Went on my first fire detail for the year. A detail can last up to two weeks and your accommodations can range any from a tent to a hotel. Luckily ours was on the hotel side of the spectrum. Best Western of Covington Virginia was gracious enough to host us for 8 days as 600+ wildland firefighters spent 12 to 16 hour shifts each day battling different sections of the Easter Complex fire. We were assigned to the Alleghany Tunnel Fires and would be the only engine crew to see all three sides of our fire. We spent most of time supporting the Tonto Regulars, a hand crew out of Arizona. We also did our share of hotlining around escaping hotspots that had jumped our firelines, and back burning with drip torches.
Day 1 was pretty much when everything went sideways. High winds and low humidity, allowed to fire to easily ignite ground fuels and blow embers of fire lines that were supposed to contain the fire. The fire managed to jump a sizable railroad track as well as interstate 64.
Day 2 we caught a spot fire while out on patrol No resources could be re-routed to the location, so 3 of us ran to contain a 2 acre spot fire with a chainsaw, a leaf blower, and a fire rake. Oh yeah, it was snowing. The rest of the day would be spent back burning and patrolling. We were also 1 of 2 engines assigned to night patrol, giving us our first 16 hour day. The logistics group was kind enough to get us Pizza Hut for dinner. Not just a few pies but an amount that looked like they had put their entire buffet into boxes and sent it to us. A group consisting of only 5 guys. Thanks guys.
Day 3 we assisted Arizona's Tonto Regulars. The Alleghany tunnel fires had now become part of the Easter complex, that included 4 major fires. The fires were so large, that fire crews were being called in from all over the country. I spent the day carrying a leaf blower for about 5 miles over pretty steep terrain. Fires can pretty much be fought with leaf blowers in the east. You can blow an 8 foot wide fire line in very little time. The Arizona crew was not used to the amount of roots in the east or the amount of leaf litter. Near the end of the burn, a spot fire jumped the line. It was quickly contained as the crew attacked it with rakes and pulaskis, and blew a new line around the rogue fire. The crew then proceeded to burn from the fire road, running the drip torches for about 5 miles. That crew sure likes to burn stuff.
The remaining days were less interesting we continued to support Tonto, supplying them with fuel and flares. I also learned that I have no business being on an engine crew. I am terrible at sitting still for long periods of time. I would see the hand crews out digging line and would want to join them. Apparently the previous days of chasing fires was atypical work for engine crews. At one point my engine boss told me I should get out of the truck and go for a hike. I think they were getting tired of me constantly getting in and out of the truck. Later in the week we supported a Hopi crew, continuing to try to find work for ourselves. We were steadily receiving news of crews being sent home or reassigned as the fires slowly began to be contained. We knew that it was only a matter of time before we would be sent home. Especially with the forecasted rain for the coming Wednesday.
It was amazing the amount of hospitality that was shown to us by the residents of Covington. Restaurants stayed open late to accommodate crews coming off the line at 10 or later at night. Residents never failed to come up to us, and thank us for the hard work we were putting in. Home owners would come out to the road, and ask us if we needed cold water or where they could donate water and food. The local restaurant, Cucci's supplied us with fresh sandwiches everyday. All of this helped keep moral high for the crews, as we battled fatigue. Nothing like down home, southern hospitality.
