1 00:00:00,920 --> 00:00:02,270 - The states and territories 2 00:00:02,270 --> 00:00:04,190 provide the Army and Air Force, 3 00:00:04,190 --> 00:00:06,216 with trained and ready Soldiers and Airmen. 4 00:00:06,216 --> 00:00:08,594 The purpose of this engagement is to provide an update 5 00:00:08,594 --> 00:00:12,295 on California wildfire National Guard response. 6 00:00:12,295 --> 00:00:14,960 As well as to provide you with access 7 00:00:14,960 --> 00:00:17,850 to non-commissioned officers from the front lines of effort. 8 00:00:17,850 --> 00:00:20,720 The National Guard uses war fighting skills 9 00:00:20,720 --> 00:00:23,410 and assets in response to ongoing wildfires 10 00:00:23,410 --> 00:00:25,107 in the western United States. 11 00:00:25,107 --> 00:00:28,540 It is supporting local and state authorities, fighting fires 12 00:00:28,540 --> 00:00:32,719 in California, Washington state, Oregon, and now Colorado. 13 00:00:32,719 --> 00:00:35,345 The latest figures have been provided. 14 00:00:35,345 --> 00:00:38,880 To better illustrate these efforts, we'll have a half hour 15 00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:40,617 with the California National Guard. 16 00:00:40,617 --> 00:00:42,850 Please keep your questions specific 17 00:00:42,850 --> 00:00:44,866 to the topic of wildfire response. 18 00:00:44,866 --> 00:00:47,620 If you have any questions outside the scope 19 00:00:47,620 --> 00:00:49,070 of what we're here to discuss, 20 00:00:49,070 --> 00:00:51,920 we'll be available to you after the engagement. 21 00:00:51,920 --> 00:00:53,100 With that, we'll hand it over 22 00:00:53,100 --> 00:00:55,417 to Major General Matthew Beavers in California. 23 00:00:55,417 --> 00:00:56,897 Sir, over to you. 24 00:00:58,440 --> 00:00:59,420 - Great. 25 00:00:59,420 --> 00:01:02,067 Thank you and good morning to from California. 26 00:01:02,067 --> 00:01:05,800 It's a great opportunity to be able to talk to you today. 27 00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:08,529 What I want to do, is try to set the stage 28 00:01:08,529 --> 00:01:11,580 for what our service members are doing. 29 00:01:11,580 --> 00:01:14,830 I think everybody knows about 760,000 acres 30 00:01:14,830 --> 00:01:15,990 of the great state of California, 31 00:01:15,990 --> 00:01:18,490 that burned or on fire right now. 32 00:01:18,490 --> 00:01:20,870 In context, that's about the size of Rhode Island, 33 00:01:20,870 --> 00:01:23,373 or about 60 times the size of Manhattan. 34 00:01:24,310 --> 00:01:28,300 Today, we have about 969 soldiers and airmen 35 00:01:28,300 --> 00:01:31,910 from the California National Guard, along with 22 aircraft, 36 00:01:31,910 --> 00:01:35,336 over 100 vehicles currently attacking that fire 37 00:01:35,336 --> 00:01:37,710 with our interagency partners 38 00:01:37,710 --> 00:01:40,360 from the Governors Office of Emergency Services, 39 00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:42,920 from Cal Fire, from the SH forest service. 40 00:01:42,920 --> 00:01:44,996 And really a whole of government approach 41 00:01:44,996 --> 00:01:49,204 to battling the wildfire catastrophe that's been 42 00:01:49,204 --> 00:01:52,130 ongoing now for probably a month or so. 43 00:01:52,130 --> 00:01:54,810 But I want to talk today a little bit about 44 00:01:54,810 --> 00:01:57,528 how we translate the inherent lethality resident 45 00:01:57,528 --> 00:01:59,750 in the California National Guard. 46 00:01:59,750 --> 00:02:02,800 How we translate that into very elegant support 47 00:02:02,800 --> 00:02:04,470 to our interagency partners. 