2nd alarm 3-5 acres MROS medium brush in Thomas Fire scar
Temp 94
RH 10
FM 3
Wind N-NE 1-6 G10
Butler Hill Camera has it.
http://www.alertwildfire.org/orangecoca/index.html?camera=Axis-ButlerHill2&v=81e002f
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Currently about 10 acres. MROS, starting to move up hill.
IC just ordered AA and 4 AT
50 acres
Elizabeth is little angry right now.
And rotors cycling for fuel now
Per IC the updated potential is 300 plus acres. fire is still moving at MROS. Hoping to keep it out of Aliso Canyon. Also ordering additional Strike Teams. 1 Type 1 ST to Olive and Foothill for structure defense. 5 closest Type 3’s to report to the ICP for deployment in Div Z.
I am going ask a question that may require a separate thread or even a delay in answering. And before I continue, I am asking because I am truly interested in the criteria and not questioning the decision making or authority of those who are making them. It appears that often there is a delay in ordering fixed wing aircraft for some Contract Counties in wildland fires. And to that point, the delay is also at a point when the fire is transitioning or perhaps has transitioned from the incipit stage into a more well established or even heavily established. Is the decision based upon size, or potential? Or are there political and/or monetary considerations which have to be met prior to the ordering? I don’t live or work in a Contract County so I have no understanding of these questions. It just would seem that knowing the aircraft are some distance away that the ordering of the fixed wing assets sooner would potentially reduce the overall resource requirements and commitments.
Again, I am not throwing stones at the decisions or decision criteria, I am just interested in understanding what or when the decision to use aircraft is made.
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As part of the agreement, for SRA fires in a contract county, any resource order over the pre-approved 1st and 2nd alarm must be approved by the region duty chief / agency representative. Some pre- approved “alarms” include their own aircraft ( helicopters usually). Also based on dispatch levels. Sometimes region will send fixed wing automatically. But, when you get down to it, if the IC requests fixed wing, they will usually get it.
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This fire started under or near some very large power distribution lines. I heard a helicopter telling the IC early on that until it burned out and away from the lines they were limited in there targets. I believe this fire is in SRA and AT are usually added to response shortly after they size up the fire.
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Exactly, overheard an early order, but limited space due to all ridges covered with transmission lines. multiple hazards so they plugged the Dozer’s in and worked rotor’s. Until it squirted out.
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There is no delay on Fixed wing in Contract counties. Other than, when a fire is dispatched in the local ECc the county duty officer must phone south ops aircraft desk and read off several items for dispatch So the plane knows where to go, It’s very specific info and radio vectors. That takes a minute. Then, 4 S-2a are approved in the agreement . The IC gets 2 on a 1st alarm
( once the call is made) . ICs can request an additional two and have them dispatched immediately . After that it goes to the duty chief at south ops fir additional request…
you can google Cal Fire Appendix A. That’s the agreement.
Note: Marin county world go through north ops.
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What I think is being said here, is that there is a real or perceived delay for contract counties to get fixed wing, be that the dispatch center not voicing the order as quickly, a delay in south ops, or a delay getting the order from south ops to bases. I have noticed it myself. It also seems that the some of the contract counties seem shy to order aircraft. I’m not sure how aircraft are billed for contract counties or if $$ plays into that all. I assume all contract counties have the intercom in their dispatch center.
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Yes they all have intercoms and use them to order aircraft. I’ve never heard a delay in their IA aircraft order.