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
FIRE SEASON 2007 2007-03-16 02:42:00 The crew will start on April 30th. There have been some changes during the winter. Superintendent Dennis Baldridge is away on detail at South Zone as the Southern California Fire Training Officer. Captain Jim Huston will detail behind Dennis as the crew Superintendent. Selections are almost complete for this fire season and we should have that roster posted shortly.
End of Season 2006-11-13 17:21:00 The seasonal's have been laid off for the winter and the apprentices have returned to their original stations. Now we prepare for training and getting ready for next fire season. The fire season has not officially ended and we are still dry.Here are some pics from the End of Season
Dinner at the Yardhouse in San Diego. To mitigate any problems, Many of us stayed at the local hotels and the rest had designated drivers.
Final Survivor Passes Away 2006-11-01 23:58:00 Pablo Cerda passed away last night with his family at his side. Our continued prayers and condolenses go out to the Cerda family and to the rest of the Engine 57 family's during these trying times. Read more:Final
, Passes
BDF Engine 57
... 2006-10-28 04:55:00 BDF Engine
57 Those who gave the ultimate sacrafice on the Esperanza Fire October 26th, 2006Mark Loutzenhiser, Engine Captain, was 44 years old and had 21 years of service.Jess McLean, Fire Engine Operator, was 27 years old and had seven years of service.Jason McKay, Assistant Fire Engine Operator, was 27 years old and had five years of service.Daniel Hoover-Najera, Firefighter, was 20 years old and was in his second season.andPablo Cerda, who remains in critical condition, is a 23-year-old Firefighter in his second season.Please continue your prayers for Pablo Cerda and his family (miracles still happen) and for the surviving family and friends of those fallen.
Thoughts and Prayers for BDF E-57 2006-10-26 20:24:00 We send our Thoughts and Prayers to the family and friends of the San Bernardino Forest Service Engine #57 (Alandale Station) that suffered 4 fatalities and 1 in critical condition early this morning in a burnover on the Esperanza Fire (near Palm Springs, CA). GODSPEED!!
The last Hoorah? 2006-10-26 16:41:00 Santa Ana Winds (East Winds) are blowing again. There is already a 1000 acre fire in Cabazon (San Bernardino). Here is what they have already: Per the 209: As of 0100 hrs, 1000 acres. Fire is well established and Santa Ana winds are expected to surface by sunrise. Fire is expected to grow substantially after sunrise. Fire has established itself in the community of Twin Pines Community and unknown number of stuctures and out buildings have been destroyed by the fire. Critical resources needs include Aircraft (Helicopters Type I&II and Fixed Wing Air Tankers any type, Crews Type 1 and Overhead. Fire is currently on SRA. The communities of Poppet Flats and Silent Valley are being sheltered in place due extreme fire behavior. I would expect that an order is waiting for us when we go on duty if not another start locally.
Crew Humor 2006-10-20 23:30:00 Greg Pelsma has a great talent as a cartoonist. Here are some drawings he did from a hair design magazine article from one of Jamie's magazines. Dennis Baldridge let's his hair down. Steve Vigil gets a hair cut. Paul Chamberlain becomes a Motley Crue Roadie. Read more:Humor
RED FLAG WARNING 2006-10-18 16:43:00 We will be in a Red Flag Warning for Santa Ana (Northeast) winds from today through Friday. The warning also includes low Relative Humidity (below 15%). So it may not be over just yet.
Almost Over 2006-10-14 07:43:00 Laguna Hotshots 2006 (Missing Capt. Steve Vigil, Apprentice Nick Vazquez & Firefighter Mike Rose) The crew has been home since their demob from the Day Fire (round 2). We have been doing some training (S-211, S-133 and mandatory stuff). We have also been working on district projects such as dead tree falling and trails. Nationally, fire activity has been extremely light. Things will remain fairly calm unless we get the October east winds. The crew is off for the winter starting on November 12th. Read more:Almost
Day Fire days numbered 2006-10-01 19:09:00 We have been demobed from the day fire and enroute home. Did a couple of mop-up shifts, nothing to brag about.
More days on the Day Fire 2006-09-27 05:26:00 We have been ordered up for the Day Fire, again. We leave tomorrow afternoon.
Thanks Viejas! 2006-09-25 04:01:00 We would like to thank Gerry Amador (Engineer) from Alpine Fire Station, the Viejas Casino and the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians for donating tickets to the crew for last nights Padres vs. Pirates baseball game. This was a great reprieve from the long and busy fire season. For many if not all of us, this was the first time we viewed the game from a Sky Box Suite. It was awsome to watch our local #1 in it's League team win against the #5 Pirates. Read more:Thanks
Back Home 2006-09-22 21:54:00 The crew is back home for 3 days of R & R. We will be available for assignment or reassignment back to the LP on Monday 9/25. Here are some pictures of our assignment.Firing out along old Hwy. 99 Love them toys! Fire WhirlFiring TeamBecause we worked the night shift and do to the hot weather, special trailers where brought in for us to sleep in during the day. Aaron came up with an idea of putting doggy doors in the crew carriers. Aaron is now BANNED from coming up with ideas!Spike Camp. Chris's MRE Cheeseburger!The crew conducts an After Action Review (AAR) of todays events as the fire blows up in the distance from the east winds.