48 00:02:04,470 --> 00:02:06,850 So I brought with me a couple of outstanding, 49 00:02:06,850 --> 00:02:07,960 one soldier, one airmen, 50 00:02:07,960 --> 00:02:10,250 and they're gonna kinda walk you through that. 51 00:02:10,250 --> 00:02:12,460 So what I'm gonna do, is I'm gonna turn it over 52 00:02:12,460 --> 00:02:15,802 to Sergeant Brown, he's gonna explain to you 53 00:02:15,802 --> 00:02:20,605 how our medevac teams use this opportunity to fight fires, 54 00:02:20,605 --> 00:02:25,040 either through medevac, or through water bucket operations. 55 00:02:25,040 --> 00:02:28,333 How that translates into them being better soldiers 56 00:02:28,333 --> 00:02:30,420 when it comes time to deploy. 57 00:02:30,420 --> 00:02:32,653 So I'll turn it over to Sergeant Brown. 58 00:02:35,550 --> 00:02:37,780 Sorry, excuse me, Sergeant Ross. 59 00:02:37,780 --> 00:02:38,613 - Hi, good afternoon. 60 00:02:38,613 --> 00:02:39,720 My name is Sergeant Ross, 61 00:02:39,720 --> 00:02:43,140 I'm with Task Force Medevac Aviation here in California. 62 00:02:43,140 --> 00:02:45,635 Our mission is pretty much we're Medevac 63 00:02:45,635 --> 00:02:47,300 for the state of California. 64 00:02:47,300 --> 00:02:50,259 So any search and rescues that we are needed to conduct, 65 00:02:50,259 --> 00:02:51,720 we go out there and conduct. 66 00:02:51,720 --> 00:02:56,080 As far as the Cal Fire incidents, once they activate us 67 00:02:56,080 --> 00:02:59,437 for the fires, we meet up with our Cal Fire members, 68 00:02:59,437 --> 00:03:01,859 we get into the aircraft. 69 00:03:01,859 --> 00:03:04,070 We're capable of doing two different types of missions. 70 00:03:04,070 --> 00:03:08,981 We have the medevac standby which is a 24 hour ALS platform, 71 00:03:08,981 --> 00:03:10,852 and we provide for all the firefighters 72 00:03:10,852 --> 00:03:12,373 and soldiers on the ground. 73 00:03:13,230 --> 00:03:15,563 If we are activated for bucket shifts, 74 00:03:16,406 --> 00:03:20,290 we obviously will perform our air crafts 75 00:03:20,290 --> 00:03:22,900 in a water bucket operation. 76 00:03:22,900 --> 00:03:25,350 So we'll connect a bucket to the aircraft. 77 00:03:25,350 --> 00:03:27,160 We'll have our manager, we'll go out there 78 00:03:27,160 --> 00:03:30,050 and support all the firefighters on the ground, 79 00:03:30,050 --> 00:03:33,643 and resources on the ground to help put out the fires. 80 00:03:33,643 --> 00:03:36,760 - And next I'm gonna turn it over to Sergeant Brown 81 00:03:36,760 --> 00:03:38,390 from the Air California National Guard. 82 00:03:38,390 --> 00:03:40,940 He's a member of the 149th Intelligence Squadron. 83 00:03:40,940 --> 00:03:44,620 And why this is important, is we can currently fly 84 00:03:44,620 --> 00:03:49,216 the MQ9 Reaper on every major fire during this fire season. 85 00:03:49,216 --> 00:03:51,990 And what that aircraft allows us to do, 86 00:03:51,990 --> 00:03:56,553 is to map the very aggressive fire behavior in real time. 87 00:03:56,553 --> 00:04:00,200 And that gives the incident commander fighting these fires 88 00:04:00,200 --> 00:04:02,350 extraordinary decision support. 89 00:04:02,350 --> 00:04:04,920 They can make real time decisions to save lives, 90 00:04:04,920 --> 00:04:07,560 mitigate human suffering, save property. 91 00:04:07,560 --> 00:04:10,820 What he does, is he takes that information down linked 92 00:04:10,820 --> 00:04:12,937 from the reaper, and analyses that, and provides 93 00:04:12,937 --> 00:04:16,400 decision support capabilities to the insert command. 94 00:04:16,400 --> 00:04:17,843 Go ahead. 95 00:04:17,843 --> 00:04:19,310 - Good morning. My name is Staff Sergeant Brown, 96 00:04:19,310 --> 00:04:22,844 I am an Incident and Awareness Assessment Coordinator. 