California Sends Aerial Firefighting Aircraft to Assist With Arizona Wildfire

One of the nation's only DC-10 Very Large Airtankers is being deployed from California to assist in fighting the raging wildland fire in Arizona. The request was made yesterday, June 8, 2011 by the United States Forest Service. The aircraft, Tanker 911, took off at 7:35 A.M. this morning from its base in Victorville.

The Forest Service is accessing the DC-10 through a call when needed contract CAL FIRE has with 10 Tanker, the company that operates the only two DC-10 Very Large Airtankers in the world. During peak fire season, CAL FIRE has an exclusive use contract with 10 Tanker to enhance its aerial firefighting fleet. The DC-10 aerial firefighting aircraft made its firefighting debut in 2006 on the Sawtooth fire in San Bernardino County.

The DC-10's operate with a flight crew of three, a pilot, co-pilot and a flight engineer. The tanker works with a lead plane and can be an effective tool in combating wildfires when working directly with ground resources. The DC-10 firefighting aircraft are fitted with three external tanks that are mounted along the centerline of the plane. Together, the tanks hold 50 tons of water or retardant. The tanker can drop as much as 12,000 U.S. gallons of retardant in as little as eight seconds through its computerized gravity fed water dump system. It is used primarily to lay down long lines of retardant.

"California is no stranger to wildfires and Arizona was one of many states that sent assistance to help us during the devastating 2008 lightning fire siege," said Chief Ken Pimlott, CAL FIRE acting director. "We are grateful that our relationship with 10 Tanker enables us to assist our neighbors during their time of need".

Aerial firefighting resources are one of many tools available to Incident Commanders to fight wildfires when and where the aircraft can be effective.

Rod Bywater selected as new Deputy Chief

Newly appointed San Bernardino Unit Chief Tim McClelland has announced the selection of the Unit’s new Deputy Chief, Rod Bywater. “Chief Bywater is a very experienced firefighter and leader. I am pleased that he is returning to the San Bernardino Unit. His leadership abilities will be a great asset to the Unit” said Chief McClelland. Chief Bywater returns to the San Bernardino Unit from his current position as the Northwest Division and Norco Conservation Camp Division Chief in the Riverside Unit.

Chief Bywater’s 25 year career began in 1986 as a seasonal firefighter in the Riverside Unit. In 1989 he promoted to Fire Apparatus Engineer where he worked a number of fire station assignments. His promotion in 1994 to Captain brought Chief Bywater to the San Bernardino Unit where he worked at the Prado Conservation Camp in Chino. From there, he moved into the Emergency Command Center. Following that, he returned to the Riverside Unit where he worked as an engine and truck company captain.

In 2001, he was promoted to Battalion Chief in the Riverside Unit. His assignments included the Mountain Battalion where he had the opportunity to participate in the Riverside County MAST (Mountain Area Safety Taskforce) program. Chief Bywater promoted to his current position of Division Chief in 2008. “I am excited to be returning to the San Bernardino Unit and look forward to working with the unit’s personnel and local area fire departments” said Chief Bywater.

Letter of Appreciation from The American Legion Post 256

Tim McClelland named as San Bernardino Unit Chief

CAL FIRE’s San Bernardino Unit has a new Chief. He is Tim McClelland, the former Deputy Chief. Chief McClelland’s promotion was effective Monday, May 2, 2011. Chief McClelland takes over for retired Unit Chief Doug McKain.

Chief McClelland who has worked for CAL FIRE for 30 years brings a wealth of experience to his new position. He began his fire service career in 1981 as Volunteer Firefighter at the Sun City Fire Station in the Riverside Unit. From 1985 -2001 he worked in the Riverside Unit as a Fire Fighter I, Fire Apparatus Engineer and Fire Captain in various assignments including the Oak Glen Conservation Camp and the Riverside Unit Emergency Command Center in Perris.

In February 2001, he promoted to Battalion Chief in the Riverside Unit and held assignments in Coves Battalion 12 and the Perris ECC. In October 2003, he promoted to Assistant Chief at the CAL FIRE South Region Southern Operations Center assigned as the Operational Command Center Chief. Chief McClelland served as FIRESCOPE Communications Specialist Group Chair from 2004 - 2009.

In November 2005, he transferred to the San Bernardino Unit as the Assistant Chief in charge of the Pilot Rock Conservation Camp. His assignments during this time included oversight of the San Bernardino Unit’s Emergency Command Center and the East Valley Division including the contract cities of Highland and Yucaipa. He also has served as a member of CAL FIRE’s Agency Representative cadre for the past four years. Chief McClelland has served as Incident Commander of CAL FIRE Team 7 since July 2009. It was Incident Command Team 7 under Chief McClelland that successfully fought the Oak Glen III and Pendleton fires that threatened hundred of homes in the communities of Oak Glen and Yucaipa. He promoted to his most recent assignment as the San Bernardino Unit Deputy Chief in May 2009. As the Unit’s Operations Chief, he was also had the added additional oversight of the Unit’s Fire Prevention and Law Enforcement Bureau, Training and Safety Bureau, Desert Division, Owens Valley Division and Mobile Equipment Operation.

