This is powerful stuff. Australian firefighters don't fight wildfires exactly the same way the Americans do, but a lot of this still feels awfully familiar: the weight loss through sweating, the profound exhaustion at the end of an extra-long shift, the days of work at a big fire, the mistakes that people make when they are tired to the bone, the trauma that sometimes comes from attending large incidents where your life is in danger, and houses burn down and people die. Attending a firefighter funeral is a terrible thing. As volunteers we face all this on a regular basis and we keep doing it to protect the communities we live in.
Wildfire fighters see record death toll as climate pushes teams 'to the limit'
theguardian.com
California’s ‘megafires’ are making a demanding job even harder, say firefighters mourning their colleagues
Thank you and blessings to all our firefighters who protect us. You are all amazing.
Planning on burning today Monday August 20? Please delay your burn.
The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting gusty northerly winds to develop around the Perth Hills this afternoon with gusts expected to 55km/h.
Fires, including private burns, could easily spread, with fire behaviour unpredictable in nature.
www.dfes.wa.gov.au/mediareleases/Pages/MediaRelease.aspx?ItemId=821
Glad to hear that our comrades in the east are alive and well after this. The pictures of the truck suggest that the crew protection deluge system only covers the cab rather than the whole truck. In contrast ours in WA cover all important flammable components (tyres, pump etc) on the rear of the vehicle as well.
Fire crew 'very lucky' to survive as out-of-control grass fire damages tanker
abc.net.au
RFS volunteers are forced to run for their lives as an out of control grass fire on the New South Wales north coast suddenly changes direction, moving towards their truck.
That truck would be around 18 years old and you are correct that spec of cat 7 only covered the cab. Newer trucks have setups similar to ours
'We've been warned': Swelling Northern Hemisphere heatwaves bring unprecedented fires
abc.net.au
Firefighters in Sweden and California are dealing with record bushfires on the back of a sweltering northern summer.
Hope this summer isn't a stinker or too bad for fires.
Looks like the season maybe early this year
This weekend the Brigade ran a Structural Firefighting Course for 14 of our members. Many people don't realise but bushfire brigades have a statutory responsibility to respond to structure (ie building) fires outside of the Gazetted Fire District. As such, our Brigade ensures all of our members are fully trained in structural firefighting techniques.
We are trained for defensive structural firefighting, that is fighting the fire from outside the building, and our 3.4U fire appliance is fully equipped for this type of work. Over the weekend the trainees undertook sessions on Structural Firefighting techniques and procedures, and practical sessions including hose drills, extinguishers, and ropes and ladders.
Massive fires on a yearly basis rather than once every twenty years are the direct result of climate change. Our thoughts are with our comrades in North America
Mendocino Complex fire becomes California's biggest ever
theguardian.com
Deadly blaze destroys 87 homes and 82 other structures as emergency services battle to bring it under control
Can we fit?
This is Kalamunda 3.4U, the largest operational appliance in Kalamunda VBFB’s fleet. The 3.4U is 2.9 meters wide (mirror to mirror), 8.2 meters long, weighs approximately 12.5 tons and has a turning circle of around 17 meters.
Keeping fire breaks clear and trafficable, cutting back low hanging branches (both around fire breaks and at entries to properties) helps us attack fires quickly and provide protection to assets.
For more information visit the City of Kalamunda’s website, www.kalamunda.wa.gov.au/Your-Neighbourhood/Fire-Emergency
We have spent our Saturday assisting our #SES friends with some #flooding in #Kalamunda
Kalamunda State Emergency Service | Department of Fire and Emergency Services WA
The New Normal
As California burns, many fear the future of extreme fire has arrived
theguardian.com
Experts say the state’s increasingly ferocious wildfires are not an aberration – they are the new reality
It's all there in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's report and assessment reports. It's too late now.
Let’s hope not