Fire Camp Pt. 4

Hello all, welcome to another addition to my Fire Camp saga! Sit back and enjoy!

The second event for the day was to learn how to run water pumps and lay hose line. I didn’t feel too out of place here since we run pumps at the tanker base and I’ve helped lay 3-inch hose line.

Here our crews were divided in half to complete the exercises. The half I was in were learning about hose while the other half was learning about pumps. We were given the chance to look over a type 6 engine as we were being taught about engine capabilities and safety. Once the instructor was done telling us about the engines he told us he wanted 1000 feet of 1 ½ inch hose laid with perpendicular 1” hose every 200 feet for coverage. Then he gestured to a stack of hose and attachments and told us to get to work.

The hoses were in 100 foot lengths, so we gathered what we could of the 1 ½ inch and began laying them out. Every 200 feet connecting them with a Y to allow for the perpendicular hose. It wasn’t until almost the end that we realized we were 100 feet short of our goal. Our option was to try and use the smaller hose to make the length, but lose the coverage inward. We didn’t think to ask the engine operator if he had any hose that we could borrow to make the length. We assumed that all the equipment was stacked in one spot. Upon realizing this other option, it was called that the line could be rolled back in.

We began to tear down our hose line, while learning how to roll the hose and wrap it “Butterfly.” I understood how to roll the hose, you needed to put the threaded end of the hose to the inside and roll it onto itself like a fruit roll up. The threads to the inside was to protect the threads from being damaged during transport and storage. The butterfly roll was new to me however. Basically, it was using your arms as a holder for the hose and looping the hose around them in a giant figure eight. Kind of a fun process to be honest.

It was then our turn to learn how to use the Mark III pump. Once the instructor was done going over how to set up and start the pump, our crew had to carry it to the nearby creek and get it set up. We had to attach the end of the hose to a shovel to put it in the water and get water. The team set up the pump quickly, I grabbed the hose needed to connect the pump to the engine only to realize that the two ends I had were both male. I needed an adapter to make this work. Luckily, there was one in the pump truck. I got that hose connected and we had successfully set up the pump to the engine.

The last thing we did at this event was to set up sprinklers to save a residence after joining back up with the other half of the crew. We walked around the building making observations about where we would need to focus the water or would have to potentially remove hazards. We also discussed how to handle a situation where the homeowner didn’t want us to help save his home.

With a plan formulated we set up the sprinklers with the best coverage we could manage, then hooked them to the pump waiting for another successful event. One hose wasn’t connected right and came undone from the adapter once we put water through it, but otherwise we saved the home.

The day was close to coming to an end, we only had one event left before the long hike back to camp and dinner.

Only two more posts in this story! I hope you decide to stick with me!

-Katie

PA Crew Updates

UPDATE:

PAS#3 and PAS#4:

After spending a week of hard work on the Corral Creek Fire in Idaho, have been reassigned to the Meyers Fire near Philipsburg, MT. Pennsylvania already has several single resources working with the Incident Management Team on this fire. 

PAS#1 and PAS#2:

Returned to Harrisburg on Sunday afternoon following their two-week assignment.

Engines E601 and E604:

Extreme drought conditions and gusty winds continue to plague eastern Montana. These engines, as part of a seven-engine strike team, were some of the first resources on the Buffalo Fire, which has grown to over 3,000 acres in two days. One other single resource is currently assigned to the Buffalo Fire.

Engines 601 and 604

UPDATE:

Good day all!

Engines 601 and 604 departed from PA Forest District 07 this morning around 1045. They are on their way to Miles City, Montana on a severity assignment

We will continue to keep you all updated on the engines and fire crews as soon as we can!

Fire Camp Pt. 3

Hello again all! Time for another installment in my fire camp posts. I will have 3 more after this one, and I hope you will continue to stick with me for it!

I waited for the rest of my crew at our first exercise point, we were going to be heading into the events with digging fire line. I was a little relieved at that, getting this out of the way before the heat of the day really cranked up seemed like a grand idea to me.

