Fire

[slowp]

Fatality in BC, Canada. Read elsewhere that a tree fell on her.

From a facebook page, I think it is BC Fires.

On Thursday evening our hearts broke.
Devyn Gale was an initial attack crew member out of the Columbia Fire Zone in Revelstoke.
She was a trusted colleague, a loving friend, a beloved sibling and a cherished daughter.
She personified the iconic Reds and Blues of wildland firefighting in British Columbia: she was bravery, grit, hard work, determination, leadership and selflessness.
She was one of us. She was the heart of us.
It is hard to articulate the connectedness of a community like ours. We work shoulder to shoulder for long hours in extremely challenging circumstances. Those experiences change you, they connect you, they sustain you.
On Thursday night we learned we had lost one of our own.
Tragically, Devyn passed away due to injuries sustained while fighting a wildfire. She died in service of her community protecting the people of British Columbia.
On behalf of the entire BC Wildfire Service we wish to recognize and honour the Gale family.
To Philomena, Graham, Nolan and Kayln we are with you however you need us in the days, weeks, months and years to come.
The Gale family have shared the following beautiful words with us, and by extension all of you, about their daughter and sister:
“𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐲𝐧 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫. 𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐨 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐟𝐮𝐥. 𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬. 𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐥, 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫. 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐲𝐧 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐧𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞. 𝐖𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐨 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐮𝐩 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫. 𝐖𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐡𝐞’𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐧𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. 𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬. 𝐖𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐲𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐤𝐚𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐰.”
As we turn into the dawn, there is more hard work ahead and many communities who need us. It is hard to comprehend how we move forward after such a loss, but we find the strength to do so through Devyn’s extraordinary example, in her memory and her name.
Devyn Gale. Colleague. Friend. Sister. Daughter. Hero.
-
In memory of Devyn the family encourage donations to the Revelstoke Community Foundation, to allow her vibrant legacy to live forever in the Revelstoke Community.
• Online: https://revelstokecommunityfoundation.com/donate/
• E-transfer: [email protected]
• Cash or cheque donation at Mackenzie Dental Centre in Revelstoke


All reactions:
2.1K2.1K

 

[grizz55chev]

Fatality in BC, Canada. Read elsewhere that a tree fell on her.

From a facebook page, I think it is BC Fires.

On Thursday evening our hearts broke.
Devyn Gale was an initial attack crew member out of the Columbia Fire Zone in Revelstoke.
She was a trusted colleague, a loving friend, a beloved sibling and a cherished daughter.
She personified the iconic Reds and Blues of wildland firefighting in British Columbia: she was bravery, grit, hard work, determination, leadership and selflessness.
She was one of us. She was the heart of us.
It is hard to articulate the connectedness of a community like ours. We work shoulder to shoulder for long hours in extremely challenging circumstances. Those experiences change you, they connect you, they sustain you.
On Thursday night we learned we had lost one of our own.
Tragically, Devyn passed away due to injuries sustained while fighting a wildfire. She died in service of her community protecting the people of British Columbia.
On behalf of the entire BC Wildfire Service we wish to recognize and honour the Gale family.
To Philomena, Graham, Nolan and Kayln we are with you however you need us in the days, weeks, months and years to come.
The Gale family have shared the following beautiful words with us, and by extension all of you, about their daughter and sister:
“𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐲𝐧 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫. 𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐨 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐟𝐮𝐥. 𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬. 𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐥, 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫. 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐲𝐧 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐧𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞. 𝐖𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐨 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐮𝐩 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫. 𝐖𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐡𝐞’𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐧𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. 𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬. 𝐖𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐲𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐤𝐚𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐰.”
As we turn into the dawn, there is more hard work ahead and many communities who need us. It is hard to comprehend how we move forward after such a loss, but we find the strength to do so through Devyn’s extraordinary example, in her memory and her name.
Devyn Gale. Colleague. Friend. Sister. Daughter. Hero.
-
In memory of Devyn the family encourage donations to the Revelstoke Community Foundation, to allow her vibrant legacy to live forever in the Revelstoke Community.
• Online: https://revelstokecommunityfoundation.com/donate/
• E-transfer: [email protected]
• Cash or cheque donation at Mackenzie Dental Centre in Revelstoke


All reactions:
2.1K2.1K

Sincerest condolences to her colleagues and family. Gone too young in the service of her community, RIP young lady.

