Wildland - News

With more people planning to spend time outdoors over the coming weeks, Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS) is urging residents to take some simple steps, in order to reduce the risk of a wildfire breaking out. Wildfire awareness campaign A week-long wildfire awareness campaign (running 26 July – 1 August) is taking place, following a period of warm and dry weather, and with more people expected to be outside, enjoying the countryside, due to COVID-19 restrictions easing and...

LEADER (Grupo Leader), alongside its fire safety equipment distributor, SOMATICO, organized a day of technical tests for a wide range of the company’s firefighting equipment, on the 29th of June, 2021, on its premises in Octeville sur Mer, France. Technical tests day The program day included general presentation of the various ranges of firefighting equipment and BIOEX foam concentrates, including ‘Positive Pressure Ventilators’ workshop - presentation and tests that featured...

Wildland firefighting has always faced many challenges, but the challenges have increased as wildland fires have grown in size and magnitude, over the last 25 years. During a fire, wildland firefighters face long hours dealing with challenging and changing conditions. Wildland firefighters spend the majority of their time on their feet, walking over rugged and steep terrain, in hot temperatures, all while carrying the gear that they need for extended time, out on the fire line.   Imp...

KME Fire Apparatus., a subsidiary of REV Group® and a foremost manufacturer of fire apparatus, announces that Campbell Supply Company is expanding its portfolio and will represent KME Fire Apparatus in designated counties within Eastern Pennsylvania. “At Campbell Supply, our business philosophy has been based on two guiding principles, honesty and integrity,” said Scott Campbell, President of Campbell Supply Company. “It has always been very important to establish a good r...

In the dry heat of the high desert, the California and Nevada Air National Guard, the U.S. Forest Service, CAL FIRE, and multiple other fire-fighting agencies across the United States are performing their annual certification training for the aerial fire-fighting mission with MAFFS (Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System), from May 4 – May 7, 2021. The success of this training is built on the trusted partnerships between the fire-fighting agencies, having forged their tactical expertise su...

The Australian Fire Danger Rating System (AFDRS) program is redesigning the forecasting of fire danger in Australia. It aims to improve public safety and reduce the impacts of bushfires by improving the way that fire danger is calculated and communicated. As one enters the second quarter of 2021, the AFDRS Program is approaching major design milestones that will allow states and territories to trial the new system in parallel with current fire danger ratings. The trial of the AFDRS is a key ste...

South Yorkshire’s firefighters have a new weapon to help them tackle moorland wildfires- off road vehicles. South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue has added two Polaris vehicles to its fleet, helping crews to respond more effectively to wildfires and other incidents, which might be hard to reach using a traditional fire engine. Polaris vehicles fitted with water pumps Fire crews will spend the next few months being trained in their use The vehicles are to be fitted with water pumps, which c...

With warmer and dryer weather setting in, the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service wishes to remind the public that lighting grass fires is not only illegal, but also a danger to its firefighters, following an incident that resulted in a firefighter sustaining a musculoskeletal injury. At 08:08 pm, on Tuesday, 30th March 2021, Joint Fire Control received the first call of a grass fire on Mynydd Cadle Common, in Penlan, Swansea, Wales and crews from Morriston and Swansea Central were deplo...

South Korea’s renowned visual recognition AI firm, Alchera Inc., announced that has been formally selected by California’s Sonoma County to provide early warning alerts of pending wildfire events. Alchera will offer consulting services to develop and deliver products, utilizing state-of-the-art fire detection technologies based on machine learning with Artificial Intelligence (AI). The firm’s visual anomaly detection solution can detect the start of a wildfire from a simple vi...

Australia will develop a nationally consistent bushfire modeling and prediction capability under an agreement announced between CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, and AFAC, the National Council for Fire and Emergency Services. The partnership involves the development of Spark Operational, a cutting-edge bushfire simulation tool based on CSIRO’s ‘Spark’ fire prediction platform. Bushfire prediction opportunities Fire and emergency services agencies across Austr...

