I've been away...

[Tillaway]

I was sent to a wild fire a almost two weeks ago.  I thought I could avoid going but they were finally desperate enough to grab me so off I went.  I had a pretty easy job there basically managing part of the dozer and water tender inventory and sending supplies out to the fire line.  We had better than 3 or 4 retardant planes, 5 or 6 helicopters, 15 dozers, 3 skidgines, 2 forwarders and maybe 30 or 40 tenders. I had three volume pumps running on my side pumping around 27,000 gallons an hour into tenders to transport to the fire line.  We had a similar setup on the other side. There is probably 35 miles of fire hose out there now.

In one afternoon the fire burned about 7000 acres and destroyed maybe 5 or 6 miles of fire hose.  The fire went from about 5,000 acres to about 14,000 acres in a couple of days.  It looked pretty impressive from the highway.

Buy stock in fire hose manufacturers, we will need lots more in the future.

[VA-Sawyer]

Tillaway,
Glad that you are back and OK. Sounds like you were doing REMF duty. That's ok, someone has to be back there. I seem to recall from previous posts that you have done your time on the front line.
It really seems ironic to read about fire hose getting burned up.
VA-Sawyer

[DanG]

Welcome back, Tillaway.  I've never participated in fighting wildfires. It sounds like grueling but interesting work.  Good on ya for doing your bit.

[Frank_Pender]

Bob, were you on the Murders Creek site.  I have pictures from Highway 26 when the backfire was started.  What a tragic mess for that region.  We are glad you are safe and back.  Have a Son-in-law, protem that is fighting at that site, asa well.

[Tillaway]

In the rear with the gear pays the same...or better. ;D  I spent my youth in front of those things for about six summers, back when I could get out of the way faster than I can now.

Frank,

Yep, Murders Creek called the Shake Table Complex...and that was no back fire.  It spotted about 1 1/2 mile ahead over Aldrich Ridge into Widows Creek From Todd Creek and Duncan Creek.  It went from around 5000 acres at noon to nearly 14,000 by 8:00pm.  After the burnout was complete a couple of days later it was just shy of 15,000.  They had cats putting direct line on the fire as it backed down towards Widow Creek Ranch, no backfire was need on the HWY 26 side.  The fields creek side was burned out in places at a later date.  I may have drove past you on 26, I stopped to take a look as I headed back to camp, quite a picture...wished I had a camera, for shift change.  What does your Son-in law do, I may have met him or heard him on the radio.