2020 Wildfire Season

[bodywhomper]

Our evacuation “warning” was lifted. But fkna some sad shit going down: solinas, susanville, the whole lightning complex. Damn.

[MakersTeleMark]

grrr. so sad that it's still so hard to get fire information. inciweb's interface is worse than two years ago and if you have some kind of incident managed by somebody like Calfire it is on their own equally terrible website. absolutely mind-blowing with today's technology that it's so difficult to get the most current information from a fire. for fuck's sake even an instagram video of the entire morning briefing would be an improvement for a whole hell of a lot of large incidents.

We get a solid 60+ minute briefing every 2 days and inci fills in the real time gaps. Or just look outside and talk to your neighbors works.

[Iowagriz]

I've been using this site this summer. I can't find my old mapping link. This is decent and it outlines the larger firelines. Downside is that it also shows potential fires (from lightning strikes?).

https://maps.nwcg.gov/sa/#/%3F/39.8212/-96.2709/4

[Meadow Skipper]

grrr. so sad that it's still so hard to get fire information. inciweb's interface is worse than two years ago and if you have some kind of incident managed by somebody like Calfire it is on their own equally terrible website. absolutely mind-blowing with today's technology that it's so difficult to get the most current information from a fire. for fuck's sake even an instagram video of the entire morning briefing would be an improvement for a whole hell of a lot of large incidents.

^ This.

[PB]

Agree; seems like it's just getting lost/swamped in the total hot mess of 2020.

[Kevo]

grrr. so sad that it's still so hard to get fire information. inciweb's interface is worse than two years ago and if you have some kind of incident managed by somebody like Calfire it is on their own equally terrible website. absolutely mind-blowing with today's technology that it's so difficult to get the most current information from a fire. for fuck's sake even an instagram video of the entire morning briefing would be an improvement for a whole hell of a lot of large incidents.

The team managing the Grizzly Creek Fire (Glenwood Canyon, CO) has a pretty good Facebook page where they post daily briefings, updated maps, photos, etc.

They host community meetings with Facebook Live where they field questions and they respond within a few hours if you send them a FB message asking a question. The PIOF on that team is doing a good job in my assessment.

The Pine Gulch Fire (Grand Junction) has a similar page, too..

[zartagen]

Smoke from the cali fires:



I'd post an image of colorado, but those fires look like birthday candles comparatively.

[Lone Star]

The team managing the Grizzly Creek Fire (Glenwood Canyon, CO) has a pretty good Facebook page where they post daily briefings, updated maps, photos, etc.

They host community meetings with Facebook Live where they field questions and they respond within a few hours if you send them a FB message asking a question. The PIOF on that team is doing a good job in my assessment.

The Pine Gulch Fire (Grand Junction) has a similar page, too..

Thankfully a few of the Incident Management Teams understand how terrible the framework is and take these extra steps. Unfortunately they are essentially going rogue--- most incidents don't feature this kind of good coverage and communication.

[KQ]

17 large wildfires burning in Oregon & Washington.

Finally got a relatively cool day so I opened up the house for fresh air but nooooooooooooooooo...... smokey, smoke, smoke.

[jummo]

Smoke from the cali fires:

I'd post an image of colorado, but those fires look like birthday candles comparatively.

Thanks, I feel much better now. From my house the CO fires seem big enough.
Note size of VLAT (that's Very Large Air Tanker to you non fire types)

jummo

[zartagen]

^Which fire is that?

[zartagen]

Here's a gopro still of a tanker that flew by me on Sunday. If it flew by 10 minutes sooner and I would've been a whole hell of a lot closer to it [emoji51]

[IMG]https://i.ibb.co/9q5Dgmx/vlcsnap-2020-08-17-21h51m12s486.png
[/IMG]

[Kevo]

Here's a gopro still of a tanker that flew by me on Sunday. If it flew by 10 minutes sooner and I would've been a whole hell of a lot closer to it [emoji51]

[IMG]https://i.ibb.co/9q5Dgmx/vlcsnap-2020-08-17-21h51m12s486.png
[/IMG]

South Boulder Peak and Bear Peak? Where did you launch from?

