Where's this year's fire season?

[Captain Hickman]

Done this post in another forum on another http.
Do the weather conditions, fuel loads and other factors: Where will be the hot spot for 1999's Fire Season?
Other forum indicates possible southern half of the US, from California to Florida. What you gut feelings?
Have fun...

[SWIDFCWINS]

I think that, according to predictions and seeing that fires are already burning in Florida, Texas and the southwest, it would appear that that is where the problems might be for most of this year. Bear in mind that fires come and go in cycles. Most of the west has had a slow to moderate fire season for a few years now. The northeast has been exceptionally lucky for many years experiencing some small to moderate sized sporadic drought driven fires. The exception was on Long Island, NY.
The woodlands of the northeast are choked with overgrowth, dead-down and dead-standing fuel loading.A sustained drought with winds could bring a fire siege to this area. It is long overdue if you look at fire cycles.
One can only guess when it comes to predicting where nature and her cleansing tool of fire will strike.

RMW

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[cbp3]

When trying to assess the potential for fire in the northeast, one is seriously hampered due to the major influence of short-term weather. For the last five years, the NE has been plagued by very wet springs, followed by severely dry summers. This has caused some atypical fire seasons. However, for what it is worth, NJ has been able to conduct prescribed fire operations this spring on well over 20,000 acres; more than we have been able to do for years. (Pretty good for a small, "urban" state where the RxB program is basically limited to public lands...)
We feel this may herald a return to the more traditional spring fire season. Needless to say, I'll let you know for sure in June!
Meanwhile, I'll be keeping my camera handy.

[natemarshall]

How about Colorado. More specifically Jefferson County. In teh last month we have had a 300 acre fire and several other fires including a 40 acre fire that endangered about 12 structures. I think were the hotspot
this year.

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Shadow

[SWIDFCWINS]

Not so fast! This year's fire season has just begun. The south and southwest are already burning in spots and predictions are for an extremly active fire season. The potential for "the big one(s)" along the Red Zone and the Front Range of Colorado is present during fire season. Let's wait and see what happens.

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[Captain Hickman]

Way to go....Just to keep things interesting .."Let's Go For The Cup"...errrr..."Glass"..
"I'll tell ya what I'm going to do!"...(a statement we all love to hear).. I'll, with the help of SWIDFCWINS (if he is willing to help), keep track of all the predictions made until the end of September '99, and I will give the person closest to the actiual area, based on NATIONAL NEWS REPORTS or with the INCIDENT MANAGEMENT SITUATION REPORT, from
National Interagency Coordination Center, from Boise....A PRIZE....

Examples: Of HOT SPOTS 1988 YELLOWSTONE.
1990 Idaho
1992 Idaho again in McCall Area
1996 Southern California, and Colorado
and 1998 Florida..

PRIZE....Nothing Special... just Yer very own O'fish'L...Hilbille Shot Glass..
I'll tell you now, it's different than any 'shot glass' you ever had...

And if you are the Lucky Winner, your name will also be given to the proper authorities for investigation into any unsolved arson fires in your area..just to keep someone from trying to get a head start on everyone else. Fair enough?

[This message has been edited by Captain Hickman (edited March 17, 1999).]

[Ray R]

The high plains(SD,ND,MT,WY& NE) may be active this year. We have had a dry winter and so far not much for snow cover. Last week we had up to 18 inches of snow. Tuesday all area deparments were fighting wildland fires. We had three at once in our district with two being interface fires of aprox 1 acre and 15 acres. Our neighbors to the south in Nebraska had a 60,000 acre prarie fire. This may be another year for using all available resources in the areas mentioned by the other respondents. We may see what affect the budget cuts have had on overhead teams that used to be available for almost any major incident.

[Paul33]

From Australia here ,we were due to have our biggest fire season here in years this season,hardly any rain in winter ,we started off with a large fire in october (our summer is from December-March) elnino effect due to bring high winds and we had nothing every year we get at least a couple of big fires but not this year,the only large fire we had was in bushland with no threat to property or life was in Januaray about 70,000 acres,we usually have at least 8 big fires but nothing this year

[FF SAM]

You can never count out the state of California. History has shown that California is traditionally a hot spot with the influx of homes into the Urban Interface. Check out the website of the CA Dept of Forestry and Fire Protection at http://www.fire.ca.gov/

[steese19]

And don't forget Alaska

The Interior had very little snowfall and its looking like an early spring.