Chief McClelland lives in Beaumont with his wife Michelle and has 3 children, Kourtnee, Chelsea, a college freshman at Cal Baptist University in Riverside and Jackson a junior at Redlands East Valley High School.

Turn Wildfire Awareness into Wildfire Readiness

Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. has declared May 1-7, 2011 "Wildfire Awareness Week". CAL FIRE is urging homeowners to be ready for wildfires. Wildfire Awareness Week is designed to not only remind Californians of the dangers wildfires pose, but also to educate them on how to prepare their property. In fact, CAL FIRE fought a 15 acre and 5 acre vegetation fire over this past weekend. This shows that the fire danger has already increased to where the field grasses are ready and able to burn.

The CAL FIRE San Bernardino Unit is bringing all of our fire stations up to High Fire Hazard staffing. Seasonal firefighters reported to work on Monday, May 2, 2011. They will go through refresher training this week to ready their skills for the approaching fire prone months. While it is important for the firefighters to hone their skills to be ready to fight fire, it is also important for the public to not only be wildfire aware, but to be wildfire prepared.

This year's theme for Wildfire Awareness Week is once again the nationwide fire preparedness campaign of "Ready, Set, Go!". Being ready for a wildfire starts by maintaining 100 feet of Defensible Space and hardening homes with fire resistant building materials. "This week is a great time for residents to start getting themselves ready for wildfire," said Chief Ken Pimlott. "It's the combination of both Defensible Space and the hardening of homes that give a home the best chance of surviving a wildfire." Annually, many homes face the potential of destruction by fire because they failed to be ready for wildfire.

California has experienced above average rainfall. The increased precipitation has left many areas abundantly green and overgrown. However, as warmer temperatures and drier conditions occur, the grass and brush begins drying out and the fire danger increases dramatically. "This year's fire season has not started as early as it has in years past" Said Chief Pimlott, CAL FIRE acting director. "That's why residents should take the time now, while the grass is still green, to make sure they are ready for California's wildfires."

Last summer, CAL FIRE launched a new website, http://www.readyforwildfire.org/ to assist homeowners in preparing for wildfires. The site offers steps residents should take to make their home more resistant to wildfires and to ensure that their family is ready to evacuate early and safely when a wildfire strikes. For more information visit http://www.fire.ca.gov/

BDU Blog Earns Featured Status on FireRescue1.com

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I am writing to let you know that we are listing your blog in our blog directory on FireRescue1.com - we are currently updating our listings and providing all those who are featured with a 'Featured Site' badge. Having reviewed our list of blogs in order to optimize the value of our directory, I am delighted to be able to provide the CALFIREBDU blog with this - from our perspective; it symbolizes the value of your content and our belief that it will be uesful and interesting to our 150,000+ members

Congratulations, and keep up the good work!

Will Russel

Time for Annual Property Clearance

Spring has sprung, the grass is turning, time to start clearing, to help prevent your property from burning. Don’t let the cool weather and light showers fool you, the abundant grasses in the fields and on the hillsides have begun the end of their life cycle. What were emerald green hillsides and fields are now beginning to turn brown as the grass dies.

Now is the time to begin clearing your property of the winter overgrowth. California Public Resources Code 4291 mandates that property owners in the wildland urban interface areas clear 100 feet around their structures or to the property line. The law calls for clearance to the ground from the structure out to thirty feet. From thirty feet to 100 feet involves modification of the vegetation in order to reduce the intensity of a potential wildland fire that might threaten your home.

Is Your Home Ready? Wildfire is coming, that is a fact. We see wildfire burn through areas of California every year. Along with the mandated PRC 4291 clearance, you should also be hardening your home against wildfire. Flying embers can destroy homes up to a mile ahead of a wildfire. What type of roof do you have? Wood or shingle roofs are particularly vulnerable to wildfire. The vents on homes create openings for embers to penetrate into the home. You can cover the vent openings with 1/8-inch to ¼-inch metal mesh. Eaves and soffits should be protected with ignition-resistant or non-combustible materials. Windows, exterior walls, rain gutters, patio covers and fences can all be hardened to help resist fire.

To get more information on how to defend your home from wildfire, go to http://www.fire.ca.gov or http://www.readyforwildfire.org/. It is the responsibility of the home owner to provide the basics of fire prevention for their property. However, by providing defensible space, this allows firefighters an area in which they can fight the fire and work to protect the home. The majority of homes with defensible space survive wildland fires. So be a part of the Fire Prevention Team, “protect your property and protect your family.”