OC Firefighters Caught in Burnover on the 07 Santiago Fire

The following Video of an incident that occurred on the "Santiago Fire" October 22, 2007 at approximately 1530 hours, in which twelve OC firefighters were entrapped and deployed fire shelters to avoid injury. This Video was a joint effort between CAL FIRE and Orange County Fire Authority.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• OC
• Firefighters
• Caught
• Burnover
• on
• the
• 07
• Santiago
• Fire

[Hannoi]

Can someone explain to me how exactly those shelters work.

How long can they stay under?

How long does a burnover last?

[Firefighter11A]

"How long can they stay under?"

All depends on the intensity of the heat, Guess the best answer to you would be: Till they die or run out of oxygen.

"How long does a burnover last?"

Again all depends on the size & density of the fuel burning around them.. From minuets to hours..

[manysticks]

The reason that canadian fire crews don't carry fire shelters anymore is because you should never be in a place where you can get burned over. Shelters make people think they can get into places they shouldn't be and take unnecessary risks with a false sense of security.

[Firefighter11A]

Subject: SHAKE & BAKE.....

I would agree that this is the case for some, But NOT ALL, No one's perfect and Fire is very unpredictable, and if that day comes, one makes the wrong choice or fate plays a number on you, Its nice to have something that may or may not save your life.. But thanks for posting this, it may make some Brothers think twice..

Tom, aka T-Bone

[Boardingmedic]

This isn't LA fire

It's Orange County (OCFA) at the Santago fire Oct. 07

[Firefighter11A]

It was in the LA Times and I was told it was an LA fire that Orange County FF had been dispatched too.. Are you sure? If you know the real details of this incident, Please send it to me and I will change it.. But be sure.. Thanks

[jameshailey81]

Station 22 is the busiest station in Orange County, CA

[manysticks]

@wildfiree21 Either way, stay safe out there.

[wildfiree21]

@manysticks you wouldn't catch me on the line without 1.

[manysticks]

@wildfiree21 Yes people have been saved by shelters. No denying that. Fire behavior is a mix of fuel, weather and topography. Know all three and pull back when there are changes. Keep people out of harms way before the need for shelters. Hindsight is 20/20 but look at the common denominators of tragedy fires and you'll see where mistakes keep getting made. Shelters are a false sense of security, knowledge of fire behavior is critical, and yes it can be predicted.

[wildfiree21]

@manysticks negative....shelters save lives....no1 can predict the weather...the change of path or speed in a fire all depends on weather.

[manysticks]

@Heavyweightking70 It may seem reckless but its been years since a Canadian wildland firefighter has been killed by being burned-over. With effective LACES it will minimize the risk. Things can still happen and people have been in some close calls but those things happen anyway with a shelter or not. Shelters are bulky and its extra weight so it was deemed non-essential. Identify when its time to pull out early. Its obviously working and crews I work with say they dont miss a shelter at all

[Heavyweightking70]

That is the most reckless thing I have ever heard. 

[engine1957]

Anyone who has ever fought enough fire will tell you no matter how careful you are you can get stuck in a bad spot. Im glad everyone was ok. God bless..

[mddm11772]

@Firefighter11A The Fire Shelters can only Stand until they material itself reaches 500 degrees i think before the Glue itself begins to break down and the shelter falls apart.

[sensordev]

@Hannoi They were in the shelters about 18 minutes, some said it seemed much longer, a couple when asked estimated 5 to 10 minutes. A very subjective experience.