Don’t Worry About the Smoke in SoHum Tomorrow, Says Briceland VFD, It’s a Prescribed Burn
Image from Cal Fire
Press release from Briceland Volunteer Fire Department:
Tomorrow, Monday, June 27th there is a 3 acre prescribed burn scheduled in the Briceland area. Due to the advanced date on the calendar, we expect this announcement may get some response from those concerned about the dangers of wildfire.
Living in California we all have learned to be rightly concerned and many may have started to see the natural areas, gardens and forests around our homes and communities not only as beautiful scenery but also as flammable vegetation. When we see smoke in the air, our first thoughts are to alert our neighbors and the authorities. Some of us have begun to take proactive measures to reduce the dangers; removing excess brush and tree branches and creating “defensible space” – hardening our homes to resist flying embers, marking our driveways with easily visible addresses, adding road signs where necessary and making room for emergency vehicle access. Having our own fire water supply and pump systems or sprinklers is also a great idea.
One of the most effective methods to reduce wildfire danger is using prescribed fire, a practice that has been used locally since well before the Americas were known to Europeans. The modern use of prescribed fire is carefully managed and is gaining wide acceptance with state and federal agencies. It is applied with an abundance of caution and preparation to assure that the fire consumes what is within the burn plan and is contained there. CalFire will be monitoring the fire Monday, and a group of local qualified firefighters will be assigned to the tasks at hand. Weather conditions will be closely monitored, and multiple fire engines will be in position to immediately respond, if necessary.
So, if you see smoke rising west of Garberville, in the Old Briceland road and Barley Hill neighborhood on Monday morning, June 27th, please do not call to report it as that can jam phone lines at the emergency call center. Currently, the fire is planned to begin at about 9:30 AM and be over by around noon. This prescribed burn will be helping our community by reducing future wildfire danger in another, albeit small, area. Thank you for your support and we welcome feedback from the public.
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Famous last words.
I’m glad they are burning but a question the time of year
You’ve got to be joking me!
Who’s bright idea is this ???…
It’s a very, very, bad one, IMNSHO.
“Helping our community by reducing future wildfire danger in another, albeit small, area.” W T F ???
Risk vs Gain?
This doesn’t balance out!
What about the current wildfire danger in another potentially larger area ???
Who is underwriting this?
May I ask, in advance, who will be ultimately responsible for any possible lives and or property lost, if and when this thing goes south?
Have they been indemnified?
I want an insurance policy number, please…
Because they haven’t been identified…
And may I object?
If so, I do…
Don’t call this in ???
Have you lost your effing minds???
How’s that for public feedback???
How about if this thing gets away, even a little, or anyone or anything gets hurt or damaged, even a little, the decision maker that ok’d this loses his job, permanently, and is held personally liable?
I want some assurances besides, “Don’t Worry”.
Because that doesn’t cut it.
Is that better?
I think you are asking rhetorical questions, but in case you missed the “who”, it’s Briceland Volunteer Fire Department. I trust them more than a rant from “guest”..
Your wrong, my questions aren’t rhetorical at all…
“Due to the advanced date on the calendar, we expect this announcement may get some response from those concerned about the dangers of wildfire.”
That would be me.
Trust whoever you want, Akbar, just don’t expect me to trust them, just because you do, thank you very much.
It looks like I used “indemnified” improperly.
My question is, will they be held liable, if something goes wrong?
I want a name to send the bill, and I want to know if Briceland Fire Department will be insured properly, in the event of a problem.
I don’t think that considering the circumstances, that it is unreasonable to ask for an insurance policy number to be posted in advance.
What is it?
Anybody is entitled to this information before someone does a job that puts them at risk.
This job qualifies as that kind of job.
It ain’t rocket science.
Don’t worry about the smoke, Akbar, and don’t worry about the rant, just ignore it, like your being told to ignore the smoke.
But you might want to pack your go bag, and keep it handy, just in case…
Since when is summertime the time for prescribed burns?
And what happens if there is another call?
They will already have their hands full, won’t they?
This is ill advised.