I expect our people caused season to start here in Fairbanks within 3 weeks.

The lightning season is always wide open.

[Captain Hickman]

Heck of a deal..Been a month since I posted a question and only have 7 replys. Must not be very many fire fighters out there wanting to make a prediction on this years season...Or are you waiting for it to really get hot?

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[P Bishop]

Hey Capt. not much in to predicting fires, but our rural district in Southern Idaho has been busy already this year. We have not had much of a summer fire season the last couple years so this might be it. There is lots of stuff left over from the last two years. We have a lot of sagebrush and wildland ground in our district. So maybe this will be the year.

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P. Bishop

[E7engineer]

Don't know about other areas if the country, but here in Florida, We are under a state of Emergency for brush fires. With in the seven days, there has been numerious fires on the East coast, There were ( last word ) 25 homes burn'd. 66,000 acres. I live in the central area of Florida, The brush fire that happened 2 days ago, they closed the Sun-n-Fun Fly-in. I was involved in fighting the fires in northern and eastern florida, last
year...spent 10 days in the field..My guess is that Florida will be the hot spot this year. There is still a lot of area, that could go....no offence to anybody...

[clr]

The fire season in southeast Mass. has just started. We are overdue. Last major fire was in 1964. Much white pine, pitch pine in our area. Similar to Jersey pine barens and Long Island. Two weeks of dry weather, wind out of SW and temps in 70's and 80's will create severe conditions until leaves come out. Even then the danger exists in the forested areas. Much housing development in last 30 years will compound the problem

[SWIDFCWINS]

Charlie:
Since we both live in this region and knowing the past fire history of it, I can agree with you. This region of Massachusetts is long past overdue for the "Big One." The area's Fire Departments are very good at controlling SWI fires through the use of early detection (via the states DEM fire tower observers), brush breaker operations and learned tactics/strategies. A great mutual aid system and rapid response completes the fire protection system that usually contains most of the wildland and SWI fires in SE Mass.before they get completely out of control and burn up structures. We are fortunate to have this system in place. At the present time (4/22/99) we are very dry.This year's fire season will be active all over the country. It already is and it has just begun.

SWIDFCWINS

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[bechereg]

Lets not forget Virginia. Here in Northern VA we have had brush fires ranging from 100 to over 1500 acres. My unit mutual aids with a tanker and firefighters and my folks are getting there fill of pract.ap. on this subject.

Stay safe
Ed

[cbp3]

Just an update; on Fri., Apr 30, we experienced a fire across Wharton and Bass River State Forests that consumed 11,285 ac.
The fire was reported at approx. 1315 by three fire towers in central NJ, and was declared contained by 0730 the folowing morning. This is the second largest fire we have experienced since 1977, surpassed only by the 20,000 acre Greenwood fire of Apr. 1995. We were fortunate to have experienced no injuries and no loss of improved property.
Interestingly, this fire burned over the area where we lost four firefighters in 1977.
We expect our fire season to continue through at least mid-May.

[SWIDFCWINS]

Well girls and boys it is now raining in the northeast and we are all getting a needed soaking. During the last month we have had some significant wildland and SWI fires. One of those fires took the life of a deputy fire chief in the small western Mass. town of Russell on April 8th. It has been a busy spring fire season. The really "Big One" never did happen in southeastern Mass. as was everyone's prediction around here. If we are truly in a weather pattern of drought in the northeast, this summer and fall could become very busy. It could dry out and we could become very busy once again this year.

Be very safe out there. It can get dangerous very quickly.

RMW

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[This message has been edited by SWIDFCWINS (edited May 04, 1999).]

[Captain Hickman]

But, it's only May, what's going to happen during the rest of the Summer? Could it dry out again?

[John Prentice]

You can't pass over Ontario and Manitoba. We have large forest fires burning in both provinces. The area is tinder dry. Numerous communities have been evacuated already and a ban has been placed on open fires for most of Ontario.things are bad from Windsor all the way to Kenora. That is about 2000 kilomteres or 1250 miles. The southern areas are greening up a bit but the ground water is 12 feet low, and the moisture isn't getting to the root system for the tree's. This is the dryest we have been scince they started keeping records. We just may have you all beat this year. But I hope not.
Be safe
John in Ontario ( Canada )

[Pape]

1999 The southeast guaranteed action esp. Florida again.

[This message has been edited by Pape (edited May 19, 1999).]

