No flying in this one, but given the current situation in California I felt it was worthwhile making a video on the topic of wildfires. Back to flying in the next video!
Smart piece of machinery to keep handy. Now you need a fire seeking drone to go out and do surveillance when needed. Can you make a heat-seeking drone? Stay safe Trent.
Hey Trent, I am a firefighter in the Bay Area. Fly out to KCCR some time and you can come do a ride along for a shift or two! We will get you all trained up!
When I lived in Arizona, a key concept was defensible space -- make sure there's nothing close to your house to catch fire. That's not the whole story, of course, but it's a big part...
@@jytheiowaguy1897 Yes, it should be -- but there's lots of folks with common attitudes like, it won't happen here, etc. And folks get busy with other things. etc. etc.
I loved that as well...I'm 73 and from experience, I can say without a doubt....you are never going to look back on your life and relish all the times you played "safe"!
He was other than his "nah outs cool about not getting yourself safe". 30 seconds is the difference between it being a small shrub fire to a fast moving grass fire. I'd rather be safe myself fighting any fire than going out in flip flops t shirt and shorts. Many people have died from radiated head from fires here in Australia from not being covered up. It gives you minutes of protection rather than fractions of seconds. Have your gear ready, boots and cover all's are all you need.
Let's hear it for self-sufficiency! A relative of mine was able to sneak back behind the fire lines and save his own house successfully and I always looked up to him for the audacity he showed. Jess - love your attitude. The USA needs more people like that.
I was in Navy fire fighting was what it all about... Who is going to save you at sea???? You are doing the right thing. I got a old army 2.5 ton loaded with 500 gallons of water and pump etc. . When it is dry down here in south Texas. Cover your SIX !!!
Hi Trent -- A couple of things to consider to keep your rig in top shape: •Put some gas protectant in your rig's gas to keep it fresh year round. And to fight the fuel line deterioration from ethanol gasoline. •Find out if your pump has a bypass tube for use in extended idling. If the pump just sits there churning water with no outlet, the water will actually boil. Not good for your equipment. •To enhance the effectiveness of your water, put a couple ounces of Dawn dish soap in a full water tank. It helps the water to penetrate a deeply hot spot, rather than just boiling it off. (It breaks the surface tension.) •Like he said, always aim your water stream at the base of the flame. •Always keep your equipment in top repair. So it will help you reliably. •Is there a water drain on the pump? Freezing water can burst your pump and crack your tank. •If you change clothes to fight a fire you want leather boots, leather gloves and ALL clothing to be of natural material. Anything not wool or cotton can catch fire and can melt to your skin. Right down to your skivvies. It's ok to practice with the new unit. Get to know it. But keep it full except in freezing weather. Talk with local fire fighters, even volunteers.
Boiling the water is the best possible result...the worst is the incompressibility of water stopping the impeller dead in place, breaking either the impeller or the drive shaft...electric motors can fry themselves.
I don't what its called in the us but here in the uk you can get an alkylate gas called aspen 4t that has a shelf life of something like 4/5 yrs before going off its also cleaner and better starting than regular gas would be good for something like this that gets left standing for months on end
Love the skids we have used them for years in the rural fire departments here in WV. Was a volunteer for 30 years. The guy is right put it out, keep wind at your back or to the side, cut your fire line and let the fire burn to you and keep the fuel away from your home. Also practice using your equipment and know it well.
We saved our house during the Glass Fire. A generator that could run the well pump and a few garden hoses kept an amazing amount of fire from spreading... But we were lucky there wasn't that much wind, and we had a few escape routes just in case...
The sky here in SW Oregon continued to get darker with smoke as I watched this, and I received an extreme fire conditions alert from my sheriff dept a few minutes ago. After 21 years of improving my firefighting capability here, I would say to everyone: 1) Develop as much water storage as you can. Each 3,000 gal tank you can afford and find room for is one hour of firefighting @50 gals per minute. You can fill them by either collecting rain off your roof or trickle well water in. 2) Put a permanent sprinkler system on your roof with a dry standpipe you can hook a pump to. It only took 4 Rain Bird heads with 40' radius to cover my house and shop + enough overspray to wet down a large area around the buildings. Loved the guy's attitude that it's your life and your property, assess the risk and stay to fight if you choose to.
I think a pool would make a great water storage as well. Add a defensive perimeter (someone else in the comments said 100+ ft). Part of that could be lawn, now add a sprinkler system to keep that lawn wet if there's a fire...
@@devilmecare Pools may be a good water source, but I've never known a pool owner who didn't hate how maintenance-intensive they are. The good thing about poly tanks is they just sit there until you need them. But because they fill from my roofs, I do have to keep my gutters extra clean. In a way that's a plus, because leaf-filled gutters are a good way to light a house on fire.
Build fire breaks. I live in bush Alaska. We're on our own when fires breakout. We deal with it all the time. All the trees and brush may give you the "I live in the wild" vibe until you get bit on the ass and all your cool trees and brush become charcoal along with your house.
@Jake Heke I tried to explain controlled burns to a libtard that just moved in near me. Our cabin is in a place called the pine barrens and if they stopped the controlled burns the place is toast. My airfield is surrounded by a 3 row fire break. One is a fire road and then I have 2 of my own protecting our hanger and fuel/chemical storage.
I can't say enough about how good this video is!!! One piece of advice, always keep it loaded and full of water! I keep 20,000L of water on surface spring and fall for fire season around my place. 10,000L in a tank trailer I can hook to my tractor. To all naysayers, when you live in the country there is only one person you can rely on to protect you, and that is yourself!!! Thanks for making this video. Love when he says all the critics can pound sand!!
Hey Trent, I was a firefighter for about 10 years, and the home owners that took any effort ahead of time were the houses still standing in the end. Thanks for the video!
My volunteer fire company has had one of the utv skids for several years now from these guys we get brush fires from trains in the summers running through our district we’ve developed a very good brush response these units are fantastic.
