Those big birds they use to drop the fire retardant are amazing to watch. I have never seen the smaller spotter planes in your video used before. Great idea, and good job giving the big jets the line to drop on. Hope they get things under control soon.

Those are ASM's and leadplanes, and overhead, is the air attack. The lead's job is to scout the fire, and today most leads operate as ASM's, or Air Supervision Modules. That's a leadplane pilot flying with an air attack (ATGS, or air tactical group supervisor) in the right seat. The ATGS is an experienced firefighter, typically with 20+ years of ground experience, who coordinates the operation with the ground personnel and the incident commander, works with dispatch in ordering resources, and along with the lead pilot, operates as the airborne air traffic control for the fire traffic area.

The lead scouts the ingress and egress for the fire, looks over hazards, determines drift and the air condition and visibility for the drop, and sets up the pattern for the drop. With most initial attack qualified pilots, the lead isn't a requirement, but is nearly always preferred. With the VLAT (very large air tanker: DC-10 and B747), the lead is required.

Waiting for the final info but I think it’s mostly out. Sky is clear.

and its back...

It's not out until it's out.

I've seen a lot of fire go from a single tree to 25,000 acres in a flash, and fires that are out by all appearances, explode.

A few years ago in Arizona, I did the initial drops on a lightning strike on a rock scree above some cliffs in a high desert area. There were no fuels; the smoke was hard to find, creeping among very sparse grass in the rocks. I put two loads on it, another airplane put two, completely boxing it in. a dirt trail ran above it, further insulating the fire, which showed no sights of burning after the second set of retardant drops. I overflew the fire several hours later enroute to a temporary tanker base and there was no indication of smoke. I watched it from a few miles away for several hours. Close to evening, it exploded and ran up the hillside behind it, after jumping the dirt trail. A day later, every available tanker in the country was on that fire, along with every helicopter, and multiple leads and air attacks, and several teams of hotshots and state fire crews. A day later it reversed direction at 70 mph, ran through a town, and killed the Granite Hotshots, as they repositioned into Yarnell. The fire ran through town and didn't stop until it ran out of fuel on the other side.

It ain't over, until it's over.

Guppy, thanks for your enlightening posts. Wife and I watched the movie about the Hot Shots, it was quite good. Having been through Prescott, it felt quite personal. Of course in California we’ve had more than our share of disastrous fires—the Tubbs fire in Santa Rosa came to within 1/4 mile of where my wife was staying in her late folks’ house.

Greg—stay safe, brother!!

Yesterday the wind changed direction and the fire went N X NW. The wind was high during the late afternoon, and the fire moved rapidly. This was a sigh of relief for me, but not for those folks in
the East Oro Valley and Goulder Ranch area. Evacuations were called, plus a larger area to be ready to go.

I can no longer see flames, but do see the smoke over the Catalinas looking North. I do so hope that no homes, or lives are lost in this fire.

quote:

Originally posted by GT-40DOC:
Yesterday the wind changed direction and the fire went N X NW. The wind was high during the late afternoon, and the fire moved rapidly. This was a sigh of relief for me, but not for those folks in
the East Oro Valley and Goulder Ranch area. Evacuations were called, plus a larger area to be ready to go.

I can no longer see flames, but do see the smoke over the Catalinas looking North. I do so hope that no homes, or lives are lost in this fire.

I feel sorry for those that have to evacuate. We've had to do it twice in the 30+ years in our home. Very nerve racking because you don't know if you've lost your home for a day or two. Both times we got lucky due to wind shifts.

Jim

quote:

Originally posted by sjtill:
Wife and I watched the movie about the Hot Shots, it was quite good.

I haven't seen it. I'm portrayed in it, but don't intend to watch it. I was there for the event, and that was more than enough for me.

Google "Apache Hot shots" for hours of great info.

12,345 acres as of last night 11% contained

First decent fire of the season here for Central Montana. Out near Helena, 1200 acres as of yesterday evening. Driven by 40-60 mph winds yesterday afternoon. No idea how it started.

As of this morning, the Bighorn fire is transitioning to a type 1 incident management team, and has cost 7.8 million. It's the #2 fire in the country for priority and size, the top one being on the North Kiabab in northern AZ (where Jacob Lake lodge was reported burned down a day ago, but appears to be intact, with backburns in progress to protect).

Containment estimate on the Bighorn is July 4.

Summerhaven and Mt. Lemmon is under a SET Evac warning

it moved a long way east over the weekend

The daily situation report showed a 1,700 acre increase on the Bighorn, as of 0730 mountain time, this morning.

https://www.nifc.gov/nicc/sitreprt.pdf

quote:

Mt. Lemmon

Stayed out at the El Conquistador Resort last fall, the winds during that time were unreal, lots of dry brush everywhere, beautiful area as you go north.

No mention of the Sawtooth fire up here.

25,000 acres, 60% contained. Been burning for two weeks.

Lightning.

Tucson may catch up.