Where is the spring rains?

Additional open burning restrictions to begin April 12

Due to an increased concern about wildfires across the state, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is tightening restrictions on campfires in 37 Minnesota counties beginning at 12:01 a.m. on April 12. Full Story

Active fire Maps

http://www.fs.fed.us/fire/Forest Service Fire and Aviation Management Web site!

MINNESOTA’S CL-215 -A few years ago Minnesota (MN) purchased two used CL-215 water bombers for fire fighting in the Northern part of the state. 

Current MN wildfire information

• Statewide fire danger
• Current fire restrictions
• Statewide status report
• DNR forestry area status reports
• Fire location

YOU CAN PREVENT WILDFIRES"

Smokey Bear stars in new CG-animated PSAs and appears on Facebook, MySpace and YouTube in time for July 4^th

http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/adcouncil/38913/ 

http://www.smokeybear.com/

Washington, D.C., June 30, 2009 /PRNewswire/ — The Advertising Council joined today with the U.S. Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters to launch a new series of public service advertisements (PSAs) designed to celebrate Smokey Bear's 65th birthday and provide critical information to Americans about wildfire prevention. The television, radio, print and online PSAs are being distributed prior to the July 4th holiday, a time when many people go camping, have outdoor BBQs and light fireworks.

Since his "birth" on August 9, 1944, Smokey Bear has been a recognized symbol of conservation and protection of America's forests. His message about wildfire prevention has helped to reduce the number of acres burned annually by wildfires, from about 22 million (1944) to an average of 7 million today. However, wildfire prevention remains one of the most critical environmental issues affecting our country. Many Americans believe that lightning starts most wildfires. In fact, on average, 9 out of 10 wildfires nationwide are caused by people. The principle causes are campfires left unattended, trash burning on windy days, arson, careless discarding of smoking materials or BBQ coals, and operating equipment without spark arrestors.

Created pro bono by ad agency Draftfcb, the same volunteer agency that has created work for the campaign since 1944, the new PSAs specifically target young adults who live in the wildland/urban interface – people who are likely to be casual campers, hikers, or mountain bikers – to remind them that Smokey is counting on them to prevent human-caused wildfires. The new PSAs seek to continue to decrease the number of human-caused wildfires and one new TV spot is designed specifically to celebrate Smokey's birthday. The ads feature CG-animation and encourage young adults to "Get Your Smokey On" – that is, to become like Smokey and speak up when others are acting carelessly.

"Smokey Bear is the nation's symbol for wildfire prevention and his important message has been communicated to generations of Americans during the past sixty five years," said Helene Cleveland, Fire Prevention Program Manager, U.S. Forest Service. "Smokey's enduring message is as critical today as it was when he was introduced in 1944 and I am confident that our new PSAs will continue to raise awareness about wildfire prevention issues."

The PSAs direct audiences to visit the campaign's website, www.smokeybear.com, where they can take a pledge and learn more about wildfire prevention. Sections of the website, including the historical overview of the campaign, or "Smokey's Journey," and the kids section of the site "Smokey Kids" have recently been re-designed by Cannery Agency. In addition to the new PSAs and website, Smokey Bear now has profile pages on Facebook, MySpace and YouTube to further the reach of his messages to young adults:

• Facebook: www.facebook.com/smokeybear
• MySpace: www.myspace.com/wildfireprevention
• YouTube: www.youtube.com/smokeybear

"Smokey Bear is the center of the longest-running and one of the most successful public service campaigns in U.S. history," said Peggy Conlon, President and CEO of the Ad Council. "Our Wildfire Prevention campaign has helped children and adults throughout the country understand their role in preventing wildfires and these new PSAs and online components will continue to have a significant impact."

Since 1944, Smokey Bear has been communicating his well-known message, "Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires." In 2001, the term 'Wildfires' was introduced to include all unwanted, unplanned fires in natural areas such as grass fires or brush fires. Smokey has been rated one of the most recognizable figures in America, ranking alongside Mickey Mouse and Santa Claus. Smokey is recognized by 97 percent of adults and 3 out of 4 adults are able to recall "Only You Can Prevent Wildfires" without prompting, according to an Ad Council tracking survey.

"Smokey is an American icon and we are honored to be part of continuing his legacy and furthering his message. Thanks to advances in technology and CG-animation, we were able to bring Smokey Bear to life in a realistic way, starting with launch of the "Get your Smokey on" campaign last year," said Hilary Hamer, SVP, Group Management Director at Draftfcb Orange County. "We're always looking to ensure that Smokey's message is not only still current, but relevant to our target audience."

The Ad Council will be distributing the new PSAs to media outlets nationwide this week. Per the organization's model, the PSAs are airing and running in advertising time that is donated by the media. Over the last 65 years, media outlets have donated more than $1 billion in time and space for the Wildfire Prevention campaign.