Great video. I think these might seem 'off topic' but I think it'll grow your viewer base beyond aviation - which is what I hope you continue to do. Thanks for sharing your awesome with the world. Edit: honestly, one of my favorite videos you've ever done. LOVED IT. I have a water truck on my property, but no high pressure pump for it, I'll go talk to QTAC and see what they have for me. 👍
Trent please make sure you make Hail Storm is checked out on this unit. Given the amount of time you spend away from your home she maybe the one that knocks down a small fire and save your home! Now that would be the video of the year! Go Hail Storm!!!
I was about to suggest that. But not just a fire break, a real defense in depth setup, e.g. 60 feet of gravel, then 60-90 feet of lawn (short grass). Also, a pool on the property (talk to the local fire dept about filling it, they might fill it for you for free if they're allowed to dip into it, e.g. with a helicopter refilling its drop bladder).
@@steilkurbler4973 I mean yeah, but remember that the guy is a cinematographer so it'd be kinda wack for your whole property to look ass in the shots, still a ditch line around the property would definitely be cool
It could be done well and look good, he could run a strip of stone in a parameter around his house. It wouldn’t save all of his property but it would save the house. Also a fire suppression system at his well could prevent him being left dry.
this brings back memories from New Years last year in the Australian summer, we had some of the worst bushfires in history in Australia, we had a massive out of control bushfire about 1km away from us but we were blocked in because roads were closed due to the fires.
Hey Trent, one suggestion with that Firefighting sled, just in case "Jeff" and QPAC didn't make it already: Have a first aid kit and some N95 masks with that rig at all times. Handy for both fire related injuries and snakebites etc..
Defensible space is a big keyword there. Every homeowner should be maintaining their defensible space every year. Glad to see that you taking the opportunity with your experience to help educate. The fire department may not always be able to get to the fire in time. I’m an emergency manager in Oklahoma and it is our job to try and preach preparedness tactics. This is a good one! Great work Trent! Keep up the amazing work!
Heck, I don't care how much the skids are to save my house and protect my family and livelihood I would have two or three. Great video thank you for the info.
Great video and really like your flying videos. I've been a wildfire behaviour analyst for 15 years in Victoria, Australia and have been deployed to wildfires in Canada. Jess is right about focusing on prevention in the spring and fall. You don't want any of that dry grass and scrub up close to the house. Can see at the end of your video it's getting quite close. A large fire will burnt fast across even the smallest amount of dry grass, right up to a structure. If you can't clear it mechanically, there may be an option to burn it out in small patches with assistance from someone like Jess and depending on local government bylaws. Jess's wetline tip is great. If you're trying to put out a new start or spot fire and can't get close to the flames, then spray in wetlines ahead of the fire to buy a bit of time. Another tip I know from an old timer Australian firefighter, if you run out of water and are desperate, throwing dirt can also be very effective, knocking the air out of the fire.
I live in NorCal on a 50 acre property with 3 homes that was affected by the LNU Complex in mid-August. The fire came through at midnight and burned right up to the homes but we were prepared. My dad, brother and I stayed and kept the flames back with garden hoses, sprinklers, and our 320 gallon fire truck we bought last year. I didn’t see one firefighter until 4 days later when a team from Oregon drove in to clean up any hotspots. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do to protect what you worked hard to create. But we saved all our buildings, barns and all, because we were prepared. By maintaining that defensible space all year long, and having a plan when the inevitable does happen, you’ll be better off than those who don’t. 90% of my nearby neighbors lost their homes in this fire, which is very saddening.
Before it ever gets to fire season, clear the area around your home of flammable vegetation. Have a safe perimeter so that fire can't get to your home easily.
Getting out there and practicing with it is the thing to do. Get used to it, see if there is a way to mess up. Better to do it when you don't have the stress of a fire on your mind.
Very cool and informative Trent. I had family evacuated in CA three weeks ago all the neighbors lost their houses 5acre lots rolling grass hills. Family house survived!!!! The fire burned right by the house. The big deal. Zero landscaping near the house, bare dirt. The 5 acres were mowed down to 2inch stubble and had bladed/dirt only areas near the house. Neighbors all had landscaping next to the house and trees etc that caught and resulted in the house being lost. The comment about prep is very real. Especially if your out on a job and a wind driven fire comes through, your place can be safe even with you out of state. 👍
Nine years ago last week me and 1600 of my neighbors lost our homes in the largest wildfire in Texas history. In my case, I was only about a half mile from the starting point and my first warning was a neighbors propane tank exploding. I saw a wall of fire coming through the forest. It took 15 minutes to cover that half mile and in three hours it was 8 miles wide and 16 miles long. The wind was blowing 35 mph before the fire and reached over 75 mph in drafts once it got going. God’s own fire hose wasn’t going to put that out. There wasn’t much to be done when a dense pine forest catches but in the scrub brush something small might work. Ours turned into a firestorm and one of my neighbors who had a concrete block house with concrete roof tiles lost his place because the heat coming through his windows set the drapes and furnishings on fire. It was that damn hot outside. Thus every fire is different, every environment is different. We did lose a couple of people that got trapped trying to save one more thing. Things aren’t worth it. Take it from someone who lost every damn thing he owned. I got my family and pets out. Those are what mattered. Don’t risk dying.
Wildfires were the main reason I sold my property up there in Redrock Canyon. In 1982 the closest fire protection was in Stead. By the time they got to my place it would have been gone. This is good info. Thanks!
FYI. Keep a giant economy size bottle of dawn dish washing liquid with your pump. Pour a couple of cups in the tank. Helps the water soak into the grasses and light fuels better.
Please don't because when your tanks low it will lose prime. You inject the detergent into the water line if you want to but it's not just normal dish washing soap, it's wetting agent with fire retardant on the fire trucks. It does make your water go much further and not dry out as fast, and when it is dry it leaves a retardant behind. Main problem is that it's expensive to plumb in and expensive to buy. Most firies won't use it normally because it's not looked at very favorably environmentally, not that this would be my first thought, but is extremely goods for projecting structures.
