FOREST FIRES

[Torch]

Town of Jasper is half gone. Buildings in Jasper in ashes after 'monster' wildfire rips through mountain community | CBC News

Sad, beautiful area

 

[Erich]

quite a few strikes and fires in Oregon as well ~

 

[fubar57]

Fire crews are getting a handle on the fires with the help of a lot of rain lately. Fire "A" has been burning since 2023, mostly below ground level, currently 280,461 Hectares in size . Fire "2" is the only fire of note, meaning structures and live are in danger, evacuations and notices in effect. Of the 77 still burning, 6(red) are out of control, 20(yellow) being held and 51(green) under control

 

[fubar57]

Only two out of control fires now however, five were started yesterday....by humans. The one fire of note on Vancouver Island is now listed as being held

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Good to know most of your fires are now under control, it's a sad fact of life getting these summer fires that are more frequent, these fires are always something in the back of our minds when late spring and summer are with us. I also get very annoyed when it is known the fires have been started by humans and if they ever get found out, I hope they get the maximum penalties.

 

[fubar57]

A few people have been fined a lot of money, Vic but hard to prove. One was a retired fireman. Now I hope this doesn't sound ignorant but I do know how several get started. Back in '85, I worked with Forestry for a few months. One day I walked into the Fire Boss's office and saw a map on the wall which was our region of coverage. All over the map were red dots, about the size of a pencil eraser. I asked what the were and he said fires started by lightning. In two areas on the map the dots were the size of softballs and they were centred around two indian reserves. I asked about these and he said we call those red lightning. I just nodded and walked away. A week later I was called to be a crew boss on a fire up the lake and the Fire boss took me aside and said, "If this fire goes out too quickly, it will flare up again so keep your eyes open." The Fire boss told me that this is how they make their money in the summer " 20 days later, the fire was out and I was flying home with a young native guy from one of the reserves. A call came over the radio that a fire had broke out 5kms west of the Ingenika reserve and the young guy said, "Oh that's by Billy's house" Several of those dots on the map above are by reserves

 

[MiTasol]

The same applied in Ft Smith in the late 60's early 70's.

Our pilots would fly a load of forestry people and (mainly) food to a new fire and on landing find lots of people all kitted out ready to fight the fire. What ****ed me off was that a lot of the food and drink went in the river or lake because they were very picky about what they ate and drank

 

[fubar57]

I was lucky. The two fires I fought had logging camps beside them and the food was excellent. The first one was my camp. We contracted out to BCFP and their forestry guys came in on a helo and started dropping napalm on a slash; common practice back then. Start dropping in the centre and then drop in a concentric circle, inside to out. Doing it this way creates a draft from the edge to the centre containing the fire.....unless a 40mph wind all of a sudden comes out of nowhere and blows the fire into standing timber. The fire was so hot that the sap in the trees was boiling causing the trees to explode. One plus was we had the Martin Mars come in for a few drops, very cool

 

[MiTasol]

There was nothing wrong with the food - "we had that yesterday" was a common comment when food was thrown. Gateway were operating Beavers, Otters and Twotters for both freight and water bombing at Ft Smith. I had the doubtful pleasure of having to maintain the prototype Whipline Twotter firebombing floats. Ended up modifying them so the doors were not torn off.

 

[special ed]

A somewhat similar food complaint from the hurricane Katrina refugees ( 25 years ago this week) when given MREs "This is crap! Where's the food?"
These are the same people who would have only left the porch if a limo showed up and gave the $50 to get in.
I saw the complaints on TV, but the entitled attitude evaluation is mine.

 

[MiTasol]

The most annoying thing from my personal view was that the food in Ft Smith was very expensive. Canned goods and some other long lifed foods came by cat train in winter so were only double Edmonton prices but all the meat and veges were flown in from Edmonton so cost typically 5 times the Edmonton price. I saw boxes of beautiful large pork and beef steaks that I considered a luxury being dumped and was greatly unimpressed.

 

[fubar57]

As per my Post #306, seven new fires broke out yesterday, four were beside first nations reserves. Can't prove anything but makes one think, weather throughout B.C. was clear and sunny

 

[fubar57]

For the first time in two years, no fires will be burning through the winter. The last two Out of Control fires in the Northeast were put out yesterday.

 

[Sisu]

That is remarkable news, given how the last few years have been. We're still getting smoke, though -- a lot of fires stll going over toward Vancouver and down into Washington. that are still generating a lot of smoke, even if they are "under control"

 

[Greg Boeser]

For the first time in two years, no fires will be burning through the winter. The last two Out of Control fires in the Northeast were put out yesterday.

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Thank you from those of us downwind.

 

[fubar57]

Thank you from those of us downwind.

Unfortunately, today, if you get any smoke its coming from Southwest of you

Smoke Forecast - FireSmoke.ca