Wild fire certs

evo

evo

Been here much more than a while
Location
My Island, WA
I'm starting to get bored and looking for cross discipline work, as if I'm not wearing enough hats already. My home state is burning, and I am constantly seeing photos of fire mitigation work being done with saws and chippers.

I'd like to reach out to local services and land owners about what I and we as arborists can do in time of need. The Wildland fire world is like mars to me, and I found that I can gain a certification with the NFPA as a Certified Wildland Mitigation Specialist. I also understand that to do anything close to front line work I'd need my red card. I'm not opposed to getting this as well, but I don't know what steps are involved to get one. Just by googling one of the main criteria is a employer certification.

Any help or in put is greatly appreciated.

What's needed to sell fire mitigation work? Is it like Arboriculture where any Joe blow hack can do it, but the certifications just add credibility?
 
I've got limited experience working in burn zones ( two months in Paradise Ca, right after the Camp Fire) , so don't take this straight to the bank. I think mitigation services entail working with property owners to facilitate a defensible space around targets (Buildings etc) prior to a fire incident, with the idea being that when fires strike that area, there won't be anything ignitable to bring the fire close enough to burn the designated targets on the site.. I believe it's more preventive in practice than responsive.

I saw properties in that area which had defensible spaces and remained unaffected by the fires....and some that burned up anyway.
 
USFS and I'm certain state forestry agencies do the training for Red Card and Sawyer qualifications. Classroom work, field training and Pack Test. I'm sure they are probably in panic mode for personnel resources right now. I loved fire work when I did it. Wish I would have found d it when I was 20 instead of 50.
 
What @oldoakman said is spot on. I fought wildfire before getting into this field. Passing a pack test and "fire school" is required for your red card, at least it used to be. 4 day classroom followed by a mock fire. To run a saw on fire line you used to have to test to decide what you are allowed to cut (A, B, or C faller). I have heard that is all task book now. Of course this is for active fire line and not clean up. Also, things probably changed in the last 10 years and if the help is needed that bad they may bend the rules.
 
  • Like
Reactions: evo
TreeVB, in 2003 I was on a fire in Idaho and it was a 2 week paid vacation. I was type 1 and class C attached to a Native American type 2 crew. We worked indirect line the whole tour except for the last 2 days when I was bumped out snagging line for a hotshot crew. I had a great time, lived the 21 century "Dances With Wolves" except for the woman.
 
cerviarborist said:
I've got limited experience working in burn zones ( two months in Paradise Ca, right after the Camp Fire) , so don't take this straight to the bank. I think mitigation services entail working with property owners to facilitate a defensible space around targets (Buildings etc) prior to a fire incident, with the idea being that when fires strike that area, there won't be anything ignitable to bring the fire close enough to burn the designated targets on the site.. I believe it's more preventive in practice than responsive.

I saw properties in that area which had defensible spaces and remained unaffected by the fires....and some that burned up anyway.
Click to expand...
That's the gist of it, but do you need the certification? I'm not looking to evaluate structures, just landscapes, and just mostly doing the actual work. I personally disagree with the one size fits all approach to 'fire wise'. It may be very effective for the dry fire season, but does very little to address out increased wet season (storm water, landslides, etc).. It needs to be a hybrid approach, additionally on the west side of the cascades the more you clear and thin the more the underbrush grows..

NFPA Certification - Choose your program

NFPA offers serveral certification programs. The public at-large today is demanding evidence of competency from professionals in their practice specialties. Certification is an important credential that can help you to meet this need.
www.nfpa.org
 
Last edited:
TreeVB said:
What @oldoakman said is spot on. I fought wildfire before getting into this field. Passing a pack test and "fire school" is required for your red card, at least it used to be. 4 day classroom followed by a mock fire. To run a saw on fire line you used to have to test to decide what you are allowed to cut (A, B, or C faller). I have heard that is all task book now. Of course this is for active fire line and not clean up. Also, things probably changed in the last 10 years and if the help is needed that bad they may bend the rules.
Click to expand...
WA state DNR does have some info on getting a red card through them. The pack test still stands, 3 miles in 45min on level ground with a 45lb pack. Issue is they canceled all red card classes for 2020 due to the pandemic. They also mention that in order to qualify "
Who can participate?
If you are affiliated with local, state, federal or tribal firefighting agencies who participate in wildland fire suppression, you are eligible to register for an academy."
 
evo said:
That's the gist of it, but do you need the certification? I'm not looking to evaluate structures, just landscapes, and just mostly doing the actual work. I personally disagree with the one size fits all approach to 'fire wise'. It may be very effective for the dry fire season, but does very little to address out increased wet season (storm water, landslides, etc).. It needs to be a hybrid approach, additionally on the west side of the cascades the more you clear and thin the more the underbrush grows..

