Wildland Fire Dozers

[Countryboy]

Welcome to Heavy Equipment Forums Wild Pete! :drinkup

 

[R Leo]

Not a dozer but...

Up in northern Mendocino County, on Hwy 1 north of Ft. Bragg, we saw this trackhoe with a forestry tool on the stick. I think this was a camp for the Tin Can fire.

Wow.

 

[DPete]

Fighting the fire is only part of it, after it's out they go back in and shread the dozer piles and put the terrain back to it's original state. I have a couple friends that were involved one with a D7 and the other with a water truck. Excellent pay, the water truck drew over $1700.00 per day don't know about the D7.

 

[ddiiggy]

That first picture of the guy with the machine up on the trailer like that doesn't strike me as inexperienced at all. In that line of work and with the way that trailer is designed I'd say it's close to if not at least 10 times faster to load and unload that way. That second picture yeah, the operator may have not been the oldest or most experienced on the job but, no one here seems to know just what exactly happened there. If I remember right there's a very experienced pan operator here who rolled a machine because there was a washout or something like that he didn't see. So just because there's a picture of what looked like someone who didn't know anything, doesn't mean that's the case. Also remember sometimes those people you just grab and throw on a machine because they're available just have the knack and operate like it's second nature to them.

I was basically wondering how much experience their operator really gets.

I didn't mean I had a problem with the first picture. That looks fine to me. :notworthy
That machine just had the stencils that said it was owned by the fire dept that got me to wondering.

The second picture was an accident. It happened.
I have tipped over a machine or two in my day. Got stuck plenty of times and had to get help...

I have not had the chance to really operate a dozer, just run it down the road and get it out of the way of something else.
Dump truck, Bobcat, Backhoe, Roadgrader, Forklift; Been there done that.
Grew up running lots of farming equipment, tractor and implements, loaders, mowers, swather, baler...
Spent ~10 years with a volunteer fire department. Trained on everything available.
Spent several summers chasing wildland fires with a truck crew.

I just know it regularly doesn't work to grab an idle body and throw a tool at them.
Sometimes the body is idle by choice, they may be lazy.
It could be they are waiting for somebody to tell them what to do or waiting for somebody to tell them to do something.
Sometimes a busy body is just that, busy. They may not be accomplishing anything. "All thrust and no vector" as I heard it said.

 

[ddiiggy]

Up in northern Mendocino County, on Hwy 1 north of Ft. Bragg, we saw this trackhoe with a forestry tool on the stick. I think this was a camp for the Tin Can fire.

Looks like a feller/buncher. Saw them using one of those the year I spend logging.
I wouldn't expect that would be so much usefull with a fire.

Logging is another whole range of equipment to run:
Dozer is familiar and used for skidding and pushing stuff around.
Skidder is sort of same but has wheels instead of tracks.
Had a grapple skidder around also.
Log loader is kind of like an excavator, but has a whole other set of variables; Grapple and boom and log positioning...

I was over on the steep side setting chokers and running the line yarding machine and decking the wood.

 

[OCR]

Hello dg5.

Well, I just had a post all composed for you and something happened to my
satellite connection and I lost it all...

I even had a link for a fire web site... Wildlandfire.com... use Google if the link doesn't work.

http://www.wildlandfire.com/Default.htm


Well the link seems to work, so you might want to check it out... It's set up
a little different than most, but be sure and read the FAQ section.

We have our own dozer and transport under an EERA with the BLM... water
tender is under the Best Value agreement with the USFS... R-1.

I don't know if you want to sign your own dozer up, or work as an operator for an agency like CAL FIRE ( yes, all caps., and do not address them any other way; was CDF ), or a federal agency such as the USFS, BLM or BIA.

Probably your best bet is to get a hold of some one in R-5, your region...
California... they'd have a better perspective of how things work in that area.

If you think I could help with any questions, be sure and feel free to ask.

I know one thing... it's a lot more complicated now, then when we started.

Best of luck to you... and don't get frustrated.


OCR

 

[cat 385]

I will try to post a picture or two of our dozer...on the Willie Fire, Red Lodge,
MT. Photos by Terry Jones, USFS.

i was at the willie concert when that fire started

 

[Bellboy]

Very scary. I've heard about your fires. Did you hear about ours?

 

[alan627b]

Experienced operator who rolled one over....nice to see you remembered me,
95zIV!
(see avatar)
I can just imagine how easy accidents like this could happen on a fireline, everybody in a hurry, dust and smoke and fire nearby, and vision hampered by wearing protective gear...not to mention, it's hard to concentrate when you are hot!
Add all this to the hazards present on a regular clearing job....I hope the guy was ok!
Alan627b

 

[OCR]

i was at the willie concert when that fire started

Well that was a unique coincidence, cat 385,

I here Willie is coming back for another concert this summer... but it didn't
wait for him this time... this one's called the Cascade Fire... and it looks to
be pretty nasty... don't know if they can even use dozers... at least not for
awhile any way. This info below was copied from the Northern Rockies
Coordination Center... I'm guessing that's ok with HEF... :beatsme

Cascade MT-CNF-000505 Type: WF Start: 07/26/2008 1415 Cause: U Priority:
Overhead Team Name: Stockwell/Kuntz Organization: Unified Command Local: GACC: 1
Size:
1,000 ACRES % Cnt/MMA:
NR % Est Contain:
NR Latitude:
45° 10´ 24" Longitude:
109° 26´ 22"

Location: 12 miles west of Red Lodge MT $$ Costs to Date: NR

Structures Threatened: 10 OUTB , 30 PRIM Structures Destroyed: NONE

Resources Committed: Total Personnel: 34 Report Date: Jul 26, 2008 2130
Agency CRW1 CRW2 HEL1 HEL2 HEL3 ENGS OVHD
CNTY 0 0 0 0 0 18 12
PRI 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
USFS 0 0 0 1 0 2 7

