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.
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.
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
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.
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.
#1 by Drew Smith on March 13, 2012 - 11:56 PM
In no specific order, I will respond to some of the comments. I feel I am qualified since it is my department in the photos and I was the IC.
Is it common practice to attire yourself incompletely? I don’t know as this is the first such fire of this magnitude we have had in years, and I have been with the PHFD for more than 30. I am unsure of how others dress in practice. I will say that we do not have wildland gear and it is not as inexpensive as one might believe. Prices are on the web and a set runs about have of a structural set then multiply that by 60 members. I am not attempting to defend or condemn our members. I will say that as DMc states others have died from too much/improper PPE and too little.
As for the LMCSRT Wildland Task Force, my understanding from pre-planning is that they are not going to respond to incidents outside their primary area on a routine basis; the AHJ must have taken some action first and have some capabilities. In structuring the response, we had what we believed was a sufficient initial response: Three engines, a tender, a brush truck, and a 4WD squad pumper. When the box alarm was requested a chief from the LMCSRT Wildland team was listed and responded and reconed the area. This all takes time and the fire was nearly out by this time. With the fire some 100-plus yards off the paved road, it took time to just reach the fire and determine the size and scope of the operation.
Should we surround it, let it burn, and protect exposures? Perhaps. This is something we will be discussing. As for the Cook County FPD wildland personnel, speed of their response is impractical. With nearly 1000 square miles, it is difficult for them to arrive quickly. They are not all sitting in some central location ready to respond like the local FD. They did however arrive and the operation was turned over to them.
As for flappers, 25 years ago we had several of them (at least 4 on every rig) and Indian tanks too. They worked well. Then all the open land in PH was built over and that stuff went away. Now for the past 17 years we have covered this section of the forest preserve and not had a significant incident until this past Sunday.
I welcome your comments as it causes us to evaluate our operation and I hope our members reflect on the various opinions regarding the use or lack of use of PPE.
Drew Smith
Deputy Chief, PHFD
#2 by Brian on March 13, 2012 - 10:54 PM
I love armchair firefighters
#3 by Midwest on March 13, 2012 - 9:19 PM
They should have a set of wildland PPE for each firefighter. Cost to outfit is relatively low. And will last years unless you’re wearing it 5-7 days a week for 6-10 weeks each year. Having your structure coat open lets out heat but also lets it in. And there is all the extra material flapping around getting in your way, and potentially getting hung up on something. And the bunker gear is designed for different hazards than the wildland gear. Hard hats do look silly in the prairie but its part of the professional safety attitude. And as you can see this fire burned into a forested area with overhead hazards.
Sounds like there is a mutual aid wildland task force. Who you gonna call for a wildland fire…..? Wildland Task Force that’s who! I echo DMC on exposure protection in cases like this. Along with the wildland PPE get some drip torches and some training in burn out operations. And get some flappers. Far more effective than a scoop shovel.
#4 by DMc on March 13, 2012 - 3:15 PM
When a firefighter in structural turnouts dies from a heat related injury, head injury or not being to move fast enough out of the way to avoid trouble, all of us here will stand in judgement of them and ask what they were doing and why were they wearing structural gear. The three incidents I mentioned have all resulted in LODD’s, not here but elsewhere, and the AHJ’s received visits and fines from the appropriate regulatory agencies. Leading out several hundred feet of hose to extinguish a grass/field fire in a forest preserve when the forest preserve responders have the right training/equipment, and the Lake/McHenry Co Wildland Task force is but a radio call away simply does not make sense. Protect the exposures, let the rest burn. Turnout gear policeman? You bet. If it helps save a brother firefighter from an injury or worse I’ll be glad to make the call every time.
#5 by Scott on March 13, 2012 - 1:40 PM
Most of the Chicagoland area is NOT equipped or setup to deal with Wildland fires. The few that are have brush gear & apparatus. Most dept’s are set up for structural only and make do as they can with brush fires. Considering it’s warm and the turnout gear is meant for an interior attack, I’d say they did fine! Another Turnout gear policeman….
#6 by Pat on March 13, 2012 - 12:28 PM
Well, they don’t need helmets unless the sky starts to fall. Keeping the jackets open will keep them from overheating on a warm day and I am sure they were out there for a long time. Remember, not everyone has the nice light wildland gear so you have to improvise. Looks like they had it under control. Good job P Hts.
#7 by A on March 13, 2012 - 9:45 AM
Is it common practice there to fight a fire with incorrect or no PPE at all as shown in the photos?