In the Smoke

A little excitement for the Hometown FD last month. Proof that wildfire is a year round problem in many areas. Although I was in a good spot, I and my subjects were in the smoke, making a good shot very difficult.

Although the smoke lifted for a few moments after the flames passed, the heat and smoke really obscured the picture. Fighting fire, whether a wildfire like this or inside a structure, is not like the movies. There is always smoke, and it usually obscures some of what you need to see.

This crew had been assigned structure protection on these houses and were able to keep them undamaged. They ended up extending this hoseline over to where you see the flames. Although there was another crew over there (you can't see them through the smoke), this crew assisted with knocking down the remaining fire and with overhaul.

These homeowners did a lot to help Hometown FD do their job by good brush clearance practices. Had they
not, damage would have been likely.

Thanks for reading,
Schmoe