New Year and a New Season

Looks a little slow in this forum, so thought I'd make a post to see how everyone is doing. We responded on a couple of fires in our community yesterday, along with some other runs and on one I noticed that several forsythia, a flowering shrub, were in bloom. Then this morning I checked the Year-to-Date Statistics on the NIFC page: http://www.nifc.gov/fireinfo/nfnmap.html

I hope this is no indication to the fire season which we maybe looking at for 2000.
Year-to-date, we are almost over a 1000 fires ahead of the most recorded fires in the past 5 years. So far, 1802 fires have been reported since the first of the year. This is compared to the highest figuar of 883 fire in 1996. These 1000 fires also account for over 5000 acres of property over the 96 amount of 18,244 acres. This is January, what's the rest of the year going to be like? Looks like we maybe in for one heck of a fire season. Well I guess I've killed enought time for now, I had better start working it to death. All be SAFE and HEADS UP..

Hey Capt. A little to early to predict our wildland season, but things are going good this winter. The moisture is coming but we are below normal. Right now I would rather think about being on the snowmobile and playing in the snow than thinking about wildland season. Let you know in a month or so when the season gets started.

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P. Bishop

So far, less that the normal amount of snow in this area. Could be a busy spring if the conditions don't change.
Be Safe
Dan

Here in east Tx we are already off to a higher than usual amount of W/UI fire calls this year.We are only getting light amounts of rainfall and they are followed by heavy winds so everything is drying out quicker than the public realizes so before they know it their fires have gotten out of control.Our outlook for the spring and summer are bleak to say the least.Stay safe and remember the 18 and 10's.Keith

Hey, Hickman. It's slow in most areas because
the wildland fire season has not begun for most of us in the USA. Some of my contacts in Arizona, Florida, Georgia and Texas have all told me that they have been having fires. Looks like it'll be another busy fire season this year. We ALL hope and pray that there will be NO LODDs associated with wildfires and W/UI fires this year. Last year there were about a dozen LODDs to structural FFs working wildland jobs.

Captain Hickman and I will try to keep this forum active and interesting this year. We could use your help, too. Post anything that is news worthy and related to Wildland and W/UI fire. And THANKS!

Be very safe out there!

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DFCWINS


[This message has been edited by SWIDFCWINS (edited February 29, 2000).]

Beginning to think that we were the only ones having fires. We,ve had 25 brush and grass fires this month and ran another 8-10 mutual aids to other departments. Been real lucky so far, largest only amounted to approximatly 30 acres. State of Missouri Dept. of Conservation saying this year could be one of the worst since 1980. That year we were kept busy, one of the largest fires for that year was in my county and ended with approximatly 2500 acres, with 8 to 10 small structures burning, none of them were dwellings. There were other large fires that year throughout the state with a couple of them in the 3000 acres range. Hope we don't have to do that again. This could be a rather busy years for several areas throughout the US. Keep us posted on how things are in your area. We'll be watching..
Be Safe and Heads-UP


[This message has been edited by Captain Hickman (edited February 29, 2000).]

Hello Capt. Hickman, I agree with you I believe this is going to be a bad brush fires. I am from the other side of the state (Bonne Terre) 60 miles south of St. Louis in St. Francois Co. Back in Nov/Dec can't remember the exact date We call it the week from hell, on Sunday, we started out in Iron Co. on a mountin with 300+ acres and approx 20 other fires (10 acres or less) through out three counties. Ending on Friday nite with a 1500+ acre fire burning from another county. Been quiet in the county till yesterday, couples 20 acres and today nieghboring dept. 200+ acres w/wind at 15 mph. Mutual aid from this county, Jefferson Co, Ste. Genevieve Co. and Washington Co.
Well Capt, I don't think it is going to any better for now.

Till Next time, See ya!
They light them, we fight them.

Here in Southern AZ, we haven't had any precip to speak of since Nov. However we did have record precip from our summer monsoons, so the fuels are already dried, only going to get drier. Things could get busy if this years monsoons are dry.

Contacts in Northern CA say it's wet now, but that doesn't always mean that it won't be a busy fire season.

Dave


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Be Safe and Remember LCES, and the 10 & 18.

Here in my part of northeast Texas we are for the second year in a row on a record pace for grass and forest fires. We finally have gotten a couple good rains in the last two weeks. But as was said earlier in this forum the winds have been very high so we dry out fast. Plus everything is greening up early so if the rains stop we will be fighting alot more.

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Good Luck And Be Safe
Captain
Craig Lambert
Harmony Consolidated
Volunteer Fire Department

If you have predictions on this years season...Post in:
This years contest! started by natemarshall

Have Fun

Captain Hickman; Well it saddens me a little that you are not going to run the contest this year, what a kick last year. Hopefully you will keep posting information on things. We are starting to dry out in southern Idaho a little, been a wet spring. I will wait to post my prediction with the "new guy" when I get things figured out a bit. All of the equipment is ready for the season, the men are especially ready. We will start with the refreshers pretty soon.

Hang in there and STAY SAFE



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P. Bishop

Capt. Hickman, I believe the state conservation was right about this year being a busy fire season. This morning (1:15) we were on standby for the next task force to be sent to Rolla, Mo to stage. Task forces from St. Louis Co. and Jefferson Co. sent 1 TF each. Our response time wouldn't been good, approx 1 hr 45 mins just to Rolla.
Till next time, See ya.

They light'em, We fight'em.

Hey capt3211. Let me tell you how happy I was to see the task force show up. We were call to help the volunteer depts, we were the second truck in and this fire had us beat from the start. When the task force showed up they sent us back to the city and later that night we were sent back out to releave some of the people off the line, we spent 10 hours out there.

Hope it stay quiet up there, and if not call.

Have a good day and be safe.

Joe
Local 3905

Well Hammerhead338, what a change, 2 days ago we were praying for rain - today woke up to 4+ inches of snow. Guess fire season is going to slow down for a few days.

Like I always say. If don't like the weather, wait a hour see what happens next.

Till next time "they lightem-we fightem.