Disagree Damien. Former firefighter, we ran it in all of our brush trucks. We are not making foam, (2 different things) so you will not lose prime. And yes we used Dawn dish washing liquid as a wetting agent.
@@danerskine9862 Concur...it's not a foaming agent injected into the water line that runs the risk of losing prime but a wetting agent added to the water in the tank. Folks in my agency having been using it for more than the 40+ years that I've been around and we've used cheaper products than Dawn over the years....
Maybe add a 1k gallon above ground tank, for refilling your fire fighting rig, and drain it during the winter months, could become your last line of defense.
Chris Aerts yup, and all he would need to do is put a connection to be able to draft off it and fill his tank. That little sled tank would probably fill up in less then a minute if it were set up right
Timely - On Point, and no Fluff. Defensible space - Works two ways sometimes as in defense from wildlife. (South Denver, Man went out to work around his home, Unfortunately they left natural brush/scrub right up to the house. Mountain Lion - "This is MY home - Human - You are food" End result, one person dead because they wanted their home to 'fit in' to the natural surroundings, did too good a job. (All that to say, sometime you have to make a few sacrifices for a little more security) Giving up 5-50 feet of space around your home is a decision each person has to make based on their willingness to take risks. Plowing the ground, maybe not but non-burning landscape materials would be pretty effective and last a LONG LONG time. Thanks again Trent. Great Job
Trent, Great Video as always! Timing is everything and right now with the heat and wild fires this is a great public service awareness video! I didn't comment at the time of your lightning fire because I knew lots of people would pile on negative comments and I agree with Jeff/Jess that hey you got the fire out, you and the wife didn't get hurt, ITS A WIN! I responded to a kitchen fire in Walker Lake Nevada a few years ago where the home owner put the fire out using the kitchen dish sprayer! Hey, it was unorthodox, but it worked as did your response. I would like to encourage you invest in a couple of sets of wild-land pants and shirt (nomex) with hardhats and leather gloves you can leave on your skid unit and some better shoes (LOL). You can put that stuff on right over your shorts and tee shirt. This does a couple of things, protects you and when you are wearing wild-land gear, the fire department is not going to tell you to leave, they just assume you know what your doing and probably will try to get you to join the volunteer fire department, if they haven't already! By the way, you could start your own volunteer group in your area, you already have a start on fire fighting equipment! If you would like more information, help, training, or additional building safety measures you can take, please feel free to email me at chiefbjfoster@gmail.com. All the Best! Byron
I'm an Aussie, our fires last year in our summer were the worst on record in terms of duration and amount of land burnt. I remember seeing smoke from our fires that had actually been around the earth once and we got it again. It was like nothing I have ever seen. On extreme days of total fire ban, we simply don't remain in areas that are vulnerable. It was a good reason to build a bunker at my in-laws which was a little larger than needed, it is also a wonder wine cellar. If ever we are forced into the bunker (cellar), we have the wine bottle to open clearly marked, it's on the top shelf!
good topic Trent, this one hit close to home and i mean close. I am in Fort McMurray Alberta a little oil town with big toys. In 2016 we had a wild fire hit the town and 80 000 people had to be evacuated. as a back woods lover I know how is feels not having the tools to keep you and your family safe, so good on you for taking the steps. just remember love one first and the property it can be replace
Throw in a shovel and other digging tools(polaski, hazelhoe), most wildland fires are controlled by hand digging a line around them. I spent a few summers fighting fires in Oregon, it’s amazing what you can accomplish with a shovel scraping vegetation off the topsoil🤷🏻♂️.
I live and work in Denver. When I went into work 2 days ago there was ash falling from the sky. From what I have been told this was from a fire nearly 100 miles away. Never experienced anything like that. The smell of smoke was so thick it was extremely unpleasant to stand outside. God bless all those affected by these wildfires. And a BIG thank you to all the firefighters out there working so damn hard to help!
The smoke lately has been from the Cameron Peak fire- just up by Loveland, which grew by 4x in just three days, up to over 100k acres. Hopefully this recent snow/rain will help contain it enough to put it out soon, but it's still burning.
Smart move for sure. There are also the old airport fire trucks which have a very high discount rate. Also checks those water storage, large tire boxes
Something like what Cleetus Mcfarland (automotvive youtuber if you don't dknow who he is) has, an old firetruck that carries thousands of gallons and only cost him $6k.
There is a equipment dealer in Mt Shasta, Darrah Equipment Inc, that has about 40 water trucks on contract with the USFS and every year he sells off a portion of his trucks. You should check it out. If you ever driven north on I-5, its the place at Black Butte Summit with all the fancy painted water trucks.
You might think about installing an above-ground tank you feed with a well or rainwater even. It could at least give you something to create a perimeter and soak your roof if you have to ditch. There is a chance that a fire could burn past before your home burns, the water has to all evaporate first - especially as sparse as the veg. is there. You could also automate it with roof-mounted misters and lay soaker hose in a perimeter. -Running off a well, it would protect your house for a good while.
I’ve got a 3000gal holding tank that our well feeds, I set it up with an extra discharge hookup that I can connect to the QTAC to fill it from or I can base it there if I want to spray a large amount of water
I live near Chico and actually go to school there. We have fires so often. In 2018 we had the Camp Fire that burnt down lots of Paradise, including my friend's home. I used to live in the foothills and have fires come to my doorstep every year. For the past months it has looked like there is a constant rainstorm overhead. I can tell which day this was just because the sun was out. Thanks for promoting safety about one of the hardest and most destructive forces of nature.
They cut line, don't dig ditches. That'll take waay too long. Cut line to mineral soil 3x the height of the majority of fuel.... Anchor the line (start from a safe area, roadway, rock, water feature, etc).
As someone who lives in a city near the Creek Fire and know plenty of wildland firefighters, they constantly preach the maintaining a defensible (100 feet or more) cleared space and being prepared.
I am ex CalFire and moved to Texas. California Governor has screwed the state over once again. He will not give money to allow CalFire and Department of Forestry do preventative maintenance in Spring and Summer. It is embarrassing. Puts civilians, and personal at risk. Plus let alone Property.
