Owner: The Laguna Interagency Hotshots URL:http://www.lagunahotshots.blogspot.com/ Join Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2007 10:07:15 -0500 Rating:0 Site Description: The Laguna Interagency Hotshots are an elite 20 person Wildland Fire Crew that travels across the United States to forest & wildland fires. The crew is based out of the San Diego area in California. Site statistics:Click here
Day Shift (Sunday) 2007-07-29 23:29:00 Today they worked on putting in more line. The fire line that is already there, has been holding nicely. However, tomorrow a Red Flag Warning has been issued for high winds associated with a cold front moving through.The crew will more than likely be spiked out until they are released from this incident. A CL-215 (from Canada), a large water-carrying aircraft, assisted with the firefighting efforts today. This is a picture of the aircraft scooping water out of Flathead lake. Water drops were helpful in more containment efforts. Read more:Shift
, Day Shift
, Sunday
Arrived at Garceau Fire 2007-07-29 09:20:00 The crew actually arrived safely at the fire yesterday afternoon. They will be spiked out for a few shifts and help punch in a hand line around the parameter of the fire. The fire is about 3,045 acres. This fire is only 50% contained. Active fire behavior, spotting and torching were observed yesterday. It's burning in Timber, grass and understory. Power lines and structures remain threatened. Today's weather will be in the 90s, with low humidities.
Stolen lunches...... 2007-07-31 23:32:00 Today the crew worked more on holding the fire line. The crew has been spiked out since Saturday night. Sounds like tomorrow will be their last shift on this incident. The smoke columns from other fires are on the horizon all around them. Their Division has said that there are lots of requests coming in for crews for other Montana fires, so they'll probably be reassigned ASAP.Lunches came up missing after a bear was seen in the back of the truck. Guess that means what's good for a hotshot is good for a bear!! Read more:lunches
New Fire Assignment 2007-08-02 23:51:00 Today the crew arrived to a new fire assignment on the MM124 Fire.It is burning 3 miles east of Clinton, Montana, in grass, mixed conifer forest, and open pine stands. This fire is believed to be human-caused. The fire is 6,245 acres and 25% contained as of Thursday evening. Today the crew cut hot-line on Division A. They worked from 0700-2100 and are staying in the firecamp on this assignment. Tomorrow will be another Day Shift and Day #7 of the 2 weeks.The crew is enjoying a little humor with this fire location......It is located 3 miles east of a rare Festival. http://www.testyfesty.com/index.php Read more:Assignment
The Rombo Mountain Fire grew to approximately 200... 2007-08-07 13:32:00 The Rombo Mountain
Fire grew to approximately 2000 acres today (29% increase from yesterday). Burning conditions are extreme, the terrain steep and rugged terrain. Crews are continuing to build line around the perimeter of the fire.
Rombo Fire 2007-08-06 11:50:00 The crew has been assigned to the Rombo Fire (Bitterroot National Forest), 2 1/2 miles west of Darby, MT. The lightening caused fire is 1600 acres, burning in heavy bug killed timber...dense canopy. Most of the growth occurred Saturday evening due to strong gusty winds from the southwest. The fire did not burn as actively Sunday with primarily single and groups of trees burning. Montana is under a state of emergency as several huge fires burn. Weather forecast for today is a 30% chance of scattered thunderstorms with scattered light rain showers.
Reassigned?? 2007-08-05 23:39:00 The crew will be released from the MM124 Fire tomorrow. Sounds like they might be reassigned to the Jocko Fire or the Rombo Fire, both in MT. They were told today, that there are many type 1 crew orders for those incidents.
DAY #9 2007-08-05 12:09:00 Crew continues to do mop-up operations on the MM124 Fire. Sounds like this might be their last shift on this incident. More than likely they will be reassigned to another fire in Montana.
