One Tough Forest Fire

SOUND OF HELICOPTER PILOT BEING INSTRUCTED TO CHECK FOR NEXT LOCATION TO DROP WATER.

“If you could touch base with (name not clear) on air to ground they are going to need you about 150- 200 yards off to your 8’oclock from where your last drop was.”

The Rattlesnake Mountain fire broke out Wednesday afternoon. It quickly spread in an area popular with rock climbers who tackle cliffs with names like Darth Vader, Yellow Knife and Monsters from the Id.

Not only do the cliffs make it harder to reach the fire but they limit escape routes should something go wrong.

This fire has been tenacious. Each morning the crews gathered to pick up sandwiches, drinks and tools. Wearing rucksacks and the smoky smell of the previous day’s fire, they got ready to go.

GROUND CREW BRIEFING:
“I’m going down, tying into the fire, cutting line to it. We’ll have to flag it probably. Everybody knows the radio channels. We’re going to be on compact right. Yup. Compact.”

It was Saturday morning. The crews thought by now, they would be corralling the final pockets of flame.

On Thursday it seemed like the fire was nicely contained. The fire crews did not work that night. First, because of the dangerous terrain.

Plus, normally it is not necessary. New Hampshire nights are so humid that fires typically die down.

But Friday morning, the fire fighters awoke to some unwelcome news.

Don Muise is the fire management officer for The White Mountain National Forest.

“A rare occasion here in New Hampshire was the fire activity at night. We didn’t get the humidity recoveries that we expected. They were predicted at 100 percent. We probably got less than two-thirds of that and so we had heavy fire activity all night.”

Helicopters were increasingly important.

SOUND OF RADIO TRANSMISSION:

“Hey, Juliet Bravo. Harrington.”

“Harrington. Juliet Bravo.”

“That drop from here looked great. Thanks.”

Eventually about 70 state and U.S. Forest Service fire fighters from New Hampshire and Vermont and a “hot shot” crew from Illinois were fighting over about 54 acres.

John Neely, of the forest service, was one of them.

“We had hot dry weather, winds, steep rocky, dry slopes and a very active fire front.”

SOUND OF HELICOPTER ROTORS

From above helicopter pilot Carl Svenson could see the fire fighters, often swathed in heavy smoke, had a nasty job.

“There are flames, some times you are seeing flames going six and seven feet in the air. Other places the flames are only four to six inches high. You see a lot of guys down there work. It is unbelievable terrain up there.”

Svenson’s Bell Jet Ranger and a New Hampshire Army National Guard Blackhawk dropped water and scouted for ground crews.

RADIO TRANSMISSION FROM SVENSON’S JET RANGER.

“Harrington 803, that smoke to the east looks like it is contained within the inner limits of what burned yesterday.”

“Thanks for the info.”

The bigger Blackhawk got water from Stinson Lake. Svenson dipped into a deep spot at the nearby Baker River. Being so close meant he could make 102 drops on Friday alone.

It is tricky flying. There is smoke and wind and fire, of course. There are trees and power lines and thousands of pounds of water hanging below the aircraft. There are turkey vultures to avoid. And through it all, there are still people in the area, just to enjoy the wilderness.

SOUND OF RADIO TRANSMISSION:

“Helibase Harrington, air to ground.”

“Go ahead Randy, this is helibase.”

“Be advised that we got a report of some canoers going down the river near the dip site. Just be aware.”

Fire officials aren’t sure how the fire started but it wasn’t from a natural cause such as a lightning strike. Somehow, people did it.

This morning the fire was still burning but not spreading.

For NHPR News this is Chris Jensen in Bethlehem.