Been watching your flying videos for a couple of years, but as a firefighter, I want to thank you for this one. In the WUI, one of the most important things you can do is create and maintain that defensible space around your home. Glad to see you taking it seriously. Hitting on his point that he made, do everything you can to protect your community, but when the crews do arrive, please make sure to follow what they instruct you to do is for everyone's safety. Good luck with the fires man.
People have the right to protect their property, no one has the responsibility to die trying to save them, not even our firefighters. I will never tell someone they can't stay to defend their home, but I will also not force our first responders to enter a situation that is so dangerous just because a homeowner chose to take that risk.
Haha, I actually thought of your comment when I was doing this integration! I thought to myself "well better not make the 'living under a rock' comment again" ;)
This is it, listen to the man. Maybe you don’t have the means to buy a rig like this but times have changed and even more so now, summer brings fires. Preparation goes a long way in protecting your home, your family and yourself. Stay safe out there everyone.
Love the video! We're glad to see you get prepared and raising awareness and we're happy that we can help. We're very proud to be partners with QTAC Fire. Stay Safe!
Trent, you're a ******* boss. Such a well made video; informative, relevant, and just shows how centered you are. TH-cam needs more content creators like you because these types of videos you make are more than just content. Also, Jess (Jeff) is the man! lol
Great Topic! A number of times I have feared for Your and Hailey's safety. Here in SLC we have been smoked out numerous times from the CA fires. Lived in Santa Barbara for 30 yrs and my realtor was burned out 3 times. On the 4th rebuild they put in a large pool with a series of pumps to defend their property. It worked. Some times fire crews just can't get there.
Trent, add some dish soap to the water tank. It's an old trick we used in the fire cats, fire backpack pump sprayers, and small truck water tanks. You don't need much dish soap to make sticky water. We also put Seafoam in the gasoline for those pumps. Mix it to fuel stabilizer levels. You want the pump to start when you need it. That pump may be sitting for a while before you need to use it, and you have already demonstrated that you will need to use it. It's a good investment, Trent. Nice thinking ahead. That skid loader that you have is a great fire fighting tool as well.
Great video! The firefighter has it right - it's risk management, and it's taking care of yourself. Nice job, and the most respectful product promotion of the fire pump company I've seen.
No flying in this one, but given the current situation in California I felt it was worthwhile making a video on the topic of wildfires. Back to flying in the next video!
Thanks for doing this, news coverage has really dropped off but the California fires are still going strong
Smart piece of machinery to keep handy. Now you need a fire seeking drone to go out and do surveillance when needed. Can you make a heat-seeking drone? Stay safe Trent.
Blancolirio is affected by the same fire I think. Nice update!
Use that Skid loader to build yourself a pond.
i"d say it was a timely well done vid 2 thumbs up tx Trent!!!!!!!
Hey Trent, I am a firefighter in the Bay Area. Fly out to KCCR some time and you can come do a ride along for a shift or two! We will get you all trained up!
This would be awesome to see. Huge respect for you guys, thanks for all you do.
Good idea for a vid!
Trent, you need to take him up on his offer!
This would be an amazing video! Trent please do this!! It could be a totally new beginning for you, too. :)
That is an offer of a life time
When Nick finishes his airplane, I hope to see a water salute with this...
Hero Status!
Sean Collins I agree this must happen
@@SpaceReportNews Yeah, I worked for the airlines. That wold be done when pilots were retiring.
When I lived in Arizona, a key concept was defensible space -- make sure there's nothing close to your house to catch fire. That's not the whole story, of course, but it's a big part...
It for sure would help,
That seems like it should be an all too obvious of a thing if you live in an area prone to wildfires
@@jytheiowaguy1897 Yes, it should be -- but there's lots of folks with common attitudes like, it won't happen here, etc. And folks get busy with other things. etc. etc.
Yeah. My city is placing ordinances. We have to provide defensible space now.
@@jytheiowaguy1897 No Way !! Some of these clowns have Weeds right up to the house ! Or built deep in the woods. No defensible anything !
I love when he tells the critics to pound sand.
I loved that as well...I'm 73 and from experience, I can say without a doubt....you are never going to look back on your life and relish all the times you played "safe"!
Jess... that dude was so on point. Loved it.
hes a legend! great video
He was other than his "nah outs cool about not getting yourself safe".
30 seconds is the difference between it being a small shrub fire to a fast moving grass fire.
I'd rather be safe myself fighting any fire than going out in flip flops t shirt and shorts.
Many people have died from radiated head from fires here in Australia from not being covered up.
It gives you minutes of protection rather than fractions of seconds.
Have your gear ready, boots and cover all's are all you need.
Yep
Firestorm crews are a joke, most are a bunch of yahoos without a fucking clue. This guy seemed alright, but I wouldn't give the same advice
@@AnonymousOtters Firestorm? Spent years leading my crew, both helitack and ground. Been there. Every fire is different, hardly a joke..
Let's hear it for self-sufficiency! A relative of mine was able to sneak back behind the fire lines and save his own house successfully and I always looked up to him for the audacity he showed. Jess - love your attitude. The USA needs more people like that.
I was in Navy fire fighting was what it all about... Who is going to save you at sea???? You are doing the right thing. I got a old army 2.5 ton loaded with 500 gallons of water and pump etc. . When it is dry down here in south Texas. Cover your SIX !!!
Hi Trent --
A couple of things to consider to keep your rig in top shape:
•Put some gas protectant in your rig's gas to keep it fresh year round. And to fight the fuel line deterioration from ethanol gasoline.
•Find out if your pump has a bypass tube for use in extended idling. If the pump just sits there churning water with no outlet, the water will actually boil. Not good for your equipment.
•To enhance the effectiveness of your water, put a couple ounces of Dawn dish soap in a full water tank. It helps the water to penetrate a deeply hot spot, rather than just boiling it off. (It breaks the surface tension.)
•Like he said, always aim your water stream at the base of the flame.
•Always keep your equipment in top repair. So it will help you reliably.