Rombo Fire (Seasonal Fire) 2007-08-09 09:15:00 Sounds like this fire has been pretty active. The crew was pulled away from the fire a few times due to extreme fire behavior. They are currently cutting indirect line ahead of the fire. This will help with burnout operations. The goal with the burnout operation is to coral the fire into some old burned areas, where it will held it until it snows. This is why they call this a "seasonal fire"The fire is currently 2,550 acres and still growing. The outlook through the end of the week calls for hot and dry weather with a chance of thunderstorms. The crew has been out of phone contact since Monday afternoon, but the Superintendent called today and said that everyone is fine and despite the extreme fire behavior conditions, they are all safe. They will be released from their 14 day assignment on Sunday. Should make it back to California by Tuesday, then off Wednesday & Thursday for R&R, followed by their days off Friday & Saturday.The Laguna Hotshots send their condolenscces to the
Pictures Please?? 2007-08-12 20:14:00 We've had a request to post some pictures of the Rombo Fire that they were on. Here ya go...... Read more:Pictures
, Please
Rombo Fire (Last Shift) 2007-08-11 21:43:00 The crew has completed their last shift on the Rombo Fire.Next destination......HOME!Plans are to make it to the Salt Lake, Utah area by tomorrow night. Then they should make it to State Line, Nevada by Monday evening. ETA back to the Hotshot Camp (Descanso, CA) by Tuesday late afternoon. They will be on mandatory R&R on Wednesday/Thursday, then hit their normal days off Friday/Saturday. What a nice way to relax from a 14 day assignment plus 5 travel days (2.5 up there/2.5 home) . Read more:Shift
ROUND 2 2007-08-16 16:14:00 The crew got home on 8/14 @ 1500. We have been on R & R the last two days and have already been ordered up for round 2 on the Zaca Fire on the Los Padres National Forest in Santa Barbara County. The crew was on the Zaca when it started on July 4th. The fire is currently 127, 244 acres, that's a growth of 125,944 acres since the crew demobed from the Zaca on July 13th. The fire grew 10, 530 acres in the last 12 hours and is 63% contained and is currently heading east into Ventura County.. There is 16 miles of handline to be put in. We leave @0500 on Friday, our normal day off.
Fire Photo's 2007-08-16 15:10:00 Here is is a short photo slide show of the crews last few fires. (Angora, Zaca, Garceau and Rombo)Click on the FIRE PHOTO'S link:FIRE PHOTO'S Read more:Photo
Almost home 2007-08-14 14:02:00 The crew is back on forest. They are going to get some oil changes & lunch before heading back to the camp. They are very anxious to get home & enjoy some R&R. Read more:Almost
Firing Operation Today 2007-08-20 18:50:00 The crew is involved in a large burning operation, today. Today
they will continue to ignite vegetation along the jeepways to remove fuels between the fireline and the main fire. This firing operation is expected to begin early in the morning and last as long as weather conditions are favorable. These backfire operations are intended to provide a good secure line on the east perimeter of the fire in order to stop the forward progress of the fire. Warmer and drier weather forecasted through Tuesday evening will challenge firefighting efforts to complete the fire lines. A fire weather watch has been issued due to low humidity.214,725 acres 75% containment3 miles of fire line to build Read more:Operation
Firing Operation Today 2007-08-20 18:39:00 The crew is helping with a firing operation today off of Hwy 33. These backfire operations are intended to provide a good secure line on the east perimeter of the fire in order to stop the forward progress of the fire. Warmer and drier weather forecasted through Tuesday evening will challenge firefighting efforts to complete the firelines. A fire weather watch has been issued due to low humidity. Read more:Operation
, Today
Day 2 of Zaca Fire assignment 2007-08-18 14:06:00 The Zaca fire is set to surpass the Matilija Fire of 1932, and it is just starting to burn into the Matilija area. The last fire in this area was the Wheeler Fire in the 1980's and it went 100,000 plus acres and was a serious threat to the community of Ojai. Based on fire history, this fire is nowhere near done.Heavy brush containing a high dead component. Some conifer at higher elevations. Live fuel moistures are at 49% which is well below critical levels. A continuous fuel bed lies ahead of the fire.Acres Burned: 171,750 acresAcreage Increase (last 12 hours): 16,305 acresFireline to Build: 4 milesPercent Contained: 65 percent
They made the news 2007-08-24 23:13:00 Hotshots at work(Video By: Zeke Barlow) The Laguna Hotshots are one of the many hotshot crews fighting the Zaca fire. Hotshots are considered the Green Berets of the fire fighting community because of their ability to attack fires in remote locations. Sometimes they will helicopter in to the middle of a forest only to have to hike out for miles after working 12 hours. http://www.venturacountystar.com/CLICK ON HOTSHOT VIDEO UNDER ZACA FIRE Laguna Hotshot Angel Preciado, 30, of San Diego, works on his chainsaw. TheLaguna Hotshots worked on the Zaca fire when it first started but then werecalled off to Montana for another fire before being requested to the Zaca fire fora second round. Jessie Vasquez, 33, of San Diego works to clear brush. Vasquez is amember of the Laguna Hotshots. He and the rest of the crew weremaking a fireline in preparation for a prescribed burn. Members of the Laguna Hotshots hike their way out of anarea where they had j
DAY 6 2007-08-22 23:31:00 Still firing out the east end of the fire, off of Hwy 33 in Ozena, CA. Hopefully this will complete the east end and they can concentrate on the main fire. First few shifts firing operations were difficult because of the low RH and spot fires kept popping up. The spot fires were easily picked up without any problems. They have been in a spike camp since they've been there, but finally made it to the actual camp tonight. The team on the fire is currently TEAM 1 - Rich Hawkins' team, national Type 1 team. Rich Hawkins is the FMO for the forest where the Laguna Hotshots are based.