97 00:04:22,844 --> 00:04:26,778 My role is to take the intelligence training 98 00:04:26,778 --> 00:04:31,283 that I received on the federal side, and to apply that to 99 00:04:31,283 --> 00:04:35,125 help these emergency situations throughout California. 100 00:04:35,125 --> 00:04:38,060 I have focused in collection management, 101 00:04:38,060 --> 00:04:43,060 and so I leverage that skill to find critical infrastructure 102 00:04:43,330 --> 00:04:46,606 and threatened structures, 103 00:04:46,606 --> 00:04:50,935 threatened people, distressed people in fire lines. 104 00:04:50,935 --> 00:04:55,577 We're able to task the MQ9 Reaper, as well as the RC26, 105 00:04:55,577 --> 00:04:59,219 and the UH 72, which are both fixed wing aircraft 106 00:04:59,219 --> 00:05:03,720 and a helicopter that have the ability to do remote sensing. 107 00:05:03,720 --> 00:05:07,646 And basically record video that our imagery analysts 108 00:05:07,646 --> 00:05:10,993 are able to relay back to the incident commanders. 109 00:05:12,157 --> 00:05:16,636 It is very beneficial to the Cal Fire fire chiefs 110 00:05:16,636 --> 00:05:20,041 or whoever is in charge of the particular incidents, 111 00:05:20,041 --> 00:05:24,237 that they are able to see exactly where their fire lines are 112 00:05:24,237 --> 00:05:28,940 at and given time, and up to 24 hours a day. 113 00:05:28,940 --> 00:05:31,110 So far, we've been able to fly our aircraft 114 00:05:31,110 --> 00:05:32,710 on all of the major fires, 115 00:05:32,710 --> 00:05:34,990 as Major General Beavers just said. 116 00:05:34,990 --> 00:05:38,560 And we are always standing by to held some more. 117 00:05:38,560 --> 00:05:40,410 - And with that we'll take questions. 118 00:05:42,750 --> 00:05:44,234 - Sir? 119 00:05:44,234 --> 00:05:47,790 - Good morning, I'm Tom Squitieri, I'm with Talk Media News. 120 00:05:47,790 --> 00:05:49,549 Thanks for doing this. 121 00:05:49,549 --> 00:05:51,810 I have several questions, I'll begin 122 00:05:51,810 --> 00:05:54,330 but I'll let my colleagues have theirs as well. 123 00:05:54,330 --> 00:05:56,820 I'm just curious sirs, gentlemen, 124 00:05:56,820 --> 00:06:00,294 in regards to the bucket brigade that you talked about. 125 00:06:00,294 --> 00:06:04,110 I understand how you'd be trained to do the medevac service, 126 00:06:04,110 --> 00:06:08,398 how do you get trained to do the bucket brigade, 127 00:06:08,398 --> 00:06:12,141 I'm calling it, and how does that square 128 00:06:12,141 --> 00:06:15,311 with why you signed up for the duties,? 129 00:06:15,311 --> 00:06:17,680 And then I have a followup if I may. 130 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:18,513 Thank you. 131 00:06:19,720 --> 00:06:21,706 - Sure, let me take a run at that 132 00:06:21,706 --> 00:06:23,103 and then I'll turn it over to Julian. 133 00:06:24,030 --> 00:06:26,443 Every year at about the April timeframe, 134 00:06:27,310 --> 00:06:30,650 we conduct a very extensive training program 135 00:06:30,650 --> 00:06:32,800 with our partners at Cal Fire. 136 00:06:32,800 --> 00:06:34,830 It's several days long, we go through 137 00:06:34,830 --> 00:06:39,540 the classroom training, as well as actually flying. 138 00:06:39,540 --> 00:06:41,290 Where we'll dip it into a lake, 139 00:06:41,290 --> 00:06:44,570 and drop it on a notional fire line. 140 00:06:44,570 --> 00:06:48,020 That's done every year, and it provides a great opportunity 141 00:06:48,020 --> 00:06:50,808 to ensure that all our air crews are ready. 142 00:06:50,808 --> 00:06:54,400 - Thanks for that, and in my second question, 143 00:06:54,400 --> 00:06:57,240 I think it was last week, maybe Jim or some of my colleagues 144 00:06:57,240 --> 00:06:59,940 will remind me, that we were told here at the Pentagon 145 00:07:01,327 --> 00:07:04,570 that the Pentagon is going to deploy some soldiers, 146 00:07:04,570 --> 00:07:07,160 some elements to help fight the fires in California. 