•Is there a water drain on the pump? Freezing water can burst your pump and crack your tank.
•If you change clothes to fight a fire you want leather boots, leather gloves and ALL clothing to be of natural material.
Anything not wool or cotton can catch fire and can melt to your skin. Right down to your skivvies.
It's ok to practice with the new unit. Get to know it. But keep it full except in freezing weather. Talk with local fire fighters, even volunteers.
Boiling the water is the best possible result...the worst is the incompressibility of water stopping the impeller dead in place, breaking either the impeller or the drive shaft...electric motors can fry themselves.
I don't what its called in the us but here in the uk you can get an alkylate gas called aspen 4t that has a shelf life of something like 4/5 yrs before going off its also cleaner and better starting than regular gas would be good for something like this that gets left standing for months on end
Love the skids we have used them for years in the rural fire departments here in WV. Was a volunteer for 30 years. The guy is right put it out, keep wind at your back or to the side, cut your fire line and let the fire burn to you and keep the fuel away from your home. Also practice using your equipment and know it well.
After what we had here in Australia at the end of last year/start of this year - best of luck and hope you guys don’t get the same.
Had one of the smaller fires hit the hills behind my house, Still took 4 days before they could stop having the Heli's working 12hrs a day!
We saved our house during the Glass Fire. A generator that could run the well pump and a few garden hoses kept an amazing amount of fire from spreading...
But we were lucky there wasn't that much wind, and we had a few escape routes just in case...
Wow, that’s amazing, glad you were prepared and were able to save your house!
The sky here in SW Oregon continued to get darker with smoke as I watched this, and I received an extreme fire conditions alert from my sheriff dept a few minutes ago. After 21 years of improving my firefighting capability here, I would say to everyone: 1) Develop as much water storage as you can. Each 3,000 gal tank you can afford and find room for is one hour of firefighting @50 gals per minute. You can fill them by either collecting rain off your roof or trickle well water in. 2) Put a permanent sprinkler system on your roof with a dry standpipe you can hook a pump to. It only took 4 Rain Bird heads with 40' radius to cover my house and shop + enough overspray to wet down a large area around the buildings. Loved the guy's attitude that it's your life and your property, assess the risk and stay to fight if you choose to.
I think a pool would make a great water storage as well. Add a defensive perimeter (someone else in the comments said 100+ ft). Part of that could be lawn, now add a sprinkler system to keep that lawn wet if there's a fire...
@@realulli I wondered why people don't think of that. Saw a house burned down and a great water source. Yep, a pool.
There is no fire there.It is all of the smog rolling over the hills from California.
@@devilmecare Pools may be a good water source, but I've never known a pool owner who didn't hate how maintenance-intensive they are. The good thing about poly tanks is they just sit there until you need them. But because they fill from my roofs, I do have to keep my gutters extra clean. In a way that's a plus, because leaf-filled gutters are a good way to light a house on fire.
Build fire breaks. I live in bush Alaska. We're on our own when fires breakout. We deal with it all the time. All the trees and brush may give you the "I live in the wild" vibe until you get bit on the ass and all your cool trees and brush become charcoal along with your house.
Yup, and especially with our epidemic of beetle kill spruce...
this ^^^ just remove a few lines of brush around your property. remove the fuel.
Until the BLM and AFS come to save the day...last time I checked they have a base in Galena during fire season...
@@marshallcarter6106 They show up after everything is burned.
@Jake Heke I tried to explain controlled burns to a libtard that just moved in near me. Our cabin is in a place called the pine barrens and if they stopped the controlled burns the place is toast. My airfield is surrounded by a 3 row fire break. One is a fire road and then I have 2 of my own protecting our hanger and fuel/chemical storage.
I can't say enough about how good this video is!!! One piece of advice, always keep it loaded and full of water! I keep 20,000L of water on surface spring and fall for fire season around my place. 10,000L in a tank trailer I can hook to my tractor. To all naysayers, when you live in the country there is only one person you can rely on to protect you, and that is yourself!!! Thanks for making this video. Love when he says all the critics can pound sand!!
I pound sand alot and fires are good for the environment and helps resprout new life.
-- "You put it out. You didn't get hurt. Perfect! All the critics can shove it!" (Jess aka Jeff, per your effort). *_Excellent!_*
Really enjoyed the video Trent! Thanks for coming down.
Love Jess, very down to earth and very blunt but accurate. We have the right to do what we feel is right for us.
Hey Trent, I was a firefighter for about 10 years, and the home owners that took any effort ahead of time were the houses still standing in the end. Thanks for the video!
We need more people like Jess
its always the small things that prevent large ones in the future, do your due diligence and you will be fine.
My volunteer fire company has had one of the utv skids for several years now from these guys we get brush fires from trains in the summers running through our district we’ve developed a very good brush response these units are fantastic.
Great video. I think these might seem 'off topic' but I think it'll grow your viewer base beyond aviation - which is what I hope you continue to do. Thanks for sharing your awesome with the world. Edit: honestly, one of my favorite videos you've ever done. LOVED IT. I have a water truck on my property, but no high pressure pump for it, I'll go talk to QTAC and see what they have for me. 👍
Just remember start that motor every so often because you wait too long at starting it; it might not start when you need it
Run non ethanol fuel too, or some sea foam to keep the carb clear
@@2strokeme64 How about avgas ? 100 Octane with Low Lead.
Does anyone who really knows...know if 100LL would have a much longer “shelf life” than regular 89-93octane Gasoline?
@@ppgwhereeverett4412 Definitely no Avgas. The lead will foul the plugs and cause all kinds of other problems.
@@flyerjack1548 No 93 in Calif 91 is as good as it gets
Sometimes it makes sense to run to the fire and not run away from the fire. That's a great tool Trent, good for you!
10:03 reminds me of the words of a friend of mine who is a volunteer FF in MN "Put the wet stuff on the red stuff!"
Makes a nice tool to wet down the strip when it gets really dusty too!