Significant Events: Evacuation of hikers recreation residences and campgrounds in the West Fork of Rock Creek to the Timber Crest Girl Scout Camp. Helicopter evacuations of 3 hikers took place
Remarks: This drainage received damage due to wind event in November 2007 resulting in a large fuel load The West Fork road is a single lane poor egress and access and is a dead end

Observed Fire Behavior: Active Crown fire with flame length 50 to 200 feet There was spotting 1/2 mile ahead of the fire. The fire is burning in heavy blowdown

Planned Actions: Continue with suppression activities and provide for firefighter and public safety Inbriefing of Bennetts Type 1 Team scheduled for 1700 on 7/27

One more copy from Wildlandfire.com

Re: MT-CNF-Cascade
Bennett's Type 1 Team in briefed today at 1700, last estimated size 3800 acres, the column is very visible via satellite - 5 summer cabins and one outbuilding destroyed, was spotting 1/4 to 2 miles ahead of itself this afternoon...

This probably should be moved to the Major Incidents thread - it'll be burning until the snow flies...

Notice it's up to 3,800 acres... and take note of " was spotting 1/4 to 2 miles ahead of itself this afternoon... "

This could a very significant event to say the least.

Note: every thing that's been copied and pasted is in italics and unmodified.


OCR

Note to Mods: This post might be too long... or coping and pasting might be
inappropriate... if so, please delete.

 

[cat 385]

i was working at a mine in nye montana,we were on our day off so we headed to the willie concert,off in the distance you could see a little bit of smoke then what seemed like one min.all you could see was smoke.they were thinking about evacuating red lodge but never did.where we were any way,i talked with the fire helicopter crew said they were on buy the hour at a cost of 7000.00 per hour.it was very dry that year i was starting little fires just from the sparks of the teeth on the 375 i was running.

 

[OCR]

cat 385,
From what I here... preparations are being made for the possible evacuation
of Red Lodge right now.


OCR

 

[D6c10K]

It's amazing how dry it is out west...I don't know how you can get fires like that stopped at all. The weather sure is screwed up...you get drought and fires out there while we in the midwest get rain and flooding. Just last night it rained 6 inches, put the creek out of its banks, and I've got water in the basement.

 

[Dozer575]

It's amazing how dry it is out west...I don't know how you can get fires like that stopped at all. The weather sure is screwed up...you get drought and fires out there while we in the midwest get rain and flooding. Just last night it rained 6 inches, put the creek out of its banks, and I've got water in the basement.

Now remember, things like the SR-71 was years ahead of its time and began as the YF-12A that was built in the 1950's. It is usually many years before the public knows about any new weapon system that the military has. And long before the military gets that weapon it is tested. And how convenient it would be if a new system, can do what the global warming climate change crowd want. To make it apear we have a major climate problem. Then it all plays nicely into the propaganda on TV and news. They keep inventing new ways to take more of your hard earned $, Seattle past a .20 a bag law, so if you go to the store if you need a bag it'll cost ya.



http://www.globalresearch.ca/articles/CHO409F.html

http://www.defensetech.org/archives/002163.html

http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/military_law/1281146.html

http://www.abovetopsecret.com/pages/af2025.html

 

[D6c10K]

Wasn't trying to make a statement about "global warming" or any other political issue....just thought it interesting that different areas of the country were having such opposite problems this year.

 

[ohfd281]

I found this video browsing youtube and thought you guys might like it. LA county fire dozers in action http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GGFekpK7_8

 

[Temu]

Here's one from the Telegraph fire near Yosemite...

This one was rolling out...into the sun and very fast! I understand they had 63 dozers on that fire! It was funny, I'd just finished dinner in Groveland when this Cat tooled through main street (old mining town, narrow road). I was on my Harley, so I passed him about 5 miles out...my helmet strap broke so I was pulled over when I snapped the picture. Got he helmet fixed, down the road I went...another 10 miles or so I see a dust cloud on Hyw. 108...it was the same truck heading for Oakdale...every bump he hit was a new dust cloud (fun to pass at 65)!

 

[Dozer575]

It would be a thrill of a life time to be there doing that.

 

[Chaz Murray]

This one was rolling out...into the sun and very fast! I understand they had 63 dozers on that fire! It was funny, I'd just finished dinner in Groveland when this Cat tooled through main street (old mining town, narrow road). I was on my Harley, so I passed him about 5 miles out...my helmet strap broke so I was pulled over when I snapped the picture. Got he helmet fixed, down the road I went...another 10 miles or so I see a dust cloud on Hyw. 108...it was the same truck heading for Oakdale...every bump he hit was a new dust cloud (fun to pass at 65)!

I cant remember the drivers name but that was a Pacific States truck...they stopped by our yard on their way home back to san deigo

 

[nextdoor]

I dont know about a thrill of a lifetime Dozer575, I have been to many fires on D6Cs,D6Ds, D4s, D9ls AD12 Fiats, 988s 920s and an array of graders tractor and trucks. The first one maybe is a short rush but you soon realise some rather big risks, such as sudden wind changes and machine failure. I say this with a little experiece as I have been caught in a summer storm with a sudden gust of wind and couldnt get out quick enough. Luckily I was OK and the machine only got a couple of electrical wires burnt. I have had several fires start in the belly plates and was also lucky to get them out. On top of all this it is very hard on the equipment, particulary dozers as the work is often done at a pace that is too fast for the track gear. I have been lucky the last 18 months have been quiet on the fire side of things but you never know what the summer will bring. Cheers.