147 00:07:07,160 --> 00:07:09,620 I think that was a week ago Monday. 148 00:07:09,620 --> 00:07:12,290 Will those troops work with you all, in other words, 149 00:07:12,290 --> 00:07:13,510 will you teach them how to do it? 150 00:07:13,510 --> 00:07:15,060 Because it was sort of admitted 151 00:07:15,977 --> 00:07:18,003 that they don't have the training as you all do. 152 00:07:18,900 --> 00:07:21,020 - Right, so I think what you're talking about 153 00:07:21,020 --> 00:07:25,550 is the 200 soldiers from Joint Base Lewis McChord. 154 00:07:25,550 --> 00:07:28,449 They're actually doing what we call type two hand crews. 155 00:07:28,449 --> 00:07:32,040 So those soldiers were trained prior to 156 00:07:32,040 --> 00:07:34,020 their employment on the line, 157 00:07:34,020 --> 00:07:36,090 by the United States Forest Service. 158 00:07:36,090 --> 00:07:38,580 And what they do is they're not necessarily 159 00:07:38,580 --> 00:07:40,560 out on the hotlines so to speak, 160 00:07:40,560 --> 00:07:42,350 on the front edge of the fire. 161 00:07:42,350 --> 00:07:46,380 They're job primarily is to manage fire lines, 162 00:07:46,380 --> 00:07:50,190 and then also do cold line, and warm line maintenance. 163 00:07:50,190 --> 00:07:52,701 So it's more maintaining the fire line 164 00:07:52,701 --> 00:07:55,480 after the fire's passed, and make sure there's no hot spots, 165 00:07:55,480 --> 00:07:58,510 it doesn't jump back and create additional fires. 166 00:07:58,510 --> 00:08:01,070 That's their primary mission. 167 00:08:01,070 --> 00:08:05,220 So it's all hand crews from Joint Base Lewis McChord. 168 00:08:05,220 --> 00:08:07,980 200 of 'em from the 14 Brigade Engineer Battalion, 169 00:08:07,980 --> 00:08:11,673 and we are absolutely thankful that they came to help us. 170 00:08:17,650 --> 00:08:20,450 - Sergeant Ross, what is it like 171 00:08:20,450 --> 00:08:22,450 when you fly over these fires? 172 00:08:22,450 --> 00:08:25,350 What is it like when you're taking the bucket out, 173 00:08:25,350 --> 00:08:28,580 or you're flying a medevac? 174 00:08:28,580 --> 00:08:32,263 What's it feel like when you're up there doing that? 175 00:08:34,166 --> 00:08:37,230 - As far as how I feel, it makes me feel really proud 176 00:08:37,230 --> 00:08:40,643 to be out there to help support our communities. 177 00:08:40,643 --> 00:08:43,463 As far as the actual flying aspect of it, 178 00:08:43,463 --> 00:08:46,607 there are some dangers out there, it's very smokey. 179 00:08:46,607 --> 00:08:48,675 The fire is everywhere. 180 00:08:48,675 --> 00:08:51,950 We work with our Cal Fire managers, 181 00:08:51,950 --> 00:08:54,150 they're a great group of guys with Cal Fire. 182 00:08:56,230 --> 00:08:59,497 As far as intensity, I mean, we'll be 183 00:08:59,497 --> 00:09:02,920 kind of like being in a combat zone, 184 00:09:02,920 --> 00:09:04,100 just we're not getting shot at. 185 00:09:04,100 --> 00:09:07,440 So a lot of dangers we have to deal with, other aircrafts. 186 00:09:07,440 --> 00:09:09,480 There's the fire that we're actually trying to put out, 187 00:09:09,480 --> 00:09:13,064 there's people on the ground that we're trying to protect, 188 00:09:13,064 --> 00:09:15,005 structures we're trying to protect. 