Tag Archives: wildfire

U.S.

U.S. Wildfire preps, 2021: Cal Fire + Cal Guard + Prisoners

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HH-60 Pave Hawk practices water drops, 24APR2021. Cal Guard photo by Technical Sergeant Christian Jadot.

Already this year, between January first and April 25th, Cal Fire (California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection) has responded to wildfires that have burned  2,219 acres (898 hectares).

Allen Helibase near Sutter Creek. Cal Guard photo by Senior Airman Melanie L. Nolen.

Between the end of April and end of May 2021, Cal Fire, the California Air and Army National Guard (Cal Guard), and even the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DepCor) joined-up for interagency fire fighting training at several locations through out The Golden State, however, this training was originally planned to take place in 2020: “We had to cancel the event last year due to the pandemic….”-Lieutenant Colonel John Allen, California Army National Guard

Cal Guard explainer video by Staff Sergeant Eddie Siguenza:

Cal Guard photo by Technical Sergeant Christian Jadot.

A California Army National Guard CH-47 about to strap-on a Bambi bucket.  

Allen Helibase near Sutter Creek. Cal Guard photo by Senior Airman Melanie L. Nolen.

Millerton Training Site in Friant, 12MAY2021. Cal Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Eddie Siguenza.

Cal Fire, Cal Guard and DepCor ground crews went through CAL FIRE Type II initial attack training, which included the use of fire shelters, creating fire safety lines, debris clearing, and long hikes with heavy loads into hard to get at areas (you know, infantry stuff).

Cal Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Eddie Siguenza.

Cal Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Eddie Siguenza.

Cal Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Eddie Siguenza.

Prison fire fighters with DepCor are indicated by their orange suits.

U.S. Wildfire preps, 2021:

EVERGREEN STATE RED CARD

Wildfires 2019:

RED BANK & SOUTH FIRE HELICOPTER OPS

Wildfires 2018: CALIFORNIA FIRES MAKE AT LEAST 1-MILLION TONS OF WASTE!

U.S.

U.S. Wildfire preps, 2021: Evergreen State Red Card

Video

“We have been actively responding for the past 15 months to the CoViD-19 pandemic. With vaccination rates improving and the state getting set to reopen in June, we are shifting our focus back to supporting our fight against summer fires.”-Major General Bret Daugherty, Washington National Guard

Washington National Guard photo by Peter Chang.

Now that (apparently) the pandemic-panic-attack is over (in the U.S.), more than 2-hundred Washington state militia personnel attended Red Card basic training towards the end of May, 2021.

Washington National Guard video report, by Peter Chang, Red Card training on Fort Lewis McChord:

Red Card is also known as Incident Qualification Card, it is a type of fire fighting training that is accepted by federal and various state agencies.

Washington National Guard photo by Joseph Siemandel.

More than 4-thousand-5-hundred Washington National Guard personnel have taken part in fire fighting since 2013.  Fire fighting authorities knew going into 2021 that it was going to potentially be a catastrophic fire year, due to massive drought through out the western U.S.

MAFFS prep, Wildfires 2021: CALIFORNIA

U.S. Wildfires, 2021: INTANKO

U.S.

U.S. Wildfires, 2021: Intanko

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U.S. Air Force photo by Airman First Class Jason W. Cochran.

In California, on 08JUN2021, more than 3-hundred Beale Air Force Base (AFB) personnel and their families were ordered to evacuate, by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Yuba County Sheriff’s Department, due to a wildfire.

CalFire S-2T water bomber. USAF photo by Airman First Class Jason W. Cochran.

CalFire (Cal Fire, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection), Wheatland Fire Department, Linda Fire Department and other local agencies were already fighting the Intanko Fire, and now Beale AFB Fire Department and Civil Engineers joined in that fight.

USAF photo by Airman First Class Jason W. Cochran.

Corpat Incorporated Bell 212. USAF photo by Airman First Class Jason W. Cochran.

USAF photo by Airman First Class Jason W. Cochran.

Erickson Aero Tanker MD-87. USAF photo by Airman First Class Jason W. Cochran.

USAF photo by Airman First Class Jason W. Cochran.

When the Intanko Fire was finished about 939 acres (380 hectares) had burned, but luckily no buildings: “When everything settled down and the hectic phase of it had passed, I was just happy to see that all of the homes were not damaged and everyone was safe.”-Senior Airman John Nethercutt, 9th Civil Engineer Squadron firefighter

USAF photo by Airman First Class Jason W. Cochran.

