Posts Tagged brush rig

Brush fire – Potawatami Woods, Prospect Heights 3-11-12

Mar 11

Posted by bgshap in Apparatus on-scene, Brush Fire, Fire, Fire Department History | 7 Comments

RED Center, who dispatches for the Prospect Heights Fire Department, received a call around 4PM this afternoon reporting a large brush fire in the Potawatami Woods Forest Preserve off Portwine Road in the Prospect Heights Fire District. They dispatched the call as an upgraded working fire based on the caller telling them that an area roughly the size of a football field was involved.

Potawatami Woods brush fire 3-11-12 Prospect Heights Fire Department

Long Grove Brush 55 was the first unit able to make it back into the area that was burning. Larry Shapiro photo

The first units reported a header and found a significant fire in the forest preserve. They realized that the fire covered a vast area and would require more manpower than what was on the initial response. Firefighters from Prospect Heights, Wheeling, and Lincolnshire-Riverwoods walked back into the woods with a brush rig from Long Grove. Much of the ground was soft which resulted in several vehicles becoming stuck during the operation.

Potawatami Woods brush fire 3-11-12 Prospect Heights Fire Department hand crew

Prospect Heights firefighters use hand tools to try and extinguish the fire at the edge of the burn area. Larry Shapiro photo

Flames flared up along the burn area faster than the hand crews could get to them. Larry Shapiro photo

Potawatami Woods brush fire 3-11-12 Prospect Heights Fire Department Long Grove Brush 55 Alexis

Long Grove Brush 55 was used to supply handlines. Larry Shapiro photo

Larry Shapiro was at the scene and submitted several images. Tim Olk was also at the scene. His images will be in a subsequent post.

Potawatami Woods brush fire 3-11-12 Prospect Heights Fire Department wildland progressive hose pack

An officer from Long Grove is deploying a wildland progressive hose pack. Larry Shapiro photo

As the fire got hold of larger fuel loads, large flare-ups appeared until the fuel load was consumed. Larry Shapiro photo

The alarm was elevated to a MABAS Brush Fire Box Alarm which brought additional companies including water tenders, brush units, and engines from the Countryside Fire District, Buffalo Grove, Grayslake, Elk Grove Township, and Fox River Grove.

Tall grasses ignited and created thick black smoke and intense heat. Larry Shapiro photo

As the wind carried the fire into the tall grasses, high flames produced intense heat and thick black smoke that cold be seen for miles.

A firefighter waits for a 1" wildland hoseline to be charged. Larry Shapiro photo

Water is deployed as the tall grasses are fully involved on the south end of the site. Larry Shapiro photo

Another line is stretched into position. Larry Shapiro photo

Complicating matters for dispatchers was that simultaneously the Barrington Fire Department had a large brush fire at the box alarm level which called for some of the same companies that would have been due into Prospect Heights.

A handline is deployed along the edge of the burn area. Larry Shapiro photo

Firefighters stretch a line from the Countryside FPD Tanker 411 which was brought to the burn area and used to nurse Long Grove Brush 55. Larry Shapiro photo

An image showing the burn area after the fires were contained. Larry Shapiro photo

No injuries were reported at the scene and as the fire was contained, the Cook County Forest Preserve Conservation Team (wildland firefighters) arrived to complete the mop-up.

More images can be found HERE and HERE.

Larry Shapiro will provide a video from the fire when it is assembled.

Tags: brush fire in Potawatami Woods, brush rig, Buffalo Grove Fire Department, Cook County Forest Preserve brush fire, Fox River Grove Fire Department, Grayslake Fire Department, large brush fire, Larry Shapiro, Long Grove Fire Protection District, Prospect Heights Fire Department, Prospect Heights Fire Department fights brush fire, Tim Olk, Wheeling Fire Department

Barrington brush fire

Nov 18

Posted by bgshap in Apparatus on-scene, Fire, Fire Department News | Comments off

Throughout the north and northwest suburbs during the past week or so, the skies have been dotted by random headers which have largely been the result of widespread prescribed prairie burns. Occasionally, the fires have not been sanctioned or properly permitted and necessitate a fire department response. Tuesday, while driving through the northwest suburbs, Larry Shapiro followed a header to a prairie fire that was not supervised.

Upon arrival of the first Barrington companies, the fire was running along a line in the middle of a large field. The dense smoke had already subsided. Larry Shapiro photo

Barrington units were dispatched to a prairie fire behind homes on Old Dundee Road west of Sutton (Route 59). While en-route, responding units requested additional companies based on what was a substantial header. They found a large field that had been largely consumed already but with a good amount of fuel load remaining and conditions which would endanger at least one large home with a shift in the wind.

Although flame heights were fairly impressive as depicted here, the fuel load was not sufficient to sustain the fire for very long. Larry Shapiro photo

Barrington’s new IHC/US Tanker was on the scene as well as two engines, a quint, an ambulance, battalion chief, and brush unit. The fire was controlled without incident and contained within the prairie grasses without encroaching on the residential properties.

Barrington's Brush Truck arrived after the initial companies and was driven into the field to wet down the remaining spot fires and the perimeter of the field. Larry Shapiro photo

This shot illustrates the size of the field that was involved. The bulk of the fire was out before the fire department arrived. In the distance there is a considerable area visible which did not burn. The foreground shows the proximity of the fire to the resident's yard. Larry Shapiro photo

A small gallery can be seen HERE.

Tags: Barrington Fire Department, brush fire, brush rig, Larry Shapiro, prairie fire, US Tanker

New orders

Oct 14

Posted by bgshap in Fire Department News, New Apparatus Order | 3 Comments

The Waukegan Fire Department, in Division 4 (Lake County) recently placed an order for a KME Severe Service engine.
The Long Grove Fire Protection District, in Division 4 (Lake County) recently placed an order with Alexis for a brush rig on a Ford chassis with a body similar in design to Rescue 55 which was built by KME. The new unit will have 300 gallons of water, 10 gallons of foam, and a 500-GPM pump.
The Lake Villa Fire District (also in Division 4, Lake County) has two new ambulances on order from Osage Ambulance in Linn, MO. Both will match the fleet and be Type III designs on Ford E450 chassis with one exception. These ambulances will arrive painted red instead of the blue and white color scheme of the existing ambulances which were part of the Lake Villa Rescue Squad. The new units are expected to be delivered in March of 2011.
The Evanston Fire Department has ordered a Pierce Arrow XT tractor-drawn aerial. They received a grant to pay for the unit which is expected to be completed in March of 2011.
Evanston also is ordering a new ambulance. As of now, we do not have the specs although it is believed to be coming with an IHC chassis like their current units.