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Overview • Kits put together in 98 and used during the 98 and 00 fire seasons. • Trial and error in supplying them with necessary equipment. This is a critical element as getting supplies once you are there is very difficult. • Four cabins and a lookout were wrapped this season.
Black Bear Cabin • Black Bear is a two story cabin on a cement foundation which has a root cellar/basement. • This cabin is the main entry point administrative site for the Lower South Fork. The site receives almost constant use in summer months, and is also a key contact point for members of the public. • The cabin is 7.5 air miles, or 14 miles by trail south of Meadow Cr. Trailhead. • This site is one of the top priorities for protection
Helen Creek Fire • Started by lightning on July 23. • Discovered on July 26, size was a spot. • Preparedness level 5 nationally. • Personnel and equipment dispatched August 16 to implement structure protection measures. • Fire was approximately a half-mile away from the cabin.
Equipment Delivery • August 17 aircraft and mule train delivered equipment. • Aircraft delayed due to inversion. • All equipment arrived at approximately 1400 hrs.
Fire Situation • Fire was approximately 400 yards away. • Wind was blowing out of the south, directly at the cabin. • Work was started under urgent conditions as embers and ash were falling on and near the cabin.
Implementation • A large amount of time was required to move para-cargo from the airstrip to the cabin. • Group split up with part taking care of a water system, the rest applying shelter material to the roof.
The Water System • Required two Mark III Pumps. • One pump took care of the pack bridge while the other had the cabin. • The system had both sprinklers and laterals for suppression.
Wrapping the Roof • Started on the West side anchoring to the hitching rail. • Applied material parallel to the peak of the roof. • Only two at a time on the roof. • This process was difficult and hard on crewmembers
Wrapping the Roof • East side roof required some improvising in finding and anchor. • Went perpendicular to the peak of the roof. This was a much easier method. • Used rock climbing techniques to make this easier.
The North Face • We were able to reach everything with the ladder. • Used rocks and duct tape to seal from top to bottom. • There is a fuel problem on this side.
The South Face • Could not get this whole face covered. • The dugout to the cellar was angled and too deep for the ladder. • A sprinkler was tacked just below the window for protection.
Keys to the Black Bear Operation: • Overlap is necessary. • Lots of Duct tape is required to seal edges and patch holes. • Rocks may be necessary for the bottom seal. • The roof is the limiting factor. • Time, approximately 300 person hours were required to complete this mission.
Mud Lake Look-Out • Threatened by the Lewis 2 Fire. • Wrapped more than once because of wind. • Fire ran at this lookout from all sides. • Difficult to wrap because of limited material and awkward construction.
Fire near the lookout • Evidence of fire on the ridge-top. • The lookout has a cedar-shake roof construction. • Small spots are visible on all sides.
Hahn Cabin • Threatened by the Monture-Spread Fire. • Logistics associated with this specific operation were made more difficult by location. • Basin and Danaher cabins were also threatened by this fire and wrapped.
What does this cost? • One roll of material costs $398. • 300 person hours equals about $4500. • Air delivery equals $1530. • Pack train delivery equals about $1000. • Implementation at Black Bear alone cost $8622.00 • This does not include time required to pack the equipment before delivery.
Is it worth it? • Administrative and Historical values are not calculable. • Replacement costs are well in excess of $300,000 for Black Bear Cabin and the Suspension Pack Bridge alone. • Once destroyed, they probably will not be replaced.
Improvements and Needs • Proper equipment is needed for an efficient operation (i.e. staple guns, staples, ladder, sprinklers). • A formal briefing based on what was learned this season will benefit future operations. • Research into approved rope for personnel and training required, if any, to climb cabin roofs.
Improvements and Needs (cont.) • Continued fuel reduction will increase the survivability of structures when threatened by fire. • Continued fire training of backcountry personnel. • Including good maps into the kit when it is ordered. • Qualified fire personnel to monitor fire behavior and relay good information to fire managers on fire status.
Considerations Before Implementation • This operation takes a lot of effort. • Back Country Logistics; be prepared because you can not run to K-mart to pick up something you forgot. • Cost; it costs about $10,000 just to put the material on. • The Safety Factor. The implementation requires a lot of attention in assuring a safe operation, but the fire environment needs to be constantly monitored as well. Remember, this is a fire assignment.