Ryan Walsh this was my first thought 😎 🌧
Trent please make sure you make Hail Storm is checked out on this unit. Given the amount of time you spend away from your home she maybe the one that knocks down a small fire and save your home! Now that would be the video of the year! Go Hail Storm!!!
Your property looks like it would benefit from a firebreak - a ploughed strip all the way around, kept to bare earth. Have you considered that?
I was about to suggest that. But not just a fire break, a real defense in depth setup, e.g. 60 feet of gravel, then 60-90 feet of lawn (short grass). Also, a pool on the property (talk to the local fire dept about filling it, they might fill it for you for free if they're allowed to dip into it, e.g. with a helicopter refilling its drop bladder).
It would look pretty bad, but might work better
@@befer In my books it's 'form follows function' on this subject
@@steilkurbler4973 I mean yeah, but remember that the guy is a cinematographer so it'd be kinda wack for your whole property to look ass in the shots, still a ditch line around the property would definitely be cool
It could be done well and look good, he could run a strip of stone in a parameter around his house. It wouldn’t save all of his property but it would save the house. Also a fire suppression system at his well could prevent him being left dry.
Nothing but prayers and love brother!!!!
this brings back memories from New Years last year in the Australian summer, we had some of the worst bushfires in history in Australia, we had a massive out of control bushfire about 1km away from us but we were blocked in because roads were closed due to the fires.
FIrst Wranglerstar and now you. Qtac's marketing team is killing it!
Hey Trent, one suggestion with that Firefighting sled, just in case "Jeff" and QPAC didn't make it already: Have a first aid kit and some N95 masks with that rig at all times. Handy for both fire related injuries and snakebites etc..
Jess is a really cool person! My kind of people right there! Your property do what ever you want!🤘
Defensible space is a big keyword there. Every homeowner should be maintaining their defensible space every year. Glad to see that you taking the opportunity with your experience to help educate. The fire department may not always be able to get to the fire in time. I’m an emergency manager in Oklahoma and it is our job to try and preach preparedness tactics. This is a good one! Great work Trent! Keep up the amazing work!
You're the man, Trent Palmer. Keep it up.
Heck, I don't care how much the skids are to save my house and protect my family and livelihood I would have two or three. Great video thank you for the info.
Great video and really like your flying videos. I've been a wildfire behaviour analyst for 15 years in Victoria, Australia and have been deployed to wildfires in Canada. Jess is right about focusing on prevention in the spring and fall. You don't want any of that dry grass and scrub up close to the house. Can see at the end of your video it's getting quite close. A large fire will burnt fast across even the smallest amount of dry grass, right up to a structure. If you can't clear it mechanically, there may be an option to burn it out in small patches with assistance from someone like Jess and depending on local government bylaws. Jess's wetline tip is great. If you're trying to put out a new start or spot fire and can't get close to the flames, then spray in wetlines ahead of the fire to buy a bit of time. Another tip I know from an old timer Australian firefighter, if you run out of water and are desperate, throwing dirt can also be very effective, knocking the air out of the fire.
Jeff/Jess knew it all and must be heard in 'Fire Country' - all states NV, CA. Do controlled burns - Palmetto other sagebrush!
Oregon doesn't do control burns and that's one reason it's on fire right now
I live in NorCal on a 50 acre property with 3 homes that was affected by the LNU Complex in mid-August. The fire came through at midnight and burned right up to the homes but we were prepared. My dad, brother and I stayed and kept the flames back with garden hoses, sprinklers, and our 320 gallon fire truck we bought last year. I didn’t see one firefighter until 4 days later when a team from Oregon drove in to clean up any hotspots. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do to protect what you worked hard to create. But we saved all our buildings, barns and all, because we were prepared. By maintaining that defensible space all year long, and having a plan when the inevitable does happen, you’ll be better off than those who don’t. 90% of my nearby neighbors lost their homes in this fire, which is very saddening.
YOU put it out. ! That pretty much covers it. A 1980's Rock Creek Fire Volunteer. Auburn, Cal
Please be safe Trent along with your family, Lincoln, Nebraska here!
Before it ever gets to fire season, clear the area around your home of flammable vegetation. Have a safe perimeter so that fire can't get to your home easily.
Wind is a huge factor! Fighting fire is one thing, fighting fire and wind is another!
Getting out there and practicing with it is the thing to do. Get used to it, see if there is a way to mess up. Better to do it when you don't have the stress of a fire on your mind.
Spot on
Very cool and informative Trent. I had family evacuated in CA three weeks ago all the neighbors lost their houses 5acre lots rolling grass hills. Family house survived!!!! The fire burned right by the house. The big deal. Zero landscaping near the house, bare dirt. The 5 acres were mowed down to 2inch stubble and had bladed/dirt only areas near the house. Neighbors all had landscaping next to the house and trees etc that caught and resulted in the house being lost. The comment about prep is very real. Especially if your out on a job and a wind driven fire comes through, your place can be safe even with you out of state. 👍
Nine years ago last week me and 1600 of my neighbors lost our homes in the largest wildfire in Texas history. In my case, I was only about a half mile from the starting point and my first warning was a neighbors propane tank exploding. I saw a wall of fire coming through the forest. It took 15 minutes to cover that half mile and in three hours it was 8 miles wide and 16 miles long. The wind was blowing 35 mph before the fire and reached over 75 mph in drafts once it got going. God’s own fire hose wasn’t going to put that out. There wasn’t much to be done when a dense pine forest catches but in the scrub brush something small might work. Ours turned into a firestorm and one of my neighbors who had a concrete block house with concrete roof tiles lost his place because the heat coming through his windows set the drapes and furnishings on fire. It was that damn hot outside. Thus every fire is different, every environment is different.
We did lose a couple of people that got trapped trying to save one more thing. Things aren’t worth it. Take it from someone who lost every damn thing he owned. I got my family and pets out. Those are what mattered. Don’t risk dying.
William Wheeler - glad to hear your family made it out, how is Bastrop ... still see the scars of that fire from the Highway when you drive through.
Thank you for being the voice of reason.
Jeff is the best!
Glad you posted something like this!
