due to the constant buzz of BP checks, temperature checks, pain injections, various pills and blood tests. My brother brought in a coffee and breakfast sandwich early but I had the stomach for neither. My brother is just a nice guy.

At 9 am the physical therapy people came in and had me walk. Honestly I felt less pain walking post surgery than pre surgery. I think I blew them away.

Two days post operation I was sent home. I may be the first hip replacement patient ever to walk out of the hospital and hop into a waiting car. They tried to get me into a wheelchair but I showed them that due to a stiff knee combined with the surgical wound it would be impossible to get me out of the chair downstairs. It was comical (for me) watching them come up with a way to get me out of the chair in the room. They concluded it was best I just walk out.

So, one week post surgery I am able to get about the house without the walker. I visited my folks the other day at their place Tuesday and went to physical therapy yesterday. I lucked out with the PT guy. He is hands on and does not farm out the work to assistants.

Hopefully this was not as boring as reading about someone’s vacation. I hope anyone reading this that is considering hip replacement comes away understanding there is nothing to fear. Just do it.

Posted by on August 19, 2010 • Filed under: Vanity

Remembering The “Great Fire of 1910″

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From a reader submission. Thank you Lisa Homan!

Three million acres burned in the Big Blow Up of 1910, and 87 brave souls lost their lives. The United States Forest Service was but 5 years old at this time. US Forest Service Ranger Ed Pulaski led a group of men to safety as they held up in a mine tunnel just outside Wallace, Idaho, when the flames came to pass, all but 5 of the crew of 40 had survived.

One third of the town of Wallace Idaho was completely destroyed and up until the aftermath of this great fire of 1910 the US Forest Service was uncertain if the best way to handle a forest fire was to let it burn or fight. After all the devastation, it was decided the US Forest Service was to help prevent and go to battle every fire in our forests. August 20th and 21st hundreds will converge upon the small, once booming mining town of Wallace Idaho for the 100 year commemoration of this historic event. Come and visit, learn about the history of Ed Pulaski and our Pulaski tool.
Join many others as they walk Ed Pulaski’s route from the wilderness where he kept his men safe from death, hear from authors of books covering these fires and join in the dedication of the new firefighters memorial , see the Pulaski tool and learn about his life. To learn more visit this site. Looking forward to seeing you in Wallace!

More on the Big Blowup of 1910 on Wikipedia

Addendum: (added Sat Aug 21)

The Big Burn –  Reliving the Days

Lisa Homan

“Then came that fateful 20th of August.”  Elens Koch in 1942 who was the Lolo Forest supervisor in 1910. On August 19, 1910 the day held promise as many miles of fire line were held, and folks were beginning to think that perhaps the loss would not be as great as once thought. All this was about to change as for the next two days gale force winds blew from the southwest, these winds the fuel the little fires needed to grow in to larger ones. With this “new life” the fires quickly overcame the fire lines, the fire lines held just hours before. The fire raged on as a hurricane, and Wallace Idaho lay directly in its path. By the evening of August 20th, 1910, one third of this once prosperous town was reduced to ash, with an estimated dollar loss of one million – with two souls having perished.

With many difficulties faced in the transportation infrastructure of the day, the firefighters who had lost their lives trying to prevent this loss from fire, those lives lost fighting “the beast”, were buried where they lay. Many burned beyond any hope of recognition with many of their families not being notified for days to months later, some being from across our oceans, with no identification, and for those that did have it, correspondence taking weeks to reach them.

100 years ago today in the early morning Forest ranger Ed Pulaski, having been in Wallace to restock his supplies, headed to the outskirts of town, his wife Emma and adopted daughter Elise walking alongside of him to the trailhead. Before leaving to return to his crew Pulaski told his family, “be prepared to save yourselves”, he continued, as recounted by his daughter Emma to say, “Goodbye, I may never see you again.” Then Pulaski headed off toward his crew and the fire.