189 00:09:15,005 --> 00:09:19,212 So it has it's dangers, we're just not getting shot at. 190 00:09:19,212 --> 00:09:24,123 - Hi, and Sergeant Brown, when you're looking at these, 191 00:09:25,080 --> 00:09:27,715 I guess feeds from a Reaper and stuff, 192 00:09:27,715 --> 00:09:30,432 what do you actually see? 193 00:09:30,432 --> 00:09:32,793 What does it look like to you? 194 00:09:34,440 --> 00:09:37,530 - So to us, what we're able to see, 195 00:09:37,530 --> 00:09:40,137 is really exactly where the fires are. 196 00:09:40,137 --> 00:09:45,137 In relation to whether that be burned infrastructure, 197 00:09:45,160 --> 00:09:48,020 or damaged homes. 198 00:09:48,020 --> 00:09:51,160 Even if it's out in the middle of a forest, 199 00:09:51,160 --> 00:09:54,290 we're able to see all of the trees 200 00:09:54,290 --> 00:09:57,740 in relation to that fire line. 201 00:09:57,740 --> 00:10:02,176 Fortunately we're able to use our sensors 202 00:10:02,176 --> 00:10:04,450 to really be able to make calls 203 00:10:04,450 --> 00:10:07,680 and protect those individuals who could be under threat 204 00:10:07,680 --> 00:10:10,223 from the potential fire in their area. 205 00:10:11,584 --> 00:10:13,637 - Have you ever made a call and said, 206 00:10:13,637 --> 00:10:17,597 "You need to get these guys out of whatever area?" 207 00:10:18,882 --> 00:10:20,573 - Yes sir. 208 00:10:20,573 --> 00:10:23,640 I guess the biggest one that we've been able to do, 209 00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:26,641 this was not in the fires that we're fighting today, 210 00:10:26,641 --> 00:10:31,375 but during the Thomas Fire in San Diego this past December, 211 00:10:31,375 --> 00:10:33,200 we were able to make a call out 212 00:10:33,200 --> 00:10:36,380 where a fire line was within 500 yards 213 00:10:36,380 --> 00:10:39,320 of a neighborhood that had not been evacuated. 214 00:10:39,320 --> 00:10:42,060 We were able to evacuate around 5,000 homes 215 00:10:42,060 --> 00:10:43,160 and get those people out of there. 216 00:10:43,160 --> 00:10:44,980 And unfortunately the fire did end up 217 00:10:44,980 --> 00:10:48,083 rolling through that neighborhood within a few hours. 218 00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:52,410 - Sir. 219 00:10:52,410 --> 00:10:54,130 - Matt Beinert from Defense Daily. 220 00:10:54,130 --> 00:10:57,530 I was just wondering, with all the equipment and everything 221 00:10:57,530 --> 00:10:59,290 you have out there, the status of the fire, 222 00:10:59,290 --> 00:11:02,920 is this enough to know that you are being successful 223 00:11:02,920 --> 00:11:04,690 in terms of containing it? 224 00:11:04,690 --> 00:11:07,760 Or is it spreading at a rate that you maybe need 225 00:11:07,760 --> 00:11:10,060 some more equipment possibly out there? 226 00:11:10,060 --> 00:11:12,770 Just a point to clarify with the Reaper. 227 00:11:12,770 --> 00:11:15,950 So this is giving you data to be able to warn people 228 00:11:15,950 --> 00:11:18,120 if a fire is heading their way? 229 00:11:18,120 --> 00:11:20,623 Or could you explain the concept of a fire line? 230 00:11:22,797 --> 00:11:23,644 - Yes. 231 00:11:23,644 --> 00:11:26,160 So with the Reaper, we are able 232 00:11:26,160 --> 00:11:28,610 to view the video feed in near real time. 233 00:11:28,610 --> 00:11:31,770 So there's a little bit of a delay, but not much. 234 00:11:31,770 --> 00:11:36,500 And it allows our analysts, we have an incident awareness 235 00:11:36,500 --> 00:11:39,240 and assessment coordinator, a counterpart of my own, 236 00:11:39,240 --> 00:11:43,970 who is at the incident command post with Cal Fire 237 00:11:43,970 --> 00:11:47,570 or the US Forest Service or whoever the supported agency is. 238 00:11:47,570 --> 00:11:50,564 And we are in direct contact with those imagery analysts 239 00:11:50,564 --> 00:11:54,550 that we have watching the video feed in near real time. 240 00:11:54,550 --> 00:11:57,860 So with that, they're able to communicate 241 00:11:57,860 --> 00:11:59,940 via the video feed that they're watching, 242 00:11:59,940 --> 00:12:04,940 whether or not the fire line which is 243 00:12:05,830 --> 00:12:07,678 where the fire is moving. 