We were divided into 4 squads and had Squad Bosses who were in their own training like us. There were either 2 or 3 students under each Squad Boss, and we reported to those respective leaders. They would then report to our Crew Boss.

Our goal was to dig a 3-foot-wide fire line with a foot in the middle down to mineral soil. We had a selection of tools to accomplish this: Pulaskis, combi-tools and shovels. There would be more types of tools depending on the terrain and fuel type if the crew was on an assignment.

After the crew’s briefing and hiking to the simulated fire area, we all began to dig line. Using something called the one lick method; we’d all take one stroke or so with our tools and move on, all while keeping 10 feet of distance between ourselves. I had been on a prescribed fire recently and it was still in my head to be looking for spot fires, so even hearing the reminders from the instructors I was actively looking around me. I spotted smoke (yes, real smoke) and announced it to the crew.

My squad boss took control of the situation and the other two squad members plus myself followed him. We worked our way through the brush to where the smoke was, spotting two more spot fires on the way in. We quickly dug a line around the respective spots and upon being told by the squad boss, we made our way back to the line to continue digging.

We broke for a while to learn some new things – like how to grid for spot fires and how to use a belt weather kit to determine how close the area was to an ignition point. We all took the extra time to hydrate while we learned, since hydration is another key element for your health on assignment.

Having finished our line digging it was time to grid for spot fires. This is a slow and careful process so that no fires are missed. We all formed a line on the green side of the fire line, and keeping approximately 4 feet between us began our search; our goal was to grid one way and then come back again in the opposite direction. Then someone near my right yelled, “SNAKE!” Shortly it was followed by, “Oh hell, another snake!!” One of the other squad members had almost stepped on one rattlesnake, and when they stepped backwards almost stepped on another one. My first instinct was to run very far and very fast, but I held still.

We finished gridding the first direction, having found a few of the spot fires that were laid out for us. But, having seen the snakes and some time constraints, we ended the gridding. On our way out of the exercise we were to rehabilitate the line. To do this we had to pull all the dirt and leaf litter we removed from the line back onto the line and make it look like nothing had ever happened there.

Leaving the exercise area, I was feeling good about the day. We settled in for our bagged lunch – another high calorie deal – and waited until it was time for our next exercise.

As always, I hope you all stick with me through this! Only a few more to go!

-Katie

Fuels and Fire Behavior Advisory

Great Basin Coordination Center 

Fuels and Fire Behavior Advisory

Updated July 14, 2017

The Great Basin Coordination Center has released a fuels and fire behavior advisory for Central and Northern Nevada, Northern and Western Utah, and

Southern Idaho.

Extraordinary fine fuel loading and very low fuel moisture is contributing to extreme fire behavior and high resistance to control across Central and Northern Nevada, Northern and Western Utah and Southern Idaho.

Fine fuel loadings are 200-300% above average across much of the advisory area. Very hot and dry conditions over the last few weeks have caused live
and dead fuel moisture to rapidly decrease to critical levels. Lightning will increase across Nevada, Utah and Idaho through early next week with the continued pulses of monsoon moisture around the periphery of high pressure bringing drier lightning to these areas. The likelihood of new fire starts
showing rapid growth and extreme fire behavior is high.

Concerns to Firefighters and the Public:

• Anticipate rapid rates-of-spread, even in the absence of slope and wind. 
• Anticipate flashy fine fuels and pinyon-juniper to ignite easily and exhibit advanced rates of spread, elongated flaming fronts and increasing fire brands; expect more long range spotting.
• Anticipate dust devils and fire whirls to develop in hot, dry and unstable conditions, especially in fine flashy fuels, that may jeopardize control lines and contribute to erratic fire behavior.
• Anticipate large areas to be consumed in a short time periods, even in low slope and low wind conditions.
• Expect longer burn periods at mid to higher elevations.
• Fine fuel loadings are dense and continuous and will support extreme rates of spread regardless of fuel heights.
• Thunderstorms may produce strong outflow winds that may rapidly increase fire behavior and change spread direction.
• Fire behavior will burn the fine flashy fuels leaving some shrub components or perennials until the live fuel moisture values drop below critical levels. Watch out for re-burn situations even in grass fuels!