Idaho Wildfires, 2019:

MD-87 WATER BOMBER & NEW KING AIR FAC

Technology

California: MAFFS prep wildfire 2021

Video

California Air National Guard photo by Senior Airman Michelle Ulber.

During the first week of May 2021, California and Nevada Air National Guard C-130H and C-130J crews took part in Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS) training on San Bernardino Air Tanker Base, California.

California ANG photo by Senior Airman Michelle Ulber.

California Air National Guard video ‘explainer’ interview, by Technical Sergeant Nieko Carzis:

California ANG photo by Senior Airman Michelle Ulber.

California ANG photo by Senior Airman Michelle Ulber.

California ANG ‘nat-sound’ video by Technical Sergeant Nieko Carzis:

California ANG photo by Senior Airman Michelle Ulber.

MAFFS prep, wildfire 2021:

 COLORADO

2017: IDAHO CONDUCTS MASSIVE MAFFS TRAINING, IN PREPS FOR HOT WILDFIRE SEASON!

2016:  Another C-130 converted to MAFFS, U.S. Forest Service and the Department of Defense expecting hotter fire seasons?

1977: My little brother, Ernie, enjoying his tour of a C-130 at Edwards AFB Open House.

45 YEARS OF C-130 MAFFS OPS. WHO WOULD’VE KNOWN WILDFIRES WOULD BECOME SUCH A PROBLEM?

Technology

MAFFS preps, Wildfire Season 2021: Colorado

Video

Wyoming Air National Guard photo by Technical Sergeant Jon Alderman.

U.S. Air Force Reserve and Wyoming Air National Guard C-130 crews took part in Modular Airborne Firefighting System (MAFFS) training during the week of 10 thru 15 May, 2021.

Wyoming ANG photo by Technical Sergeant Jon Alderman.

The weeklong training and certification took place out of U.S. Department of Agriculture-Forest Service’s Jeffco Airtanker Base, with the C-130s conducting water drops on nearby Arapaho/Roosevelt and Pike-San Isabel National Forests and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands.

Wyoming ANG photo by Technical Sergeant Jon Alderman.

Video by Technical Sergeant Justin Norton, ground test of the U.S. Forest Service’s MAFFS unit 10MAY2021 at Peterson Air Force Base (AFB), Colorado:

Wyoming ANG photo by Technical Sergeant Jon Alderman.

Video report by Michael Dougherty:

Wyoming ANG photo by Technical Sergeant Jon Alderman.

Video by Staff Sergeant Laura Turner, MAFFS training drop over Hayman Burn Scar:

Wyoming ANG photo by Technical Sergeant Jon Alderman.

Wyoming ANG photo by Technical Sergeant Jon Alderman.

14JUN2021:  Cold Creek Fire, Idaho

2020: MAFFS BIRD FLIES VENTILATORS TO NEW YORK AND ALL POINTS EAST

2017: MAFFS BOMBS IDAHO!

Idaho

Cold Creek Fire Near American Falls, Idaho, 20210614

Video

©Satoita 2021

A fire began today on June 14th, 2021, this afternoon around 15:30, according to Eastern Idaho Interagency Fire Center. Deputies are asking residents to evacuate.

View from Chubbuck, Idaho. ©Satoita 2021

View from Chubbuck Road, with Simplot in the distant left. ©Satoita 2021

Heading towards American Falls. ©Satoita 2021

View SSE from Interstate 84 ©Satoita 2021

©Satoita 2021

©Satoita 2021

The smoke was screening the valley along Sunbeam Road. ©Satoita 2021

It seems that there were two fires when visiting the area, this is confirmed by other news reports.

©Satoita 2021

©Satoita 2021

©Satoita 2021

This is as far as anyone was allowed to drive, the Sho-Ban Fire Department was asking everyone to turn around. They were also visiting residences. Below is some footage of the fire as we drove away. About halfway in you can see the Fire Department vehicles. (Which oddly smelled like gasoline…)

2017: IDAHO CONDUCTS MASSIVE MAFFS TRAINING, IN PREPS FOR HOT WILDFIRE SEASON!

2012: POCATELLO BURNING! EVACUATIONS! SOUTHEAST IDAHO BURNING! BANNOCK COUNTY BANS FIREWORKS, DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY!