[721]

The mountains of western North Carolina has a real busy spring, but it appears to be over, at least for the moment. Several large 200+ acre urban interface fires, where there were 100+ homes in the fire zone.

I don't believe any structures were lost, but a few barns, campers, and vechiles were lost, at least on the fires I was involved in. I do thing that several homes were lost in the northern mountains of NC.

But now the leaves are completely out, and 3.75 inches of rain in the past week or so has ended it for a while.

[T.D / 1122]

Absolutly the Southern U.S. not sure exacly where, but West Texas will be in the running.California will probably take the prize though.. maybe Florida since they are already getting hit!

[Brian Johnson]

Southern California from the Santa Barbara area to the Mexican Border. Remember though the real fire season doesn't start in SoCal until Fall!!!

From a former SoCal firefighter

[Captain Hickman]

Just to get up to date:
FIRES AND ACRES YEAR-TO-DATE:06-05-99
AREAS FIRES ACRES
ALASKA 159 1,310
NORTHWEST 257 3,337
CA-NORTH 628 1,342
CA-SOUTH 1,017 22,291
NORTHERN 346 5,119
GB-EAST 125 18,129
GB-WEST 112 13,846
SOUTHWEST 1,477 80,704
ROCKY MTN 545 32,062
EASTERN 10,821 86,432
SOUTHERN 26,392 573,271
Looks like the Southern Area is hottest so far...but the Southwest is just starting to light up. We may have to watch the area or size of the fires. Western U.S. usually have fewer fires, but large acreages. Looks like it maybe a hot one.. Already above the 10 year average. We'll work on the states and areas in the states later...BE CAREFUL OUT THERE EVERYONE!!
Hilbille

[This message has been edited by Captain Hickman (edited June 06, 1999).]

[BigRedTruck]

I think last year Alberta Canada had to be near the top of the heap as far as the acres of wildland fires go, with our extensive prairie fires in the south and the huge Virginia Hills brush fires in the northern portion of the province. We were importing firefighters from all over for the brush fires. This year is not so bad, but we are fighting some near Janvier. Locally our wildland fire situation has been extremely quiet--we're expecting it to break at any time, and it will probably hit us with a vengance. There is sufficient fuel load to sustain large fires, the winds have been stronger than usual and we are getting drier and drier. We'll see what happens.

[K A]

Left out The Reno..Northern Nevada area, in your summary

I think we account for at least 25% of the nations acerage so far.

lets see 70,000, 1000, 200, 5500, 13,500, 13,000, 20,000, 5000, 1500, 12,500.

Kinda slow. 142,200 just counting big ones.

277 human caused fires plus other 199,658
acres.

107 fires 71,618 acres lighting.

Somewhere around 1/3 of a million acres so far but it is early and it hasn't been hot yet.

[K A]

--Alberta Canada --

They get 2 million hecters a year and 8 million once recently. 2.5 acres per hecter.

[Captain Hickman]

Just finished looking at the Stats from NIFC report. So far the Western Great Basin does look like the Hottest in the Lower 48. Total 271,497 acres, but the Eastern Great Basin area is not to far behind 241,188 acres. Alaska area has over a million acres, which consist of only 467 fires. Looks like a lot of nature doing it's thing. Idaho's, Eastern Great Basin area is starting to pick up a little with a couple of 4 and 5,000 acre fire going at the present.

In Canada, Ontario area, with a little over 306,000 Hectares, or about 756,000 acres. That's well above the approximatly 190,000 Hectares which is their 10 year average, but it looks like they are having a fairly average fire season.
Information based on: http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/cfs/proj/sci-tech/arena/firereport_e.html

About another month or so to go in the fire season left this year and then the one's Down Under get to start their season.

All be Carefull out there.

[This message has been edited by Captain Hickman (edited August 04, 1999).]

[K A]

AREA TOTAL
ALASKA FIRES 467
ACRES 1,008,462
NORTHWEST FIRES 1,632
ACRES 18,467
CA-NORTH FIRES 2,513
ACRES 20,760
CA-SOUTH FIRES 2,829
ACRES 55,997
NORTHERN FIRE 1,478
ACRES 45,947
GB-EAST FIRES 975
ACRES 241,188
GB-WEST FIRES 400
ACRES 271,497
SOUTHWEST FIRES 3,055
ACRES 118,483
ROCKY MTN FIRES 1,885
ACRES 71,858
EASTERN FIRES 14,270
ACRES 96,352
SOUTHERN FIRES 30,032
ACRES 626,535
TOTALS FIRES 59,536
ACRES 2,575,546

10 year average 51509 fire and 1,909,444 acres

[K A]

This morning we have the following going new events:

Fires: 72

Acres: 63,355

Just another day in paradise.

