(fire crackling)
(air whooshing)
(upbeat music)
- [Narrator] At first glance, the 2021 fire year
does not look all that different
from any other modern fire year.
Just like any other year, the weather got hot and dry
and the fires were big and plentiful.
Then the weather got cool and wet and the fires were small
and rare until they weren't.
Just like any other fire year, many things were saved
while many others were lost.
Just like any other fire year,
firefighters died in the line of duty.
An average year in a string
of extraordinary years is not average.
Record heat and drought in a trend
of climate extremes cannot be ignored.
The 2021 fire year has lessons to teach us
if we are willing to take a closer look.
Nationally, nearly 59,000 wildfires consumed
over 7.1 million acres in 2021.
Of the nearly 6,000 structures lost,
more than half were homes
and the nation's most destructive fire burned
during the final days of the year.
As could be expected, large fire activity was minimal
in the west in January and February.
However, scattered large fires persisted
in the Southern area, widespread below normal precipitation
and above normal temperatures allowed a short bout
of wind driven fires in Southern California
and the Northern and central planes through February.
Large fire activity increased in March
with short duration wind been incidents reported
in the Southern, Eastern, Rocky Mountain,
Northern Rockies and Southwest geographic areas.
By June, environmental conditions
reached unprecedented levels.
The national preparedness level increased
to four on June 22nd.
The second earliest occurrence in PL history.
Intense drought conditions covered 90% of the west.
A historic heat wave set numerous all time record
high temperatures in the Pacific Northwest.
On July 7th and 8th,
dry lightning storms ignited numerous fires
across Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana.
The national preparedness level increased
to five on July 14th.
The third earliest occurrence in PL history.
Extraordinarily dry fuel conditions extended
as far as Hawaii.
The Mana Road Fire burned 40,000 acres on the big island
in late July and early August
and became one of the largest wildfires
in the state's history.
(gentle upbeat music)
Events from the 2021 fire year serve as grim reminders
of the importance of proper
personal protective equipment use.
Lessons from the McFarland and Devil's Creek Fires
provide us with actionable items
to help prevent serious injuries.
On August 6th, a 20 person hand crew was entrapped
while suppressing a spot on an active flank
of the McFarland Fire on the Shasta-Trinity National Forest.
Despite having multiple lookouts
and an accessible safety zone,
a sudden an exponential increase in fire behavior
forced the crew to run through flames,
escape into the black,
or take refuge behind a dozer on the road.
Multiple firefighters received first and second degree burns
and one suffered from smoke inhalation
and carbon monoxide poisoning.
Facilitated learning analysis findings include;
personal protective equipment.
Wildland firefighting has some inherent risks
which can be mitigated, but not eliminated.
Our flame resistant clothing, including face, neck shrouds
and gloves is intended to allow us
to engage in wildland fire operations
with its inherent risk of burn injury.
There is reason to believe that the use of gloves
and face/neck shrouds by all personnel
in this incident could have reduced burn injuries.
On July 22nd, three engines
and one Type II IA hand crew conducted a burnout operation
on the Devil's Creek Fire near Jordan Montana.
Poor visibility from an inversion,
a rapid and dramatic wind shift
and instant ignition of preheated fuels
created a recipe for disaster.
In the blink of an eye, total chaos ensued
as overwhelming convective heat blasted
over a 70 yard section of the road
where the engines and hand crew were working.
Of the approximately 35 firefighters involved
in the blow up,
five required immediate advanced medical care
and three more care for injuries persisting days later.
The Devil's Creek accident, factual report notes.
This was an explosive short term micro-scale event.
The wind, fuels, topography and main fire were only
in alignment in a very small physical area.
The fire behavior and resulting entrapment experienced
on the fire was unexpected.
No witnesses described having any feeling
of unease prior to the wind event.
It would've been a hard event to predict or anticipate.
Reminders always wear PPE including gloves
when working on the fire line
as conditions can change rapidly
and put firefighters in jeopardy of burn injuries.
Consider using a shroud to protect the head, neck
and face from heating when working on the fire line.
Undergarments should be made of flame resistant fabric
or natural fiber, avoid synthetic materials
as they can melt and drip at temperatures
that firefighters may be exposed
to during an entrapment or burn over.