Umm ya they missed that window by a few weeks
This link, from a RHBB article earlier today, seems to contradict the wisdom a prescribed burn, “set”, for tomorrow…
https://kymkemp.com/2022/06/26/due-to-wildfire-risk-largest-private-landholder-in-california-closes-its-forests-to-public/
“Due to the extreme drought conditions and increasing risk of wildfire, Sierra Pacific Industries (SPI) will be closing its California forestlands to public access.”
“Despite some of the late spring rains, California is experiencing the driest conditions it has had in 1200 years,” said Andrea Howell, SPI spokesman.”
“SPI will regularly evaluate the situation; however, it is anticipated the closure will remain in effect into Fall 2022.”
Fire isn’t something to play around with.
Ahh yes another drought crisis. Despite late rains……. I am calling BS. Quit sending all the water to so cal. They have plenty of water in LA just to many people. Build desalination plants, the ocean is right there……. Plan better…….What do you expect LA is a desert yet they are surprised by the lack of water there for the last 100 years………
Right. Briceland VFD.
We know what those idiots are smoking to think its a good time to light off 3 acres!!!
Prescribed burning is a useful tool to reduce risk of wildfire.
It is Prescribed, written ahead, literally planned, so that all contingencies are addressed.
It is not done haphazardly, or cavalierly.
That is the best insurance that a planned burn provides, right up to and including NOT burning if conditions are not within the parameters of the prescription.
I would trust the burn boss to make the right call on the day of the burn as they are using knowledge aquired over years, and days, or weeks of preparation prior to ignition.
We live with fire.
We have spent the last century trying to suppress every smoke by 10 AM.
The result is an over abundance of fuel ready to ignite.
Prescribed burning is a safe and effective way to reduce that fuel load.
It is the best way, in fact!
There was an extreme weather warning on my phone this morning, for the Pacific Northwest… For extreme heat…
Does that include Barley Hill?
Is that really part of the ideal set of conditions for a (safe) prescribed burn?
Initial ignition shouldn’t be a problem, I guess…
What about spotting?
If it’s 3 acres of grass, that would be one thing, if it includes larger fuels, or much larger fuels, and terrain issues, that’s another.
Those aspects are also not mentioned.
What is the exposure? N,S,E,W?
They must have thousands of gallons of water to spare for this training exercise…
Redwood Creek water?
With Mattole River water, and South Fork Eel River water for backup?
And don’t tell me this isn’t also a practice and training exercise that will include rookies…
I totally support the training, just not the timing…
And why wait to begin until 9:00AM and finish at Noon?
Why not begin at 6:00AM, and finish at 9:00AM?
https://www.foxweather.com/weather-news/pacific-northwest-first-heat-wave-2022
“Heat alerts issued in Pacific Northwest with first heat wave of the season”
“Highs are forecast to climb into the 90s across much of the region, with 100s farther south into the Central Valley of California. These temperatures are 10 to 25 degrees above average for this time of year.”
Yeah, so they didn’t mention “Barley Hill”…
I’m still a little jumpy…
It was very hot and dry yesterday, and the day before…
After the fire services setting backfires during or right before a red flag warning, around Kettenpom, less than 2 years ago, (August Complex???), that cost many people their homes and livestock, it’s hard to trust their judgement…
1,032,648 acres burned, 935 structures lost, 1 firefighter fatality, untold livestock and wildlife destroyed.
8-16-2020 to 11-12-2020
At a cost of over $300 million…
Let’s not play games.
My guess is the burn boss will take local weather forecasts into account, rather than a regional alarming weather story from the TV.
They will also monitor weather in real time, taking wind, temperature, humidity, fuels moisture, and how those parameters are changing throughout the burn activity.
True..Real time information not speculation..
Here’s some real time information, grey fox…
Put it in your pipe, and smoke it.
https://kymkemp.com/2022/06/27/hillside-fire-in-lake-county-now-threatening-critical-infrastructure/
Hat tip to RHBB.
Changing conditions…
Will our Air tankers be needed in Lake County?
Or be needed to be held in reserve?
Would a Lake County fire with a potent for a Communication Glitch involve or merit a Humboldt county compromise, like a hold on a prescribed burn?
Well, Bill, I hope the “Burn Boss” won’t just be guessing, along with you…
9 hrs ago, I asked,
“What if there is another call?”…
https://kymkemp.com/2022/06/27/hillside-fire-in-lake-county-now-threatening-critical-infrastructure/
Communications for Lake County might be “on the line”…(At risk)…
Does the “Burn Boss” have this info?
