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Master and Commander
Posts: 1324
Location: Oxnard, CA | Subject: Non-sub. Forest fires
Jim Mandleblat asked about the forest fires here in Southern California. The fire at Chantry Flat is pretty much out, with only some hot spots. There is another that has started in the mountains west of Palm Springs, in the area of Idylwild. This area burned in 1999. I was on that (1999) fire, based at the Keenwild heli-base.
The helicopter I worked with a few years back has added capabilities, and is in high demand with the forest service.
The best way to explain the added capability is:
>Think of the old Coast and Geodetic maps that are available to anyone. Digitize these maps and put them in a large capacity dedicated laptop computer.
>Add to this a GPS receiver with the output going to the same computer. With the moving map capability, any display would be shown on a Coast and Geodetic map backdrop.
>Now add an infra-red heat detecting camera. Not just what the camera sees, but also where the camera is pointed in AZimuth and ELEvation. Input this AZ and ELE info into the computer, and you can pinpoint on the map that at which the camera is looking.
>Then couple any infra-red detected heat sources to the data stream and you can fly the fire, recording into the computer the helo's GPS posit, the camera's AZ and ELE info, and the IR info, and your output is a Coast and Geodetic based infra-red map of the fire. This can be either paper printed out when the helicopter lands, or can be telemetered to the ground in real time.
The helo will be going to the Chantry Flat fire this morning to IR map any hot spots. The marine layer is in right now. There is coastal low clouds and fog, so at this time: 0945, the helo is grounded. When the fog lifts, it flies. The marine layer, with the added moisture, tends to cause the fires to lay down and not burn as fierce.
Edited by JrKrup, Skimmer 2008-04-30 9:47 AM
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Great Sage of the Sea
Posts: 877
| Subject: RE: Non-sub. Forest fires
JrKrup, Skimmer - 2008-04-30 9:46 AM
Jim Mandleblat .....
An inneresting spelling.. should be Mandelblatt.
Glad you're safe...  |
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Master and Commander
Posts: 1269
Location: Hopewell Junction NY | Subject: RE: Non-sub. Forest fires
Jim M. - 2008-04-30 1:03 PM JrKrup, Skimmer - 2008-04-30 9:46 AMJim Mandleblat ..... An inneresting spelling.. should be Mandelblatt.Glad you're safe...
very INNERESTING
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Master and Commander
Posts: 1814
Location: Boydton, Virginia | Subject: RE: Non-sub. Forest fires
Don't want to steal your post, Jon, but you just reminded me of an incident that happened a couple weeks ago on a forest fire here in Virginia. A forestry technician was plowing a line around the fire with a dozer when the wind changed direction and blew up right where he was. He had to jump from the dozer and run through the fire or be consumed by it. He recieved 3rd degree burns on his hands and 2nd degree on a lot of the rest of his body. Steve is a very experenced Technician with many fires under his belt, both here in Virginia and throughout the US. Fighting forest fires is a very dangerous and risky businees, most of the public does't have a clue what these guys do to protect our forests and homes. I worked a temporary job with Va Department of Forestry this winter and Steve Morris helped me whenever asked. He is a good man. He will make it through this and be back in the saddle as he has good spirit, but it will be a hard road for him.
Steamboat sends
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Master and Commander
Posts: 1324
Location: Oxnard, CA | Subject: RE: Non-sub. Forest fires
John, no problem, the subject line - Forest fires - was the same.
The pilot of the helicopter I worked for, is a paraplegic. He has 60% use of one leg and 0% use of the other. He can still outfly a lot of other helo pilots.
When I went on the fire in Idylwild in 1999, I had to drive on a road through the active burning area. The road was lined with fire units, water tanker trucks, and empty dozer-hauling flatbeds. I pulled over to take a couple photos of the fire, and was very impressed about how quiet it was. There was just a very low gentle whoosh of the fire generated breeze. I had shut down the engine of the support truck, and suddenly realized that I was hauling 400 gallons of jet fuel. For a second or 6000 I was worried that the truck wouldn't start and that the fire would advance toward the road. Fortunately the truck started right up and I made it to the helicopter base camp just fine. That fire lasted about 20 days.
The helo base was set up about a half mile from a lake and just beyond the lake was the burning mountain. I sat in camp watching with binoculars, and listening on the forest service air/ground frequency. An Erickson Sky Crane was making multiple passes/drops on a spot as directed by ground personnel. You could hear his progress and how close he was able to get to his directed target. They were asking him to drop his next load 5 feet to the south, then 5 more feet, then 10 feet, and he nailed it each time. Those guys are GOOD!
Jim: Sorry about spelling your name wrong. Brain speed exceeds finger speed, or is it the other way around.
Jon
Edited by JrKrup, Skimmer 2008-04-30 1:31 PM
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Great Sage of the Sea
Posts: 606
Location: Citrus County FL | Subject: RE: Non-sub. Forest fires
Jon: You usta drive around in forest fires in a truck with 600 gallons of AVGAS and you think sub sailors are nuts? Reminds me of the afternoon I stopped in Oro Grande NM (in the exact middle of nowhere) for a beer. Met a paratrooper from local Army base -- he said I was nuts for going on subs, I said he was nuts for jumping out of planes. The third guy at the bar was laughing at us. Turns out he was a NYC fireman -- made his living running into burning buildings. He won. We bought his beer(s). |
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COMSUBBBS
Posts: 2561
Location: Rapid City, SD | Subject: Jon -
- As I read through your first post, I said to myself, "Exactly!"
(Actually what I really said was, "Huh?")
Cora
Edited by Corabelle 2008-04-30 8:05 PM
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Senior Crew
Posts: 186
Location: Chunky, MS | Subject: RE: Non-sub. Forest fires
As a college graduate registered forester myself, I am thankful that my job does not involve fighting wildfires. Some of my friends would volunteer during the summers to go out west to do that. It takes a special mentality. |
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Great Sage of the Sea
Posts: 602
Location: Visalia, Ca. | Subject: RE: Non-sub. Forest fires
whalen - 2008-04-30 12:25 PM
Jon: You usta drive around in forest fires in a truck with 600 gallons of AVGAS and you think sub sailors are nuts?
And he does a reasonable imitation of a chuck-wagon cook, too! |
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Master and Commander
Posts: 1814
Location: Boydton, Virginia | Subject: RE: Non-sub. Forest fires
And like Coosey said.... "Never trust a skinney cook!!"
Steamboat sends |
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Non-sub. Forest fires