 

[atpchas]

Learned a new word: Pyrocumulonimbus. Lightning is really having its way in Canada.

https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/151578/fires-rage-in-british-columbia

 

[slowp]

Beautiful British Columbia has returned the favor. A few weeks ago, we sent a fire north to them, now they have reciprocated. The Crater Cr. fire entered the USA last night. It did not go through customs, although might be pretty close to the Nighthawk entry point.

Yesterday, the mushroom cloud could be seen from the Safeway parking lot, although it was at least 40 miles away. Then the smoke drifted back into our valley so no more views.

We've had some winds and yesterday fires were popping up all over the east side of the state. I see the wind is picking up already. Smoke is bad this morning.

Stay tuned.

 

[singinwoodwackr]

Oops…

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-66612781

 

[lone wolf]

Oops…

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-66612781

And he thousands of other fires were spontaneous combustion!

 

[slowp]

Our North Cascades Highway opens and closes and opens and closes...

Smoke moves in and out. The Crater Cr. fire is the source of it. It is an international fire, going on both sides of the border. It is also pretty much a let it go but try to steer it around fire--it'll go until nature dumps enough snow or rain on it.

We might get some rain tomorrow.

 

[northmanlogging]

Our North Cascades Highway opens and closes and opens and closes...

Smoke moves in and out. The Crater Cr. fire is the source of it. It is an international fire, going on both sides of the border. It is also pretty much a let it go but try to steer it around fire--it'll go until nature dumps enough snow or rain on it.

We might get some rain tomorrow.

its trying to rain here on the west (wet) side, skookum is there is much rain farther north, at the beginning of said hwy anyways...
the smoke is nice and thick even with the attempted rain which makes the air thick to the touch

 

[slowp]

its trying to rain here on the west (wet) side, skookum is there is much rain farther north, at the beginning of said hwy anyways...
the smoke is nice and thick even with the attempted rain which makes the air thick to the touch

Trying here also. I have seen facebook posts that the area to the west (North Cascades) has been hammered with lightning (pay attention, Lonewolf) and power even knocked out. Heard a helicopter flying off to somewhere--the DNR keeps a crew here at the airport. We are supposed to be smitten this afternoon and have a flood watch going.

Lonewolf: The predicted storm for this area may be a classic one for you to learn from. When we get lightning followed by heavy rain, it causes the lightning strikes to sometimes smolder for weeks. Fires will pop up until they don't. We do have technology to track this better, but spontaneous combustion will not be the cause of fires popping up . Nature is a great "arsonist". Probably better than any human one.

It looks like we have a dry few hours so I'd best do some outside things.

 

[northmanlogging]

Trying here also. I have seen facebook posts that the area to the west (North Cascades) has been hammered with lightning (pay attention, Lonewolf) and power even knocked out. Heard a helicopter flying off to somewhere--the DNR keeps a crew here at the airport. We are supposed to be smitten this afternoon and have a flood watch going.

Lonewolf: The predicted storm for this area may be a classic one for you to learn from. When we get lightning followed by heavy rain, it causes the lightning strikes to sometimes smolder for weeks. Fires will pop up until they don't. We do have technology to track this better, but spontaneous combustion will not be the cause of fires popping up . Nature is a great "arsonist". Probably better than any human one.

It looks like we have a dry few hours so I'd best do some outside things.

its damp here now, rained off and on all day, but the ground is still dusty...
Lake Whatcom has a nice crown fire choochin... with last I heard NO crews on the ground to fight it... its currently in an unpopulated area, but there aren't many on that lake... and its reallll close to Bellingham so?

 

[catbuster]

I’m just out here wondering how many fed employees will actually quit, strike (which is difficult because their contracts prohibit it) or just not show up to work when the “pay cliff” comes into effect next month as the temporary pay supplement comes to an end, given that congress does not seem interested in working together.