2007-08-21 18:49:00 The areas of the map that are in RED are the active fire line. The other areas are lined and either smoldering or extinguished. Looks like the firing operations are holding the line and working as planned. Due to predicted low humidity, a red flag warning has been issued for the fire area until Wednesday night.
Elite Firefighters tackle massive Zaca fire (in the news again) 2007-08-26 01:02:00 They've been called the Green Berets of the wildfire fighting brigade.When flames are chewing up rugged mountain slopes, they helicopter in behind enemy lines with chain saws and flares.Sometimes, after 16 hours of cutting lines through the forest and setting backfires, they'll simply wrap a space blanket around themselves and sleep on the ground before waking up and doing it all over again.For six months straight, 14 days at a time, they go wherever they are needed — Montana, Alaska, Wyoming, or this week, Ventura County.They are the Hotshots."We definitely get to do the cool stuff," said Jamie Miller, a member of the Laguna Hotshots. Her crew was digging a line around the Zaca fire Thursday in a remote northwestern corner of Ventura County.The Laguna team is one of a handful of Hotshot crews called in to do some of the most dangerous, remote frontline work in the Zaca fire. More than 100 such teams exist around the country, constantly being called in to whatever fire or natural d Read more:Elite
, Firefighters
, tackle
, massive
Back Home 2007-08-29 23:50:00 The crew got demobed today and is back home. They completed the last piece of line on the Zaca yesterday. They will be on R & R tomorrow and then their 2 days off (Unavailable). Will be back on duty Sunday, but for local IA only to catch up on administrative paperwork.
CONGRATULATIONS 2007-09-22 12:13:00 CONGRATULATIONS to Laguna IHC Superintendent Dennis Baldridge who just accepted the position of Southern California Zone Training Coordinator . Dennis Starts his new job October 1st. Dennis has been the Laguna Supt. since 1990 (17 yrs.).
2007-09-16 15:55:00 The crew was demobed this morning after doing another night shift on the Pine Fire and will be on R & R Monday and Tuesday. The total acreage of the fire was 2,170 acres.
2007-09-15 23:32:00 The crew is doing night shift on the Pine Fire in San Diego County. They will be sleeping tomorrow, then doing day shift on Monday. They have almost done their 14 days and are eagerly anticipating their R&R days. Off Tuesday/Wednesday then available for local IA on Thursday. Hopefully if all goes well, they should get their days off on Friday/Saturday.
Demobbing and Reassigned 2007-09-13 00:49:00 Just received word that the crew is heading into fire camp from spike camp tonight on the Moonlight incident. They will be demobbing in the mornging and reassigned to a large fire in San Diego County. The fire they are being reassigned to is near Pine Valley, CA burning on the south side of I-8. This fire is east of the Hotshot Camp. Crews are hoping to make some success on the fire tonight, but there is still a lot of open line. When the sun rises tomorrow, they are anticipating wind shifts and humidities dropping again. The fire the are being reassigned to is the Pine Fire.
2007-09-11 22:55:00 From the fire to our brothers & sisters in New York, we will never forget your sacrafice!ON THE FIRE: Hand and dozer lines have been completed in the southwest, west and the northwest portions of the fire and crews are engaged in mopping up and improving lines in those areas. On the east and south side of the fire, the areas of Wildcat Ridge and Taylor Lake above Beardsly Grade remain areas of concern and firefighters will focus efforts there today. Extreme fire behavior, e low fuel moisture levels combined with steep terrain, heavy fuels, and the winds are challenging firefighter efforts. The current acreage is 64,271 and it's approx. 41% contained.
Spiked out 2007-09-10 18:51:00 The crew is currently spiked out on the Moonlight Fire. The current size is 62,541 acres and approx. 20% contained. Crews continue to make progress on the west and northwest portions of the fire and are engaged in improving line and mopping up in those areas. On the east side the fire was held on Wildcat Ridge with dozer lines and aircraft retardant drops. The fire remained active on the south side overnight and additional crews and resources will be focused in that area. Extreme fire behavior predicted to continue. Historic low fuel moisture levels combined with steep terrain and heavy fuels and erratic winds continue to challenge firefighting efforts.
Heading North to the Plumas National Forest 2007-09-08 09:21:00 The crew was demobed this morning from the North
Fire on the Angeles National
Fores, about 0715 today they were assigned to the Moonlight Fire on the Plumas National Forest
, up by Susanville. The fire is approx. 32,000 acres and is fuel driven, with extreme fire behavior. Temps have been in the 80s during the day and in the mid-60s at night. Looks like this will definetly be a 14 day assignment!! Read more:Heading
North Fire - Angeles National Forest 2007-09-06 23:40:00 The crew completed the last piece of line on the Division B (Bravo) side. It was extremely steep and many rolling rocks. Looks like one more shift of mop up and then they'll be available for reassignment, possibly heading to the Plumas NationalForest
. Read more:North
, Angeles
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