0_o California's getting hit hard this week. Video from up the hill family sent me the link for: Sonora High School Closing - myMotherLode.com

I got some screenshots and threw them into an album if you want to look at it all better.

 

The Rim Fire ain't f'in around...it's doubled in size over 24hrs a couple of times already.

Brutal 'perfect' fire conditions.


Couple of links for those interested-

Tuolumne County Radio Traffic- http://www.broadcastify.com/listen/ctid/237

Good forum for fire updates- http://wlfhotlist.com/threads/36507-CA-STF-Rim

 

I graduated from Mariposa County High School and lives near El Portal right outside of Yosemite. The terrain and amount of vegetation up there is insane. One season of CAL-FIRE MMU and got a first hand experience of the conditions they have to deal with.

Not good!

 

The smoke up here in Tahoe is terrible from all the fires it's terrible!

 

For a point of size reference as to the height of the smoke, the plane the video was shot from is a DC-10*, the spotter plane in front is likely their little Cessna 2-4 seater. The smoke trail you see the spotter letting out is the indicator for the start and path intended for the bombing run.

Here's the screenshot gallery: https://picasaweb.google.com/1003663...19438286994306

So basically "yeah, those awesome fools are nuts enough to not only drop into that terrain in a plane as big as a DC-10, but to also do it at under 150 knots (~170mph) but also just to create more drag, do it at times with the landing gear down.".

 

Its a c130 and the spotter plane is a ov-10 but awsome footage tho

 

^The video listed above is in fact a DC-10, it's the VLAT (Very Large Air Tanker lol)

It's quite an experience having a plane that large flying that slow and below you.

 

i apologize, my phone didnt display the fozzs post correctly, thats defo a DC10

but the Images posted at the begining are from C130, its from the 146th Airlift Wing out of Oxnard

here is a link to the actual video

 

That's an awesome video.

Those guys really are directing an aerial ballet. It's amazing the coordination needed for air ops (let alone an entire incident.)

 

Hell ya, My old CFI instructor went and got a job at the CDF flying OV-10 spotters, you have to have Big ***** to do that

 

It's fed land. They like their hrs on the job.

My capt works as a reserve for groveland. Assumptions are this will not be contained till fall. It's just way too large. Our district is part of a strike team as of last night.

 

 

All good man. Grandpa worked/flew in the DC-10's and Dad worked/flew in the C-141's. I've seen plenty of C-130's over the years, we have the camo one that comes out of Moffett and does maneuvers over Coyote Hills all the time.


@Hide, that's why I called you last night I figured you all got pulled. Stay safe bro.

I gather you all have also seen the concerns over HetchHetchy's water supply by now. San Francisco is asking them to not do retardant drops near the water.

:/ Good and bad decision there, they did the same thing with the Parrot's Ferry Fire back in the 90's and it got too out of control. This year's fire is getting drops first and foremost.

In the end it's a gamble of weather patterns. Months, even years from now will show if the decisions made on the fly worked. Use the logic of "let it burn" and then you have to consider local roads and highways that can be affected by land and mud slides or put it out and end up with retardant in the water. Then there's the global ash logic. (Smoke blocks sun and temps drop as a result, so it's a natural cooling effect which then can bring on Winter Weather sooner.)

I got some more pics of the air quality up the hill from my Parents. Let me see if I can post them in a second.

 

****, friend lives in Groveland... Dammit

 

Yeah, same here, friends in Tuolomne County and family in Mariposa and Calaveras County. I keep waiting for phone calls telling me to "..come on up ASAP and help us bug-out.".

Heard the WalMart in Sonora had to **** down b/c their ventilation systems got too taxed from the air. Sucks because aren't they supposedly to be a "Disaster Safe Zone" since they have all the suplies, etc? The pictures I saw of it's parking lot showed a bunch of people using it as a temporary home after being evacuated. Guess since Safeway/Etc are right there people will be OK?