[K A]

whoops, I left a 1 off the total acreage. SHould be 160,000 no 60,000.

[K A]

In just 4 hours we are up to 300,000 acres on the I - 80 corridor and 1700 firefighters onscene.

[e33]

New Jersey....Central Nj especially is seeing a very high surge of grass / woods / brush fires. Rain in any measurable amount hasnt fallen in months. Fires are starting small and rapidly extending, often overtaking buildings and requiring large numbers of firefighters and units. Here, we handle the fires using lots of water, since we arent used to large numbers of brush fires and arent well versed in wildland fire control..so water is the choice of extinguishment...not the best method always..but its habit.

[Aussie Fire]

Here is a site from Victoria Australia from the N.R.E(Natrual Resources and Enviroment)It updates every day and tells you excatly what fires are burning where and how big and so on in the index it will also tell you about some of our bigger fires and averages and so on,there are no fires burning at the moment cause its the middle of winter her but being one of the worst bushfire areas in the world in summer it is good information check it out here www.nre.vic.gov.au/fires/updates/report/index.htm (http://www.nre.vic.gov.au/fires/updates/report/index.htm)

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Its the resistance to fear and the mastery of fear -not the absence of fear that makes a good F/F

[cbp3]

Ah...I must respond to e33; I agree, NJ is experiencing the second worst drought in it's history. Soon we expect to surpass 1933. Give us a breezy day, and you'll see us on the news.
The Forest Fire Service is on full patrol status throughout most of the state, we have even re-instituted our contract air-attack program for the duration, not a common thing for the summer here.
But as for "lack of experience"? e; you need to hook up with one of our NJFFS crews, you'll find we kick ash with the best of 'em!

[K A]

Well. today we are at 600,000 acres for 82 fires.

[Captain Hickman]

Thanks Aussie was looking for the information from down under. Looks like it's kind of quiet downunder for now..but your season hasn't started yet...or has it?

Have to agree with e33 also...looks a little dry in your country too.

and Thanks to K A for keeping up with the numbers...If it keeps up may have to give KA's name and address to people in Nevada for investigation into cause or maybe we should pass it on to the One Upstairs to have Him shut off the lightning storms that K A maybe asking for...
...Be Extra Careful Out There...

[K A]

We just passed 1.1 million acres for the year, approximately 2000 square miles. With 3000 firefighters n the line 250 engines 80 choppers, 40 aircraft.

[SWIDFCWINS]

TO ALL THOSE INTERESTED IN WILDLAND/SWI FIRE:

Texas is experiencing an early fire season. The west, especially Nevada, is having quite a fire season. The northeast and mid-Atlantic states are in drought. New Jersey is having fires. The KBDI (Drought Index) is at almost 700 in areas of Massachusetts (800 is the top of this chart!)but the fires are few and small. Spotty and wet T-storms are preventing ignitions. Prediction: If the drought continues, the northeast could have a record setting fall fire season.

FYI-There are two large wildland firefighting academys that will be held this fall. I'd suggest that interested Firefighters of all ranks get the information about these academys and attend. Here is the contact info

Texas FS hosting the annual Capitol Area Wildfire Academy and W/UI Conference, October 19-31, 1999 in Bastrop, Texas. Call 512-303-9749 or Email:Rgray71230@aol.com

New York State DEC is hosting its annual Wildfire Academy, October 22-31, 1999 in Upton (Long Island) New York. Call 516-444-0270 or Email:fireacad@gw.dec.state.ny .us

DFCWINS

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[K A]

We're at 1.3 million acres with 4500 firefighters working on a huge government jobs program.

[Dalmation90]

Hey Chief Winston...keep quiet about this fall in New England and pray for a hurricane...I don't look forward to digging up the forests http://www.firehouse.com/interactive/boards/smile.gif

BTW, on my way in to work this morning, I noticed trees along side many areas on the highway where turning brown or going into fall colors...this is the 8th of August for goodness sake! It's not a lot...but they're scattered here and there, and both pines and hardwoods which is scary...they shouldn't be changing at least until late September.

[This message has been edited by Dalmation90 (edited August 08, 1999).]

