Firefighters Respond to Remote Vehicle Accident

Wikieup, Az - 

On Friday, July 11, 2014 around 11:40 AM, Pinion Pine firefighters were dispatched to Lower Trout Creek Rd, north of Wikieup, Az for a reported motor vehicle accident. Crews arrived in the area and were notified that the accident occurred roughly 15 miles east of Highway 93 near Wagon Bow Ranch off of Trout Creek Rd with 2 patients with major injuries. Brush 526 crew activated one airship to the remote location. While responding, crews encountered the Big Sandy River which was unable to be passed by ground ambulance, at this time a second air ship was activated due to no ground transport.

Firefighters arrived on scene and learned the patients had been ejected from a tractor trailer hauling hay, when they lost control and overturned. One patient sustained a major back injury and was transported to Las Vegas by air. The second patient, who was able to walk was transported by air to Las Vegas. Both patients were in serious but stable condition. The cause of the accident is being investigated by the Mohave County Sheriffs Office, though the driver stated a loss of brakes occurred causing the vehicle to gain speed downhill and ultimately crash.

Story by Lieutenant Ron Hood, Pinion Pine Fire District
Photos by Firefighter Aaron Volk, Pinion Pine Fire District

Type 3 Engine Sent to the San Juan Fire

Vernon, Az - 

On Friday, June 27, 2014 around 2:15 pm, a call was received into the Mohave County Wildland Working Group for a type 3 engine to respond to the San Juan Fire located southeast of Vernon, Az.  Pinion Pine filled the order, dispatching E513 to the incident that began yesterday around 11:45 in the morning. The San Juan Fire which is burning in mixed conifer and pine fuels quickly grew in size due to red flag conditions over the area.

Courtesy ABC15

The fire area saw 35 mile per hour winds and low relative humidity which quickly increased fire intensity and acreage. Quarter mile spot fires ahead of the fire and tree crowning were observed throughout the afternoon and prompting evacuations in the area. The latest information puts the fire at 5,000 acres and is under red flag conditions today as well. This area is no stranger to fires either, in 2002, the Rodeo-Chediski Fire burned 468,638 acres and in 2011, the Wallow Fire burned 538,000 acres, the largest fire in state history.

Story by Lieutenant Ron Hood, Pinion Pine Fire District

Mutual Aid Response to Brushfire in Seligman, Az

Seligman, Az -

On Saturday, June 14, 2014 around 6:20 AM, Engine 513 from Fire Station 52 and Brush 516 from Fire Station 51 were dispatched by the State of Arizona for initial attack on a brushfire 4 miles west of Seligman, Az. Crews arrived on scene in the Bridge Canyon area and observed moderate fire behavior in grass and Pinion-Juniper. E513 was assigned to the northeast portion of the fire to determine what the best course of action would be in regards to allowing the fire to burn to the road, to burn off the road or to directly attack the fire.

E513 Crew mopping up hotspots

E513 decided to cut line and directly attack the fire was the most suitable situation. E513 crew was then assisted by the Prescott IHC who had just arrived on scene and finished the line to a 2 track road to the west.

E513 supporting a progressive hose lay along the west and north sides of the fire

B516 was assigned to the southwest corner where they were tasked with protecting a structure. Roughly 2 hours later, crews began mopping up along the edges and E513 was repositioned to support a 1,000 ft hose lay along the west and north sides of the fire. Both crews worked side by side with other local, State and Federal resources and contained the fire to 17 acres.

Other resources on scene included:

Prescott IHC
Junipine Fire Dept
Seligman Fire Dept
Williamson Valley Fire Dept
BLM Weaver Mtn Helitack
Arizona State Forestry Overhead

Photos by Firefighter Mike Schmidt, Pinion Pine Fire District
Story by Lieutenant Ron Hood, Pinion Pine Fire District

Multi-Agency Brushfire on Interstate 40

Kingman, Az - 

On Wednesday, June 11, 2014 around 4:15 pm, the Kingman Alarm Center began receiving reports of a brushfire on Interstate 40, near the Beale Street exit. Kingman Fire dispatched one structure engine, one brush engine and a BC from Fire Station 1.

