Sixth firefighter killed in California’s battle against wildfires this year

[Right_in_Virginia]

Sixth firefighter killed in California’s battle against wildfires this year
San Francisco Chronicle, Aug 13, 2018, Peter Fimrite, Sarah Ravani, Steve Rubenstein and Kurtis Alexander

A firefighter died in the line of duty while battling California’s biggest wildfire, state officials announced Monday, the same day that Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke toured another fire site and said the secret to the state’s horrific fire problem is better forest management.

The firefighter’s name was not released, but state fire officials said he was from Utah, was injured battling the Mendocino Complex blaze on Monday and was rushed to a hospital, where he died. He became the first person killed in the complex north of Clear Lake, which has burned 349,890 acres in Colusa, Mendocino and Lake counties and is the largest fire in California history.

The death marked the sixth firefighter killed in California wildfires this year.

[...]

The massive fire is part of an unprecedented series of large, deadly and destructive fires that have raged through California over the past month, exposing astonished crews to fire behavior they say they have rarely seen, including pyro-cumulus clouds reaching into the stratosphere and powerful fire tornadoes.

Among the other fires burning Monday:


More:  https://www.sfchronicle.com/california-wildfires/article/Ranch-Fire-s-record-destruction-continues-Carr-13152034.php#photo-15986604

[Right_in_Virginia]

[Right_in_Virginia]

Utah firefighter killed while battling Mendocino Complex Fires

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) --
Officials say a firefighter from Utah was injured while assisting with the Ranch Fire, the bigger of the two in the Mendocino complex. An emergency crew airlifted him to the hospital where he died.

Cal Fire announced earlier Monday that the massive wildfires have grown to 344, 890 acres.


More:  https://abc7news.com/utah-firefighter-killed-while-battling-mendocino-complex-fires-/3950675/

[Night Hides Not]

I can hardly imagine the dangers these brave firefighters are facing. The worst fire I ever encountered was about five acres, and it gave us all we could handle. My crew was one of the first responders, and our truck held only 600 gallons of water.

Worst part about it was the poison oak that was all around us. We covered our mouth and nose with a bandanna to keep from breathing in the smoke. We were able to keep things under control until the juvenile detention crews arrived about an hour later.

We stayed on site for a couple of days, to ensure there weren't any flareups. It was amazing to watch how embers could be found in the roots of the trees during the night.