[SWIDFCWINS]

Dalmation 90:

I'm not sure that I understood what you meant by "keep quite....." But I'll tell you that I'd never pray for or wish that a hurricane would visit with us here in New England. I've been through a few of them in my lifetime and would rather see the comparatively small natural cleansing effects of a wildland fire than the destructive widespread devestation of a hurricane. Nature will do what it wants to do. I hate to see any wildlands destroyed by any means, be it fire, wind, ice, bugs or bulldozing to build subdivisions. If it's by fire, then I love to fight it. Just like most of the rest of us.

DFCWINS

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[Joker]

I don't have any stats to back it up but I have to believe that the drought here in the Appalachians of Pennsylvania is going to make for a rocking fall fire season. And with the reduced logging in the Allegheny National forest that's going to mean more fire load. I realize that we don't compare to the "mountains" of the western states but hey, uphill is uphill. hahaha
At the risk of being grossly politically incorrect, it should be a good time! If you know what I mean.


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A friend once told me to shoot first and ask questions later, I was going to ask him why....but I had to shoot him first.

[K A]

So far this year in the US there have been 62,823 fires and an acreage total of 3,808,821. The national 10 year average is 53,414 fires and 2,127,278 acres.

[AFFF]

If KA is right about the averages than why have the out of state crews gone any where? Is this because the crews in the fire states are handling the fires? I guess what I mean about the out of state crews is like us from Pa. going out or other states.

Any how Pa. is up in fire in my area the fires have been some of the largest I have seen in my 13 years of being in the fire service. Yes I am young I am only 26 years old but for coming from a little volunteer station I have seen my fare share.

Yes our fires are in virtue are a lot smaller than those of out west or in other states but they seem to getting bigger every year. This year alone I have been on two fires that were 48-50 acres and last year I had ran one of around 80 acres which was only about 3 miles away from where I now live. Most of the fires I am used to running is about 10-30 acres at the most and they usaully do not burn deep. This year the fires are burning 18-24 inches deep. Is this going with the patterns that has been talked about in past scrips or is this just a freak of nature?

I know we have a lot of litter on the floor from the past years because we had an ice storm go through here around 1993-94 and there is still a lot of stuff on the floor from it. The growth is really up to and I think this from the storm also but can not prove it. Could this and the drought condition be the problem why we have not gone anywhere?

[Captain Hickman]

Most of the eastern states may be like Missouri, holding crews until ther get enought rain in their own states before they release their personnel. Missouri has just started to get crews ready for out-of-state fire duty, crew is being formed and not on standby as of yet. Does look like the eastern part is finally geting some well needed rain. Have seen were Tennessee was sending crew/s west this morning along with North Dakota. Usually the western states use up the largest part of their available crews before their contact the outer regions for assistance.

All be Safe out there, the season ain't over until the Horizally Endowed Lady Sings....

[K A]

4,081,000 acres lost so far this year nationwide, twice the 10 year average, 45% in our Western Great Basin region. We are having a slow week only 75,000 acres going and 100 or so events 2000 firefighters, 150 engines, 40 air resources engaged and 3 mil in suppression costs.

Take Nevada, Alaska, and Florida out of the mix and there hasn't beeen a fire season elsewhere. California isn't in fire season till October.

[Captain Hickman]

May have spoken to soon about California.

[K A]

--May have spoken to soon about California.--

western Great Basin..basically 6 counties:

1.5 million acres for the year, right now 77,000 acres 1900 firefighters.

California:

150,000 acres for the year, right now 75,000 acres, 4700 firefighters.

[K A]

This week there are 14,000 firefighters on the line out here

[Nathan]

Fire season in South East Australia starts October 1, ends March 31. Rumours say it could be a big year - but how many times have we all heard that and cop the wettest season on record!!LOL
I personally don't predict fire seasons anymore - 9 times out of 10 God does the opposite so he (and everyone else) can laugh at you (or has that been only my experience... http://www.firehouse.com/interactive/boards/smile.gifLOL LOL)

[Bigegg]

From australia again.
Several districts have moved there fire season forward to Septemeber, and we are having reports of good, hard running fires already from the southern parts.We are just in Spring and there is a mass move to get the large Hazard reduction burns in before it all turns nasty.(or will it)
Crews are already be warned of a nasty summer but as Nathan said who knows!!
As a the NSW Rural Fire Service Commisioner says 'The state is a tinder box, It could be the worst fire season on record'

Stay safe and may the wind come from where ever you want it to!!