244 00:12:07,678 --> 00:12:11,013 Sometimes you'll see pictures of it 245 00:12:11,013 --> 00:12:14,270 where you'll see the fire as a circle 246 00:12:14,270 --> 00:12:16,637 moving away from the center point where it started. 247 00:12:16,637 --> 00:12:20,280 I guess that is your definition of the fire line, 248 00:12:20,280 --> 00:12:21,456 is where exactly the fire 249 00:12:21,456 --> 00:12:24,889 has furthest progressed in one particular area. 250 00:12:24,889 --> 00:12:28,530 And our imagery analysts are able to pass that 251 00:12:28,530 --> 00:12:30,770 to the incident awareness and assessment coordinators 252 00:12:30,770 --> 00:12:35,098 who are out in the field with the Cal Fire individuals, 253 00:12:35,098 --> 00:12:37,680 and those Cal Fire individuals are able 254 00:12:37,680 --> 00:12:41,190 to quickly relay through the emergency notification channels 255 00:12:41,190 --> 00:12:42,840 to people who could be in danger. 256 00:12:46,410 --> 00:12:47,820 - Hi, thanks for doing this. 257 00:12:47,820 --> 00:12:50,575 Richard Sisk from Military.com. 258 00:12:50,575 --> 00:12:55,575 Sergeant Ross, we hear about the winds that are generated 259 00:12:55,842 --> 00:13:00,842 by the fires itself, some of use the term Firenado. 260 00:13:04,430 --> 00:13:07,030 Does that effect you as you fly, 261 00:13:07,030 --> 00:13:08,960 as you get near these things? 262 00:13:08,960 --> 00:13:11,070 Are you getting buffeted by winds? 263 00:13:11,070 --> 00:13:15,423 General has it affected fixed wing aircraft? 264 00:13:18,540 --> 00:13:21,943 - As far as the firenado's, they do effect us, 265 00:13:21,943 --> 00:13:23,470 because if they're strong enough, 266 00:13:23,470 --> 00:13:25,500 they can actually pull us to the ground. 267 00:13:25,500 --> 00:13:30,210 So our protocol is if the winds are not viable for us 268 00:13:30,210 --> 00:13:33,623 to really fly, we try to not fly into those conditions. 269 00:13:34,550 --> 00:13:37,800 In the event we can't fly, 270 00:13:37,800 --> 00:13:39,580 then of course we can't go out there 271 00:13:39,580 --> 00:13:42,150 and conduct our water bucket operations. 272 00:13:42,150 --> 00:13:44,190 But as far as the fire tornado's, 273 00:13:44,190 --> 00:13:47,923 they are a big effect towards the air frames. 274 00:13:47,923 --> 00:13:50,023 So we try to stay away from those. 275 00:13:51,304 --> 00:13:54,000 - You know, Sergeant Ross, you said it could possibly 276 00:13:54,000 --> 00:13:56,460 pull you down, how does that happen. 277 00:13:56,460 --> 00:13:59,093 What do you just get down drafts off it, or what? 278 00:14:00,401 --> 00:14:01,820 - Pretty much. 279 00:14:01,820 --> 00:14:04,420 Kinda like with any tornado, you get sucked into it, 280 00:14:05,483 --> 00:14:07,830 and then of course you can get pulled to the ground 281 00:14:07,830 --> 00:14:09,930 because you're trying to fly away from it. 282 00:14:12,487 --> 00:14:14,873 - And General, has it effected the winds, 283 00:14:14,873 --> 00:14:17,133 have they affected fixed wing aircraft? 284 00:14:18,802 --> 00:14:21,440 - The winds to effect fixed wing aircraft, 285 00:14:21,440 --> 00:14:23,270 just like they effect the helicopters. 286 00:14:23,270 --> 00:14:25,490 And the challenges that we've had this year 287 00:14:26,428 --> 00:14:27,840 during this fire emergency, it's not so much the winds, 288 00:14:27,840 --> 00:14:31,370 but with our MQ9, cloud cover 289 00:14:31,370 --> 00:14:33,950 over the launch recovery areas. 