http://www.wildlandfirefighter.org/ Wildland Firefighter Online en-us Fri, 09 May 2008 15:13:20 GMT 1440 CPG-Nuke Dragonfly Wildland Firefighter Online Community News http://backend.userland.com/rss http://www.wildlandfirefighter.org/images/HeaderLogo.gif http://www.wildlandfirefighter.org/ http://www.wildlandfirefighter.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=43 Earl Wooten of the Tennessee Division of Forestry has been dispatched to west Texas as Task Force leader on a fire. Currently we are unsure of which fire he is headed to but will update once we have more information. Fri, 09 May 2008 15:13:20 GMT http://www.wildlandfirefighter.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=41 **************************************************************************** This is the article from Palm Beach Post: Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Lieut. shot today Courtesy of the Palm Beach Post. The man killed by a gunman at Wendy's was identified as a 42-year-old firefighter lieutenant on lunch break with his wife and child, said Deputy Chief of Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Steve Delai. Delai said the victim apparently returned to the restaurant because a toy was missing from a meal and was shot at point blank. He was dressed in civilian clothes. The Fire-Rescue lieutenant, with Battalion 2, was promoted in January and was attending a required training nearby, from which he was on break. He was hired by the department in 2001. The firefighters wife is a corporal for Palm Springs police. Another firefighter who was on break witnessed the shooting and is receiving counseling. Paul Miller, Palm Beach County Sheriff's spokesman said the gunman came in through the south door shortly before 12:15, went to the bathroom and then came toward the center of the counter and "fired one shot directly at the lieutenant." He had two clips; there was one magazine on the floor and one in the weapon. Among the other victims: A 43-year- old male was taking to St. Mary's Medical center and is in serious but stable condition. Two victims are at Good Samaritan Medical Center: A 16-year-old female who was shot in the arm and her mother, who may not have been shot. A 65-year-old male and 62-year-old female were taken to Delray Medical Center. "We don't know the motive behind this," Miller said. He said the gunman was a black man in his 50s. He was wearing a tan sportscoat, black trowsers, a gold and blue tie and gray and blue tennis shoes. Miller said he had shot himself in "the head area" with one shot. "We have some indication of who he may be," Miller said of the gunman, based upon the discovery of a driver license. Witnesses said the man made no statements, but the his hand was shaking at the time of the shooting. After the gunman shot himself in the head, Miller said a "hero kicked the gun away" and then started first aid. No employees of Wendy's were injured. "Another random shooting like we've seen around the United States," Miller said. According to one of the employees at the restaurant, the shooter was a former Wendy's employee. A witness saw the shooter enter the restaurant bathroom. As soon as he came out he pulled out what looked like a 9mm handgun. He shot the deceased victim at near point-blank range then turned to the left and started shooting more rounds. Witness Jerry Pritcherd, 20, of Fort Myers, said he heard a pop and didn't realize it was gunshots. He said he was "scared" when he heard about 20 pops and ran out. He said he was 10 feet away from the shooter, who he said was a tall black man wearing a business suit. Although one witness described the shooter as a former employee, the sheriff's office and Wendy's officials said they had no information that he worked there. According to a witness, all of the victims are customers. After firing off many rounds, the gunman then shot himself and died in the middle of the restaurant. Three victims were flown to area hospitals. The gunman didn't demand money or say anything, according to a witness. None of the victims were children; two are described as elderly. The sheriff's violent crimes task force is investigating. They're encouraging everyone who was there to contact investigators. A father and son, Richard and Richard Anon of Miami, were just leaving a John Smith Subs restaurant across Military Trail when they saw customers running out of the Wendy's. "We thought there was a fight in the parking lot. Everyone was just running out," said the elder Anon. A Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office spokesman said no motive for the shootings were known Monday afternoon. In the past year, several random mass shootings in public places have stunned the nation, including the most deadly where 32 people at Virginia Tech were killed in April. Seung hui Cho, the Virginia Tech shooter, also killed himself. But before Virginia Tech, in February last year, an 18-year-old gunman killed five people and wounded four others at the Trolley Square shopping Center in Salt Lake City. Following Virginia Tech, two high profile public shootings have hit communities in Omaha and Illinois. In December, eight people were killed at the Westroads Mall in Omaha, Nebraska before the gunman shot himself. Most recently, a student shot and killed five people in February at Northern Illinois University before killing himself. Staff writers Don Jordan and Kimberly Miller contributed to this story. Wed, 05 Mar 2008 01:33:51 GMT http://www.wildlandfirefighter.