Find the Advisory Here 

**There are 2 other advisories outlined on the map, you will find updates from: Big Horn Basin and Eastern Washington and Eastern Oregon Rangelands

PAS #3 and #4

UPDATE:

PA Fire Crews 3 and 4 left Harrisburg Monday morning around 1000. The crews assembled at the mobilization center Sunday at 1700.

They arrived in Missoula, Montana, Monday around 1600. They are being assigned to the Corral Creek Fire in Idaho.

Crews may be assigned to initial attack of new fires, or suppression and rehabilitation of the lands affected by current large fires in the area.

For more information about the incident click here.

Fire Camp Pt. 2

Good morning all! Katie again with another segment of my fire camp experience. I hope you enjoy and continue to follow along!

Check-in was at noon, and no, I couldn’t check in early. So, I sat outside the check-in like a newbie and watched as more people came in for camp. I cheered up a little as I saw another female come up to the line. Eventually I checked my phone – forgot a watch, must remember that for any time I may go out on a team – and it was time to check in. Nervous, I stepped up and gave the check-in my name, he told me where and who to report to (there were a total of 3 crews). I scooted out as quick as I could and found our muster area. Keeping in mind that this training was meant to be as real as possible without putting us in danger.

I met my Crew Boss and upon learning my name he confirmed that I was on modified training. I nodded and held my breath waiting for the possibility that I’d be treated differently. He dropped the topic after informing me that I would have a ride on the long hike due to my physical limitations. I let my breath out in a sigh of relief, so far so good, I didn’t seem to be the black sheep…yet. Next big thing was to weigh our packs.

The whole reasoning behind that was to see where we were for weight. As far as I knew, none of us had left the state on a fire assignment, so packing for the trip may not have been second nature. 

We had leeway of 55 pounds for our gear and our personal bag. However, we were supposed to pack as though we were on a 14-day assignment, not a three-day weekend. Most of us were under the limit, others dangerously close and some were over.

Not only is hiking 55+ pounds a pain, there is also the flight to consider. Most of the time the teams are flown on charter which has a very strict weight limit. The weight is totaled from the crew themselves and their gear, so if the plane is over, some weight needs to go – and it’s not coming off your body. If you’re like me then sometimes you like to buy souvenirs…you’ll want to leave space in your pack for that possibility as well.

We all did one of those “stand up and introduce yourself” ice breakers. Beneficial because in a real situation you’re going to be with these people for a minimum of 14 days. You need to get to know them to work with them better and essentially be in sync with them. It will make the whole assignment go smoother. Even in the short time I was with this crew, we all quickly picked up on a way to work to strengths and weaknesses.

The first night we were to camp in a wooded area close to facilities to simulate staying at a main fire camp. So, before classes that day we all hiked our gear to where we were going to camp. We all found places to put our tents and then stowed our personal gear away before heading out to class. We had plenty of information thrown at us in a short span of time, but the good news was the next day we would put it all into play in a field exercise.

When we took a break for dinner we were surprised to see the amount of food provided to us by the food hall. 

Why so much food? Because during a real assignment you’ll be working so hard that your body will utilize more calories than you normally intake in a day. So, you’re loaded up with calories from food while on assignment as well as making sure you stay hydrated. Full, and probably more tired than we needed to be, we resumed the classes for the night.

The night ended late, around 2230, so most of us were just ready for bed knowing we had a long day ahead of us the next morning. We had the choice to shower and linger around, it was our free time. I had to get some things I had forgotten with my co-worker, I needed to decide just how important those things were compared to sleep for the next day. Realizing that I would need those items, I trudged off into the dark with my headlamp – also memo to self, a regular flashlight would be a plus. Finally crawling into my sleeping bag, it seemed like a snap of the fingers that I was waking up again at 0600.

The goal was to either: A.) Use the hour before breakfast to start tearing down camp or B.) Take your time getting ready. Option A lent you time after breakfast to “relax” and prepare for the day; option B gave you extra hygiene time, but put you in a rush before hiking out after breakfast. I chose option A, much like most of my crew.

