Letting fires burn

[Even Steven]

Instead of getting it fires at first light they'll wait around an hour or to have a meeting first and then decide what to do.

Wait! Are you saying they don't just take off right away and start flying million dollar machines capable of killing other people and doing a great deal of damage willy-nilly and waste time by coming up with flight plans, working out the best tactic, and planning to have multiple of these machines on a rotation basis in close proximity????

What a bunch of beaurocrats!

[jsytnick]

Those fires didn't become visible until 8 PM, at which point it is TOO late to coordinate air support and get craft in the air. With all those fires starting simultaneously and dark falling shortly after, Forestry was left until the next morning to get any assessments done.

Why is it "too late"? I've been on numerous aircraft in the middle of the night and flames are certainly easier to see in the dark. This should be a 24 hour service, not a 9-5 job.

Looking at today's information it says 21 ground crew and air support are working on OMP. Where did they come from? Why couldn't they be there the day before?

It seems to me that we should have aircraft available right now who's sole purpose is to fly around and drop water on small strikes and new ignitions before they become the problem of having to get "21 ground crew" on the scene.

It would also seem to me that it would be a lot more effective having a chopper dropping water on a small fire before it becomes an actual problem, than a chopper dropping small buckets on 200+ hectares.

Based on the numbers, clearly the resources are available.

You realize numerous fires started at the same time during a lightning storm at night right? Jesus, some of you think you know so much better than the trained pro's who do it for a living. Get off the forum and go fight some fires yourselves if you think you can do such a better job.

[delSol97]

You realize numerous fires started at the same time during a lightning storm at night right? Jesus, some of you think you know so much better than the trained pro's who do it for a living. Get off the forum and go fight some fires yourselves if you think you can do such a better job.

https://www.castanet.net/edition/news-s ... htm#231830

It was also reported and confirmed that the Rattlesnake island/OMP strike was intentionally ignored and not considered a problem/priority.

[zerograv]

You realize numerous fires started at the same time during a lightning storm at night right? Jesus, some of you think you know so much better than the trained pro's who do it for a living. Get off the forum and go fight some fires yourselves if you think you can do such a better job.

I've never actually understood this mentality. Yes its a hard job (that they sign up for), yes people are thankful, but that shouldn't mean the management and people making the decisions should be totally immune to any discussion or potential criticism of how OUR resources are being used, especially when peoples homes and livelihoods are threatened.

Asking why fires are essentially ignored until they become a huge problem is a legitimate question, especially considering we pay for it...they always seem to up using more of those resources, and stretching them thinner in the long run.

[dle]

Pretty sure there are more decisions that have to be made than I would have any clue as to their ins and outs so I mostly leave my suppositions - all I would be able to provide - in my brain (most of the time ).

I am however, a great proponent of "get on it"......in the fastest way possible. I am NOT a believer in "boundaries" or "jurisdictions" in these kinds of situations and peoples homes and lives are at stake. For me, when it comes to things like this I'm just all Nike - "just do it!" ALL hands on deck, we can sort out the silly crap later. And never underestimate a fire. NOT EVER.

[ShannonG]

The OMP 2003 fire burned unchecked in heavy timber for at least a week before it went hairballs. To compare that event to this one isn't much of a comparison.

[delSol97]

Wait! Are you saying they don't just take off right away and start flying million dollar machines capable of killing other people and doing a great deal of damage willy-nilly and waste time by coming up with flight plans, working out the best tactic, and planning to have multiple of these machines on a rotation basis in close proximity????

What a bunch of beaurocrats!

MedEvac seems to have no problem pulling this off 24/7.

[zerograv]

The OMP 2003 fire burned unchecked in heavy timber for at least a week before it went hairballs. To compare that event to this one isn't much of a comparison.

that's not what happened at all.

[jsytnick]

I've never actually understood this mentality. Yes its a hard job (that they sign up for), yes people are thankful, but that shouldn't mean the management and people making the decisions should be totally immune to any discussion or potential criticism of how OUR resources are being used, especially when peoples homes and livelihoods are threatened.

Asking why fires are essentially ignored until they become a huge problem is a legitimate question, especially considering we pay for it...they always seem to up using more of those resources, and stretching them thinner in the long run.

Serious question-do you really think we have the resources to fight 20 startups in one night? It's reality, they placed the Summerland and Peachland area fires in priority because they are much closer to structures. Personally I think they've reacted to forest fires in the OK area really well since the problems of '03 and the loss of property/habitat that occurred. Simply demanding that they hit every flare up right away isn't realistic in the slightest. Sorry for having the mentality of a realist.

[dogspoiler]

A simple question.
Is it easier to put out a spot fire, or wait until 500 to 1000 hectares are blazing ?
If you picked the first option, good for you. Gerry Zimmerman agrees.

[gardengirl]

A simple question.
Is it easier to put out a spot fire, or wait until 500 to 1000 hectares are blazing ?
If you picked the first option, good for you. Gerry Zimmerman agrees.

I do have the utmost respect for Ex-Fire Chief Zimmerman, but I do find it a bit ironic that he is now playing armchair quarterback.

[Tero]

"my experience is not first-hand but passing along what I've been told...."

This line in the first sentence of your post discredits you 100% It's mere gossip. You may as well be on a party line. You may as well have started your thread with "Well, what I heard was...."

[jsytnick]

A simple question.
Is it easier to put out a spot fire, or wait until 500 to 1000 hectares are blazing ?
If you picked the first option, good for you. Gerry Zimmerman agrees.

1 spot fire or 20?

[zerograv]

Serious question-do you really think we have the resources to fight 20 startups in one night? It's reality, they placed the Summerland and Peachland area fires in priority because they are much closer to structures. Personally I think they've reacted to forest fires in the OK area really well since the problems of '03 and the loss of property/habitat that occurred. Simply demanding that they hit every flare up right away isn't realistic in the slightest. Sorry for having the mentality of a realist.

We seem to have the resources to fight multiple fires burning in the thousands or tens of thousands of hectares, so why would it not be possible?

I never gave an opinion on the firefighting response either way, i just said I don't understand why the management is immune from questions because they have a hard job.

[Even Steven]

MedEvac seems to have no problem pulling this off 24/7.

No, they don't.