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=40 Details Summary Name: McPherson Road Fire Location: Camden County Acres: 2,100 Estimated Containment: 100% Personnel: 65 Agencies Involved: NCDFR, Camden County Emergency Management, NC-DOT, Camden County Sheriff's Office, NC Highway Patrol, Blackwater Worldwide, Camden County Planning Department, Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. [02/25/08 @ 0930] - Fire is burning in deep organic soils. There have been reports of smoke on U.S. 17. Heat infared flight conducted today revealed most of the hot spots remaining are on the northwest side of the fire. Pumping operations will conitinue in that area and mop up operations will continue. Also just wanted to let yall know, I got back home today, We demobed this morning around 6, and there is still right much ground fire in it. Mon, 25 Feb 2008 22:15:40 GMT http://www.wildlandfirefighter.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=39 Current Significant N. C. Incidents Details Summary Name: Camp Elliot Fire Location: Buncombe County Acres: 278 Estimated Containment: 100% Personnel: 1 Agencies Involved: NCDFR, Buncombe County Emergency Mgmt, Broad River VFD. [02/14/08 @ 1645] - 13 miles SE of Black Mountain, NC. Details Summary Name: Yellow Top Fire Location: Rutherford County Acres: 493 Estimated Containment: 100% Personnel: 31 Agencies Involved: NCDFR, Rutherford County Fire Dept's and EMS [02/14/08 @ 1647] - Two residences destroyed. Patroling and mopping up. Details Summary Name: McPherson Road Fire Location: Camden County Acres: 2,300 Estimated Containment: 95% Personnel: 52 Agencies Involved: NCDFR, Camden County Emergency Management, NC-DOT, Camden County Sheriff's Office, NC Highway Patrol, Blackwater USA, Camden County Planning Department. [02/14/08 @ 1917] - Approximately 1.5" of rain and snow received on wildfire. Heavy equipment use was limited due to soil conditions. Road side tree felling was completed. Mop up is occuring near US 17. US 17 now opene Sat, 16 Feb 2008 16:41:37 GMT http://www.wildlandfirefighter.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=38 Crews across the East battled wildfires Sunday. In Beaufort County, fires flared on River Road, Slatestone Road and Waters Road. Officials said the fires in Beaufort County were contained by mid-afternoon. Although they have been called back to these scenes to put out hot spots. There has also been a house fire in the Smallwood area, unrelated to the wildfires, that has kept crews busy. We're told four more smaller brushfires broke out Sunday evening in which they responded to and controlled. Crews in Edgecombe County were called to the scene of a fire near Conetoe, while crews in Martin County battled one on Free Union Road in Jamesville. Crews in Craven battled at least seven fires Sunday. Pitt County officials sent crews to help with the Edgecombe County fire, while battling two blazes of their own. As of late Sunday afternoon, the fires in Pactolus and Black Jack were contained. Winds were around 20 miles per hour in Beaufort County Sunday afternoon, with gusts to 34 miles per hour. A Red Flag Warning and High Wind alerts were in effect but have now expired. The mandatory evacuation for the Carolina Village neighborhood in Moyock in Currituck County has been cancelled, and residents have gone back to their homes. Crews in Tyrrell County called it a night at 1 a.m. Monday morning with plans to return to a fire site at 7 a.m. A 300-acre blaze kept crews busy Sunday. Officials say it was contained enough for fire crews to take a break. Stay tuned to WITN-TV and logged on to witntv.com for the latest. There was 4 fires in Carteret County yesterday. 3 injured, 1 had a tree knocked over on him, and 2 were burnt over. Powerful Winds Fuel Wildfires Eastern NC - 2/10/2008 Fires crews spread all over Eastern Carolina putting out wildfires. A large fire in Onslow County forced evacuations in two subdivisions and closed down Highway 24. About 40 homes were evacuated because fire threatened their homes. Sunday night evacuated families were allowed back into their homes and Highway 24 was reopened. One of the largest fires was in Tyrrell County where more than 750 acres burned. Another fire in Pamlico County forced several families out of their homes earlier in the day Sunday. One fire consumed over two acres of brush along the railroad tracks in the Sunnyside Community of New Bern. A resident watched her laundry burn up just twenty feet from her back door Sunday afternoon. New Bern's Fire Department said they are still investigating the cause but say it was a community effort to contain the fire as residents used buckets and garden hoses to help fight the quick blaze. Fatigued fire fighters all over Eastern North Carolina fought the flames with little support from the forest service because the state's heavy equipment was already tied up with other fires across the state. The North Carolina Division of Forestry Division says at least 177 fires were reported Sunday in North Carolina. The most fires were reported in the northeast part of the state where winds were gusting the highest. Fires were also reported in Beaufort County, Edgecombe County, Martin County, Pitt County, and Duplin County. Several of Sunday's fires should never have happened. Many people ignored the red flag warning and burned anyway. Many counties in Eastern North Carolina have lifted the burn ban but it is still illegal to burn on days with a red flag warning Wed, 13 Feb 2008 21:37:47 GMT http://www.wildlandfirefighter.