Same thing could happen in Humboldt…
Call it another deciding factor.
“Ya got 10 minutes Hennessy”
Equating prescription burns with wildfire backburns is disingenuous.
They may share some basics aspects and tactics, but wildfires are fought in conditions you’re given, which are rarely ideal.
Blackburn’s should never, and I repeat, never, initiated during, or the day before a red flag warning!
That’s what happened on the August Complex that cost so many people their homes.
Deny it all you want.
Why simultaneously intentionally start a fire in the summer in the peak of a drought, in record dry fuels, while numerous wildfires are popping up daily all around?
We haven’t seen this kind of drought induced fuel moistures, and ground moisture levels, ever if that’s what you want to call it.
It’s uncharted territory.
Don’t get overconfident, is all I’m saying.
Just play it safe.
99 times out of a hundred, the right choices will be made. The trouble is that the one that goes wrong can be so awful. Frankly a series of aphorisms doesn’t change the fact that ALL contingencies are never addressed because all things are not possible to know. There may be exceptionally good reasons to do a prescribed burn after a point where all burn permits have been suspended but, if so, more should be explained than saying “don’t worry.”
Once again it’s RHBB speculators at work..Has anybody actually seen the burn? Besides smoke. How is it being handled? Is it even still happening? Anybody with any real knowledge of whats going on?
I know…
Get on it!
It’ll be “Irie”… Do you do “Irie”?
You got at least ’til noon.
At least.
Put your money where your mouth is, for once!
How about you give us all an eye witness account for a change?
Walk the talk.
Post some awesome front line pictures…
Let’s see some flame fronts, mmkay?
From “the green”, or from “the black”, your choice…
Always questions, questions, questions, how about a few answers???
Maybe even a little action?
It’s gonna be over 72°F, though…
Will that be a problem?
Don’t forget your Romex.
Kermex if you got it?
Wanna borrow my shirt?
Sounds like a job for Sam Tân from “Pontypandy”…
https://tvovermind.com/fireman-sam-dangerous-kids-show-world/
“The focus has always been on Sam the Fireman but the latest evolution has cast the character as a vain man who always shines above the rest of the dedicated crew. The newest sam has good looks and he’s very aware of this. He always takes the credit without giving others their due and this doesn’t set a very good example for young viewers. Sam seems to crave attention and he goes to the forefront to get all of the glory which doesn’t belong to one character, but rather, the group who all risk their lives.”
Where’d the serial killer theories go?
🤔🧐You’ve been missing in action for a while, too…🤷♂️😁
You need to check in with Matt LaFever…
He’s on board with that now, I think…
Really pulled a 180°…
Looks like I was right…
Ever since they got “Mendo Boy”, the bodies kinda stopped piling up, didn’t they?
Do you do the smokescreen thing ,too?
You want to hear anecdotes?
My Dad and his second wife both tested positive for COVID-19.
Both boosted.
Early 80’s and early 70’s…
True story.
THE BIGGEST WILDFIRE IN NEW MEXICO’S HISTORY, BURNING NOW, WAS STARTED BY 2 PRESCRIBED BURNS
Wow, really, that’s what I’m talking about, fucking stupidity.
“Briceland Volunteer
“Pyro” Department…”
“BVPD”
This is a sure fire way to risk turning a very good reputation, into a very bad reputation.
Why take that chance?
Any sense will just go in one ear, and out the other.
Well you just rush on down to the Briceland VFD and give them a piece of your mind on the subject.
While there you could volunteer to make and deliver lunches to the people actually doing somety about wildfires instead of complaining..
Kym, I am sick and tired of you placing waiting approval on all my comments. What did I do to you?
I have knon Kym for more than 20 years and she still takes her time approving my posts. Take a breath and relax ☺
Good job Briceland VFD for potentially taking advantage of a summertime burn window! People need to understand that you actually need warm weather and dry fuels in order to actually achieve true fuels reduction with a prescribed burn. Otherwise you are just turning vegetation black, not actually getting rid of it! Hope everything goes well.
It’s arson as far as I am concerned.
