Wildfire Season

[Steve]

Hat's off to you up there... one thing I'm never likely to have to deal with. Although with no break in the weather for the forseeable, I think we are on the cusp of another 1976, 1995 & 2003. (2005 and 2006 were also quiet lively for us for grass make ups)... nothing on the scale of what you boys see in the counties. But some pigs like Wanstead Flats which is very peaty and takes a lot of putting out.

[Carl]

Ive not seen it this bad. We currently have 12 pumps from Lancs in GMFRS helping us cover normal business. We even have a number of their flexis staying on GMFRS stations. 

I saw on twitter some very good words by Justin Johnson, the Deputy of Lancs. 

Quote

Like the floods in other seasons, this current period of sustained dry, warm weather is demonstrating the need to resource to risk and not just demand.

 

[MichaelB]

Cousin of mine with GMFRS says its probably the biggest he has ever seen cover from West Yorkshire and Cheshire as well as there simply arent enough trucks to cover this and the regular demands any hope of it getting better or at least the army pulling their finger out and helping? Im trying to take Sky news etc with a pinch of salt all news likes to over dramatise things a little

[Keith]

We also have a major gorse fire ongoing. Due to record temperatures and the remote location crews had to be helicoptered in tonight to deal with it.

Firefighters flown to Glenshane

[Noddy]

Same as Steve,  I’ve not dealt with anything more than a couple of acres..... i am the complete wild fire novice 

[Matt]

Is there much of a response from West Yorkshire @Carl?  I know they have sent their Wildfire lot, they have some 4x4 pumping appliances at likes of Holmfirth & Slaithwaite, not been much of a mention all seems to be GMC & Lancs.

[Becile]

Saw they were asking for wildfire SMAs and burn teams on the NFCC site.

Had a few enquiries of our unimogs as well.

Take care chaps...stay hydrated.

[Steve]

Reminds me of Swinley Forest in 2011 was it? I've never been on the fireground and seen so many different Briagdes. Oxfordshire & Wiltshire were the real eye poppers for me.

[Firestorm]

On 27/06/2018 at 22:00, Steve said:

Hat's off to you up there... one thing I'm never likely to have to deal with. Although with no break in the weather for the forseeable, I think we are on the cusp of another 1976, 1995 & 2003. (2005 and 2006 were also quiet lively for us for grass make ups)... nothing on the scale of what you boys see in the counties. But some pigs like Wanstead Flats which is very peaty and takes a lot of putting out.

Bring back Bodgit I say!

[Matt]

MP12 on Winter Hill (Bolton area) at tea time for moorland, Lancashire said they sent 10 to it, a 8 in Rochdale just after dinner, it's all go in the North West this week.

Hats off to those of you out there in it.

[Carl]

Yes, its been a bit busy this week, and I don't think the coming week is going to be any quieter. 

[Luminoki]

Things must getting serious, saw on Twitter that Gloucestershire crews are up at Saddleworth

[Matt]

Gloucestershire, South Wales & Northumberland have sent resources up there, I know Northumberland was a wild fire specialist.

Winter Hill went to a 20 overnight I believe.

[Becile]

There was an update on NFCC site this afternoon, I’ll try to dig it out and post. The info provided for the W/E (moisture levels etc ) don’t look promising..duty w/e for me, better get the sun hat out !

[Gwentiori]

To put into perspective how on their a**e GMC are for pumps at the moment, Ellesmere Port’s (Cheshire) 2nd machine went on standby to....Wigan central.. 

Thats 45 miles away ?

 

[Carl]

13 hours ago, Matt said:

Gloucestershire, South Wales & Northumberland have sent resources up there, I know Northumberland was a wild fire specialist.

Northumberland certainly do have Tactical Advisers as I did some work with them when I was seconded to the Fire Service College. Im going to start some dedicated topics in respect of wildfire so we can all share a little more specific information on the capability. 

[Luminoki]

West Mids have sent two pumps up to Saddleworth today

[Steve]

LFB published figures today stating we've only attended 20 grass fires so far this month. Only one of which has required 4 Pumps. I suspect that will change.

[Jet]

For those that have access to Netflix, I recommend watching 'Fire Chasers'. Very good documentary following the woodland firefighters in California. Seeing what they face really puts it into perspective! The Saddleworth fire covered 2-3000 acres but they regularly get over 100,000 acres ?

[Steve]

7 hours ago, Steve said:

LFB published figures today stating we've only attended 20 grass fires so far this month. Only one of which has required 4 Pumps. I suspect that will change.

Two 4 pump grass fires since I posted that.... I Guess with it being the weekend we are now seeing the turn.

Oh and the 8 pump Landfill/grass job last weekend.

[CaptainFlack]

Rivington/Winter Hill is the worst of the two ongoing incidents.

Talk about mutual aid, so far there has been crews/ops support & advisors  from:

• Cheshire 
• Cumbria 
• Derbyshire 
• Gloucestershire 
• Lancashire 
• Merseyside 
• Northumberland 
• Nottinghamshire 
• South Wales 
• South Yorkshire 
• West Midlands 
• West Yorkshire 

[Carl]

Ive just been recalled to duty as "HVP Tactical Adviser" to get water up on Saddleworth tomorrow. ?

[Noddy]

Don’t forget your bucket Carlos ?

[Matt]

No sign of this weather giving up looking at the next week or so forecast. 

[Steve]

Oh dear.... It all gone very mad out west in the past half hour. We are helping Surrey with a 10pf (unknown) and an 8pf (two houses and cars) as well as multiple grass fires in the SW/W of LFB, as you can see, almost all of the pumping appliances from that area are either in attendace (orange) or en-route (blue) to jobs. Most of those on station (green) are specials.

EDIT: we now have Tooting and Chelsea (much nearer the middle) heading down Chessington way(LFB/Surrey borders) on initial calls to fires from their base stations. God help us if the East starts as well.