Australian bushfires have stunned the world. Nature is at its full fury and humans are to be blamed for it. The flashes have been burning across Australia for months. Nearly 18 million acres of land mostly bushland, forests, and national parks that are home to the country's native wildlife have been turned into ashes.  The two crucial factors behind these disastrous fires are the prolonged dry spell that dried up the forest cover and converted the green reserve into ample fuel for the fire...

Avon Protection is pleased to announce they have received an order from The Netherlands for FM50 masks and FM61EU filters, under the NATO Support & Procurement Agency (NSPA) contract. The Netherlands joins other NATO Nations and Partners, Norway, Belgium and Finland, in purchasing the FM50 to protect their militaries. FM50 masks ordered by The Netherlands Developed in conjunction with the United States of America’s Department of Defense, in order to counter the multiple CBRN threats...

For all the resilient men and women that work in the forestry industry, there needs to be a pair of logger work boots that are up to the task of handling all the tough terrain and hazardous materials that they are faced with. Also referred to as chainsaw safety boots, logger work boots help those in the forestry industry stay comfortable and protected from any potential foot injuries or punctures, utilizing a heavy-duty safety toe insert. Chainsaw safety boots/Logger work boots HAIX USA offe...

Despite challenges posed by the pandemic, the USDA Forest Service today announced it surpassed goals and set records in 2020.   "2020 was a challenging year, with record wildland fire activity and the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout the Forest Service, we have risen above these challenges and set our minds, hands and hearts to carrying out our mission to meet the needs of the communities we serve," said Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen. The Forest Service relied on its strong science...

The Lafayette City Police Department and an interagency task force joined a survey firm to deal with extensive damage caused by California wildfires that were raging in August and September. One of these, "the CZU lightning complex fire" caused a massive evacuation before destroying 86,509 acres (35,009 ha) and nearly 1500 structures across four communities and two state parks. To assess the worst-hit areas of this particular fire, a WingtraOne drone was used to collect aerial data used to gene...

The National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) released the 2020 NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications (PMS 310-1). NWCG positions enable consistent and uniform performance by personnel mobilized under National Incident Management System - Incident Command System principles (NIMS-ICS). The NWCG Position Catalog provides comprehensive information about each position for which the NWCG establishes qualifications standards. Agency-specific positions, such as those located in th...

For the honor of wildland firefighters who risk it all to protect the forests and natural resources. KIMTEK is proud to introduce the Ford Motor Company Bronco-Filson Wild Fire Vehicle which features the KIMTEK FIRELITE® Fire Rescue skid unit that includes a Darley-Davey Pump, Hannay Reel, and Mercedes Boostlite Forestry Hose.  KIMTEK is excited about this collaboration between Ford, Filson and KIMTEK and more excited to see the formation of the Bronco Wild Fund to celebrate wildland f...

A traumatic event like a wildfire can have devastating effects on the community. Pre-fire planning including home hardening and landscape maintenance at the home and in the community can help reduce the risk of loss from wildfire and help neighborhoods and cities be more resilient after a wildfire. pre-fire planning Communities that complete pre-fire planning usually recovers more quickly because they have developed support networks. The recovery process may take many years. Al...

InciWeb is an interactive mapping resource available from the U.S. Forest Service to show where wildfires are burning in areas close to a location, allowing users to better prepare their community for wildfire safety. It is a trusted reporting tool for public affairs specialists and a single source of incident-related information for the public. Official announcements include evacuations, road closures, news releases, maps, photographs, and basic information on an incident. web-based program...

Dealing with megatrends is equated time and again with trying to predict the future - one might wish for that often, but only to a very limited extent. Megatrends are nothing more than a summary of developments and currents that have shaped us as a society in many situations in the recent past - economy, politics, technology, culture and many others - and that are slowly but fundamentally changing the world - like this also the fire service world! Blue light organizations The fire brigade tre...