Biggegg

[Bigegg]

From australia again.
Several districts have moved there fire season forward to Septemeber, and we are having reports of good, hard running fires already from the southern parts.We are just in Spring and there is a mass move to get the large Hazard reduction burns in before it all turns nasty.(or will it)
Crews are already be warned of a nasty summer but as Nathan said who knows!!
As a the NSW Rural Fire Service Commisioner says 'The state is a tinder box, It could be the worst fire season on record'

Stay safe and may the wind come from where ever you want it to!!

Biggegg

[Bigegg]

How the hell did I do that!

Sometimes I amaze myself!!

Have a good day

Hahahah
You just have to laugh!

Bigegg

[Captain Hickman]

Looks like the largest part of the Fire Season is just about over. I see where the National Interagency Fire Center went back to a Level 2 a few days ago. There still may and I am sure that there are a few spots in the US were we'll continue to have some fires, but for the most part this year is about over. To those folks Downunder...Good Luck on your up comming Fire Season!
As I said eariler this year, when I started this thing....I'll shut it down at the end of September. May have to give me a day or two to go through all the post, then I'll let everyone know who came out on top. I hope I don't miss anyones prediction and I'll have SWIDFCWINS double check my selection, after all he said he would help. I know the main season is over for the most part, But BE SAFE ALWAYS.

[ff emt-p bleve]

The seasons not over in kentucky were in middle of one worst droughts in years.
Red flag warning for the past several weeks.
The fall season was usually starts in october this year fire season has never ceased.My small rural department has run on brush and grass all summer.Most water company have water restrictions state wide.
Crops and livestock have suffer also.
I am a seasonal crew leader for the division forestry northeast region. We dont have the headline wildland fires but this season has kept us busy preparing.At this time they are burning bans in all 120 counties statewide. Rain please.

[This message has been edited by ff emt-p bleve (edited September 25, 1999).]

[This message has been edited by ff emt-p bleve (edited September 26, 1999).]

[calpyro]

In earlier posts KA recited acres burned as an indicator of a states or regions fire problem.
Acres alone do not tell the entire story. In CA, where I work,(CDF-Fire Protection) we may have less total acres burned Nevada, but has arguably the nations worst problems with wildland fires. What I read from Nevada’s high total acreage burned is that the fires are burning in remote areas where indirect backfiring techniques can be used on many fires.
In California many areas due not have the luxury to back off a ridgeline or more and fire out. Moreover, due to California’s severe urban interface problem, fires must be fought aggressively in the initial attack phase and not become a “Major Fire”, this fortunately limits the total acres burned due to successful fire fighting. This factor alone is the primary reasons that CA has low total acres burned.
An example of California’s problem is the Oakland Hills fire on October 20, 1991
Only 1520 acres were burned yet It caused over 1.5 billion-dollar loss. This fire ranks as the nations third worst fire. See Stats:

Deaths...25
Injuries...150
Single Family Dwellings Destroyed...2,843
Single Family Dwellings Damaged...193
Apartment Units Destroyed...433
Total Living Units Damaged or Destroyed...3,469
Total Acreage Burned by the Fire...1,520
Fire Perimeter...5.25 Miles
Estimated Dollar Fire Loss...$1,537,000,000

Other examples of devastating California fires are unfortunately to numerous to name them all.
I hope that CA does not have another bad and historic fire season. Keep safe

[Captain Hickman]

Looks like I may have spoken to soon. I see where there maybe a longer fire season than normal, due to the lack of moisture in the northwest and western area. llinois, Indiana, and Georgia are also added into the extreme areas. For those of us in the hardwood areas, our fire seasons are about to start. Many of the hardwoods are just now starting to turn colors and in some areas leaves have already started to fall. I am sure that we will be busy, but hopefully we will be able to control our fires before any major damage is done. I have ask SWIDFCWINS to lock this one topic. So now we can start anew, if you wish. I've enjoyed the input from all of you and enjoyed watching this topic grow. THANKS for all the input and again....Y'all be Safe out There! I let you all know where the Shot Glass goes...

[This message has been edited by Captain Hickman (edited October 04, 1999).]

[Captain Hickman]

Since fire conditions have moved back to a Level III at the National Interagency Coordination Center. I tend to agree with Chief Winston, even thou I haven't e-mailed him back, to keep this one open a little longer. We'll wait till the snow flies, say till the end of October or sometime in November. I hope that we can hang on a little longer and not burn to much more, but we shall see. All be SAFE...