290 00:14:33,950 --> 00:14:38,608 And then of course heavy, heavy smoke moving in and out of 291 00:14:38,608 --> 00:14:43,233 any specific fire will cause a challenge for us. 292 00:14:44,460 --> 00:14:48,180 - Sergeant Brown, has the cloud cover, 293 00:14:48,180 --> 00:14:52,252 the effects of the fire, has that affected the MQ9's flying? 294 00:14:52,252 --> 00:14:54,813 Have there been days when you can't fly 'em? 295 00:14:56,820 --> 00:14:57,653 - Yes sir. 296 00:14:57,653 --> 00:14:58,900 There have been times where 297 00:14:59,885 --> 00:15:03,070 there have been weather, particularly in transit. 298 00:15:03,070 --> 00:15:05,352 That's usually where it hurts us the most. 299 00:15:05,352 --> 00:15:08,876 Fortunately if we are able to get the aircraft on station, 300 00:15:08,876 --> 00:15:13,748 with the infrared capability, we're able to see through 301 00:15:13,748 --> 00:15:16,627 a significant amount of the smoke that 302 00:15:16,627 --> 00:15:21,627 could hinder your visual line. 303 00:15:21,920 --> 00:15:25,809 So if our aircraft is able to get on station, 304 00:15:25,809 --> 00:15:29,546 the infrared capability has worked well for us. 305 00:15:29,546 --> 00:15:33,323 Being able to see the fire lines and effected area. 306 00:15:34,384 --> 00:15:35,870 - Just so I understand, there have been times 307 00:15:35,870 --> 00:15:37,833 when you've been unable to fly? 308 00:15:40,814 --> 00:15:42,067 - Yes sir. 309 00:15:42,067 --> 00:15:43,592 - Yes. 310 00:15:43,592 --> 00:15:44,425 - Sir? 311 00:15:44,425 --> 00:15:46,363 - I wanna follow up with with you sirs, 312 00:15:47,206 --> 00:15:50,140 on the idea of sighting these fire lines. 313 00:15:50,140 --> 00:15:53,840 You just mentioned about the infrared capability. 314 00:15:53,840 --> 00:15:56,163 I just want to clarify to myself please. 315 00:15:57,998 --> 00:16:00,440 Are you seeing an infrared capability 316 00:16:00,440 --> 00:16:02,720 that shows the actual fire? 317 00:16:02,720 --> 00:16:04,789 Or is your equipment sophisticated enough 318 00:16:04,789 --> 00:16:07,906 that you're able to sort of sense a heat path, 319 00:16:07,906 --> 00:16:12,743 a heat line on the ground that could actually become a fire? 320 00:16:15,640 --> 00:16:20,011 - So, the capability that we have, is that we're able to see 321 00:16:20,011 --> 00:16:24,700 the fire line as it exists currently. 322 00:16:24,700 --> 00:16:27,560 It shows a change in heat. 323 00:16:27,560 --> 00:16:31,060 So we are often able to see maybe 324 00:16:31,060 --> 00:16:33,570 what recently had just burned. 325 00:16:33,570 --> 00:16:36,590 But the big focus in the field of view of the sensor, 326 00:16:36,590 --> 00:16:40,730 is going to be where the fire is currently. 327 00:16:40,730 --> 00:16:42,070 - To follow that. 328 00:16:42,070 --> 00:16:42,903 Thank you for that. 329 00:16:42,903 --> 00:16:44,323 To follow that up then. 330 00:16:45,610 --> 00:16:50,321 If I understand what you say, the degree of the heat 331 00:16:50,321 --> 00:16:53,560 you could see if it just burned recently you said. 332 00:16:53,560 --> 00:16:56,050 Can you tell if part of a fire line 333 00:16:56,050 --> 00:16:57,720 is intensifying in strength 334 00:16:57,720 --> 00:16:59,023 or weakening in strength? 335 00:17:01,400 --> 00:17:04,090 - So the picture that we will see on the video, 336 00:17:04,090 --> 00:17:09,090 will be clearly brighter in the warmed part of the fire. 337 00:17:09,610 --> 00:17:11,844 And using predictive analysis, 338 00:17:11,844 --> 00:17:14,862 we have a team of other analysts who 339 00:17:14,862 --> 00:17:18,477 look to where to fire is going to be moving 340 00:17:18,477 --> 00:17:21,434 to kind of follow onto your initial question. 