Evergreen Supertanker Grid Test 2009

Created & Released: 2009

The Evergreen Supertanker

The Evergreen Supertanker showed impressive results during the U.S. Forest Service administered grid tests earlier this year. From high, medium and low coverage levels, the Supertanker showed it provides quality, consistent retardant line construction.

http://www.evergreenaviation.com/supertanker/pdf/summary.pdf

EVERGREEN SUPERTANKER READY TO FIGHT WILDFIRES
The B747 Supertanker is certified to fly by Interagency Air Tanker Board

McMinnville, Ore.—Evergreen International Aviation’s B747 Supertanker won certification for operation this season after receiving its interim approval letter from the Interagency Air Tanker Board. The aircraft also received its Supplemental Type Certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in November 2008. It is now available to assist world firefighting agencies during the 2009 season and beyond. The award is unique because the Supertanker has an 8:1 drop ratio compared to that of all other current firefighting aircraft, meaning the Supertanker will forever change the way wildland fires are fought. The plane is the first of a fleet designed to accommodate the needs of U.S. and International private and public agencies.

The Supertanker showed impressive results during the U.S. Forest Service administered grid tests. From high, medium and low coverage levels, the Supertanker showed it provides quality, consistent retardant line construction. The cutting-edge aircraft proved it belongs on the front line, from the onset, to fight wildfire day and night. The uniformed pattern of the Supertanker drops, and its ability, in a single flight, for split loads at multiple coverage levels, gives agencies an incredibly versatile firefighting tool.

Full story at http://www.evergreenaviation.com/p_releases/032409.html

Dry start to 2009 sets U.S. record

The first two months of 2009 are the driest start of any year since the USA began keeping records over a century ago, leading to severe drought in Texas, dipping reservoir levels in Florida and a surge in wildfires across the nation.
Farmers, cattlemen, firefighters and others worry that the dry start may be a harbinger of a bleak summer that could lead to increasing risk of fire and poor crop conditions.
Richard Heim, a meteorologist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Climatic Data Center, said the 2.69-inch average rainfall across the U.S. in January and February is the least amount of moisture in those months since NOAA began keeping records in 1895.
So far this year, the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise has logged 11,814 wildfires, the most for any two-month period in a decade and almost 3,700 more than the average.
The dry spell extends a drought that has hammered Central Texas since 2007 and California and the Southeast since 2006.
• In Texas, planting season for cotton, corn and sorghum should be well underway, but in much of the state it’s been too dry to plant, says state climatologist John Nielsen-Gammon. Even with 2 inches of rain forecast for the next few days, crops will be at risk, Nielsen-Gammon said.
“Winter rain is like putting money in the bank for plants to withdraw,” he said. “That supply of water isn’t there, so plants will be very vulnerable to dry spells.”
• In South Florida, Lake Okeechobee is at 12.54 feet, which is about 2 feet below its average for much of the past 45 years. The South Florida Water Management District is holding public meetings starting today to discuss water restrictions, spokesperson Gabe Margasak said.
• In California, NOAA reports the snowpack is at 80% of normal and much of the state is under severe drought. State officials are using prison inmate crews to clear away brush and create fire breaks around communities to reduce the risk of wildfires, said Daniel Berlant, spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
The dry winter could mean a longer fire season in the summer because the grasses will dry out sooner and the trees will have less moisture in them, Berlant said.
Despite the current severity, the latest conditions pale in comparison to the drought of the 1930s, known as the Dust Bowl. At its height in July 1934, nearly two-thirds of the nation was in a severe to extreme drought. Today, 7% is. Hundreds of heat records from the 1930s still stand across the Plains.

From USA Today/ Oren Dorell
USA Today Coverage

Good Check List

Nice check list for after action reporting.review. Makes a good case to review each call. May not use everything on the list every time but would make for some interesting data at the end of the year. Good list to start from to make your own for your department. I think there is an area of fire reporting software like "Firehouse" to make an extra data entry areas for this type data.

Incident Review Checklist and After Action Review from Wildfire Today by Bill Gabbert
The After Action Review (AAR) process, after having been successfully institutionalized by the military, was adopted by many wildland fire agencies 8-10 years ago. It is a learning tool that can evaluate a process or an incident with the goal of improving performance by sustaining strengths and correcting weaknesses. The process is simple. Participants that were involved in the incident are encouraged to provide input on:
what was planned, what actually happened, why it happened, and what can be done next time.
The Lessons Learned Center posts copies of the AARs they have received, making it possible for us to learn from the experiences of others. This is an incredibly valuable service the LLC provides.But there are other ways to conduct an after action review. Thanks to Butch Weedon's "The Latest", we have another process called an "Incident Review Checklist". It is very detailed and attempts to ensure that few issues are forgotten. It emphases WHAT happened, but the list does not cover WHY or what should be done NEXT TIME. Maybe it is assumed that the WHY and the NEXT TIME will be discussed if problems are identified. All of the items on the list below do not apply to every department or agency, but at a minimium, it is food for thought.