Over one million gallons of fire retardant have been dropped this fire season by military aerial firefighting units such as the ‘High Rollers’ of the Nevada Air National Guard and the support continues. “It’s very rewarding knowing you are helping so many people,” said Tech. Sgt. Paul Teska, a MAFFS flight engineer with the 152nd Airlift Wing, Nevada Air National Guard. Teska is also a former wildland firefighter. Fire Fighting Systems “I remember being on...

With more than two dozen major wildfires as well as over 12,000 emergency incidents, and over 1.1 million acres burned, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, a thick blanket of smoke continues to hang low in the skies in Northern California. NasalGuard® Airborne Particle Blocker responds to the devastating fires raging across Northern California with the launch of the ‘Breathe Easier Smoke Inhalation Donation’ program. NasalGuard® Airborne P...

Nevada Air National Guard aircrew equipped with the U.S. Forest Service’s Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System, or MAFFS, saw their firefighting activation orders extended this week as fires continue to threaten life and property across California. Members of the 152nd Airlift Wing, Nevada Air National Guard, also known as the ‘High Rollers,’ activated July 29, the unit’s first firefighting activation in two years following a 2019 season that saw little need to request...

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) is excited to bring to a new Virtual Classroom to enhance the online learning. The updated classroom provides a more user-friendly experience with updated content, design, and navigation. Trainings feature on-demand and self-paced courses delivered by fire and emergency service subject matter experts. Free course member benefit All Virtual Classroom courses are free for NVFC members. Non-members will pay per course, or they can join the NVFC for just...

DripDrop Hydration, a rehydration therapy company, and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC), the association representing the volunteer fire, EMS, and rescue services, announces a new partnership to provide dehydration relief to the nation’s volunteer firefighters. The need has never been greater amid a wave of summer heat, wildfire season, and a COVID-19 pandemic that has pushed the healthcare system to the limit of its capacity. DripDrop ORS will provide a one-to-one ‘buy on...

In their second year of partnership with the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC), Anheuser-Busch has committed to donating more than 1.5 million cans of emergency drinking water in 2020 to volunteer fire departments across the country as they navigate unprecedented challenges. This month, the first wave of deliveries – totaling more than one million cans – will be delivered to 151 fire departments across 38 states to help ensure local volunteer fire departments have the resources...

Wildfire smoke occurring during the COVID-19 pandemic can increase susceptibility to the virus and other infections by irritating the respiratory system, resulting in altered immune function. Populations vulnerable to smoking, including those with compromised immune systems, children under 18, pregnant women, adults 65 and over, and outdoor workers need to be aware of this risk. How to reduce risk from wildfire smoke Inform the community about these actionable steps that t...

The Healthy Forest Restoration Act of 2003 was the initiating legislation for the development of Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP). This legislation encourages communities to develop these plans to help reduce their risk to wildfire loss, as well as create healthier natural ecosystems. The ambiguity in the legislation allows communities to develop effective plans that are relevant to their conditions and can change as community capacity, and other conditions change. Why it is important...

Anheuser-Busch and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) have been named a 2020 Silver Halo Award winner in the Disaster Prevention/Relief category for the Emergency Drinking Water for Wildland Firefighters program. Keeping firefighters hydrated during long incidents or disasters such as wildfires is a critical need for fire departments, yet many volunteer departments struggle with limited budget and resources. To help departments meet this need, Anheuser-Busch teamed up with the NVFC in 2...

The Ontario government has taken additional steps to protect people and property during the wildland fire season, including an increase in base funding for emergency forest firefighting by $30.2 million, and ensuring safety measures are in place to protect Ontario's highly trained fire rangers from COVID-19. On May 16, 2020, Ontario is lifting the Restricted Fire Zone (RFZ) designation that was put in place last month across Ontario's fire region.  The province will continue to assess fore...