My history lesson to you will be shared tonight
as it began June 30, 2013, when I met Mr. and Mrs. Wildland Fire on the Weaver Mountains and the spur roads of the Sesame to Shrine Corridor in Yarnell, Arizona.
I would hear the whispers from Mr. and Mrs. Wildland Fire how as they age, they move slow but at times rather fast.
They had some spotty times.
I asked individually and collectively from them both-
how have you lasted so long?
They replied, there is this smoldering way about us, Joy.
When we think how we have gone to great lengths - the flame we have had and still can have...
Mrs. Wildland Fire "crackled". She remembers it more like a train just came right through when she met Mr. Wildland Fire.
Mr. Wildland Fire said sometimes he just likes to lay low and let nature flow.
Mrs. Wildland Fire changes from this low intensity to this ??? 'what the heck is happening' mode. She sees others around her changing the course by adding more elements to her natural occurrence.
Yet, she gets the blame. Big bad fire. No accountability that it was these "other" actions outside her own.
The Shadow folks.
Often Mr. and Mrs. Wildland Fire think back to those they met folks along the way historically including meeting myself and Tex that fateful day. They are extremely thankful we still talk about all these years later.
It is the silence and omissions that is dangerous.
If you look up fatalities in today's world to educate oneself about the Wildland Fire Fatalities- one may see blocks and empty dead-end roads, see:
Tex and I will always remember City of Prescott Employee - Fire - Retired -Community Risk Reduction Division Chief 's Don A. Devendorf and what he shared to us May 5, 2016 1pm on the "10 and 18".
The United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Intermountain Region (Ogden, Utah) use to publish special "10 and 18" orange appx the size of an index card informative books just on the history of why the "10 and 18" are important and the fuels and topography and other areas were discussed. What happened? Why is it becoming less and less to learn from our past? Why is so much of it removed or left undiscussed? This little book discussed:
1965- Fairview Hollow, Kentucky
1965- Angeles National Forest's Loop Fire
1967- San Bernadino National Forest Bailiff Fire
1967- Kootenai National Forest Sundance Fire
1967-Apache National Forest's Slaughter Fire
1967-Windsor, South Carolina
1967- Michigan
1967- Wisconsin
1968- Angeles National Forest's Canyon Fire
1968- Coronado National Forest
1971- San Beradino National Forest Banning Fire
1971- Los Padres National Forest Romero Fire
1972- Harris Ridge in Idaho
1977- Okanogan National Forest
1977- New Jersey
1977- Ashley National Forest
1977New Jersey
1977- Washington
1979- Salmon National Forest Ship Island Fire
1980- Huron Manistee National Forest that dozer operator died
1981- Angeles National Forest
1983- Nevada
1984- Clear Lake, CA
1990- Tonto National Forest Dude Fire
1990- Utah Wasatch Mountain State Park - dozer operator and a sheriff
1994- On Storm King Colorado (and one day I pray Vicki Minor's story is told because it matters to me.) (
and the list goes on...
None of those events above had to happen ...
especially the one I was eyewitness on -
the 2013 Yarnell Hill Fire
where I was with the Granite Mountain Hotshots on the Weaver Mountains June 30, 2013.
We lived. We plan to tell our stories until we pass on hoping our stories carry on generation to generation.
Follow the Ten Standard Firefighting Orders Bob Powers would write on InvestigativeMEDIA and Fred J Schoeffler (RTS) would support Bob Powers.
I would challenge them both saying "how can one follow" the true golden olden standards in a chaotic multijurisdictional fire industry and how can one follow the rules all the time. Can we follow all the Biblical 10 Commandments all the time?
I have heard some 'way near misses' from hundreds of FFs / WFs / Contractors/ Aviation/ Subcontractors / Prison Crews / Private Sector Folks / Dozer Men and Women. They should not be having that many near death moments. Something is off balanced. We need more discussions on it.
They (Bob Powers and Fred J. Schoeffler) said no one ever died under their Service to the Fire Industry-
Are we really fighting you "Mr. and Mrs. Wildland Fire" or are we fighting "the politics" of it all?
We must spend millions if not billions or lose it. Right? I think the fire industry that gets those high millions, and billions should be required to "pay forward" to the ones who started by the ground up and are for lessening Fire Fatalities and helping those Fire folks out there like Vicki Minor, Fred J Schoeffler and Hec M. and so many more.
I also feel firmly there should be added support (Spiritual / Mind / Body ) for the folks doing all this hard work because I watched the Wildland Firefighter Foundation up-close. That organization works extremely hard. I am an unbiased person in all this aftermath of the fire I eye witnessed to everything that has happened to this day. If something is off- I say it.
The WFF (Burk Minor / Dina / Joyce / Ashley / Betty) make it look effortless and flawless. It was beautiful to experience. It is beautiful to see their year after year hard work. The stuff I eye-witnessed- that isn't easy to do.
One can be prepared all they want on the "10 and 18" and going to a Wildland Fire - yet if the action of any adjoining force stays in the omissions and shadows (they know who they are) then one will never know if what we face is a "Mr. and Mrs. Wildland Fire" issue or just plain politics and etc...
Thank you to Scott Briggs and Mr. Fred J Schoeffler for their Yarnell, Arizona land was made "Project 10 and 18 United / Project 10 and 18 International" because they see the need that we the people - we all matter. Here is a view from their land:
(The Box Canyon)
Thank you also Fred J Schoeffler for the special Wasatch State Park Memorial you made happen this August 2021 and for Scott Briggs sharing these August 2021 photos to me:
The "Project 10 and 18 United" is "under construction"
Any comments, inquiries or even donations,
please reach Fred J Schoeffler (928) 970-0926 (text welcomed)
I firmly have faith in these organizations below
and I am a Lifetime Member to US Hotshots Associations and Wildland Firefighter Foundation and the Annual Dues are paid with IAWF/IAFC.
(Listed in chronological order they came into my life)
In closing, we need more "Jim Steele" kind of folks to surface and like his article said in Wildfire August/September 2000--- "Revisiting the Ten Standard Orders" --- we need to have more discussions on it. More articles. Rarely, do they check and make sure firefighters even comprehend these tools and guidelines and watchouts.
We need to truly understand the purpose the "10 and 18" were made in true form, historically.
God Bless You and Yours-
Happy Holidays from My Home to Yours.
https://youtu.be/gd9PdsQeahY
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