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By hotfishmt on 07-13-12 @ 1:53 pm
Who would have thougt the Bitteroot fire near Darby would have gone from 60 acres to 1600….Oh is Me….the USFS is asleep at the wheel. So much for their “study” on if dead/red pine needles
burn faster….sure they do & in real life….so do the trees in the area South of Darby. The first time I
read or saw info about the fire…..I said…wait, it will take off for sure. I can see the OT now…$$$$.
Back in the old days…I was on fire lines in Northern California….where it was so steep along with
huge trees….the steepness was real bad….and the easiest way up & down was to crawl up or slid
on your fanny down….and then the USFS….says the fire near Darby is TOO STEEP for
firefighters…..so I AM GUESSING THE “FIRE BOSS” THAT MADE THE CALL….IS AT LEAST
300#.
By RussCrowder on 07-14-12 @ 3:17 pm
hotfishmt…Fought a few myself back in the “old day’s” around Mt. Shasta, Weaverville & Yreka. The USFS isn’t “asleep at the wheel”. The USFS died back in the late 70’s when the old line foresters and
real FIREFIGHTERS started to retire and be replaced by the new college EDUCATED “foresters” that
are running the show today. And how are they doing?...My prediction…1910 is coming !!!!
By hotfishmt on 07-16-12 @ 7:34 am
Russ: I don’t know if it college grads or just too many pencil pushers. Some of the people I have seen lately giving fire updates on TV….definetly know where the “food trailer” is located. Back
when I was on fires in the Shasta Trinity area for the USFS….we were lucky to have one radio for
a team of 18 men….and today, fighters are burdened with so much extra stuff….wonder they can
use a Pulaski at all.
Fianlly Russ…I too was stationed in Dunsmuir, McCloud, & Mt. Shasta….where the notorious
weed…Manzineta burned like a can of gas. I was on one large fire in Southern California…where
the biggest fear was not the fire….but, the Mexican school bus drivers….did not know how to down
shift coming off the steep fire line roads…..lol
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