Tactical Fire

I've been wrestling with the site's layout for several years and I'm about ready to start anew.

Chief Engineer, Robert Jacobsmeyer took us on a terrific tour of the facility and he's shown here elevating the Snozzle. We'll get a page set up for the images over the coming days.

The department is reviewing winter water tender operations. The goal is to refill quickly and not have any pipes or hoses freeze. This becomes very challenging when it is -20F outside.

In the above photo, each member of the department seems to be looking at something something that no one else is looking at. Did we stage this shot?

I noticed an expanse of smoke from the south to the north and hurried for the camera. We've had this sort of sunset for several days. This fire, in the Big Timber area of Montana, is about a 1 1/2 hour drive to the west and is now in excess of 180,000 acres or 280 square miles in size. As of September 4th, it was still the Number 1 fire in the country. This fire won't be completely out till after the first decent snow fall.

This photo was taken with a fisheye lens and it captures about 150 degrees of smoky horizon. The smoke was actually visible across 180 degrees of horizon.

Here' s a closer shot. I was hoping to take the pictures before the sun dropped into the smoke, but that was not to be.

This shot, never seen before now, was taken on June 18th, just prior to the RVFD arriving to take delivery.

We've been so busy with summer and fires that we've not posted photos in weeks. This is just to let you know that we're alive and well and on the lookout for photos to post.

There have been a couple of requests for a closer shot of the pump panel. True, this photo is buried in Ryegate's page covering the outfitting. However, here it is. Yes, it's not a huge photo but it does offer a closer look. This panel consumed many hours of effort.

We went over to assist the Bull Mountain VFD with the Majerous Fire, which was rapidly expanding. It jumped Route 87 south of Roundup, Montana, midway into the afternoon. I'd be surprised if this fire comes in under 2,000+ acres.

It makes such a difference when significant air support is brought in early. At one point into the evening, there was all sorts of air support: 6 helicopters, 2 Single Engine Air Tankers, two heavy tankers and of course, a spotter plane. One of the helicopters was of the two rotor type.

As usual - no photos. Darn.

It's very hard to have a camera at the ready on one's shoulder and be out fighting fire. There's so much dust, ash, smoke and water mist that it can't be good for the camera and it's tough to keep the lens clean.

Many thanks go to Paul Nichols of the BMVFD for incorporating me and Attack 1320 so nicely into his attack team.

Several Bull Mountain VFD members were really trying to get me to shoot great photos of some massive nearby flare-ups and water drops, but we really had our hands full using Attack 1320 to halt fire about to cross a stretch of dirt two-track. That was perhaps the highlight of my participation.

During a visit to the pump at the rear of 1320, It began pouring rain on me, only to realize that I was under the tail end of a helicopter water drop.

This fire had its peculiar moments in that, with no helicopters nearby, the flames were headed our way and the wind was coming from behind us.

The Sidewinder Monitor on the front of Attack 1320 saw its most intense and successful duty to date. The windows were down and the heat from the flames in the trees just a few feet away was mighty uncomfortable. BMVFD member Paul Sterman (sp?) was my co-pilot for this session and he was quick to master operating the Sidewinder's joystick. The Sidewinder knocked the flames down as they torched in Ponderosa of various size. It was a great opportunity for the the Bull Mountain crews nearby to see 1320 and its Sidewinder in action.

We have more photos on the BMVFD page and a few more on their 2006 Fires page.

Here's a broadside shot of the DNRC's portable gas station. The DNRC Helicopters come in and land, refuel and fly away again. No charge!

Minnie, Tabby, Joan and James serve sandwiches to the crowd at the Action area racetrack. These department members contributed many hours to make this happen.

More photos and information can be found on the Lavina 2006 Activities page.

This photo is obviously too tall for our computer screens. However, this a view that we just don't get to see every day. This was cropped from the image below in order to offer a larger view of the copter.

June 25, 2006 I took Attack 1320 (in the foreground) out to assist the Dean Creek VFD at a local fire. I ended up assisting Dean Creek VFD, Bull Mountain VFD and the BLM (Bureau of Land Management) folks. During it all, I managed to get a shot of the water operations overhead. The fire had probably been quietly at work in a tree for several days. Today was the day it blew up. Estimated at only 40 to 50 acres, it was in very rugged terrain - thus the assistance of a state helicopter.

It's very hard to take photos here and there and fight fire.

As the doings were coming to a close, I visited with the helicopter personnel before they departed. .

I visited and chatted with the pilot for a few minutes - we both have the same first name.

I was tuckered out and did not pay any attention to the make and model of the copter. Sorry.

They're up and away - no water bucket this time. I wish I had the longer camera lens today.

Here's Thomas, the pilot, waving at the last minute.

I have photos of a few of the Dean Creek members and I'll get a page going for them in a day or so. For now, here's firefighter Barb Anderson, smiling for the camera.

June 1, 2006 Ther'e all smiling. Are they smiling for the camera? Are they smiling because they really like their "new" truck? Maybe both?

From left to right: William Stratman, Misty Stratman and Floyd Fisher have been inspecting their newly outfitted Type 6 attack truck. There's a rumor afoot that it is a bit like Christmas morning.

When they return the truck, which they promise thay will do after the inspection, we'll carry on with final outfitting.

Here's the photo - pre-outfitting.

Here's the before photo.

The photo below provides a close-up of the high-tech lightbar and the searchlight.

The remote-controlled searchlight can be operated from inside the cab and outside the cab, via a hand-held remote. One can feel the heat radiating fromthe lamp at a distance of five or six feet.