USDA Forest Service

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USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region Fire
Aviation Mgt. Dick Reynolds Contract
Logistics Program Manager
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How Was Your Summer ?
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Northern California Lightning Siege 2008
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Overview

• NOPS was in a continued drought due to driest
  spring on record (126 yrs) in spite of an above
  normal snow pack in some areas.
• It was an early fire season below 3000 due to
  multiple foehn wind events.
• Grasses cured by mid-May
• Live fuel moistures were critical early in the
  season

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Prior to June 20th

• 1000 fires.
• 48,000 acres had burned.
• 100 residences had been destroyed.
• There were 3 existing large fires with
  considerable resource commitment.
• Humboldt, Whiskey, Martin
• Plus the Indian fire in South Ops
• The Coastal Strip was burning in May/June.

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The Big Event
June 20 0600 hrs through June 21 2030 hrs 5,146
lightning strikes A storm from the West brought
more lightning than was forecast
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Reflection

• Lightning was predicted but the magnitude and
  scope of a major dry lightning event was not
  foreseen by meteorologists.
• Most events under southwesterly upper flow have
  only minimal North Ops lightning.
• Weather models did not reveal the typical
  precursors for a major event, or the level of
  instability that would occur.

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1,010 fire locations reported BLM 9 BIA 6 NPS
5 CalFire 361 USFS 629
As of 10-1-08. Subject to change as reports are
updated
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Fires by Color

• Red 105-200
• Orange 75-104
• Yellow 50-74
• Green 30-49
• Lime 10-29
• Light Blue 0-9

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Escalation

• June 21st - Northern CA MAC convened.
• June 25th - NOPS went to PL 5.
• June 25th - CALMAC convened.
• June 26th - a Gubernatorial emergency declaration
  for multiple counties.
• June 28th - a Presidential emergency declaration
  authorizes FEMA support thru ESF4.
• June 29th - Military Battalion ordered thru NICC.
• July 1st - NICC/NMAC went to PL 5.

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Prioritization

• IA fires were complexed on ICS-209s in order to
  compete for resources.
• Each ICS-209 represented numerous fires of
  varying size and complexity.
• Priority setting was done by lumping units
  together by dispatch center.
• ICS-209s were summarized for NorCal MAC and IC
  conference calls updated info.

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GACC Strategy

• The incidents began to fall into categories
• Opportunities for Containment less than 14
  days.
• Extended Duration Incidents multiple 14-day IMT
  commitments.
• Long Term Incidents Due to prioritization these
  incidents will need long term strategic planning
  and may burn until a season ending event.

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June 26th
MEU 107 Fires SHU 158 Fires WNP 5 Fires Lime/Iron
SHF 70/36 Canyon PNF 50 Fires Yuba TNF 35 Fires

• Later Fires
• Gap
• Piute
• Telegraph
• Jack
• Basin

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Requirements for Big Events

• Joint Information Center activation for public
  (media) and political (agency) needs.
• Clear direction to IMTs on reporting to meet the
  needs of JIC, NMAC, State MAC Groups and for
  continued IA when all hands are committed.
• Activation of non-traditional assistance
  mechanisms (FEMA, Active Military NG, Alternate
  Base Camps for mobilization support)
• Lots of internal support personnel (1600 for
  ONC)

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VIP Visits

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Early-July

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Early-August
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Mid-August
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Fire Behavior Advisories

• Fire behavior activity in May prompted the
  issuance of a Fuels and Fire Behavior Advisory.
• First issued June 21, 2008
• Updated August 4, extending the area of concern.

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Fires and Acres for NOPS
(10-27-08)
783 Structures Lost, Including 441 Residences
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Incident Management Teams

• 76 IMTs Mobilized
• 21 in the first 3 days following June 20th

Support from Australia, British Columbia,
Pacific Islands (American Samoa, Guam, Saipan),
Puerto Rico, and New Zealand FEMA, Department of
Defense, California National Guard 49 States
including California
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Out of State Resources

• T-1 Crew 281
• T-2IA Crew 209
• T-2 Crew 374
• Dozers 38
• T-1/2 Engines 54
• T-3 Engines 84
• T-4/5/6 Engines 668
• Water Tenders 23
• Misc. Overhead 4247

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Contracted ResourcesPeak Commitment(Estimated
from ROSS)

• Engines (Type 3,4,5 6) 429
• Crews (Type 2 2IA) 150
• Water Tenders (Type 1, 2 3) 460
• Caterers (Requests) 40
• Showers (Requests) 60
• And much, much more

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Contract Engines by Region
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California National Guard
An Air National Guard RC-26 can acquire
full-motion video images and still photos that
can be downloaded on the NIFC sever in minutes
after landing. IR Capable
2400 Personnel Trained 4 Task Forces deployed 8
MAFFS 29 Helicopters
Jolly 91 Lift Capable Medivac 5 Missions 7
patients 2 GACCs
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Aviation Coordination

• Airspace Coordinators on Site
• Helicopter Coordinator on Site
• Air Ops Branch Director
• Frequency Coordinator
• 775 (62) of National IR Requests
• 120 (22) of National TFRs

July 18th TFR Map
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Significant Event

• FEMA
• 301 fire engines
• 12 fixed-wing aircraft
• 50 helicopters
• More than 3,500 personnel
• 65 Crews
• NASA drone

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Tragic Events

MEU Lightning Complex 1 firefighter Iron
Complex 1 firefighter Panther 1
firefighter Iron Complex 9 firefighters and
pilots Butte Lightning 1 civilian Canyon
Complex 1 off duty firefighter Hells Half
Complex 1 off duty camp helper Siskiyou/Blue
2 1 heavy equipment operator
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Reflection

• Hope is not
• a Strategy

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Contract Equipment Task Team

• Develops specifications for National Incident
  Blanket Purchase Agreements
• CETT is part of the Equipment Technology
  Committee (ETC) of NWCG.
• Draft specifications are prepared then made
  available for review within the agencies and
  outside for potential vendors through FedBizOpps.
• CETT reviews and incorporates comments and
  submits to ETC for approval.

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CETT Membership

• Dick Reynolds USFS R5 Chair
• Shane LaValley USFS WO Co-Chair
• Kevin Erickson USFS R1
• Todd Lerke USFS R3
• Steve Waters USFS R-4
• Luanne Grover USFS R6
• Willie Begay USFS R6
• Terry Eller USFS R8
• Mario Hernandez CalFire States Rep.
• Judy Dunnam DOI NICC
• Vacant - DOI

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Important Website

• National Incident Procurement
• http//www.fs.fed.us/business/incident/

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Questions