Technology

Vehicle I-D: USMC Sno-Cats flee Slink Fire

Video

U.S. Marine Corps Sno-Cats, Mountain Warfare Training Center, California. Photo by Corporal Patrick King, 22JAN2022.

Photo by Firefighter Benjamin Paladino, 29AUG2020.

On 29AUG2020, the Slink Fire erupted near Bridgeport, California, near the U.S. Marine Corps’ Mountain Warfare Training Center.

Tucker-Terra Model 1600 Sno-Cats. U.S. Marine Corps photograph by Lance Corporal Cedar Barnes, 03SEP2020.

U.S. Marine Corps’ Tucker Terra 1600 Sno-Cats began evacuations on 03SEP2020.

USMC photograph by Lance Corporal Cedar Barnes, 03SEP2020.

The evacuation also included the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center’s mules.

USMC photograph by Lance Corporal Cedar Barnes, 03SEP2020.

USMC photograph by Lance Corporal Cedar Barnes, 03SEP2020.

The Tucker Terra-Sno-Cat is made in the U.S. state of Oregon, and can be configured in dozens of ways for both military and silly-vilian use.

USMC photo by Lance Corporal Rachel Young-Porter, 12FEB2019.

This appears to be a USMC Sno-Cat 2000XL with snow plow, at the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center in February 2019.

USMC photo by Lance Corporal Danny Gonzalez, 24FEB2017.

A 1600 with stake-bed and towing a sno-cat trailer, February 2017.

USMC photo by Lance Corporal Danny Gonzalez, 25FEB2017.

This is a USMC PistenBully.

PistenBully roadwheels. USMC photo by Lance Corporal Danny Gonzalez, 25FEB2017.

USMC video, by Lance Corporal Carlos Lopez, PistenBully 25FEB2017:

Tucker Terra Sno-Cat with plow. USMC photo by Lance Corporal Danny Gonzalez, 26FEB2017.

Vehicle I-D: USMC LAST RIDE FOR 1ST, 2ND & 4TH TANK

USMC AAV7 VID-FEST

USMC CANNIBALIZES HMMWV TO UPGRADE BRAND NEW JLTV

Idaho, Technology

Idaho Wild Fires 2019: MD-87 water bomber, new King Air FAC

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23 July 2019-23:43 UTC-07 Tango 06 (02 Mordad 1398/21 Dhu l-Qa’da 1440/22 Xin-Wei 4717)

The fires keep burning in eastern Idaho.  Things got so hot today that evacuations of ‘non-essential personnel’ were ordered near the Idaho National Laboratory’s nuclear jet engine and EBR-1 nuclear-disaster-reactor,  due to the rapid expansion of the ‘Sheep Fire’ (about 85-thousand acres, 34398 hectares).

MD-87 (foreground) and DC-10 (background) tankers rolling in from their latest east Idaho mission. Photo by AAron B. Hutchins.

The Sheep Fire is just one of dozens of wild fires in Idaho right now so, once again, the little used Pocatello Airport was put to good use by water bombers from 10 Tanker Air Carrier and Erickson Aero Tanker.

Photo by AAron B. Hutchins.

Photo by AAron B. Hutchins.

Photo by AAron B. Hutchins.

A little bird water bomber heads out. Photo by AAron B. Hutchins.

Photo by AAron B. Hutchins.

A new U.S. Forest Service King Air 250 FAC (Forward Air Controller) taking off. Photo by AAron B. Hutchins.

King Air ‘FAC’: Forest Service buys its first lead plane in almost 40 years

The King Air passes by the incoming DC-10. Photo by AAron B. Hutchins.

A familiar sight ever since the big fires of 2012. Photo by AAron B. Hutchins.

Home for the night. Photo by AAron B. Hutchins.

WILD FIRES 2019: DC-10, IDAHO’S 911

U.S.

What happens to your pets after Paradise is destroyed by the Fires of Hell?

Video

29NOV2018 (02:34 UTC-07 Tango 06) 08 Azar 1397/20 Rabi ‘al-Awwal 1440/22 Gui-Hai 4716

A volunteer with the North Valley Animal Rescue Group, cuddles a dog being housed in a temporary shelter at the municipal airport in Chico, California. California Army National Guard photo by Specialist Amy Carle, 18NOV2018.