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=37 Here is summary of the statewide fire activity for Friday - Sunday: Total fires: 423 Total acres: 10,146 Note: The 10 year average for the state is 20,008 acres 888 homes/structures were threatened/protected valued at approx $219 million 70 structures were destroyed with an approx value of $948,500 12 vehicles were destroyed with an approx value of $66,000 Three Type III Incident Management Teams are mobilizing to the assist with the fires around the state. Year-to-date totals: 811 fires for 11,274 acres Wed, 13 Feb 2008 21:37:08 GMT http://www.wildlandfirefighter.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=36 Current Significant N. C. Incidents Details Summary Name: Red Flag Fire Location: Bertie County Acres: 150 Estimated Containment: 100% Personnel: 2 Agencies Involved: NCDFR, Sanbury VFD, Hobbsville VFD, Gates Co. EM. [02/11/08 @ 2025] - Mopping up. Details Summary Name: Bird Fire Location: Bertie County Acres: 100 Estimated Containment: 100% Personnel: 2 Agencies Involved: NCDFR. [02/11/08 @ 1900] - Patrolling line. Red flag conditions. Details Summary Name: Camp Elliott Fire Location: Buncombe County Acres: 150 Estimated Containment: 20% Personnel: 23 Agencies Involved: NCDFR, Buncombe County Emergency Mgmt, Broad River VFD [02/11/08 @ 2015] - Extreme fire behavior observed. Details Summary Name: Cramer Fire Location: Chowan County Acres: 700 Estimated Containment: 100% Personnel: 3 Agencies Involved: NCDFR, Weyerhauser, Chowan County VFD, NC DOT, Chowan County Emergency Management, Chowan County Sheriff Dept, NC Highway Patrol. [02/11/08 @ 1938] - Patroling and clearing lines. Details Summary Name: Highway One Fire Location: Franklin County Acres: 100 Estimated Containment: 75% Personnel: 54 Agencies Involved: NCDFR, VFD, EM, Sheriff's Dept, NC Hwy Patrol. [02/11/08 1344] - Twenty-two homes threatened; two destroyed. Details Summary Name: Acorn Hill Fire Location: Gates County Acres: 450 Estimated Containment: 100% Personnel: 1 Agencies Involved: NCDFR, Sunbury VFD, Hobbsville, VFD, Gates County Emergency Mgmt. [02/11/08 @ 1915] - Fifteen residences threatened; two destroyed. Details Summary Name: Lynch Road Fire Location: Halifax County Acres: 1,500 Estimated Containment: 75% Personnel: 59 Agencies Involved: NCDFR, Local VFDs, NC Parks and Recreation, American Red Cross, Halifax County Emergency Mgmt, NC State Emergency Mgmt, Halifax Sheriff Dept, NC Highway Patrol, Eastern Patroleum. [02/11/08 @ 1925] - Twenty residences threatened; one destroyed. Details Summary Name: Hall's Creek Fire Location: Pasquotank County Acres: 120 Estimated Containment: 100% Personnel: 2 Agencies Involved: NCDFR [02/11/08 @ 2020] - Three residences threatened. Details Summary Name: Yellow Top Fire Location: Rutherford County Acres: 75 Estimated Containment: 20% Personnel: 20 Agencies Involved: NCDFR, Rutherford County Fire Depts and EMS. [02/11/08 @ 1951] - Three residences threatened; two destroyed. Details Summary Name: Dillon's Ridge Fire Location: Tyrrell County Acres: 800 Estimated Containment: 60% Personnel: 46 Agencies Involved: NCDFR, VFD, Sheriff's Dept, DOT, NWS. [02/11/08 @ 1955] - Type 3 IMT assumed management on 2/11. Wed, 13 Feb 2008 21:36:43 GMT http://www.wildlandfirefighter.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=35 Forestry Officials Warn Against Burning This Weekend February 8, 2008 Officials with the N.C. Division of Forest Resources are warning people to avoid debris burning because of predictions of a dry and windy weekend. The National Weather Service is calling for the possibility of a red flag warning this weekend due to high winds and low humidity. Red flag warnings are issued by the National Weather Service to call attention to weather conditions that may result in extreme burning conditions. Red flag warnings are issued in areas that have had little rainfall and meet certain criteria such as high winds that dry out forest fuels. These are the ideal conditions for debris burning to get of control and start a wildfire. Careless debris burning accounts for more than 40 percent of the wildfires in North Carolina and is the No. 1 cause of wildfires in the state. There were approximately 6,804 fires across the state in 2007 that burned more than 36,873 acres. Many of these fires could have been prevented if people burning debris had heeded warnings not to burn on windy days. State forestry officials say that if people burn leaves and other vegetative materials they should take precautions because fires can easily escape and become dangerous. Some important rules to follow if you choose to burn include: