Fires in the West

[Rhodie Ranch]

Spot on, bobm. Out of the proverbial horse's mouth, so to speak. And not a joke...

 

[thistlebloom]

a few isolated training kills isn't going to change that basic need in any ecosystem

And you're an expert on this how?
They are not isolated training kills.

 

[Rhodie Ranch]

Just found out more about the blueberry farmer. He pays 35 cents per lb. A good migrant worker can pick 600 lbs in daylight hours. That's $210 a day; and since its seasonal and perishable, they work every day. $1,470 a week. I'm sure its taxable.

There are 1000's of young people unemployed here in our county. Do you think they would do that job? Not a chance....

I picked blackberries in Merced, CA for four days back in the early 70's. Horrible job, ripped up my arms. I was a teenager. Got a job at JC Penney's instead in town, selling camera's, of which I knew nothing. I was not cut out to be a field worker. Just a young, skinny, white girl.

 

[Rhodie Ranch]

Back to the fires. They have lowered the Levels on several of our local roads into the hills. People are returning. The opening of roads has lessened the number of NG on the check points. Now in my little town there are only 2 check points left. Sometimes there are two on the 12 hour shift (used to be a 24 hour shift) until more NG came in. Sometimes on a larger road there are 5. The Soldiers cannot leave their post. Not at any time during that shift. Ya'll remember that court martial is still an active punishment for any military. Alto abandoning your post may not warrant a real military trial.

The NG has two Chinook's at our tiny one runway airport here in town. There are about 20 members of the team. They are rotated every 12 days. So 12 days on, 2 days off, and after the second rotation, they are let go to either another assignment or to go home. I got a tour of the Chinnoks last week. I'm a fact and figures kinda gal, so here goes"

Holds 1,028 gal of aircraft fuel
Aircraft fuel is highly corrosive - the fuel tender told me it causes burns like acetic acid.
They can fly 2.8 hours on that tank of gas.

It takes about 3 hours to take off the two sets of propellers to store, and then over a day to put back on. (rare that this task is done)

Two pilots fly the helo. No radar or maps for this fire mission.
Two gunners are strapped in on either side of the pilots behind the wall. They are the fire spotters. They tell the pilots how to shift right or left based upon the job.
One Soldier is strapped to the floor in the belly. He operates the joy stick of the Bambi Bucket.

Bambi Bucket??? Its a huge vinyl bucket that can hold (this one at least) 2000 gal of water. This bucket that I'm going to show you is cinched down to 1400 gal. The line to the bucket is 40 ft. I forgot what the material is inside of the casement. Something amazing.
The bottom of the bucket has fixed parts while the side walls slide up to open the bucket. The "open" position lets the bucket sink into the river, and he closes it to fill up the bucket.
When they are dropping water on a line, they open the side walls to let the water spill out. They can operate the side walls for an extreme pour or a dribble.

They have ground crew and an upper helo to help for guidance since there are no pre-planned ops. Its all about when they get a call. The crews tell them approx where to start the drop, the direction of the fly, and the completion of the drop.
The bucket is to help support the ground crew, not stop a fire. Its to cool a hot spot, or create a line where the hand crew can go in and work.

If there is a huge tree on fire, the pilots tip the front of the helo upwards, then as they do that the centrifugal force of the bucket pitches it forward. AS they approach over the tree, the bucket is now starting its swing back, at which point the helo tips the aircraft downwards and then the joy stick opens the bucket right over top of the burning tree. They LOVE that one! Lots of fun, they say!

They do 2 hours mandatory maintenance on the helos in the a.m., starting at 7:30a.m. then wait for a call. Then at night (right now due to daylight hours) its wheels down at 8:30 p.m. One hour of maintenance, and off they go to Motel 6.
They are very thankful to have board at Motel 6. Comfortable. AC. Cable TV. Firefighters have no such comforts.

This crew gets paid well for their service to our nation. They also get hazard pay and the pilots and helo interior crew get flight pay. The ground crew does not get flight pay, since they don't go up.
Careers of men I spoke to: supv at a welding shop; 27 yr old praying to get into the Sherrif's dept in Clackamus County after getting his criminal justice degree; train engineer; City of XX cop; two unemployed men.
A pilot said that it cost our govt 1 million dollars to train him on Chinnok's. He's super proud of his job and adores flying this machine.

They guys love sitting at the end of the ramp. Strapped in of course, while flying.

This helo can hold 20K lbs but its very comfortable to carry 15K. Of course, it depends upon atmospheric conditions as to their payload.

 

[Rhodie Ranch]

 

[bobm]

Bob I noticed horse prices are starting to go back up. For a while seemed like a couple of hundred a horse now I see prices in thousands. Of course this is based on CL ads Sad the law to stop horse slaughter only gave the horses a longer ride into Mexico.

Due to this lame brained law , any unwanted horses were turned loose . The mares were claimed by feral stallions, formed new feral bands, mares were bred and had foals . They started to overgraze fragil rangelands causing errosion and starvation not only the horses, but native species too. Blm now have ever increasing round ups, and offer these feral horses at %25 per head. Why buy a horse from a Craig list add, when you can buy one for $25 is the mentality of many folks fresh from the city or bleeding heart types in their quest to adopt. About 15 years ago, friends purchased a bay mare from the BLM for $25., they couldn't halter her unless they ran her into a small pen then into a chute, much break it to ride even by a professional trainer. So , they asked me to breed to one of my stallions. I REFUSED and glad that I did. So, they bred her to a Palomino QH. She produced a bay colt that was as wild as they come. When this colt was 1 1/2 years old, the husband came into his stall to clean it when suddenly the colt grabbed the husband by the back of his neck with his teeth and started to shake him, then stomped him with his front hooves. He lived , but is paralized from the neck down for life. He died several months later. Nobody accused the vociferous environmentalists or the bleeding heart animal rights activists of having any brains to think though what actually could happen or is happening or good for one and all instead of their own selfish agendas.

 

[thistlebloom]

Bob, I have a BLM mare. I'm not a bleeding heart.

I'm not really interested in the politics of the wild horses or the BLM programs.

I have what I have and I'm happy about it, I think she'll turn into an exceptional riding horse for me. We can also mention the store bought horses that are overbred with no market. Some people think because their horse is papered it deserves to reproduce.

A slight correction to your comment about $25 horses. They are actually $125, not much difference, but technically correct. You purchase but the BLM holds the bill of sale until you have humanely cared for the horse for one year. Then it's yours. There are $25 horses, they are the ones that have been passed over for adoption 3 times and on their last chance. Those are Sale Authority horses and the bill of sale comes free and clear with the horse.

 

[thistlebloom]

Thanks for the guided tour MurphysRanch. Very interesting.
Kid #1 is flying IDL Helitack crew this year, but it's a smaller ship, doesn't carry a bucket and is for transporting a crew of 4 firefighters and their gear into a remote area.
He works 14 on, 2 off. It's tough work and they sleep where they're dropped. No showers or comfy beds when out on a job. I don't understand the attraction, but he eats it up. Loves every minute of it. Last time I spoke to him he did say he could use an extra day off.

 

[Rhodie Ranch]

Yeah, I'm hoping this is interesting and educational to many on here. I have nobody else interested in facts, figures, equipment, so I thought some would like it. Thank you!

 

[Carol Dee]

WOW that is cool