Firefighters, start your engines (or brushtrucks)

[RyanEMVFD]

Here in Central Texas, we have had little or no rain in the last few months. Grass fire season has unofficially started. I post this after hearing the majority of fire calls going out as grass fires these last few days. All I wish is that everyone stays safe out there and not get hurt or injured. Wear your seatbelts and bunker gear. Drink plenty of water and remember to take breaks. An acre of pasture is not worth someone going to the hospital.

[backdraft663]

well here is southwest ohio, at our dept. we have had five brush runs ranging from field fires, brush fires, trash fires, open burns, grass fires. to name a few today they put our area on a RED TAG WARNING


RED FLAG WARNING FOR WEST CENTRAL OHIO...CENTRAL OHIO...SOUTHWESTOHIO AND SOUTH CENTRAL OHIO UNTIL 9 PM EDT...

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH FOR WEST CENTRAL OHIO...CENTRAL OHIO...SOUTHWEST OHIO AND SOUTH CENTRAL OHIO WEDNESDAY...

RELATIVE HUMIDITIES THIS AFTERNOON ARE APPROACHING AND SOME DROPPINGBELOW 25%. COMBINED WITH WINDS GUSTING TO 35 MPH THIS AFTERNOON AND8% OR LESS FUEL MOISTURE, RED FLAG CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST UNTILABOUT SUNSET. AFTER SUNSET, INVERSION WILL SET UP AND WINDS WILLBEGIN TO RELAX. HUMIDITY RECOVERIES WILL ALSO START AROUND THISTIME.

WHILE HUMIDITIES WILL RECOVER SOME TONIGHT, EVENING FUEL MOISTURERECOVERIES AND WIND MAY WARRANT ANOTHER RED FLAG WARNING ONWEDNESDAY, SO A FIRE WEATHER WATCH HAS BEEN POSTED IN OHIO.

STAY TUNED TO THE WEATHER CHANNEL AND WEATHER.COM FOR UPDATES....

[cozmosis]

Originally posted by RyanEMVFD
Wear your seatbelts and bunker gear. Drink plenty of water and remember to take breaks. An acre of pasture is not worth someone going to the hospital.

You mention bunker gear on wildfires. Is this really a good idea? Structural firefighting gear is not designed for the demands of wildland firefighting. I would image the weight alone could create exhaustion issues. Also, the boots don't seem well suited for too much variety in terrain.

What is everyone's policy for PPE on wildfires? Is anyone here issued seperate gear for wildland firefighting?

[fieryred943]

Sturctural gear isn't good for grass fires for sure. I have fried my boots/feet/my gear during a couple. Holds the heat in real well and you sweat like a pig.

We now carry Nomex coveralls on our trucks for grass fires, as well as wildland goggles.

Cheers

[Engine101]

structual turnouts on a wildland incident a very big NO NO

Traping through a wilderness area in 100 degree heat less than favorable terrain and in turnouts not designed for that safety risk

Well as of right now no worrys about wildland fire's at this moment we have 1 storm system that just finished soaking us and the chance of another one on its way, This years fire season in Southern California does not look like it will be as bad as the one we had this previous season

[hwoods]

It's been said many, many, times but here it is again..... DO NOT WEAR STRUCTURAL FIREFIGHTING GEAR ON BRUSHFIRES. Stay Safe....

[stillPSFB]

Originally posted by backdraft663
RELATIVE HUMIDITIES THIS AFTERNOON ARE APPROACHING AND SOME DROPPINGBELOW 25%. COMBINED WITH WINDS GUSTING TO 35 MPH THIS AFTERNOON AND8% OR LESS FUEL MOISTURE, RED FLAG CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST UNTILABOUT SUNSET. AFTER SUNSET, INVERSION WILL SET UP AND WINDS WILLBEGIN TO RELAX. HUMIDITY RECOVERIES WILL ALSO START AROUND THISTIME.

25% - oh to be so lucky. Down here in South Eastern Australia we haven't seen humidities that High for several months until the rains last week. Some days here were 110deg plus, with relative humidity dropping to around 4% - and yep, we were a little bit busy One fire took out 3 million acres before we got some light rain that slowed it enough to control it.

Take care up there, and stay safe.

[Dalmatian90]

Won't be much of spring fire season in New England this year! Too much snow this past winter.

An acre of pasture is not worth someone going to the hospital.

YES!

Also, the first arriving officer and/or Officer-in-Charge has an obligation to properly size-up what they have.

There's nothing wrong finding a slow-moving fire telling the apparatus to shut down their lights & sirens. Even on a larger fire, do you really need your mutual aid companies running lights & sirens?

Sometimes you do need the L&S to speed the response 'cause of exposures or a fast moving fire that's growing quickly. But if you don't, well, it's just brush!

[StayBack500FT]

Busy day for those of us in Western PA too...today should be similar, I would predict.


www.thederrick.com

[raven911]

We just started our fire season here in New Mexico a few weeks ago. We are currently doing our prescribed burning before the season dries out. We burned off a whole mountain last weekend. Had some great food in fire camp. The moisture is up in the forested areas, but they are expecting a rise in dry brush fires this season. Sounds like fun!

[RyanEMVFD]

for clarification, we take the liners out of the bunker gear and wear that. it's lighter and still protects. we still carry structure fire bunker gear due to the numerous structures in danger. we don't have the nomex overalls to wear here.

[Sleuth]

We get issued USFS nomex shirt & pants, in addition to our bunkers. Some of us have the coveralls for a quick cover on smaller fires. I wore my Nomex flight suit the first day on the Rodeo Fire, until I got the USFS gear.

[safetyhappy]

for a couple of days here the weather service warned of a high fire risk but today we're due for severe storms.

[SubarcticFF]

Good luck with the brush fires....We still have snow on the ground here, probably another 6 weeks before we have to start worrying about any brush. Not that we might have to worry much, last year was the slowest documented year for forest fires in the Northwest Territories and there is still lots of moisture in the ground.

[ff7134]

Been out an 3 fires in 3 days. All large woods/bruch 5 plus acres
and we don't have wildland gear.....YET. But I am working on that.

[Lewiston2FF]

The schools around here are out for spring break, so, our brush fire season has started. Not really dry enough yet but we have gotten a few brush fires.
Additionally, we do wear our structural bunkers for brush fires. The typical fire we respond to is small compared to most others. 3-5 acres at the very largest. If it gets too warm we take the liners out.

[hwoods]

We had a job yesterday. It's at FH Homepage, "Local News" "Maryland" "Brush Fire, Prince Georges County" Today looks better, a light rain started overnight, and the temp. is 40f. Stay Safe....

[Flochief]

Our fire season here in central GA is starting up as every one is out doing yard work etc. Our average size of brush fire is less than an acre. We depend on GA Forestry if the fire is beyond the reach of our 200ft reel line. We also stay at exposed structures. The Forestry Commission can do wonderes with the JD 450 & 550 dozers.
Be Safe!