Canadian Wildfire Season - 2023

[bob vernon]

If MOF allows a private and untrained crew to fight a fire, MOF accepts liability for injury to any of the crew. This is why they don't allow people to walk up and say "I wanna fight fire". They have to pass a fitness test and have some instruction first. Organized private crews do this before the start of the fire season and are on call during the summer. The liability issue is the reason that the RCMP doesn't clear out the bars and send unprepared people out to fires anymore like they did in the good old days.
"My back and knee hurt bad, real bad. It happened when I was fighting that fire. I need compensation. Lots of it."

And meanwhile the fire continues to burn.

So organize a community fire fighting crew instead of just *bleep* Complete the basic courses, pass the basic fitness tests, get the right equipment, and have insurance arranged. Offer yourself to the province BEFORE the fire season begins and get your group entered into the Pre-Org list. You'll get called on only then. The province is NOT going to allow onto fires anyone who just walks in and says they wanna fight fire.

[Babba_not_Gump]

And meanwhile the fire continues to burn.

So organize a community fire fighting crew instead of just *bleep* Complete the basic courses, pass the basic fitness tests, get the right equipment, and have insurance arranged. Offer yourself to the province BEFORE the fire season begins and get your group entered into the Pre-Org list. You'll get called on only then. The province is NOT going to allow onto fires anyone who just walks in and says they wanna fight fire.

You do realize I was referring to a construction crew who were more then capable and at the very least would have been capable of slowing down the spread of this fire as it had just been discovered.

They are professionals, they had equipment on site. They didn't walk in and say they wanna fight a fire.

They were turned down and by the time the MOF got their butts in gear, after having a meeting at the office on how to attack the fire, this wildfire had really gone wild.

[bob vernon]

They were a construction crew? No experience or training in firefighting. Were they insured for fire fighting or just construction? There's a difference for heavy equipment. How'd you like to be a guy on a cat with fire all around him. "Which way should I go? I can't see."

[Babba_not_Gump]

They were a construction crew? No experience or training in firefighting. Were they insured for fire fighting or just construction? There's a difference for heavy equipment. How'd you like to be a guy on a cat with fire all around him. "Which way should I go? I can't see."

Yeah okay bob, you fight fires your way and I'll fight em my way.

Here's an example for ya bob.
You're walking down the street and someone falls and hits their head, it's bleeding profusely.
I would do this: call 911 and the try to stop the bleeding.
Others might do this: call 911 and watch the person bleed to death, because the 911 caller has no experience or training in medical emergencies or insurance.

Got that?

[seewood]

Perhaps BC is going into a government run aircraft company. What could go wrong ?

https://www.castanet.net/news/Kamloops/ ... eet#463584

After borrowing four of the distinct firefighting airplanes from the U.S. last summer, the BC Wildfire Service is now eyeing up super scoopers of its own.

Going to be run with BC Ferries efficiency?

[my5cents]

Didn't the BC government tout the smaller skimmer aircraft over large ones like the aging Martin Mars.

Granted the Mars was likely at the other end of the spectrum, but they went from the large scooper to multiples of small skimmers.

So now a “whole new concept” that is really basically same old same old.

I've asked before, if you were going to try to put out, lets say a camp fire, would you start throwing cups of water at the fire, or dump a gallon bucket on it ?

[kiabird]

I can't find the old post where considerable discussion focused on firefighting efforts--or their lack--and the immense toll that fires have taken. But today's castanet post on waterbombers will hopefully continue the valuable discussions.
https://www.castanet.net/news/Canada/46 ... wildfires-

At the time, I emailed Minister Sajjan that Canada MUST invest in late-model waterbombers (built in Alberta!!!) so that only the fires in the remotest areas--where peoples' property and livelihoods/farms aren't adjacent--be allowed to burn to reduce the fuel load. I didn't expect a reply, not did I receive one.

When I think of the homes that were lost in West Kelowna and Shuswap, and the farm animals so severely affected by fires, I'm convinced the Federal gov't has an obligation to override the Ministry of Forests whose chief priority appears to be reducing a forest's fuel load, station one or two waterbombers in each province, to satisfactorily attack fires...fast and successfully.

Among the many benefits: no (or few) lost homes and thousands of people displaced, healthier skies, reduced personal risk to firefighting crews, etc. etc.

Glad that Castanet printed today's story.
Hopefully our water bomber discussion can be resurrected (despite company's inability to produce more waterbombers because they're swamped building them for Europe).

[Drip_Torch]

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[Drip_Torch]

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[seewood]

Agree, but I don't know that BCWS is looking at going into the airtanker business. I looked at BC Bid to see if I could read the RFP, but I couldn't find it. I suspect they are looking for a contractor.

I have my fingers crossed this is the case.

[Drip_Torch]

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[Drip_Torch]

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[Glacier]

thanks for the info!

[Drip_Torch]

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[Catsumi]

Ok, I read thru all of the above and considered what you had to say, but I’m uncertain as to what exactly you think is the best fire fighting approach. I agree that it took forever to round up enough “qualified” peeps from around the globe to attend even a few of the wildfires that had burned for some time. You seem to be impressed with the successful efforts of a few guys with a truck and a hose. They were in the right spot at the right time.

You don’t say it outright but are you encouraging the local BC people to attack the fires before they’re out of control, instead of waiting for govt agencies to get themselves to the scene? This policy would have been most welcome in the Shuswap fires where knowledgeable men with investments in the land were chased away by the “experts”. The losses were devastating.

I think this is a great idea and should be pursued. If the locals can be taught all the necessary insightfulness to fire behaviour and are well-versed in the personal safety aspect, why not? It beggars belief that we have to haul folks from Australia to address fires here. Yes, yes, I know that these are not normal times with the prolonged drought situation.

You also mention anaerobic fires that burn all winter, underground, and when conditions are right, they become surface fires once again. Can the same not happen after slash burning?