NFPA Certification - Choose your program

NFPA offers serveral certification programs. The public at-large today is demanding evidence of competency from professionals in their practice specialties. Certification is an important credential that can help you to meet this need.
www.nfpa.org
Click to expand...
I hear you. You'd need to take a holistic approach. I'm heading back to Paradise this coming weekend for 3 months to evaluate more fire damaged trees. I don't know about any place else, but the places where I was working, if we even saw anything that appeared as though it could be, or have been a watercourse, we had to stop and have a safety meeting. ;)
 
evo said:
WA state DNR does have some info on getting a red card through them. The pack test still stands, 3 miles in 45min on level ground with a 45lb pack. Issue is they canceled all red card classes for 2020 due to the pandemic. They also mention that in order to qualify "
Who can participate?
If you are affiliated with local, state, federal or tribal firefighting agencies who participate in wildland fire suppression, you are eligible to register for an academy."
Click to expand...
Curious to see how this turns out with how much help they will need. A good friend of mine just did a two week tour (works full time with local tree company) felling on a fire and they let him in without his yearly pack test.
I would get in touch with the closest forest service in your area and see what you can do to get your saw certs. At least that way you can go in once fires are out and do some snag mitigation where needed.
 
oldoakman said:
TreeVB, in 2003 I was on a fire in Idaho and it was a 2 week paid vacation. I was type 1 and class C attached to a Native American type 2 crew. We worked indirect line the whole tour except for the last 2 days when I was bumped out snagging line for a hotshot crew. I had a great time, lived the 21 century "Dances With Wolves" except for the woman.
Click to expand...
Nice! I would assume that was on the Nez Perce forest. Beautiful country but tends to burn well every few years. Bet it was one you'll never forget.
 
TreeVB said:
Curious to see how this turns out with how much help they will need. A good friend of mine just did a two week tour (works full time with local tree company) felling on a fire and they let him in without his yearly pack test.
I would get in touch with the closest forest service in your area and see what you can do to get your saw certs. At least that way you can go in once fires are out and do some snag mitigation where needed.
Click to expand...
Apparently the fucken brainwashed goon squad are now shooting at the wild land fire fighters thinking they are looters and ANTIFA... They are waking out of the woods with their hands up, saying don't shoot or I'm going home.
 
If you align yourself with others in taking up arms and fighting against perceived anti-fascists, then that kind of makes you a fascist if you work out the logic of that equation, doesn't it?
 
cerviarborist said:
If you align yourself with others in taking up arms and fighting against perceived anti-fascists, then that kind of makes you a fascist if you work out the logic of that equation, doesn't it?
Click to expand...
Well yes sir that is indeed the other side of the coin.

This concept in of if you’re not one of us you’re one of them inspires quite a bit of thought. On the surface I disagree and feel uncomfortable with the polarization, but start peeling back the layers of the onion that is exactly how it needs to be.

We all know slavery and or segregation is wrong, and it’s a simple for or against as if that is the norm not making a stand is being complacent in support of the norm.
 
“We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes we must interfere. When human lives are endangered, when human dignity is in jeopardy, national borders and sensitivities become irrelevant. Wherever men and women are persecuted because of their race, religion, or political views, that place must - at that moment - become the center of the universe.”

― Elie Wiesel, The Night Trilogy: Night, Dawn, the Accident
 
southsoundtree said:
No, we ALL don't.

The concept that the US was founded on, or wholly believes in, equality is BS.
Click to expand...
I agree 100% My point though is there are three boxes of status quo.. One box is those who want to change the system for the better, one box wants to preserve the system or roll back changes to a previous state. The last box is the meh box, the box where of folks who are for neither of the above but benefit from the current or past systems based on their privileges. It's these folks who typically think everything is fine because they are not directly harmed, which by default supports the non progressive box.
Personally I say fuck the box, because civil society should be devoid of boxes.. Some would call me a anarchist, while I maybe I do know that is one system which will not work in this country at this time.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

New threads New posts

Kask Stihl NORTHEASTERN Arborists Wesspur TreeStuff.com Teufelberger Westminster X-Rigging Teufelberger
Back
Top Bottom