Unlike the previous day, we didn’t make camp before heading out. This time we staged our personal gear inside a tent to wait until we were done for the day. We mustered for a briefing by the dinner hall before the long hike.

It hit me again… I’m different.

I get pulled off to the side in front of my crew with one other female who was doing the modified portion as well. We were getting a ride to the exercise locations instead of taking the long hike. The whole ride there I felt awkward because I wasn’t putting in quite as much effort as the others. But I had to remind myself that I wouldn’t be of any use to them if I destroyed the mobility I did have on a hike.

Tune in again for another installment in this series!

-Katie

PAS#1 and PAS#2 UPDATE

PAS#1 and PAS#2 left Harrisburg International Airport on Sunday morning as planned. They were accompanied by MDS#1, DES#1, and NHS#1. Upon landing in Broomfield, both crews were immediately assigned to the Keystone Fire on the Medicine Bow National Forest in Wyoming. The fire is currently over 2,000 ac. More information on the Keystone Fire is available on Inciweb. You can also follow the Keystone Fire on Twitter.

Crews boarding the NICC jet Sunday morning

We just received word that morale is high, and both crews are doing good work on the same division. They're prepping for a large masticator operation. For those unfamiliar with the term, a masticator is a type of heavy equipment used to remove large amounts of vegetation. Take a look.

PAS#2 sawyer

PAS#1 sawyer felling a tree

PAS#2 crewmembers clearing brush

PAS#1

Stay tuned for more photos and updates from the crews!

PA Fire Crews #1 and #2

UPDATE:

We have been requested to provide two 20-person fire crews to Colorado.  Tentative plan is for the crews to depart Harrisburg, PA Sunday morning.  Crews will be assembling on Saturday evening at 5 PM. Three additional crews from Delaware, Maryland and New Hampshire will be travelling with the PA crews.  There is no specific fire assignment for the crews at this time, although there are several large fires in the area.

Crews may be assigned to initial attack of new fires, or suppression and rehabilitation of the lands affected by current large fires in the area.

For more information about the incident click here.

Fire Camp

Good morning all! I recently attended Fire Camp and thought it would be the perfect opportunity to share the events with you on this fresh new blog! I'm going to break this down into a few separate posts due to length; but I look forward to you sticking with me through it all!

For some reason, I had zoned out while listening to the music pour out of the truck speakers, my co-worker singing along. I was all packed, I was ready for this…I had graduated Marine Corps boot camp, this weekend shouldn’t be a big deal to me. After all it’s only fire camp.

Fire Camp.

For someone like me, the idea of it was intimidating and exciting all rolled into one. I was going to a part of the state I had never been in, only to be separated from my co-worker and thrown into a group of people I had never met before. Learning to do something that, quite frankly, scared me to death – fight wild fires. I had to learn how to work effectively and quickly with these new people in a period of less than 24 hours to make this weekend work like it needed to.

But…

I felt like I’d be shunned out because I was “different.” You see, I am not like the rest of them. I wasn’t attending fire camp to be able to go out west and dig line for fires, to eventually work my way up the firefighter ranks – I was attending so I could have the experience and know what they go through because I want to achieve a role as support for the crews. I couldn’t pass the arduous pack test needed to take the full camp, I was there under modified conditions. What would the crew think of me? Would they cast me out because I wasn’t necessary, I wasn’t one of them?

I was worried.

I came out of my zone, hearing my co-worker telling me about snapping turtles in the pond, and that we were near camp. It was 11, and I had just over 24 hours before my portion of camp started. All I could do was be like Peter Pan’s shadow and follow my co-worker around, since I really didn’t know too many other people there…at least ones who didn’t work directly in the division. The people I did know would be part of the “over watch” so to speak. I spent my off hours visiting with the people I knew and then went to bed for the night. Waking up at a decent time, I spent the morning preparing for my part of camp.

Stay tuned! I'm looking forward to making the next post and hope you will be there!
-Katie