“As awful as this situation is, it has boosted my confidence in humanity.”-Michelle Moore, Chico State student from Texas working 12 hour shifts to save the animals

One of nearly 1800 displaced animals being cared for in shelters managed by the North Valley Animal Rescue Group. California Army National Guard photo by Specialist Amy Carle, 18NOV2018.

The recent Camp Fire in the not-so-golden (for many reasons) U.S. state of California wiped out the town of Paradise.  Not only are thousands of people now homeless, so are an estimated 1-thousand-8-hundred pets.

Video of California National Guard UH-60M Black Hawk attempting to block Camp Fire from spreading:

Many of the now homeless cats and dogs are being housed at the Chico Municipal Airport.  Volunteers, with groups like North Valley Animal Disaster Group, are struggling to help.  Even the California National Guard is helping: “We’re unloading people’s donations and giving people donations that have been received. We give people the right directions if their animal is lost, or if their animal is here and they want to visit them. It’s good to show your support and help them the best way you can. It gives me pride and joy…to help them with whatever they need.”-Specialist Mark Maynard, California Army National Guard

California Army National Guard photo by Specialist Amy Carle, 18NOV2018.

Pallets full of pet food, piles of dog beds, and boxes of leashes and toys have arrived at the airport, and there’s a steady stream of people driving up to donate what they can.

California Army National Guard photo by Specialist Amy Carle, 18NOV2018.

Because of the fires the Chico Municipal Airport is not open to normal air traffic, so it was picked to be a temporary animal shelter.  Many of the unpaid volunteers work 12 hours at a time. National Guard Military Police patrol the airport at night so the volunteers can take a break.

California Army National Guard photo by Specialist Amy Carle, 28NOV2018.

The lost pets are brought in by fire fighters, utility workers, or the pets are there because their owners are also now homeless.   But there are reunions between lost pets and owners as well.  Other organizations working to save the pets of Paradise are Butte County Animal Control, International Fund for Animal Welfare, and the California Veterinary Medical Reserve Corp: “This effort is just so huge. It’s a rare and extraordinary thing. It takes all of us to get things done.”-Norm Rosene, North Valley Animal Disaster Group

California Army National Guard photo by Specialist Amy Carle, 28NOV2018.

The California Army National Guard, along with the USDA Veterinary Services, also assisted livestock owners.

 

 FREE SHOTS FOR PUERTO RICO PETS!

HARVEY: WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR PETS?

LOUISIANA MILITIA RESCUES FLOOD VICTIMS & THEIR PETS!

U.S. COAST GUARD: WHAT HAPPENS TO COWS ABANDONED IN FLOODED TOWNS?

HAWAIIAN COWS BOMBED BY FUKUSHIMA RADIATION! 

FUKUSHIMA TO EUTHANIZE ABANDONED LIVESTOCK AND PETS!

FOOD CRISIS: HALF MILLION LIVESTOCK STARVING TO DEATH IN JAPAN!

JAPANESE BREAK INTO 20KM EVACUATION ZONE TO BRING YOU VIDEO OF LIVESTOCK & PETS LEFT TO FEND FOR THEMSELVES!

U.S.

California fires make at least 1-million tons of waste!

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14FEB2018 (02:43 UTC-07 Tango 06)  25 Bahman 1396/28 Jumada l-Ula 1439/29 Ren-Yin 4715

Mother Earth has yet again rendered human efforts to stop climate change impotent.  Not only did the October 2017 Northern California wildfires pump massive particulate matter into the atmosphere, but at least 1-million tons of waste was created on the ground!

Fire clean-up in Santa Rosa, California, 02FEB2018

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the California Office of Emergency Services report that so far more than 1-million tons of debris has been removed from Sonoma County.

Sonoma County is known for its wine.  1-million tons is equal to four million barrels of wine, or 200-thousand acres (about 81-thousand hectares) of vines.

But 1-million tons is just the beginning, the October 2017 wildfires affected Napa, Lake and Mendocino counties.  And don’t forget all the other California fires in 2017.

You silly humans, spending your precious tax dollars trying to stop climate change!  Evolution says ‘adapt or go extinct’!

PACIFIC RING OF FIRE ACTIVITY STRIKES IDAHO? VOLCANOES JUST DESTROYED ALL HUMAN ATTEMPTS TO STOP CLIMATE CHANGE! GET READY FOR CASCADIA!