June 18, 2008: Fire & Water

[lookout123]

ice chips. if you find yourself anyplace where you can't keep an icechip from melting in your hand, you're too close to the fire. get out and let us know you're ok.

[classicman]

Bullit - keep us informed - we want to know you are ok and whats going on. Be careful out there.

[xoxoxoBruce]

The Philly paper today, said they don't expect to have the Northern CA fires, completely under control for months.

[Bullitt]

Thanks guys. We just got a little more info tonight.. this thing is getting pretty big. Over 80 engines, 90 or so hand crews, 7 choppers, 7 planes, and over 1000 other personnel. We get to play with our big type IV engine for this one though.. eye level is about where the door handle is... 1000 gallon tank on this big ol girl:



Tomorrow evening we check in with IC, Incident Command, and get our orders, etc. So after tonight, I don't know exactly when I'll be back on here.. soon I hope, and def. with pictures. We might be doing some urban interface protecting houses and other structures.. we'll see though.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Be careful man, after all it's only CA.

[Griff]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

Be careful man, after all it's only CA.

While it is only CA, it is Big Sur the cool subsection of CA.
This is all over the news Bullit, be safe.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

Be careful man, after all it's only CA.

, yea be careful out there. And only save homes where the combined gross income is less than 150k.

[spudcon]

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

, yea be careful out there. And only save homes where the combined gross income is less than 150k.

Commie

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by touchnova

That's lead that melted from the cells in the battery, not aluminum.

Originally Posted by SPUCK

Yeah Pb as it is coming right out from the stairs, (battery box).


I think most people realize how bad Cider Rapids got it. That's the city hall with the first three floors underwater that's shown on every news show..

Originally Posted by SeanAhern

Hm. I still think it's aluminum. The color seems more like the lighter color of aluminum than lead. And I've personally seen this kind of thing in the aftermath of a car fire. I picked up the cooled blob and it definitely had the weight of aluminum, not lead.

Originally Posted by Big Sarge

I'm pretty sure that is lead, too. I've cast a lot of bullets & it looks too light.

Be careful Bullit. I sure wouldn't want your job. I have a fear of burning

From the Aussie fires, melted alloy wheels.

[TheMercenary]

I wonder if we have sent any of our smoke jumpers or fire fighters to help? My wifes hair dresser is a Smoke Jumper.

[Aliantha]

I know NZ have sent a couple of crews and some much needed equipment including a water chopper.

I would imagine that US crews would be coming if they're not already here. There's usually a bit of quid pro quo. I know we usually send crews when you lot have fires.

ETA:

US fire experts heading for Victoria
10/02/2009 9:18:00 AM
A contingent of senior US fire personnel is expected to land in Victoria within 48 hours after an SOS call from the Australian government.
About 35 American firefighting operation chiefs, aviation managers, planning section chiefs and specialists in land rehabilitation will fly to Australia.

"Australia and New Zealand have been wonderful neighbours and provided help in our time of need and we are happy to return that help," US National Interagency Fire Center spokesman Don Smurthwaite said.

Australia, New Zealand and US firefighting agencies have a close working relationship and have participated in exchange programs in recent years.

On the weekend Australian and US government officials held informal discussions about calling on American fire personnel.

A formal request for assistance is expected Monday.

It is expected once the formal request is issued it will take about 48 hours to have the US contingent on the ground in Australia.

The deployment will not include firefighters to be used on the fire fronts.

"The positions will be mostly leadership and supervisory in nature," Smurthwaite said.

"We won't be sending firefighters at this point."