Wildfires were the main reason I sold my property up there in Redrock Canyon. In 1982 the closest fire protection was in Stead. By the time they got to my place it would have been gone. This is good info. Thanks!
The most important tool in fighting fire Trent, is Defensible space! keep lots of space around your home clean with no combustibles!
FYI. Keep a giant economy size bottle of dawn dish washing liquid with your pump. Pour a couple of cups in the tank. Helps the water soak into the grasses and light fuels better.
Please don't because when your tanks low it will lose prime.
You inject the detergent into the water line if you want to but it's not just normal dish washing soap, it's wetting agent with fire retardant on the fire trucks.
It does make your water go much further and not dry out as fast, and when it is dry it leaves a retardant behind.
Main problem is that it's expensive to plumb in and expensive to buy.
Most firies won't use it normally because it's not looked at very favorably environmentally, not that this would be my first thought, but is extremely goods for projecting structures.
Disagree Damien. Former firefighter, we ran it in all of our brush trucks.
We are not making foam, (2 different things) so you will not lose prime.
And yes we used Dawn dish washing liquid as a wetting agent.
@@danerskine9862 Concur...it's not a foaming agent injected into the water line that runs the risk of losing prime but a wetting agent added to the water in the tank. Folks in my agency having been using it for more than the 40+ years that I've been around and we've used cheaper products than Dawn over the years....
Like flying....preparations is everything
Maybe add a 1k gallon above ground tank, for refilling your fire fighting rig, and drain it during the winter months, could become your last line of defense.
He has a that with his well. Saw it on the video for his well drilling.
Chris Aerts yup, and all he would need to do is put a connection to be able to draft off it and fill his tank. That little sled tank would probably fill up in less then a minute if it were set up right
Just add a swimming pool. That's not just 1k, that's upwards of 10k gallons.
be careful with that ending people will say that practise is wasting water. keep up the good work.
your ad segues are top notch. when the cash starts flowing in...I put in a pool! superb water source you can hook up your new pump.
Timely - On Point, and no Fluff.
Defensible space - Works two ways sometimes as in defense from wildlife. (South Denver, Man went out to work around his home, Unfortunately they left natural brush/scrub right up to the house. Mountain Lion - "This is MY home - Human - You are food" End result, one person dead because they wanted their home to 'fit in' to the natural surroundings, did too good a job. (All that to say, sometime you have to make a few sacrifices for a little more security)
Giving up 5-50 feet of space around your home is a decision each person has to make based on their willingness to take risks. Plowing the ground, maybe not but non-burning landscape materials would be pretty effective and last a LONG LONG time.
Thanks again Trent. Great Job
“All the critics can shove it” - quote of the day!
I was about to skip your ad, but I like you so I watched the ad for you...
Trent, Great Video as always! Timing is everything and right now with the heat and wild fires this is a great public service awareness video! I didn't comment at the time of your lightning fire because I knew lots of people would pile on negative comments and I agree with Jeff/Jess that hey you got the fire out, you and the wife didn't get hurt, ITS A WIN! I responded to a kitchen fire in Walker Lake Nevada a few years ago where the home owner put the fire out using the kitchen dish sprayer! Hey, it was unorthodox, but it worked as did your response. I would like to encourage you invest in a couple of sets of wild-land pants and shirt (nomex) with hardhats and leather gloves you can leave on your skid unit and some better shoes (LOL). You can put that stuff on right over your shorts and tee shirt. This does a couple of things, protects you and when you are wearing wild-land gear, the fire department is not going to tell you to leave, they just assume you know what your doing and probably will try to get you to join the volunteer fire department, if they haven't already! By the way, you could start your own volunteer group in your area, you already have a start on fire fighting equipment! If you would like more information, help, training, or additional building safety measures you can take, please feel free to email me at chiefbjfoster@gmail.com. All the Best! Byron
I'm an Aussie, our fires last year in our summer were the worst on record in terms of duration and amount of land burnt. I remember seeing smoke from our fires that had actually been around the earth once and we got it again. It was like nothing I have ever seen. On extreme days of total fire ban, we simply don't remain in areas that are vulnerable. It was a good reason to build a bunker at my in-laws which was a little larger than needed, it is also a wonder wine cellar. If ever we are forced into the bunker (cellar), we have the wine bottle to open clearly marked, it's on the top shelf!
Definite market for these here in Australia!
There's plenty of the same thing made over here.
I think low cost is very important . 3 cheap reliable units are much better than 1 unit with all the bells and whistles.
good topic Trent, this one hit close to home and i mean close. I am in Fort McMurray Alberta a little oil town with big toys. In 2016 we had a wild fire hit the town and 80 000 people had to be evacuated. as a back woods lover I know how is feels not having the tools to keep you and your family safe, so good on you for taking the steps. just remember love one first and the property it can be replace
Throw in a shovel and other digging tools(polaski, hazelhoe), most wildland fires are controlled by hand digging a line around them. I spent a few summers fighting fires in Oregon, it’s amazing what you can accomplish with a shovel scraping vegetation off the topsoil🤷🏻♂️.
I live and work in Denver. When I went into work 2 days ago there was ash falling from the sky. From what I have been told this was from a fire nearly 100 miles away. Never experienced anything like that. The smell of smoke was so thick it was extremely unpleasant to stand outside. God bless all those affected by these wildfires. And a BIG thank you to all the firefighters out there working so damn hard to help!
Dude, I heard you're about to get snow starting tomorrow. Crazy times.
The smoke lately has been from the Cameron Peak fire- just up by Loveland, which grew by 4x in just three days, up to over 100k acres. Hopefully this recent snow/rain will help contain it enough to put it out soon, but it's still burning.
Trent, you need to get a Air Tractor at-802 Fire Boss!
$$$$$$$$$$ !
I hate the air quality right now stay strong Trent and all other Californians
For where you guys live it would be smart to get a water truck from Ritchie Bros auctions.
Right
Smart move for sure. There are also the old airport fire trucks which have a very high discount rate. Also checks those water storage, large tire boxes
You are right, but you can't operate old firetruck that fast and easy by one man. So yes, smart move, Trent. Take care.