Open burning may include burning leaves, branches and other plant material. It is illegal to burn trash, lumber, tires, newspapers, plastics or other non-vegetative materials. Outdoor burning is prohibited in areas covered by Code Orange or Code Red air quality forecasts. Make sure you have a valid burning permit. You can obtain a burning permit at any state Division of Forest Resources office, a permitting agent or online. Follow local laws on debris burning. Some communities allow burning only during specified hours; others forbid it entirely. Check the weather. Don’t burn on dry, windy days. Be prepared before burning. Keep fire tools available. To control a fire, you will need a garden hose, a bucket, a steel rake and a shovel for tossing dirt on the fire. Never use kerosene, gasoline, diesel fuel or other flammable liquids to speed burning. Always stay with the fire until it has been extinguished. For more information, call Brian R. Haines, public information officer with the Division of Forest Resources, at (919) 733-2162, ext. 234, or via cell phone at (919) 218-9728 Found out this afternoon we are going to be on an RP 4 this weekend, So i'll be at the office manning the ops room till we have a fire. Sat, 09 Feb 2008 19:45:30 GMT http://www.wildlandfirefighter.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=34 SAN ANTONIO -- A Dilley volunteer firefighter was injured as he was trying to put out some of the worst wildfires to hit south Texas in recent memory. KSAT's Simon Gutierrez reported that with the high winds the last couple days, the fires have shown they can move incredibly fast and turn on a dime. Close to 20,000 acres have burned in nearby La Salle County, officials said, and about 2,000 more were charred in Dilley County. By mid-afternoon, Dilley's volunteer fire department had put out both the city's wildfires. Flames had scorched the landscape, but they didn't threaten any homes, officials said. During the worst of it, though, three firefighters were caught in a bad spot. Two suffered burns when the flames turned on them, officials said. "One is out of the hospital. He was released yesterday, and the other firefighter is still in the hospital," Dilley volunteer firefighter Daryl Kallio said. "We know she has a broken leg and some burns." Six houses in La Salle County have been destroyed, dozens of others damaged and conditions are still ripe for another fire, officials said. Gov. Rick Perry declared a statewide disaster. He recently asked President George W. Bush to make disaster proclamation, which would make counties eligible for federal funding. Copyright 2008 by KSAT.com All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed Fri, 08 Feb 2008 04:59:03 GMT http://www.wildlandfirefighter.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=33 Tree planting in North Carolina May Still be Possible Despite Drought Conditions January 7, 2008 The N.C. Division of Forest Resources wants to inform landowners who wish to plant trees that it may still be possible despite the state’s significant drought conditions. North Carolina's diverse soils and micro-climates mean that landowners and forestry professionals must take into consideration a number of factors before planting trees. Some of those factors include the current and expected soil moisture conditions, winter weather patterns and historical tree-planting survival records. Site-by-site determinations will be necessary when deciding whether to plant. The Division of Forest Resources is an excellent resource for forest landowners who want to know whether to plant trees during drought. Furthermore, the state agency administers cost-sharing funds to help people pay for the costs of tree planting, but the agency must be involved when state or federal cost-share funds are used for this purpose. Landowners and/or tree-planting contractors should contact their county ranger’s office several days before planting a site to provide staff with the Division of Forest Resources enough time to assess dry or questionable tracts and determine whether soil moisture conditions are adequate for tree planting. In most cases, tracts where site preparation work has already been completed should be planted during the same tree-planting season. To improve a seedling's ability to survive the drought, the agency’s tree experts are encouraging people to plant throughout January and use containerized seedlings, especially longleaf pines. The state Division of Forest Resources’ “Pocket Guide to Seedling Care and Planting Standards” should be used when forestry professionals try to determine whether trees should be planted. This pocket guide is available at most of the state agency’s offices, has information about tree planting standards and addresses less-than-ideal planting conditions. Staff members with the Division of Forest Resources are available to help tree planting contractors, forest landowners and others in the forestry community. Landowners with questions should first consult with their county ranger. A list of county rangers can be found at: www.dfr.state.nc.us/contacts/contacts_main.htm . Also, people can contact the division’s central office in Raleigh at (919) 733-2162. Wed, 06 Feb 2008 06:21:53 GMT