Legal or not.
I still want to know who the Big Wig is that signed off on it… Just in case… You know…
Just in case someone ends up needing a “guest room”…
Hopefully he won’t pull a “Pete Arredondo” if the shit gets real…
Because he should be the first man in, facing the fire directly, and not just “delegating”…
Whoever makes a decision like this should put their John Henry on it in Big Bold letters, for all to see.
Will this also involve spraying who knows how many gallons of “fuel gel”, again?
The CalFire “Terra Torch”
https://youtu.be/M2-KZzKJCQU
Doesn’t look like it burns that clean…
This time in the Redwood Creek watershed, instead of the Mattole Watershed ???
How clean does that “fuel gel” burn anyway?
Yum!
https://kymkemp.com/2021/10/06/a-closer-look-at-the-prescribed-burn-in-the-ettersburg-area-of-southern-humboldt-yesterday/
TO DO THIS “CONTROLLED BURN” AT THIS TIME IS CLEARLY WRONGHEADED.
DO NOT BURN NOW
PLEASE
Currently burning, and/or within the last 24 hrs…
Ridge fire… Siskiyou County…
https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2022/6/26/ridge-fire/
Boyle fire… Lake County
https://kymkemp.com/2022/06/26/12-acre-fire-in-lake-county/
Hillside fire… Lake County..
https://kymkemp.com/2022/06/27/hillside-fire-in-lake-county-now-threatening-critical-infrastructure/
Etc…etc…, etc…
Seems like a good time to remind people about Broadcastify
A direct real time connection to local fire and emergency information.
Free during emergencies
Inexpensive premium service available also
https://www.broadcastify.com/
How many prescribed burns get out of control?
Approximately ninetynine percent of those burns were ‘successful’ (in that they did not report escapes or near misses). This can be viewed as an excellent record, especially given the elements of risk and uncertainty associated with prescribed fire..
How many fires in California are started by down power lines, arsonists, careless campers, lightning strikes?
Let’s blame this God for some pretty big fires..
Despite that…
A 90 day nationwide halt to prescribed burns was called for BACK ON MAY 20,2022, based on current conditions, by none other than the US Forest Service Chief!
Wake up!
https://ktvz.com/news/deschutes-county/2022/05/20/u-s-forest-service-chief-calls-90-day-nationwide-halt-to-prescribed-burns-citing-extreme-fire-risk-conditions/
Looks like I’m not alone, after all…
Is the US Forest Service Chief just a “ranting guest”, too?
This is the most recent info I’ve found, well after my “rant” began…
Did the “Big Wig” “Burn Boss” have this info?
Despite a 99.84% success rate, the US Forest Service Chief is saying to “knock it off” Nationwide, 38 days ago!
I suppose you think he, like me, doesn’t know WTF he’s talking about ???
SMDH.
🤷♂️🤷♂️🤷♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️
Is there something wrong with my observation, or is there something wrong with someone else’s?
(This would be an excellent opportunity for another one of your infamous post-correction, triple-posted, non-sequitur, smokescreens)…
And…
Action….
12:32 pm 6/27/22
No out of control prescribed burns reported in Briceland area.
And it sounds like they were well prepared.
“CalFire will be monitoring the fire Monday, and a group of local qualified firefighters will be assigned to the tasks at hand. Weather conditions will be closely monitored, and multiple fire engines will be in position to immediately respond, if necessary.”
National Forest Chief breathes sigh of relief. Wait, did I say national forest chief? Was the Briceland prescribed burn on national forest land?
“ I am initiating a pause on prescribed fire operations on National Forest System lands “
Puff # 1 💨
Oooh!
Looks like you managed to squeeze all 3 puffs into one post!
Nice trick!
If you want to stay on board with the escaped prescribed burn boss, you can ride alone as far as I am concerned…
From 5 days ago…
https://wildfiretoday.com/tag/escaped-prescribed-fire/
(They started it on April 6th…)
“On April 22 the Hermits Peak Fire merged with the Calf Canyon Fire, another escaped prescribed fire on the Santa Fe National Forest. As of June 22 the blaze has burned more than 341,000 acres.”
