I don’t think people know what a Type 3 is. I was a driver/pumper on several for a couple years. Did a couple years as a hotshot and helitak too. After moving back to my home state, Okla., and talking with local fire guys, they don’t even know.
The last photo is from the hilltop overlooking my fire station and also where we lived at a Forest Service housing unit. 17,000 acre Valley Fire, 2020. Notice the green trees in the middle of a nuked forest. We saved our own station and my residence.
My wife and kids were home at the time and drove off the mountain right as we were laying a backing fire. Another minute and they would have to shelter in place. As they were driving up the long driveway they saw a fire whirl (fire tornado) carrying a manzanita tree in the air. She later told me she had no clue my job was this dangerous. You don’t get it till you’re in it. True baptism by fire.
My ‘cuda went through Hurricane Katrina and this fire.
@Oldmanmopar Best thing you can do is pick all the organic material from structures. Get a leaf blower, get a drip torch, and become well versed in how to operate those two things. It’s too late now for you to learn for this fire. There’s a lot of skill that goes into when and where to lay down a backing fire.
I have never seen a home saved by a homeowner with a water hose. It doesn’t happen. Sprinklers are a good idea but need to run around 24 hours. You have to flood the place for it to not burn. The superheated air, wind, and single digit relative humidity will dry everything in advance of the flaming front. Everything has to be saturated fully and even then the wind can blow embers INTO eaves and soffits, wood decks, and even vehicles and burn them down. If you hinge all your hopes on wetting things down with a piss hose and the power goes out you could be in the middle of a firefight and run out of water. Best thing to do with water is leave it for the firefighters.
Good luck OMM, once the air tankers show up you’ll be alright. Head on a swivel though.
UPDATE. The fire is out of control. Over 200 fire fighters. They have been begging for support from the government. We were denied air tankers and national guard . People are devastated. They are dozing and plowing yards to try and make a fire break. Hot ashes are falling in the town of Palmerton on the other side of the mountain.
We were told to get any organic material out from around houses. That is what we were doing all day even though is isn't close YET!. Its a half mile west
A local Polaris dealer who we do machine work for donated all their UTV's to help get fire fighters in to the Appalachian trail. The owner told my son the fire was started by a camp fire on the trail. Biden has the National guard on stand by for the white house after the election. so they are not available for us.
Local people have been evacuated west of my house the fire is slowly coming east. Hoping for no wind. Our government sucks.