Sometimes when folks communicate about working in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) as firefighters, often times the “Land Managers” or “Line Officers” never really understand or appreciate the complexities involved or experienced by the firefighters and fire managers…. Why should they care?… They are never held accountable.
In the following audio links you won’t hear a District Ranger… a Forest Supervisor… a Regional Fire Director… a Regional Forester… a Washington Office Fire Director… or the Chief of the Forest Service making decisions or providing Leadership. None of them are on the “pointy ends of the stick” if things go gunnysack.
Folks who have never been “in the hot seat” (ie – the folks above) in a rapidly evolving WUI wildfire will never match the knowledge, skills, and abilities of folks who have “seen the elephant” and have served their entire careers as either firefighters and fire managers protecting the public, our communities, and our firefighters (ie – Incident Commanders, Operations Section Chiefs, Air Tactical Group Supervisors, FMOs, etc…). Folks who have “seen the elephant” are folks who have been “in command” when things went bad beyond their control.
There has been a large effort lately within the federal land management agencies to effectively put “firefighting” back into the box under folks entirely educated in lands and resource management… folks with little to no firefighting experience or education. Is this a proper direction? or Should the management of fires on federally protected lands be more managed like a fire department… or a full service (all risk) firefighting agency?
Does sending a Biologist, Archaeologist, Hydrologist, Forester, or Landscape Architect to two “one week sessions”… and then a fire or two for evaluation and certification… actually qualify them to provide oversight, management, and leadership of a fire program?
I have my opinions, but I’d like to hear your thoughts. Please comment in the comments section of this post, or at: Admin (at) RamblingChief (dot) com.
Blast from the past:
Emerald Fire – San Bernardino County, CA.
The “Emerald Fire” started on 08/29/2006 within the City of Highland… progressed into the state responsibility area (SRA) of CAL FIRE San Bernardino Unit… and then progressed into the San Bernardino National Forest.
The fire eventually burned 2,129 acres and destroyed 2 homes. It also resulted in injuries to 15 firefighters.
Here is an audio link to the initial attack: Click Here
Old Fire – San Bernardino County, CA.
The “Old Fire” started in the morning of 10/25/2003 within the City of San Bernardino… Before the fire was suppressed it grew to over 91,281 acres….. making it the largest wildfire in San Bernardino County history. It was also the largest ever interagency response in San Bernardino County history.
Before the fire was controlled, it destroyed 993 private residences and 22 commercial buildings. The fire also contributed to the deaths of six civilians. It could have been far worse if the preplanning effort of the Mountain Area Safety Taskforce hadn’t been undertaken in the years prior.
Here is an audio link to the initial attack and extended attack: Click Here
Want more examples: Click Here
~~~
Admin note: The combined acreage of the Old Fire (91,281 acres) and the Grand Prix/Padua Fires (59,448 acres) was the largest yearly acreage lost in the recorded history of San Bernardino County. The acreage from these two fires, as well as three other significant fires that year… pushed upwards of 175,000 acres burned due to wildfire within a 9 month period. These losses even eclipsed the 160.577 acres destroyed in the Station Fire in Los Angeles county during the summer of 2009 in regards to the numbers of lives lost… structures destroyed or damaged… and infrastructure negatively impacted.
No single county in the US (other than San Diego County) has experienced such similar catastrophic losses in the Wildland Urban Interface as San Bernardino County (Panorama Fire, Old Fire, Grand Prix Fire, Grass Valley Fire, and the Slide Fire)…. Unfortunately…. I was a firefighter or supporter on all of them in my career.
During the 2007 SoCal Fire Siege… Once again… San Diego County, San Bernardino County, Los Angeles County, Ventura County, Riverside County, and Santa Barbara County….. all had fires at the same time of various significance and importance…. Each time since the early Lessons Learned from FIRESCOPE in the late ’60s and early ’70s…. We all ask why? Have WE really learned to communicate as Fire Chiefs and Fire Managers, and properly learned enough from our history and losses? You’ll hear the stories of the 2007 Fire Siege at some later date…. if you return.
Take care… Keep safe…. and those around you safer...
Posted by RamblingChief 
RamblingChief.Com 