Last shift is tomorrow!! 2006-09-20 06:36:00 SIZE: 93,339 acres CONTAIMENT: 20% There was no fire activity on the eastern and southeastern perimeter of the fire. Fire activity was limited to a firing operation interior to the perimeter near the confluence of Ruby Canyon and Piru Creek. From Whiteacre Mountain south to the Topatopa mountains, and the western perimeter north to Thorn Point fire spread was primarily by active backing and flanking, with occasional uphill terrain and fuels driven runs. On the northern perimeter, the fire burned more intensely in heavier fuels. Fire spread by backing downslope through heavier fuels, and once established in drainage bottoms, made intense uphill runs. Significant events today: Provided structure protection in Mutau Flats, Schiedeck and Rose Valley areas. Assessed for structure protection on the southwest perimeter and the Ozena Area. Patrolled and mopped up along the I-5 corridor. Completed line constructi Read more:tomorrow
Blow Up 2006-09-17 21:29:00 The East Winds (Santa Ana's) hit with a vengence with 30 mph and gusts up to 60 mph last night. The fire found a hole between our division handline and a dozer line we where trying to tie into. This caused a 35,000 + acre blow up from last night to this morning. We are being pulled off from our spike and flown back to base to regroup and formulate a new plan.
The crew has been transitioned into dayshift on th... 2006-09-16 20:14:00 The crew has been transitioned into dayshift on the Day Fire. They are helping construct line construction around the perimeter of the fire, before the East winds blow on Sunday. The area is extremely steep and the fire behavior has been extreme. Potential pockets of unburned fuels have potential to cause runs to the South due to Northeast winds. Suppression efforts and rocky areas may help limit this situation. Currently 30,639 acres and containment of 30%.
The fire has had little movement on the south givi... 2006-09-12 03:11:00 The fire has had littlemovement
on the south giving the firefighters an opportunity to construct and improve line on the southern edges of the fire in the Sespe Wilderness. Crews continue to make progress along the west perimeter of the fire. Crews continue to be challenged by the “steep and deep” terrain and difficult conditions, but they are making good progress and are maintaining an excellent safety record with no injuries reported.Forest Service investigators have determined that the Day Fire is human-caused, and that it resulted from a member of the public burning a small amount of material within the Los Padres National Forest. The investigation into the cause of the fire is continuing and potential suspects and witnesses are being interviewed. No additional information regarding the investigation is available at this time.
Day Fire 2006-09-11 06:48:00 The crew is assigned to night shift on this incident. They have been trying to do a burnout operation every night, but the humidities are so high, that the fire lays down and is not very active.The Day Fire is burning in extremely steep and rugged terrain in the Piru Creek Watershed.13,646 acres and 12% contained
Enroute to the Day Fire 2006-09-07 22:03:00 The crew is enroute to the Day Fire on the Los Padres. The fire is curently 4, 228 acres. It started on the Angeles National Forest on 9/4 and burned into the LP, Sespe Wilderness. Crews have had little success finding a safe place to anchor and line the fire in the past 2 days.
ANOTHER LOSS 2006-09-07 01:22:00 We send our prayers and condolences to the families of AA-410 crash.
NEW SUPT TRUCK 2007-03-24 01:46:00 The new Supt. truck is in. Here are some pics in it's nakedness. This time it's a diesel. Had to give up the extra cab though.
Congratulations to Ira Wiley 2007-04-16 20:17:00 Ira has been selected to go through the Redding Smokejumper's Program. He joins the ranks of many other Laguna Hotshots that have been Smokejumpers. Ira starts his Lawn Dart training in May. Read more:Congratulations
, Wiley
The fun is about to begin 2007-04-26 06:57:00 The crew will start on Monday April 30th. The Temps and career folks that opted to be laid off will take their pack test first thing in the morning. After that it's gear issue and two weeks of training. Check the crew roster below, we had some changes and new folks added. Read more:begin
Fireline Safety Refresher Training 2007-05-05 21:53:00 The crew has completed their first 40 hours out of 80 of Fireline Safety
Refresher training. This portion of their training is all classroom. The design of this program is to get the firefighters back into thinking about the basics of wildland firefighting and safety. This refresher included; Basic wildland fire behavior, Extreme Wildland Fire Behavior, Fire Weather, Human Factors and how it relates to Decision Making on the fireline, Fatality Fire case study (Lesson's Learned) "Cave Creek Fire", Firefighter Wellness, SOP's/SOG's, Fire Entrapment Avoidance (Little Venus Fire Entrapment-Lesson's Learned),Basic Firing/Burnout Operations, Driver Safety, Hazard/Snag Tree Safety, Chainsaw and Tool use and maintenence, Communications and flying fixed and rotor wing.Crew learning how the pack gear and equipment for flying fixed wing. Often time's Hotshots will be ordered up for immediate need in other states. A Forest Service contracted commercial plane will fly the crew(s) to tha Read more:Training
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