Today at noon the Forest Service will have a re-dedication ceremony. At Nine-Mile Cemetery in Wallace, Idaho standing at the memorial for those souls lost in Pulaski’s crew. This is the site where those brave men were laid to rest, those men who risked a lot to save a lot, those men who helped to shape the future of forest firefighting. Please join us today, wherever you may be and observe a moment of silence for the brothers we lost a century ago – today. More on Lisa’s blog

Posted by on August 10, 2010 • Filed under: Historic fires • Tagged:

Russia’s Putin In The Cockpit of Air Tanker Dropping Water Over Fires

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Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin eased into the cockpit of a Be-200 air tanker after takeoff and took an active part in fighting the devastating fires ravaging Western Russia by releasing water over two fires today.

From AP
After hitting the button, Putin glanced toward the pilot and asked, “Was that OK?”
The response: “A direct hit!”
The stunt was classic Putin. In past years, he has copiloted a fighter jet, ridden a horse bare-chested in Siberia and descended to the bottom of Lake Baikal in a mini-sub. Just last month he drove a Harley Davidson motorcycle to a biker rally.

Uncommon leadership in my opinion even if it was only symbolic. The kind of thing that lifts the spirit of those affected in the region as well as providing a boost to the morale of the firefighting forces throughout Russia. Our leader should be taking notes.

Be-200 in action. Quite an impressive aircraft.

Posted by on August 10, 2010 • Filed under: International, wildfires, Wildland, wildland fire • Tagged:

When Fire is Good

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The Slope Fire is currently burning in the high country of Yosemite National Park, north of Yosemite Valley and west of Tuolumne Meadows. The lightning caused blaze was discovered after a series of lightning storms lit up the area on or around July 25. The fire has burned 600 acres and is being “managed” National Park Service fire managers. The August 6 bulletin reads as follows:

The park experienced thunderstorms in July, which resulted in lightning-caused fires, that are being managed for multiple objectives. This means fire managers and firefighters may use less aggressive or minimal actions where the fire is accomplishing benefits on the land. The fire may burn the understory of trees, for example, ridding the area of accumulations of dead and down vegetation and accumulations of needle and leaf litter.

Helping nature do her job, very noble.

For more information on the National Park Service fire management program visit their website here.

Posted by on August 10, 2010 • Filed under: 2010 California Fire Season, Wildland • Tagged:

Not Your Grandpa’s Boots, Black Diamond Fits Just Right

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Being retired I don’t need to wear boots day to day. Black Diamond Footwear asked me if I would take a pair of their boots for a test drive and I said why not. The boot is the X-Boot, Stock #0975 and out of the box it looks like this.

Here is what I thought when I put them on. First off they were a perfect fit right away. The company did a good job quizzing me on my foot size. The fabric lining on the inside made the boot feel more like a comfortable pair of shoes than a work boot. They go on easy with the integrated loops and they seem to snap in once the foot is in the boot. The other thing is the style, they look good. Like I mentioned I am retired so I cannot speak to how they feel on a full work shift around the firehouse or fire ground but I can imagine.

I can represent how they feel after a couple of days of wear around my home and property.  One review I read likened them to wearing a pair of tennis shoes. I second that sentiment. I have to say these boots are something I would be comfortable in for continuous workdays or an extended shift.

9.5 out of 10! Solid A grade.

Here are the particulars;

Comfort System : Comfort Fit Plus – with Enersole
Boot Height : 14 Inches
Leather Upper : Prime’s Firestorm(TM) Genuine Leather
3-Point Heel Lock System : Exclusive 3-Point Heel Lock for Fit & Comfort
Lining : CROSSTECH(TM) Fabric with Cambrelle(TM) 300g
Kevlar Lining : Kevlar(R) lined for maximum protection
Venting System : Reinforced Ventilation Eyelets to Promote Airflow
Tibia Protection : 1/4″ Sponge Rubber for Maximum Protection
Toe Cap Protection : Tuffy Shark Scuff Resistant Leather
Steel Toe : Hi 500, Meets of Exceeds ASTM Standards
Steel Midsole : Stainless Steel
Steel Shank : Double Ridged Steel
Midsole : 2.2MM Rubber Mid
Outsole : Vibram #1275 Rubber
Footbed : PU Orthotic Footbed, Fabric-covered, Removable
Pull-On System : Integrated Loop System for Add Strength
Certification : NFPA 1971 Edition Standard for Structural Firefighting


Posted by on August 7, 2010 • Filed under: Uncategorized • Tagged: , ,

Station Fire Response Faces D.C. Investigation

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U.S. Department of Agriculture head Tom Vilsack has invited Congress to open an investigation into discrepancies surrounding the initial response to the Station Fire by the U.S. Forest Service.