Extreme drought conditions persisted over 95%
of the west through August.
According to the US Drought Monitor,
this was the most expansive
and intense drought for the west this century.
These conditions drove a significant fire activity increase
across the Northwest and Northern California.
Even Minnesota felt the effects of the drought.
The 26,000 acre Greenwood fire started on August 15th
and forced evacuation of almost 300 homes.
The largest wildfires of the year burned
in Southern Oregon and Northern California.
Oregon's Bootle fire consumed over 400,000 acres.
The River Complex, Caldor Fire and Monument Fire each burned
over 200,000 acres in California.
The largest fire of 2021, the Dixie Fire burned just short
of a million acres to become the largest
in California history.
By mid August, fire fighting resources were stretched thin.
Fortunately, both international
and military assistance were on the way.
Canada dispatched crews and overhead
to incidents in the Pacific Northwest.
An Australian 737 air tanker provided national
aerial fire support.
Us army troops deployed to support wildfire
suppression efforts in California.
President Biden, visited the
National Interagency Fire Center in mid-September
to meet with fire managers before traveling
on to California to survey the wildfire damage.
Events from prescribed fires in 2021,
alert us of the importance
of proper drip torch can figuration.
Lessons from the Clear Creek Aspen
and Brundage prescribed fires identify actionable items
to help prevent serious injuries.
On April 13th, crews conducted black lining operations
on the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest.
An experienced holding boss had a drip torch
securely strapped to his PAC,
this supplement torches for the ignition crew.
While firing operations progressed,
the brass locking ring
and wick assembly simultaneously popped
off the drip torch.
Burn fuel soaked the holding boss from the waist down.
The fuel instantly combusted
and the holding boss suffered second
and third degree burns to both legs.
Rapid lesson sharing findings include;
despite no indications of leaking,
the drip torch locking ring was able to pop off.
The ring did not appear to be from the same manufacturer
as the other torch components.
On May 16th, an engine module conducted ignitions
on the Payette National Forest.
One drip torch malfunctioned multiple times
during operations.
Despite repeated attempts by the lighter
to properly configure the torch the wick assembly
and locking ring continued to abruptly separate
from the torch body, allowing fuel to spill and ignite.
Ultimately, personnel like the torch
and discontinued use.
Drip torch components are not universal.
It is possible to have drip torches
from numerous manufacturers on any given module
or local unit.
Mixing components from different manufacturers
creates potential hazards.
Only use drip torch component
from the same manufacturer.
As you prepare yourself and your gear
for the 2022 fire year,
don't forget about your IRPG.
The Incident Response Pocket guide is revised
every four years and a new version is available for 2022.
Refer to this updated and expanded IRPG
for critical on operational engagement, risk management
all hazard response, aviation, and many other topics.
The national preparedness level remained
at five through September 20th.
This 68 day span was the longest
in PL history at the highest level.
Throughout October fire activity decreased across the west.
The Atmospheric River event
on October 23rd effectively ended the 2021 fire season
for many geographic areas.
However, December saw an abnormal increase
in fire activity across the Northern Rockies, Rocky Mountain
and Southern geographic areas.
A strong down slope wind event on December 1st
fanned two large fires across north central Montana
with the West Wind Fire burning
through the town of Denton.
On December 15th,
100 mile per hour wind gusts drove a dozen large fires
across Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas.
This unusual late season event produced the nation's
10th largest fire of 2021.
The four county fire in central Kansas ran 30 miles
and consumed 120,000 acres on the same day at ignited.
On December 30th, strong down slope winds
along the Colorado Front Range impacted a new fire start.
The Marshall Fire advanced rapidly burning 6,000 acres
and over a thousand structures in communities
between Boulder and Denver by January 1st.
The 2021 fire year ignited in January
and burned right on through December,
just like any other fire year 2021 eventually ended.
And another fire year began.
We can't know for sure
if 2022 will be average or extraordinary,
how hot and dry it may be,
how many fires may start or how many acres may burn,
but we know the fires are coming and we can get ready.
We can learn from the past to prevent repeated mistakes.
We should study trends to better understand
what the future may hold.
And we must take small steps now
to make us safer and more prepared for the months ahead.
Study now, get ready.
Don't let 2022 be just another fire year.