Update for all of you
Going for 30 days with only 1 day off...that is a first for me
Thanks to everyone for reading these blogs. It sounds to me, from the comments, that all of you like to read them and find out how my life is going. So thanks and i will try to keep you all informed on my next tour.
For the past 14 days, starting on the July 4th, I have been on two different fires. Yeah you read it right. While all of you were out sipping on your beers...or relaxing by the lake and watching the fireworks...I was working. Thats cool though becuase it ended up being a pretty laid back day and who doesn't mind double pay for holiday. Not me that is for sure.
Are crew was the only crew that had to work on the 4th. The day was just about over. Me and the crew members were planning on getting off at 1800 and going to play some cards and drink some beer then all the sudden we got a fire call at 1730. So immediately we got our gear all lined out and ready to fly. We flew from base and arrived on the fires edge about 30 minutes later. We then got ready to take the helicopter ride to the top of a peak to start digging line down hill. As soon as be deboarded the the ship we were sent directly down to the hill to put out spots. I was the last load to arrive and by that time the saws have been going for about 30 minutes now. It turns out the saws started down the right flank of the fire instead of the left flank. So by the time my squad got down there the saws had to hike back up to the left flank. I know all this does not really make sense but either way this turned out to be very bad.
So when i got there I immidiately stated to put out spots thayt have crossed the sawline. But then we heard on the radio that the fire was spotting. What that means is the fire reaches the tops of the trees (crowns) and the winds blow the embers and creates spots that potentially lead to bigger fires. Well the fire at this time was about 125 acres and being held by us on end of the fire and a road on the other. But the msg on the radio was saying that it was spotting over the road and the jumpers would not be able to arrive quick enough...so my squad boss got a crew of 5 inclduing myself round up. We had to double time up the hill and back the the helispot so we could then fly to the other side where it slopped over the road.
When we arrived we had two spots in the green over the road that we had to secure and mop up. We got on the fire at around 2100 or so and worked till 0130. It was a long and very tiring day to say the least. We woke up at 0500 and got bakc on the spots and started looking for more. By the middle of the day we found nine more spots spread out between and miles distance. After we secured all the spots we were supposed to fly back the the helispot on the hill, when we heard on the radio that the rest of the crew had to double time back up to the top of the hill because the fire activity started increasing and crossing over there sawline. It was not a near death situation but they were deffinitely in a bad situation. I was dissapointed we were not there when it happened. But that is part of the job.
We ended up demobilizing that fire and going to one West of Fairbanks (Big Creek fire) near Ruby AK. That is where we had some pretty sweet action the first day. The fire was ripping and roaring when we arrived to H1. We had a .14 mile hike to the haed of the fire. When we got there we were immediatly met by fire pushing our way. We were told to start beating out the flames and there will be water soon. The rest of the crew satarted cutting line and draggin hose. We had one squad of ten go North and the other 10 go South. The North crew (not me) was going to the head of the fire, while we were keeoing there back door open. When the North crew arrived they met flames 80 foot tall and had to back out. They were in a close situation but got out unharmed.
We were laying hose and spraying water on the line to put of the flare ups behind them. All in all the first days arriving on a fire are the most energetically charged and adrenilin filled days. We stayed at that fire for the rest of the tour. We moved our camp 3 times to about 5 different divisions. The rest of the days wre not that great but still was getting paid for 16 hour days with Hazard pay.
And now i am back in Fairbanks. Only about 29 helicopter rides later. Now we have to clean our rooms and do our laundry so that we are ready to go to the lower 48. I hear that the fire season is blowing up down there. So it will be a fun packed year for me. I hope everyone is doing great and can't wait to see you all again.
E
ps anything you send to my AK address gets forwarded to my address down south.
Going for 30 days with only 1 day off...that is a first for me
Thanks to everyone for reading these blogs. It sounds to me, from the comments, that all of you like to read them and find out how my life is going. So thanks and i will try to keep you all informed on my next tour.
For the past 14 days, starting on the July 4th, I have been on two different fires. Yeah you read it right. While all of you were out sipping on your beers...or relaxing by the lake and watching the fireworks...I was working. Thats cool though becuase it ended up being a pretty laid back day and who doesn't mind double pay for holiday. Not me that is for sure.
Are crew was the only crew that had to work on the 4th. The day was just about over. Me and the crew members were planning on getting off at 1800 and going to play some cards and drink some beer then all the sudden we got a fire call at 1730. So immediately we got our gear all lined out and ready to fly. We flew from base and arrived on the fires edge about 30 minutes later. We then got ready to take the helicopter ride to the top of a peak to start digging line down hill. As soon as be deboarded the the ship we were sent directly down to the hill to put out spots. I was the last load to arrive and by that time the saws have been going for about 30 minutes now. It turns out the saws started down the right flank of the fire instead of the left flank. So by the time my squad got down there the saws had to hike back up to the left flank. I know all this does not really make sense but either way this turned out to be very bad.
So when i got there I immidiately stated to put out spots thayt have crossed the sawline. But then we heard on the radio that the fire was spotting. What that means is the fire reaches the tops of the trees (crowns) and the winds blow the embers and creates spots that potentially lead to bigger fires. Well the fire at this time was about 125 acres and being held by us on end of the fire and a road on the other. But the msg on the radio was saying that it was spotting over the road and the jumpers would not be able to arrive quick enough...so my squad boss got a crew of 5 inclduing myself round up. We had to double time up the hill and back the the helispot so we could then fly to the other side where it slopped over the road.
When we arrived we had two spots in the green over the road that we had to secure and mop up. We got on the fire at around 2100 or so and worked till 0130. It was a long and very tiring day to say the least. We woke up at 0500 and got bakc on the spots and started looking for more. By the middle of the day we found nine more spots spread out between and miles distance. After we secured all the spots we were supposed to fly back the the helispot on the hill, when we heard on the radio that the rest of the crew had to double time back up to the top of the hill because the fire activity started increasing and crossing over there sawline. It was not a near death situation but they were deffinitely in a bad situation. I was dissapointed we were not there when it happened. But that is part of the job.
We ended up demobilizing that fire and going to one West of Fairbanks (Big Creek fire) near Ruby AK. That is where we had some pretty sweet action the first day. The fire was ripping and roaring when we arrived to H1. We had a .14 mile hike to the haed of the fire. When we got there we were immediatly met by fire pushing our way. We were told to start beating out the flames and there will be water soon. The rest of the crew satarted cutting line and draggin hose. We had one squad of ten go North and the other 10 go South. The North crew (not me) was going to the head of the fire, while we were keeoing there back door open. When the North crew arrived they met flames 80 foot tall and had to back out. They were in a close situation but got out unharmed.
We were laying hose and spraying water on the line to put of the flare ups behind them. All in all the first days arriving on a fire are the most energetically charged and adrenilin filled days. We stayed at that fire for the rest of the tour. We moved our camp 3 times to about 5 different divisions. The rest of the days wre not that great but still was getting paid for 16 hour days with Hazard pay.
And now i am back in Fairbanks. Only about 29 helicopter rides later. Now we have to clean our rooms and do our laundry so that we are ready to go to the lower 48. I hear that the fire season is blowing up down there. So it will be a fun packed year for me. I hope everyone is doing great and can't wait to see you all again.
E
ps anything you send to my AK address gets forwarded to my address down south.
Comments
keith
...but seriously, it sounds like you're loving it and while I'm worried a little, I'm glad you're having fun! Miss you! - Erin