volunteercareer
09-05-2002, 09:51 PM
Last Friday we were asked by our state forestry division to provide a type 6 and a 2 person crew for a fire on a private ranch. When we arrived at the fire 6 hours later (4 hours spent driving across boulders)we found that the fire was 100 acres burning in oak, pinon, juniper, and ponderosa. Personnel on scene consisted of us and one other engine for a total of 4 people. Every time the IC asked for additional crew he was told that there was no way to get hand crews in because of the rough road. (Aren't they supposed to hike in if they can't drive to it?) We were also told dozers wouldn't be effective in the rocky terrain. (I thought that was BS, our engine made it there with minimal problems, just had to take it slow and careful!)
How would you approach this situation?
We waited until morning, because of the inaccessibility problem and steep rocky terrain. There was no way we were going make any progress digging line with 4 people. The fire would have taken off further down before we even got there. Pretty overwhelming! No good anchor points. We decided to take bladder packs (there was no access for the engines) and pull heavy fuels back into the black and cool down the perimeters. Luckily we got help from a Type I Helo. Thank God! He would hit the areas that were torching and we would go in and work the area. We left a day later, even red carded volunteers have to work for a living, and they got two other engines to take our place.
Two days later the fire jumped this half-#@$@ line and the fire grew to over 300 acres. They finally got a dozer and another engine (for a total of 4)on the line and have it over 50% contained today.
Side line: Hunters came in and tore our flagging down on the road out.(as another person put it "These aren't roads, they're goat trails!" We got lost and took 12 hours getting out of this mess. Overall and adventure, but I don't want to do it again.
Our state forestry division has an unwritten policy, If they need a hand crew they send in 5 more engines!
Just wondering!
How would you approach this situation?
We waited until morning, because of the inaccessibility problem and steep rocky terrain. There was no way we were going make any progress digging line with 4 people. The fire would have taken off further down before we even got there. Pretty overwhelming! No good anchor points. We decided to take bladder packs (there was no access for the engines) and pull heavy fuels back into the black and cool down the perimeters. Luckily we got help from a Type I Helo. Thank God! He would hit the areas that were torching and we would go in and work the area. We left a day later, even red carded volunteers have to work for a living, and they got two other engines to take our place.
Two days later the fire jumped this half-#@$@ line and the fire grew to over 300 acres. They finally got a dozer and another engine (for a total of 4)on the line and have it over 50% contained today.
Side line: Hunters came in and tore our flagging down on the road out.(as another person put it "These aren't roads, they're goat trails!" We got lost and took 12 hours getting out of this mess. Overall and adventure, but I don't want to do it again.
Our state forestry division has an unwritten policy, If they need a hand crew they send in 5 more engines!
Just wondering!