 

[slowp]

I’m just out here wondering how many fed employees will actually quit, strike (which is difficult because their contracts prohibit it) or just not show up to work when the “pay cliff” comes into effect next month as the temporary pay supplement comes to an end, given that congress does not seem interested in working together.

We already see the effects of the years of budget cuts. There are only so many 10% cuts (a popular figure used in the past) that agencies can take. For years, the USFS has been told to make do with a declining budget and employees. Trails are grown in, roads suck, campgrounds have been turned over to "concessionaires" who hire people who don't know what they are doing.

Also, when I started with the FS, the temporary workforce, which included firefighters (we all were firefighters) consisted of young people who left for college in September. We weren't trying to support a family, we were trying to pay for school. Most were not forestry majors, and went on to other careers.

At some time, I'm thinking 1990ish, there was a change. People started working for the FS and relying on working as temporaries each year to support themselves and or families. Full time employment has been hard to come by with the agency, and even more so if people aren't willing to take a job in some little place like Happy Camp, CA to get a foot in the door, and a downgrade in pay to restart. So they returned, year after year as permanent temporary employees and got no benefits, like the retirement program. Which was redone and isn't so good anymore. Like everywhere else, it's become a race to the bottom.

The FS is still geared for the work to make money for school, then go on to another career. The population in the little towns it serves, are not.

I had a couple of "old hippies" working on a timber crew who always lamented the fact that they were not "permanent" employees. I'd suggest they apply for openings elsewhere where they might get hired, and be told no way, they deserved to be permanent where they lived. It was frustrating. There was no way they were going to be hired on as a permanent employee where they lived. Plus, so many won't go to the trouble to do the paperwork to get a better career type job.

Anyway, we are seeing the results of years of "cost cutting" which must be done to get politicians elected. Both political parties are guilty. The Contract With America struck a big blow, but then the Northwest Forest Plan also decimated the PNW. Then Al Gore had a Reinventing Government idea, where federal employees would compete with contractors for jobs--more race to the bottom. Now we have the results of all the politicking.

Meanwhile (pay attention Lone wolf!) we had a lightning bust go through Washington the State this week. What is not normal is that it set off fires on the wet side of the state, deep in the woods (not where them arsonists would bother to go) and they are having to prioritize the fires as there are not enough bodies to send to each one. It's been dry. The trees are many, the duff is deep.

Stay tuned.

 

[slowp]

its damp here now, rained off and on all day, but the ground is still dusty...
Lake Whatcom has a nice crown fire choochin... with last I heard NO crews on the ground to fight it... its currently in an unpopulated area, but there aren't many on that lake... and its reallll close to Bellingham so?

Read yesterday that no crews were put on it due to the terrain involved. Crews aren't as stupid as they were when I did smoke chasing. The fire has grown and they were talking evacuations in an area.

West side fires can be beastly.

 

[Blue Oaks]

Looks like some heavy rain for our Oregon folks. I hope that puts out all your fires for now.

 

[atpchas]

Area burned in Canada this year is more than 7 times the average.
https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/151985/tracking-canadas-extreme-2023-fire-season

 

[slowp]

Area burned in Canada this year is more than 7 times the average.
https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/151985/tracking-canadas-extreme-2023-fire-season

We also traded fires. We sent one north across the border, then later, they sent one south. For the first fire, BC had no crews so they quickly let our crews cross into BC to work it.

 

[Blue Oaks]

Mother Nature just put a fork in fire season here in Northern California. I received 3/4" of rain this morning.

 

[Burning man]

Perfect time to burn some old logs.

 

[grizz55chev]

Torched off my burn pile yesterday, still smoldering till this morning, cleaned up my splitting area of all the crumbs and non stackable wood as well. Let it rain! ☻

 

[jmwnc]

Mother Nature just put a fork in fire season here in Northern California. I received 3/4" of rain this morning.

Glad to hear it! Meanwhile ours out here in the WNC is kicking right up. Had one burning a mile away from me for nearly a month before we got a little rain.