From where we left off we were going to go Direct up the left flank. The fire activity at this time was not intense...it was really very minimal from where we were at. So the saws went up and started to cut direct saw line up the west flank and the toolers or diggers came in behind them. The West flank was not very active so it did not take long for the diggers to put a line around it. I was hoping it would have been a little more active and intense but still a lot of adrenaline. The hill that we had to hike to get to the flank of the fire was not very big but it was steep. Matter of the fact every fire we were on this roll was very steep. And us Alaskans were not ready for the heat nor the hieght. But we all prevailed for now.
By the time we got a line around the west flank this side was looking very dead. The leads had us line out with about 50 - 100' spacing and we checked for heats along the line. We were done for that day at about 10 pm. All in all for the first real shift it ended up being pretty dang brutal. I mean the saws were going all out for the first day in like 2 months almost of just staraight 8 hour days. The saws also were carrying and sawing with saws that were about 10 lbs heavier then what we do our project work with. When we first start to construct the direct line the saws always go in first. They have many decisions to make when cutting. They need to decide what route to take. The easiest route to take with as little cutting as possible. The best terrain to maneuver through. How far they should cut from the direct flame line inorder for the diggers to have time to come in and line it before it flanks around them. And many more questions and answers to think about while cutting. But nontheless they were working the hardest they have been working yet. I would say after talking to them during bean (lunch time) about 4 of them if not more almost went down. Three of them had blurry vision while cutting. One remembers just alittle bit about what he was saying during the cutting. So it was a very intense first day. And the diggers including myself were having a tough time to because we had to carry the cubbies and it was steep as hell. I hiked the saws water and I just about past out myself. It was Rough I thought the roughest first day ever.
We finally got off the line about 9 or so and got to camp in a campground that the Pelz's would have loved. It was right on the Yuba river right out side Downieville. We ended up camping there until the 25th. It was cosy for me. I slept in my sleeping bag, no tent (we normally do not use tents down south this early in the season to hot and dry) right under a big ponderosa pine. So it kept me dry from the dew in the mornings.
Since we single handedly lined the west flank they wanted us to then line the East flank. Now keep in mind the fire is holding at that road above where we pulled out the day before in the morning so that is a good thing. The head is not really active anymore it is just the flanks that are creeping around. So now the East flank they want us to catch. We do the exact same, direct line on the east and we catch it. It takes two days to catch that side but we manage with us and two Nevada Corrections crew to mop up 50' before getting sent to another fire.
The Celina fire is about an hours drive but still in the same fire complex. When there are multiple starts in a forest then they normally do not just call it a fire they group them all into a complex. For multiple reasons really. But more on the Celina later
By the time we got a line around the west flank this side was looking very dead. The leads had us line out with about 50 - 100' spacing and we checked for heats along the line. We were done for that day at about 10 pm. All in all for the first real shift it ended up being pretty dang brutal. I mean the saws were going all out for the first day in like 2 months almost of just staraight 8 hour days. The saws also were carrying and sawing with saws that were about 10 lbs heavier then what we do our project work with. When we first start to construct the direct line the saws always go in first. They have many decisions to make when cutting. They need to decide what route to take. The easiest route to take with as little cutting as possible. The best terrain to maneuver through. How far they should cut from the direct flame line inorder for the diggers to have time to come in and line it before it flanks around them. And many more questions and answers to think about while cutting. But nontheless they were working the hardest they have been working yet. I would say after talking to them during bean (lunch time) about 4 of them if not more almost went down. Three of them had blurry vision while cutting. One remembers just alittle bit about what he was saying during the cutting. So it was a very intense first day. And the diggers including myself were having a tough time to because we had to carry the cubbies and it was steep as hell. I hiked the saws water and I just about past out myself. It was Rough I thought the roughest first day ever.
We finally got off the line about 9 or so and got to camp in a campground that the Pelz's would have loved. It was right on the Yuba river right out side Downieville. We ended up camping there until the 25th. It was cosy for me. I slept in my sleeping bag, no tent (we normally do not use tents down south this early in the season to hot and dry) right under a big ponderosa pine. So it kept me dry from the dew in the mornings.
Since we single handedly lined the west flank they wanted us to then line the East flank. Now keep in mind the fire is holding at that road above where we pulled out the day before in the morning so that is a good thing. The head is not really active anymore it is just the flanks that are creeping around. So now the East flank they want us to catch. We do the exact same, direct line on the east and we catch it. It takes two days to catch that side but we manage with us and two Nevada Corrections crew to mop up 50' before getting sent to another fire.
The Celina fire is about an hours drive but still in the same fire complex. When there are multiple starts in a forest then they normally do not just call it a fire they group them all into a complex. For multiple reasons really. But more on the Celina later
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