Something like what Cleetus Mcfarland (automotvive youtuber if you don't dknow who he is) has, an old firetruck that carries thousands of gallons and only cost him $6k.
There is a equipment dealer in Mt Shasta, Darrah Equipment Inc, that has about 40 water trucks on contract with the USFS and every year he sells off a portion of his trucks. You should check it out. If you ever driven north on I-5, its the place at Black Butte Summit with all the fancy painted water trucks.
I hope you are safe trent
You might think about installing an above-ground tank you feed with a well or rainwater even. It could at least give you something to create a perimeter and soak your roof if you have to ditch. There is a chance that a fire could burn past before your home burns, the water has to all evaporate first - especially as sparse as the veg. is there.
You could also automate it with roof-mounted misters and lay soaker hose in a perimeter. -Running off a well, it would protect your house for a good while.
I’ve got a 3000gal holding tank that our well feeds, I set it up with an extra discharge hookup that I can connect to the QTAC to fill it from or I can base it there if I want to spray a large amount of water
@@TrentonPalmer Right on! You'll be ready, hopefully you don't have any big incidents of course though.
I live near Chico and actually go to school there. We have fires so often. In 2018 we had the Camp Fire that burnt down lots of Paradise, including my friend's home. I used to live in the foothills and have fires come to my doorstep every year. For the past months it has looked like there is a constant rainstorm overhead. I can tell which day this was just because the sun was out. Thanks for promoting safety about one of the hardest and most destructive forces of nature.
Rent a CAT D4k for 2 days and clear all the brush. Call a guy that installs lightning rods to protect the house.
Stay safe out there guys!
The smoke is exactly like that at my house
Exactly what I expected........ Awesome video !!!!!!
Also, what about digging a protective fire wall ditch? I noticed the fire fighters using them lately. Stay safe.
They cut line, don't dig ditches. That'll take waay too long. Cut line to mineral soil 3x the height of the majority of fuel....
Anchor the line (start from a safe area, roadway, rock, water feature, etc).
As someone who lives in a city near the Creek Fire and know plenty of wildland firefighters, they constantly preach the maintaining a defensible (100 feet or more) cleared space and being prepared.
I was driving through Washington yesterday and the smoke was crazy
we've got smoke up in Vancouver as well
The guy spitting facts is my spirit animal!
I am ex CalFire and moved to Texas. California Governor has screwed the state over once again. He will not give money to allow CalFire and Department of Forestry do preventative maintenance in Spring and Summer. It is embarrassing. Puts civilians, and personal at risk. Plus let alone Property.
Been watching your flying videos for a couple of years, but as a firefighter, I want to thank you for this one. In the WUI, one of the most important things you can do is create and maintain that defensible space around your home. Glad to see you taking it seriously. Hitting on his point that he made, do everything you can to protect your community, but when the crews do arrive, please make sure to follow what they instruct you to do is for everyone's safety. Good luck with the fires man.
People have the right to protect their property, no one has the responsibility to die trying to save them, not even our firefighters. I will never tell someone they can't stay to defend their home, but I will also not force our first responders to enter a situation that is so dangerous just because a homeowner chose to take that risk.
Great job Trent. Another Highly informative VID
Thank you for not accusing this 60 something year old guy of living under a rock during your squarespace commercial. Stay safe.
Haha, I actually thought of your comment when I was doing this integration! I thought to myself "well better not make the 'living under a rock' comment again" ;)
Being an Australian this is very good....
Thank you for the alternative view.
Stay safe and make sure you have a fire plan.
HAVE A GREAT DAY!!!
I still can't help but think that all these fires would be less if people used prescribed fires a bit more
Tell California's Governor that.
olderbutyoung Also tell the US Government that since most of California’s forest lands are under USFS jurisdiction.
As always.....diverse, unique, valuable content. Nobody better. Great work, Trent.
Ayyy claim your ticket here pre 100 view ganggg
This is it, listen to the man. Maybe you don’t have the means to buy a rig like this but times have changed and even more so now, summer brings fires. Preparation goes a long way in protecting your home, your family and yourself. Stay safe out there everyone.
I got some cinematic fpv flying through smoke yesterday, but got a terrible headache from it.
Brilliant idea and concept. Kudos brother. Stay safe.
Have you been watching Wranglerstar? He got the same setup...
Wranglerstar is a poser.
@@sumilvan Just curious... What exactly is he posing as?
Excellent PSA video Trent👍
Thanks for using your platform to get the info out!!!
Love the video! We're glad to see you get prepared and raising awareness and we're happy that we can help. We're very proud to be partners with QTAC Fire.
Stay Safe!
Trent, you're a ******* boss. Such a well made video; informative, relevant, and just shows how centered you are. TH-cam needs more content creators like you because these types of videos you make are more than just content. Also, Jess (Jeff) is the man! lol
Great Topic! A number of times I have feared for Your and Hailey's safety. Here in SLC we have been smoked out numerous times from the CA fires. Lived in Santa Barbara for 30 yrs and my realtor was burned out 3 times. On the 4th rebuild they put in a large pool with a series of pumps to defend their property. It worked. Some times fire crews just can't get there.
Trent, add some dish soap to the water tank. It's an old trick we used in the fire cats, fire backpack pump sprayers, and small truck water tanks. You don't need much dish soap to make sticky water. We also put Seafoam in the gasoline for those pumps. Mix it to fuel stabilizer levels. You want the pump to start when you need it. That pump may be sitting for a while before you need to use it, and you have already demonstrated that you will need to use it. It's a good investment, Trent. Nice thinking ahead. That skid loader that you have is a great fire fighting tool as well.
Thanks for the tip about sealing vents!
Awesome video, I know I have a similar set up using a 125 gallon poly tank, a trash pump, some forestry hose, and a red head nozzle.
Great video! The firefighter has it right - it's risk management, and it's taking care of yourself. Nice job, and the most respectful product promotion of the fire pump company I've seen.