Wildfires

[rramblings]

While not directly weather related, wildfires are, as you know, influenced by weather. Some wildfires are started by lightning, but more are started by humans. I thought that perhaps some of you might be interested in some video footage that I saw for the first time this morning, I share it below. This is footage of the Carr Fire that burned near Redding California. It started on July 23, 2018. It burned 229,651 acres and was 100 percent contained on about August 31st. At least seven people died. Destroyed structures: 1,079 residences, 22 commercial structures, 503 outbuildings. Damaged stuictures: 190 residences, 26 commercial structures, and 61 outbuildings damaged] The footage is a little hard to look at, but I think it is nicely done and important. This might be the new normal for California and other areas out west. I have been blogging about wildfires for ten years now, I never get used to the tragedy that results from wildfires. 

The New Jersey Forest Fire Service (NJFFS) sent four type-4 engines to help out west. Two of these type-4 engines worked the Carr Fire. In addition the NJFFS sent a 20-person crew out west for a two week deployment and a couple of individuals, the 20-person crew and the two inviduals are back home. The NJFFS type-4 engines are still out west as I write this with new crew. I am very proud of them. Pennsylvania sent some crews out west at some point.

The Mendicino Complex (Mendicino National Forest) has burned 459,123 acres and is the largest wildfire in California history, it reached this ominous milestone on August 7th (see this NBC report for more information). I have a friend who flies an airtanker for CAL FIRE to support the crews on the ground, he flew the Mendicino Complex. CAL FIRE airtankers and helicopters who flew the  Mendicino Complex and the Carr Fire were assisted by other aircraft some on contracts with California, and others on federal contracts.

I am pretty certain that the NWS deployed incident meteorologists (IMETs) to these fires. I share more about IMETS in another post.

😢😢😢

Tyler

 

[rramblings]

Some of you may know about NWS incident meteorologists, here is a nice article from the NWS about a day in the life of an incident meteorologist. These NWS meteorologists have special training and are deployed to wildfires for a two week stint. They work other incidents as well. For those who are interested in more, here is my blog article on IMETs that I wrote on August 29th. IMETs save lives.