Updated reports indicate 26 occupied dwellings have been destroyed. Reno, like much of the west has not seen precipitation for almost six weeks. In my area of central California the foothills are bone dry and dusty. It’s surprising Reno is the only area in the west stricken by fire.

Here is an image of the advancing storm system. Full containment should be expected in the next 24 hours if this system delivers expected precipitation totals.

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Inmate Firefighter Lionell was participating in a training exercise at Camp San Luis when he lost consciousness from a cause still to be determined. Emergency crews treated and then transported Lionell to a local hospital where he  passed away. Incident Location: California National Guard’s Camp San Luis.

This designation was entirely appropriate. Firefighter Lionell made a commitment to train and be a part of the State of California’s wildland firefighting force. As such he understood the dangers and accepted the potential consequences of his decision. He geared up with good intentions and paid the ultimate price. Condolences to the Lionell family.

San Luis Obispo.com An inmate firefighter assigned to Cuesta Fire Camp, located at the California Men’s Colony, died while taking part in a County/Cal Fire training program at Camp San Luis Obispo.Cal Fire Capt. Jane Schmitz said the inmate collapsed while hiking on the military base shortly after 3:30 Wednesday afternoon.
According to Schmitz, the inmate was transported to a local hospital, were he was pronounced dead at 4:42p.m.The California Department of Corrections is reviewing the incident.

Condolences to the family of the inmate. Cal Fire maintains 44 adult inmate fire camps and two juvenile justice camps utilizing the the skills of trained Department of Corrections inmates and California Juvenile Justice System wards of the state.  The program is comprised of over 3,500 inmate firefighters fielding nearly 200 fire crews manning fire lines throughout the state putting life and limb in danger fighting wildland fires. Some go on to become professional firefighters after they serve their time.

This week they did it again reports the Wall Street Journal.

Firefighters responded when the home in Obion County, Tenn., caught fire, but didn’t extinguish it because the fee that the nearby town of South Fulton collects hadn’t been paid. Last year, another home — which also contained three dogs and a cat — in Obion County also burned to the ground for the same reason.
The South Fulton mayor, David Crocker, said the city makes no exceptions. “There’s no way to go to every fire and be able to keep up the manpower, the equipment, and just the funding for the fire department,” he said, according to MSNBC.
Crocker also noted that firefighters will help people in danger, whether they have paid or not.
Nearby Blount County, Tenn., also has a subscription service, but the fire chief says the same situation wouldn’t happen there, according to The Daily Times. Blount County charges a $100 annual fee, but nonsubscribers can pay $2,200 for the first two hours firefighters respond to a scene, and $1,100 for each additional hour.
After last year’s fire, the Obion County commission voted to expand subscription-based service in the county, over the objections of people like fire chief Bob Reavis, who said, “Subscriptions should be left to newspapers and magazines,” Time reported.

My previous post on this subject elicited 84 comments, by far the biggest response in the 8 years I’ve been blogging. I was late to this news but my inbox has been flooded with Tennessee locals beyond furious at this latest news.

If you are so inclined fire away, Firefighter Blog wants all opinions.

(Generic image, not South Fulton)

Well done CharlotteMagazine.com and well done Charlotte Station 15!

By Captain Craig Nielsen, Los Angeles Fire Department

Flashovers kill more firefighters than anything else and what’s worse than that shocking piece of information is that flashovers are happening more frequently than ever before. As a 28-year veteran of the fire service, I’ve been involved in flashover survival trainings since 1998. It’s important to ask the right questions – questions that once answered have the ability to save lives. For example, what is a flashover and why are so many more occurring these days as opposed to in the past? How can firefighters identify them, and what steps can they take to ensure they are safely managing them?

I’ll address the answers to these questions and more in a free “Understanding Flashovers” webinar sponsored by Draeger Safety, on November 10, 2011 at 8 PM EST. Firefighters and chiefs interested in participating in this educational session can register at http://draegerfiresafety.com. We’ll also have a live Q&A so your specific questions can be addressed. For now, I’d like to touch on some of the biggest questions the webinar will explore in more depth.

What is a Flashover?
Walton and Thomas define it as “the transition from a growing fire to a fully developed fire in which all combustible items in the compartment are involved in fire” although a more simple definition is “the stage when contents and gases are heated to their ignition temperatures and flames break out almost all at once.” This is the most dangerous stage of fire development and poses the most risk for firefighters – so knowing what it is and how to spot it is critical to safety.

What Can I Look Out For?
While flashovers have typical signs and symptoms, some of them are difficult to spot. Just knowing what they are can help you act appropriately and safely. Things to watch out the most for are:
Heat build-up. When the fire is low in intensity and spreading slowly, combustibles and flammable gases are heated to the point of ignition.
Look up. You can go into a structure and see from one end to the other, unaware accumulated gas in the ceiling space above may be ready to ignite.
Rollovers. These are often the preemptive sign that a flashover is going to occur and they’re identified when you see flames “rolling” across the ceiling; where heated gas tends to rise. If you witness rollovers, cool down those gases effectively and get out of the building.
Pressurized smoke. If you are observing smoke exiting the exterior of a structure, look for what kind of pressure buildup is associated with that smoke.

Why Are So Many Flashovers Occurring?
The increasing occurrence of flashovers has been covered at great length in print, online and broadcast media and it certainly deserves the attention. Here are some reasons for the uptick of flashovers:
Better turnout gear. Firefighters are putting themselves in harm’s way unknowingly because firefighters are often reliant on the protective capabilities of their gear.
Better insulation: Homes are better insulated which is great for the heating bill, but not so great for firefighters. Thermal feedback is occurring more rapidly.
Combustible items: Plastics and synthetics create a lot more BTUs. Know what you’re going into and look for signs outside of the building that can offer clues for what you’ll encounter inside.

With flashover occurrences increasing, knowing more about this phenomenon is crucial for all chiefs and firefighters, to avoid injury or death. Don’t forget to join me on November 10 for more information.

About the Author
Craig Nielsen, a 28-year veteran of the fire services, is a Captain with the Los Angeles Fire Dept. He has served as a Live Fire Training Officer, Driver Training Instructor, Career Guidance Counselor & Instructor of Record. Nielsen has been assigned to the most active fire station in the country for over two years, with 20+ responses per day. He is a California state-certified Fire Instructor and Fire Officer, and Emergency Medical Technician. He has been a Dräger Swede Survival instructor since 1998.

Firefighters tell KDKA’s Marty Griffin that City Council President Darlene Harris asked one truck to move and the police officer followed with her ticket book. The council president says she had nothing to do with it.

“It’s really silly,” Ravenstahl said. “And when I was first briefed on it, I didn’t believe that it happened. I couldn’t believe that somebody would actually ticket a fire truck especially when we’re encouraging them to get a flu shot and stay healthy.”

Darlene ‘darlin’, you will not be reelected next time around. And the female meter maid, parking cop, traffic cop wannabe. You need to reasses your priorities. Some things are just wrong and you crossed the line here lady!

Kamm sets the theme with the introduction of Colt responding to a vehicle accident. The complex relationship between Colt and the accident victim drive the story. Kamm takes us into the seedy underworld of Los Angeles but the story is centered around the serene campus of the University of California Los Angeles which Kamm calls “CU”. Ultimately the story plays out on the “CU” campus in the middle of the night. Other characters of note we meet along the way include a crooked Russian mortician, a female Chinese researcher and the girlfriend of Markus. All are woven expertly into the story. Kamm brings all the pieces together nicely at the end.
I recommend Code Blood to adult readers. Not for children.