[zartagen]

South Boulder Peak and Bear Peak? Where did you launch from?

North boulder ridge above wonderland lake

[dunfree]

^ This.

I’m not a fire person, but they’ve had some of that information linked on a twitter feed https://twitter.com/CALFIRECZU (is for the sc mountains fire - briefing on periscope, orders, map, etc). Scary.

[jummo]

^Which fire is that?

Grizzly Creek fire from the south. About 8 miles away.


jummo

[jackstraw]

I’m not a fire person, but they’ve had some of that information linked on a twitter feed https://twitter.com/CALFIRECZU (is for the sc mountains fire - briefing on periscope, orders, map, etc). Scary.

That fire is shitty. Well, they all are, but my kid is in Santa Cruz (and mag Ott) so this one sucks worse for me. He'll be fine, but its getting super close to a big population.

Yo @Ottime I hope you and family stay safe with this one.

[Meadow Skipper]

I’m not a fire person, but they’ve had some of that information linked on a twitter feed https://twitter.com/CALFIRECZU (is for the sc mountains fire - briefing on periscope, orders, map, etc). Scary.

It would just be nice if there was one-stop shopping for super-current fire info. But the fed gov’t doesn’t have a cohesive strategy for that. IME, the feds are beyond hopeless at the interwebz.

[char_]

It would just be nice if there was one-stop shopping for super-current fire info. But the fed gov’t doesn’t have a cohesive strategy for that. IME, the feds are beyond hopeless at the interwebz.

Even if they wanted to there would be one it would be a low bid contract and it would still suck.

[Meadow Skipper]

Even if they wanted to there would be one it would be a low bid contract and it would still suck.

‘Zactly.

[old goat]

It would just be nice if there was one-stop shopping for super-current fire info. But the fed gov’t doesn’t have a cohesive strategy for that. IME, the feds are beyond hopeless at the interwebz.

According to the govt web site the fire is heading for Alabama.

[PB]

... and was started by the deep state.

[Lone Star]

It would just be nice if there was one-stop shopping for super-current fire info. But the fed gov’t doesn’t have a cohesive strategy for that. IME, the feds are beyond hopeless at the interwebz.

less info and more CYA. The Public Information and Recreation folk in the USFS I've asked about this have said that they are explicitly not allowed to do anything with their statements and information except for pass it up the chain of command. No, you can't post on your Ranger District's twitter that the bridge over the creek on that dirt road 30 miles out is being replaced. No making your own webpage to broadcast all of the little tidbits the public could use every day. Just hope the SO or RO sees fit to announce it to their audience (in *their* home town 75 miles away) with enough time that the people that need the information can find it third-hand.

Fire---same? Shit.. even "dump all your briefing documents and perimeter/IR/Division maps into a google drive twice a day" would be a huge improvement.


I kinda wonder if we could solve the problem by hiring a bunch of teenagers to handle the entire PI gig.

[TBS]

I dunno, we are getting daily briefing maps and virtual meetings on the Green Ridge fire at Camp Sherman near my slice of Paradise.It's blown up to 3600 acres in some really rugged country.

Map here
Sorry Too big to import inline

The ridge is 5000' elevation on the east side, 3500' at the Metolius River to the west. Burning material is tumbling down the ridge causing all kinds of chaos. The scrub forest east of the ridge is pretty uneven and has a really thick understory.

Wind has shifted so we are now in the thick of it. Could taste the smoke on a 0700 mtb ride.

The rich second homeowners at Black Butte aren't happy...

[Iowagriz]

Fire on Mount Sentinel in Missoula last evening. Check out the short video from this link, 2nd click right. This guy got an amazing video of a small firefighting plane dumping retardant as it dove into town.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CEInc5XH..._web_copy_link

If that link didn't work, do here and his 8/20 post, 2nd pic/vid
https://www.instagram.com/phil.higuera/