California Fires

[invertedflyer]

According to the news, the Marine Squadrons at Pendleton requested to send their aircraft up on Sunday... but since CalFires requires a certified "spotter" to be onboard, they wouldn't allow them to fly until Tuesday. What do you fellas think about this? Do crewmembers have enough training to use the bambi-bucket without a spotter? I think the winds also played a part in that decision.

 

[bobbybrock]

According to the news, the Marine Squadrons at Pendleton requested to send their aircraft up on Sunday... but since CalFires requires a certified "spotter" to be onboard, they wouldn't allow them to fly until Tuesday. What do you fellas think about this? Do crewmembers have enough training to use the bambi-bucket without a spotter? I think the winds also played a part in that decision.

I was curious about this also. While I was active duty I flew plenty of range fires. Fighting a forrest fire is a totally different animal. The Cal Fire guy on board is usually coordinating with the air tac. These guys speak fire fighting talk not aviation talk, so they basically translate instructions to the guys upfront and in back.
In the guard we have a contract with them so we essentially belong to them when we are on fires. I like the set up becuase in the smoke and haze things can get a little sporty. So it is nice to have another guy who can talk on the radio and coordinate things.

 

[insanebikerboy]

According to the news, the Marine Squadrons at Pendleton requested to send their aircraft up on Sunday... but since CalFires requires a certified "spotter" to be onboard, they wouldn't allow them to fly until Tuesday. What do you fellas think about this? Do crewmembers have enough training to use the bambi-bucket without a spotter? I think the winds also played a part in that decision.

Here's some more on that from Foxnews.

 

[bobbybrock]

The other thing to take into consideration is that most military aircraft don't have the capability to talk to certain civilian agencies. Most of the commo with these agencies takes place on Clemars.
I know that I never talked on a tecsonic or wolfsberg till I came to the guard.

 

[KBayDog]

"I believe virtually everything I read, and I think that is what makes me more of a selective human than someone who doesn't believe anything."
- David St. Hubbins, Spinal Tap

As with anything else you read in the news, "Trust, but verify."


Jarhead, our crews have been logging 2Q5.

 

[jamnww]

According to the news, the Marine Squadrons at Pendleton requested to send their aircraft up on Sunday... but since CalFires requires a certified "spotter" to be onboard, they wouldn't allow them to fly until Tuesday. What do you fellas think about this? Do crewmembers have enough training to use the bambi-bucket without a spotter? I think the winds also played a part in that decision.

You are only required to have a CalFire spotter if you are dropping on other than federal land...case in point our aircraft didn't have spotters when they were working solely on Pendleton...

yes that is a 2Q5 TMR code...

 

[zelda]

Crazy stuff going down in SoCal and SD. I almost made a trip down there to visit some friends this weekend but decided it might not be the brightest idea as people are trying to get out and I'd be trying to get in.

For those w/ family, friends, etc, there, y'all in my thoughts and prayers.

 

[bobbybrock]

You are only required to have a CalFire spotter if you are dropping on other than federal land...case in point our aircraft didn't have spotters when they were working solely on Pendleton...

yes that is a 2Q5 TMR code...

I was on the Zacca fire this past summer and most of that was on federal land and we had to have a cal fire "spotter".
Since the military owns the instlation they make the rules. I'm not sure if the avionics in a 53, 46 or Navy 60's have the ability to go up police band. On the reservation there is no requirement for that. Out on state and federal land there is becuase everyone else is up those bands. I know our cal fire guys pretty much set those radios up and did most of the talking while we took care of regualr ATC calls as well as multicom with the airtac guys.
I'm not of big fan of flying with the Cal fire bubbas but they do lighten the load and serve a purpose.

 

[HeyJoe]

Crazy stuff going down in SoCal and SD. I almost made a trip down there to visit some friends this weekend but decided it might not be the brightest idea as people are trying to get out and I'd be trying to get in.

For those w/ family, friends, etc, there, y'all in my thoughts and prayers.

Well known former F-8/F-14 driver "Hoser" (aka Joe Strapa) just sent me this update and images. Thought others might want to hear and see view from cockpit:

Dave -
Been down @ Hemet with (15) S2-Ts since the fire storms began. Could not do any thing cept immediate structure protection with the 60-70 kt winds. Finally on Wed the winds let up enough to do some serious air attack. Been bombing the Poomancha fire right by Palomar Observatory most of the day. I could look over and see Poway and Rancho Bernardo's devastation. Getting a handle on most of the fires now and should be outta here in five days. Hawk had a serious fight to save his home. I was loading my rifle in my car to head for MT hunting when the phone rang to Salvo South. VR D-Hose

Hoser at work; just another day at the office....

 

[MasterBates]

TurboStoofs, still getting it done at close to 60 years old.

 

[HeyJoe]

TurboStoofs, still getting it done at close to 60 years old.

Another product from the Grumman Ironworks! Here's latest from Hoser as of a few minutes ago...

Dave-
On a lunch break right now. The WX is clear on the Poomancha fire today so there are a myriad of air tankers beating it up. The Martin Mars (giant water scooper, scooping out of Lake Elsinore), MAS (C130's out of Pt. Mugu), 33 helos, 15 S-2T's loading out of Hemet Ryan, 62 Dozers, unknown number of ground personnel (bout a thousand). Ain't seen the DC-10 today? We should put a lid on this bad boy by 1800 today. VR D-Hose

 

[jamnww]

I was on the Zacca fire this past summer and most of that was on federal land and we had to have a cal fire "spotter".
Since the military owns the instlation they make the rules. I'm not sure if the avionics in a 53, 46 or Navy 60's have the ability to go up police band. On the reservation there is no requirement for that. Out on state and federal land there is becuase everyone else is up those bands. I know our cal fire guys pretty much set those radios up and did most of the talking while we took care of regualr ATC calls as well as multicom with the airtac guys.
I'm not of big fan of flying with the Cal fire bubbas but they do lighten the load and serve a purpose.

Good info, not sure about the legalities but I do know that we operated all last week without spotters, until they sent us SE of SD

 

[Bevo16]

After all of the negative pub about Navy helicopters not being used due to CalFires restrictions, they decided that it would be good enough if there was one CalFires rep in each section of aircraft.

The rep from CalFires is not necessary for safety, but they were useful in firefighting tactics.

I will not get into the politics of the whole thing. It was just a total goat rope. California politicians are as stupid as they seem on TV. "The Governator" is the only with a FMC frontal lobe.

 

[hscs]

Other issue -- I don't believe that the Bambi bucket even has a flight clearance for the B/F/H, so you can't really help -- no matter how bad you want to.

 

[HeyJoe]

Latest advice from Hoser:

New Info - Why stucco homes with tile roofs burned by the hundreds was not known until yesterday: Homes that seemed virtually fire proof from the outside, investigation revealed that the intense radiant heat through windows caused the window curtains and drapes and or plastic shades to catch fire and the homes burned from the inside out. During my 17 yrs. of aerial fire fighting I've observed homes with comproofs, wood siding/decking and with combustible fuel close by burst into flames from radiant heat so I built my home with Hardy Plankcement siding, steel roof, Trex deck and pushed all combustibles back 60 yds. The window heat transfer deal is new to me. VR D-Hose