*** The Official Wildland FIRE Thread ***

Iceman

Phil Edwards status
Apr 1, 2002
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Yep! Got extended to 21 days, so unless we get reassigned to another fire, I'll be coming off the line Monday morning.
Just got in to our hotel room for our 24 off. We had to drive all the way to Medford for a room, but worth it, because the sleep trailers are good in s pinch, but not for a 21 day assignment.
I saw your engine this morning. I think we are on the same rotation. I'll come say hi when I see your strike team.
I'm on an OES type 6 strike team. We have:
Long Beach
Arcadia
Compton
Sierra Madre
Torrance
I'm on the Sierra Madre engine. If you see me first, say hi.
False alarm. They are sending our strike team back home, probably on Tuesday, so no crew swap.
 

Icu812

Nep status
Jun 23, 2013
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I just posted about our backpacking trip in the Sierras and as we were driving down the hill after the hike I turned on my phone and holy sh!t, I start getting a whole string of texts about a structure fire in our community that happened while I was out there. My crew killed it! We kept it out of the wildland and I'm just so proud of my guys. There's no substitute for training and we do a lot of that.

296259576_1100308764222997_4354039943676831804_n.jpg
 

Firebird

Gerry Lopez status
Jun 5, 2010
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False alarm. They are sending our strike team back home, probably on Tuesday, so no crew swap.
Damn.
Would have been an awesome erBB meet up.
One of these days, I’ll see you on the big one.
doing a 24 on the line and have 1 bar to surf the internet while we take a little break.
 

Firebird

Gerry Lopez status
Jun 5, 2010
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I just posted about our backpacking trip in the Sierras and as we were driving down the hill after the hike I turned on my phone and holy sh!t, I start getting a whole string of texts about a structure fire in our community that happened while I was out there. My crew killed it! We kept it out of the wildland and I'm just so proud of my guys. There's no substitute for training and we do a lot of that.

View attachment 135418
Nice work.
Looks like your boys were dressed expecting it to go into the wild land.
Hoping to go the fire in Willow Creek next.
Either way, I’ll be up your way next week to get my daughter settled in at Cal Poly Humboldt.
Hope to surf and fish Trinidad and the jetty.
 
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TangTonic

Nep status
Feb 24, 2011
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Big respect to Iceman and Firebird! Love your stories guys and you're doing some serious work and putting your lives on the line.

I've never seen these beautiful trees and forests but I hope to one day soon with my son.

Stay safe and thank you for your service.
 
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Iceman

Phil Edwards status
Apr 1, 2002
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Ended up having a little fire in our local district yesterday afternoon. Probably way more fire than we would have seen up north! 1.5 acres and 5 hours of work. My scratch-line muscles are sore :LOL:
 

Firebird

Gerry Lopez status
Jun 5, 2010
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Ended up having a little fire in our local district yesterday afternoon. Probably way more fire than we would have seen up north! 1.5 acres and 5 hours of work. My scratch-line muscles are sore :LOL:
Yeah, the division we've been working is a hell of a lot cooler than when we arrived.
 

PRCD

Tom Curren status
Feb 25, 2020
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I believe the approach has already changed. The recognition of the importance or prescribed burns and thinning is pretty universal. But this proposed act would exempt the decision making process from any public observation/participation -

"(e) Federal Advisory Committee Act.—The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the Coalition."

Also the environemental review can be expedited/fast tracked without being completely eliminated as the Act would do. I would guess a lot of the science has already been done. I can't believe no one has studied the methods and effects of forest thinning and controlled burns.


I'm not not saying I'm against the Act- the additional funding would be very welcome, expediting the reveiw process would be great- but the lack of transparency requested to me raises some red flags.
It's been 5 years since the Tubbs fire and this is as far as we've gotten. 5 years ago, the same environmental groups were putting out marketing material saying "LOGGING IS DEFINITELY NOT PART OF THE SOLUTION BECAUSE <REASONS>." Notice that these environmental groups have offered nothing in the way of solutions. How many more large redwoods should burn because of their obstructionism because at this point letting the fires rip will result in larger, hotter ones than were the historic norm?
 

Firebird

Gerry Lopez status
Jun 5, 2010
1,130
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Got an early wake up this morning (2am) and headed for the Six Rivers Lightning Complex Fire. Probably be there a couple weeks.
You lucky SOB.
My oldest is at school at Cal Poly Humboldt and camp is only about 30 mins away from campus.
I was hoping to get reassigned there and visit with her on the 24 off.
It’s beautiful country up there. Enjoy and be safe.
 
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Firebird

Gerry Lopez status
Jun 5, 2010
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Yep. Believe it or not, it’s actually a legitimate academic institution.
Very science based. Majors like, fisheries, wildlife management, forestry, agriculture, etc.
I went there 30 something years ago and finished with evolutionary biology.
 
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crustBrother

Kelly Slater status
Apr 23, 2001
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Yep. Believe it or not, it’s actually a legitimate academic institution.
Very science based. Majors like, fisheries, wildlife management, forestry, agriculture, etc.
I went there 30 something years ago and finished with evolutionary biology.
I got my degree in applied math from Chico and spent a *lot* of time over in Arcata and on campus at Humboldt around the same time you were there. Great memories. Great schools. I learned *way* more from lectures at Chico than I did when I was going to UCSD and have nothing but good things to say about the quality of education at Humboldt.

But I'm still LOL at "Cal Poly" Humboldt. It just doesn't seem right to me. Glad my Wildcats are sticking with their "CSU" designation.

Go Lumberjacks!
 
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Firebird

Gerry Lopez status
Jun 5, 2010
1,130
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Man, what a ride!!!
3 weeks of fun and adrenaline with good friends. An adventure to remember!
Sorry for the people who suffered, but grateful for the opportunity to prevent further suffering by others.
This career is so gratifying, I cant imagine doing anything else. Actually, I don't know that I'm qualified to do anything else.
Left Yreka this AM and made it as far as Fresno. The state will only let us travel so many hours in a single day.
Get back to the station tomorrow and then work until Monday morning.
Iceman, give us a running report on the Six Rivers Fire. Stay safe and keep your head on a swivel.