The fire as seen from the Cerbat Cliffs Golf Course

Batt. 2 arrived and had heavy smoke showing and reported multiple starts along westbound Interstate 40 between Beale St and Stockton Hill Rd. The assignment was quickly upgraded, which brought the response of an additional two structure engines, one brush engine and two chief officers from Fire Stations 3 and 4. As the fire progressed to the west and northwest, homes along Anson Smith Rd became threatened and mutual aid engines were dispatched from Northern Arizona Consolidated Fire District #1, Pinion Pine Fire District and the Bureau Of Land Management.

 

Firefighters began structure protection along Anson Smith Rd and crews deployed hose lines and cut line along Interstate 40 and White Cliffs Rd. At 5:23 pm, firefighters had contained the fire and began mopping up. The fire was walked by GPS and determined to be 20 acres. No structures were damaged by the fire and is being investigated by Kingman Fire Department.

Resources on scene included:

Kingman - E211, E231, E241, B216, B246, Batt. 2, C201, C202, C203 and FP4
Northern Arizona Consolidated Fire District #1 - E311, WT338
Pinion Pine Fire District - E513
BLM - E3663, E3664 and C3101


Photos by Firefighter Mike Schmidt, Pinion Pine Fire District
Story by Lieutenant Ron Hood, Pinion Pine Fire District

Pinion Pine Sends Type 3 to Sedona

Sedona, Az -

On Wednesday, May 21, 2014, Engine 513 was requested by the State of Arizona to respond to the Slide Fire burning near Sedona, Az. The Slide Fire began on Tuesday, May 20, 2014 around 4 pm when a fire was sparked in Oak Creek Canyon, just north of the Slide Rock State Park which rapidly gained momentum and began burning up the canyon charring 400 acres by 10 pm.

At this time the fire is 400 acres, with 0% containment and being investigated.

Slide fire around 8:30 pm Tuesday night. Photo courtesy of Jon Pelletier/VVN

Story by Lieutenant Ron Hood / Pinion Pine Fire District

Improper Cigarette Disposal Ignites Second Structure Fire

Wikieup, Az  

On May 2, 2014 at 2:06 pm, E521 and C501 received an alarm for a structure fire in the 11000 block of south Highway 93. Units arrived on scene to find two mobile homes that had burnt to the ground and spread to the brush. Firefighters quickly extinguished the brush fire which was held to a tenth of an acre and began suppressing the mobile homes which were a complete loss. 

The structures were unoccupied and being demolished when the fire broke out which was caused by the improper disposal of a cigarette according to the demolition crew on scene. Firefighters spent 2 hours on scene overhauling the fire, no injuries were reported.

Article and Photo by Lieutenant Ron Hood, Pinion Pine Fire District

Structure Fire

Blake Ranch -

On May 1, 2014 around 7:05 pm, E511, E513 and C501 were dispatched for smoke in the area between exit 59 and exit 66 on Interstate 40. At roughly mile marker 65, C501 advised he could see a fire which appeared to be a structure about 4 miles north of the Interstate and west of exit 66. Resources arrived on scene in the area of East Horseback Trail and Savvy Way to find two mobile homes fully involved as well as multiple vehicles and brush. Crews deployed a CAFS attack line and began containing the brushfire. Firefighters were unable to initially suppress the structures due to roughly 8 propane tanks in varying sizes venting as well as other explosions from an unknown source. Both engines began suppressing the fire and overhauling once it was safe to do so.

A homeowner was assessed and refused transport to the hospital by AMR for possible smoke inhalation on scene. The cause of the fire was due to the homeowner attempting to burn an unoccupied trailer on his property which quickly spread to his residence, also igniting 3 out buildings, 2 vehicles and a boat which were all complete losses. Crews were on scene for approximately 3 hours.

Story by Lieutenant Ron Hood, Pinion Pine Fire District
Photos by Captain Gail Jackson and Firefighter James Bevins, Pinion Pine Fire District