Here is the:Incident Review Checklist

• Did we acknowledge the page only once?
• Did we use the dispatch channel for only essential communications?
• Did we drive appropriately and wear a seat belt when in route to the station?
• Did everyone take/ wear appropriate PPE to the scene, given the nature of the incident?
• Did we respond with the proper apparatus?
• Did we take the most direct route to the scene?
• Did we have enough members respond?
• Did everyone respond to where they should respond to (station / scene)?
• Did anyone have to ask for directions?
• Did everyone wear a seatbelt?
• Did we stop at all stop indicators, and yield at yield signs (at least until other traffic yielded to us)?
• Did we stage and attempt to get an assignment / or assume command?
• Did we do the 5 step communications process consistently?
• Did we do what the IC said do?
• Did we get on a tactical channel as assigned?
• Did we wear appropriate PPE?
• Did we maintain crew integrity?
• Did we position our apparatus to operate at best advantage?
• Did we apply the high idle?
• Did we have water ready immediately when called for?
• Did we get anyone hurt?
• Did we do any unnecessary damage?
• Did we operate inside the hazard zone only with a crew w/ PPE and an assignment?
• Did we execute the basics flawlessly?
• Did our command have a plan for EMS / Water Supply?
• Did we release apparatus when it was not needed?
• Did we top off fuel and water in our apparatus?
• Did we clean and refuel our tools?
• Did we refill our air bottles and clean our face pieces?
• Did we leave our apparatus ready to respond to the next alarm?
• Did we make a log entry and file a report?
• Were we nice to our customers and/or host?
• Did we do more than was expected of us?
• Did we turn off the lights, turn the station heat down and lock the station?

Australia still Burning Fire News

Fires still buruning in Australia, Windy conditions may spread flames, and dozens more bodies are found. Police say the total could reach 300. At least 50 people remained missing, so the number of people killed by the worst bush fires in Australia's history could continue to rise as search teams moved into previously inaccessible areas, police said.

Australia Fire Toll Could Exceed 200 -
Officials have come under criticism for failing to notify residents of the danger or evacuate towns facing high fire risk on Saturday. Australian fire ...
BBC NEWS Asia-Pacific Australia counts deadly fire toll
Feb 9, 2009 ... Arsonists who started some of the bushfires in Australia that have killed 170 people are guilty of mass murder, the prime minister says.
Australia Police Confirm Arson Role in Wildfires - NYTimes.com
Feb 10, 2009 ... Australia Police Confirm Arson Role in Wildfires .... Death Toll in Australian Fires Climbs to 131 (February 9, 2009); Australian Bushfires ...

Wildfires in Australia - February 9

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid823425597/bclid877032950/bctid10453413001


UPDATE:The death toll from Victoria’s devastating bush fires now stands officially at 130, estimated as high as 200 possibly dead with refugees flooding Red Cross centers.Oneof the “darkest days in Victoria’s history” and described the deadly inferno as “hell on earth” - John Brumby, Victorian Premier“Firstyou’re fighting for your home, then you’re fighting for your life”Australian Bushfires The Facts:Currentsizeup: 865,000 acres.(350,000 hectares)• New South Wales - 50 fires burning•Victoria - 26 fires, including one with a 60-mile firefront.• 700 homes have so far been confirmed lost, with 550 in the area of Kinglake and Kinglake west, about 30 miles north-east of Melbourne, where many of the deaths occurred.• Record-breakingtemperatures nearing 115 degrees(46C) today.• Another fire is threatening Beechworth in Victoria’s north east.• Otherfire-affected areas include the regional city of Bendigo, in central Victoria, and the town of Marysville in the Yarra Valley, which has been destroyed with only one building left standing. In Victoria, 14,000 homes are also without power.• AustralianArmy would be “providing logistics and support”. Resources:The Australian Army has been called in to assist the thousands of weary firefighters who have been battling the blazes over the past 24 hours, and the government has announced a $10 million (£4.5 million) emergency relief fund to help the thousands of Victorians now left homeless. The fires are now officially the worst in Australia’s history, surpassing the death toll of the Ash Wednesday fires which claimed 76 lives when they tore through Victoria and South Australia in February, 1983.Asthe Prime Minister announced the emergency bushfire relief fund and the support of the Army, other Australian states banded together with Victoria, with the Premiers of South Australia and New South Wales offering to send firefighters and equipment across the border.
Arson:Several of the fires are believed to have been deliberately lit, and arsonists are hampering firefighting efforts with some blamed for relighting fires that had already been extinguished. “There are no words to describe it other than mass murder,” Prime Minister Kevin Rudd told local television.Thedeath toll – which has been climbing by the hour –(Source - California Fire News)

California Fire Update

November 18, 2008
Firefighters have made good progress toward containment goals on the large fires in California. The Freeway and Sayre fires have burned 40,096 acres. Many residences are threatened and evacuation orders are still in effect for Brea and Chino Hills. The Tea fire was contained yesterday at 1,940 acres.
Weather: Southern California will see cooler temperatures, higher humidity and light winds along the coast today and Wednesday. However, the mountains and inland areas will remain very warm and dry. The Southeast will be dry through Wednesday with gusty winds over Florida today.
Source: National Interagency Coordination Center
http://www.nifc.gov/fire_info/nfn.htm