Top state politicians including both of California’s U.S. Senators and a handful of L.A. County Congressmen have endorsed Vilsack’s request.

On the morning of August 27 2009, day two of the Station Fire requests were made through dispatch for firefighting aircraft. On that morning a Cal Fire air attack aircraft was over the fire waiting for arriving air tankers. The air tankers were delayed. Had the tankers been dispatched as requested the Station Fire might have been stopped at a few hundred acres. Instead, the fire ended up burning through 160,000 acres, killing two L.A. County firefighters and destroying nearly 100 homes.

The investigation will likely question why fire ground commander requests for aircraft were ignored, if they were ignored why, and if there was a cover up after the fact. Forest Service officials have concluded use of air tankers on the morning of August 27 would not have made a difference. Firefighters on the ground dispute that finding.

Here is what I hope comes out of the investigation. For too long the Forest Service has played a game of chicken with fire. For far too long the culture of “pull back and assess” has existed within the USFS culture. If every fire is doused quickly the money tree cannot be shaken. Hot Shot and Blue Card crews sit idle, contractors don’t make money, engine crews don’t bring down the big overtime and ICS teams stay home. At the peak of the Station Fire more than 6,000 firefighters and support personnel were on scene and nearly $100,000,000 was spent putting the fire out.

The absence of big fires hits the USFS fire suppression budget hardest. Three and five year averages come down which means personnel and offices down the line are affected. New equipment purchases are put on hold, promotions denied, contracts suspended.

The Forest Service does not intend for anyone to get hurt but they need campaign fires. The entire Forest Service ecology counts on the big fire.

Perhaps it’s coincidental but I am seeing air tankers dispatched to Forest Service fires earlier than usual this year. Everything is getting hooked quickly as it should be.

There is one tape I hope the investigators subpoena. That would be the cockpit tape of the Cal Fire air attack pilot flying overhead in the early morning hours of August 27 with only a couple of helicopters working below assisting ground crews. Air Attack is the eye in the sky and coordinates all air activity over wildland fires in California.

Guessing half that tape would be bleep filled due to frustration at watching the forest below burn while his main tools were grounded.

Posted by on August 6, 2010 • Filed under: Station Fire, Wildland, wildland fire

Moscow Shrouded In Smoke, 1.8 Million Acres Scorched

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Muscovites advised to hang wet sheets in open windows to filter smoke.

Moscow Area wildfire Smoke Aug 5 2010

Raw footage of various scenes near Moscow. Note the gutsy air tanker drop. (Video from Aug 1)

According to Bloomberg an army air base was overrun by fire destroying buildings and military vehicles. Grain exports have been halted sending wheat futures soaring.
Fifty fire related deaths have been reported. 589 fires are still burning actively.

Posted by on August 5, 2010 • Filed under: International, Wildland, wildland fire • Tagged:

Book Review; “One Foot In The Black” by Kurt L. Kamm

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I usually avoid movies or novels about firefighting or firefighters, they never measure up. I don’t watch “Rescue Me” on FX because the main character has long hair. I am not down on long hair but this guy’s hair does not conform in any way with firefighter standards — cut your damn hair!

“One Foot In The Black” is as close to real as anything I have read. Kurt Kamm brings us the story of a young man from the Mid West that travels to California to work the summer fire season. Later he catches on with L.A. County where he is formally baptized by fire.

The main character Greg is haunted by a troubled past, mostly at the hand of a firefighter father who is no parental role model.

Author Kamm lives in Malibu California so he has first hand experience with the atmosphere of fire from the victims end.  He acknowledges numerous active and retired L.A. County and Cal Fire firefighters for technical guidance with his research.

The highest compliment I can offer an author is to say I could not put the book down. Once “Greg” gets into the soup I found myself turning pages. It’s pretty rare when terminology, tactics, terrain and narrative match so well.

Posted by on August 2, 2010 • Filed under: book reviews