From 1-19-2022, over 6 months ago…
The report from May 27th, 2022, on the “Calf Canyon Fire”, that ended up merging with the the “Hermits Peak Fire”, both escaped prescription or control burns…
Look what the idiots in New Mexico accomplished, grey fox.
This is from Almost 2 weeks ago…
Prescribed burns that didn’t get out of control. So many I will just use dots to signify.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..………………………………………………………………………………..……….……running out of dots. But 99.9% of prescribed burns don’t get out of control.
And thanks Briceland VFD for actually doing something about preventing wildfires…
Puff #2💨
Have you even confirmed it happened?
Since when…???
And for which date ranges???
Is that for prescribed fires on or after June 27th?
Let’s see some stats on that…
Any prescribed burn “dots” you have included before that annual date are “moot points”.
You act like I have a problem with legitimately safe prescribed burns…
That’s ridiculous.
Do you even have any fire training or education at all?
According to US national Forest Fire Chief Moore, 90% of all their control burns happen between September and May…
So your gonna need to come up with some updated stats for escapes for ignitions June 27th or later…
Because your stats don’t reflect that at all…
Good luck with that…
What you got going is misinformation.
It’s misleading…
Kym, new fire @2:09pm near Trinity Center…
“Flume Fire”
CA-3 and Hatchet Creek Road…
Kym,
“Flume Fire”…
CA-3 and Hatchet Creek Road…
From 1 hour ago…
Thank you. I know it’s there but I can’t find anything out about it.
I’ll see what else I can find…
The next official update might not be until 8:00 am or so tomorrow…
@4:23PM from Facebook, willow creek bulletin board via a couple of different people from this one, “Connie Corp”…
Report at 2:21:12 PM:
2-3 acres in timber, power lines reportedly down at the heel of the fire.
Tap screenshot for more info.
Tap for full screen…
Looks like Trinity County, or Trinity Center City jurisdiction, not US Forest Service…
I’ll keep looking…
Nothing on trinity Center volunteer fire department Facebook page about it…
Here we go…
https://m.facebook.com/groups/1813941428890537/
“Trinity County Alerts and Notifications” Facebook page…
Thank you!
https://kymkemp.com/2022/06/27/flume-fire-burning-north-of-trinity-center/
Aw, shucks, Kym…
(Drags toe through the dust)…
You’re welcome.
It warn’t nothin’…
Hey, want another story?
It looks like I was right…
https://kymkemp.com/2022/06/17/humboldt-county-planning-director-john-ford-staying-on-after-telling-staff-and-supervisors-last-month-he-was-resigning/#comment-1528711
I hit that nail square on the head… 10 days ago…
Call me Clair…
Clairvoyant that is…
Dirty, rotten, manipulative extortionist, scoundrel…
https://lostcoastoutpost.com/2022/jun/27/county-planning-director-set-get-15-percent-raise/
Here another “premonition”, “follow up” comment, from 9 days ago…
🤔🧐Did I read Ford like a book, or what?
https://kymkemp.com/2022/06/17/humboldt-county-planning-director-john-ford-staying-on-after-telling-staff-and-supervisors-last-month-he-was-resigning/#comment-1528933
Sounds like there’s a pretty greasy arrangement goin on…
As in, you grease my wheels, I’ll grease yours…
Ford’s gonna be really coasting now, and planning will much easier for whoever was responsible for hiring him back with a raise to boot!
Good ole boys!
I seen it coming a mile away!
It warn’t too tough.
Thank you very much for all the feedback. It’s very true that fire is dangerous and should be treated as such. CalFire has not declared the end of the burn season yet and landowners with the correct permits can still burn. However, they and/or the “burn boss” organizing the fire can be held legally liable for any damages or costs of an escaped fire – if they are found to negligent. Please do not attempt to burn anything if you are not properly prepared! Oftentimes the best quality consumption of vegetation happens at the very edges of the dry/no burn season, which is one of the reasons this successful and safely concluded prescribed burn happened when it did.
So, it did happen?
Truthfully, it is a relief if it has been successfully concluded.
Thanks for the update, as such…
I looked out at the countryside, after most of my comments, and I still see a lot of green grass, in the distance, however.
Mine is all waist high and dry brown mostly.
I actually wish I could get a prescribed burn, properly timed and safe, to deal with it, too…
Every year…