341 00:17:21,434 --> 00:17:24,126 While we won't be able to see that with our sensor, 342 00:17:24,126 --> 00:17:26,620 using our analytical skills that we've learned 343 00:17:26,620 --> 00:17:29,580 on the federal side, we're able to go through 344 00:17:29,580 --> 00:17:34,580 and learn, after doing these fire missions for while, 345 00:17:35,060 --> 00:17:37,470 we've learned how fires behave. 346 00:17:37,470 --> 00:17:42,470 And working with the Cal Fire individuals who specialize 347 00:17:42,710 --> 00:17:46,836 in fire methodology and the way that fires burn, 348 00:17:46,836 --> 00:17:48,850 we're able to do predictive analysis 349 00:17:48,850 --> 00:17:51,540 to see where the fires will be moving to. 350 00:17:51,540 --> 00:17:52,959 - [Tom] Thank you. 351 00:17:52,959 --> 00:17:54,087 - Sir? 352 00:17:54,087 --> 00:17:56,453 - [Male] What are you guys do in civilian life? 353 00:17:58,430 --> 00:18:02,320 - In the civilian life sir, I work here at the J three two 354 00:18:02,320 --> 00:18:03,593 as a Federal Technician. 355 00:18:05,686 --> 00:18:09,520 - Fire Department California, 356 00:18:09,520 --> 00:18:11,863 as a (mumbles) flight instructor. 357 00:18:14,287 --> 00:18:18,010 - [Male] I didn't hear you. 358 00:18:18,010 --> 00:18:20,000 - I work at Mayfair Flight Facility 359 00:18:20,000 --> 00:18:22,563 as a non-rated crew member flight instructor. 360 00:18:23,970 --> 00:18:27,061 - And what you do, obviously, 361 00:18:27,061 --> 00:18:30,680 contributes to your national guard job 362 00:18:30,680 --> 00:18:32,363 and the other way around right? 363 00:18:33,550 --> 00:18:34,383 - Yes Sir. 364 00:18:34,383 --> 00:18:35,790 So I am a full time instructor, 365 00:18:35,790 --> 00:18:37,550 so my job is to fly. 366 00:18:37,550 --> 00:18:40,150 I've done search and rescues, fight fires if needed. 367 00:18:42,320 --> 00:18:43,153 - Sir. 368 00:18:44,466 --> 00:18:46,700 - Between last years fires and this years fires, 369 00:18:46,700 --> 00:18:49,282 what's changed in terms of how you're fighting them, 370 00:18:49,282 --> 00:18:52,158 what equipment was brought this year, 371 00:18:52,158 --> 00:18:55,280 that wasn't brought last year, and just in terms of 372 00:18:55,280 --> 00:18:56,730 the nature of the fire, just how much 373 00:18:56,730 --> 00:18:59,880 more maybe predictable is this one than those big ones 374 00:18:59,880 --> 00:19:02,330 from last year, or the big events from last year. 375 00:19:03,972 --> 00:19:06,850 - It really hasn't changed that much 376 00:19:06,850 --> 00:19:09,300 with the exception of the extraordinary scale 377 00:19:09,300 --> 00:19:10,730 of this years fires. 378 00:19:10,730 --> 00:19:14,435 The Menacino Complex Fires now the largest fire 379 00:19:14,435 --> 00:19:16,240 in the states history. 380 00:19:16,240 --> 00:19:19,533 And you can tell over the last four or five years, 381 00:19:19,533 --> 00:19:22,141 these fires are getting bigger, 382 00:19:22,141 --> 00:19:25,225 they're burning more erratically,. 383 00:19:25,225 --> 00:19:28,490 And it's got a lot to do with the five years of drought 384 00:19:28,490 --> 00:19:30,300 the state experienced a few years back. 385 00:19:30,300 --> 00:19:33,060 The fuels are extraordinarily dry, 386 00:19:33,060 --> 00:19:36,620 and the snow pack that we expected to get, 387 00:19:36,620 --> 00:19:38,040 simply hasn't come. 388 00:19:38,040 --> 00:19:40,130 So any kind of recovery that we're 389 00:19:40,130 --> 00:19:42,160 getting in the winter time's not been enough 390 00:19:42,160 --> 00:19:44,890 to really keep the fuels wet. 391 00:19:44,890 --> 00:19:48,950 So that's what's causing a lot of the extreme fire behavior 392 00:19:48,950 --> 00:19:51,773 that we're seeing in the last few years. 393 00:19:56,927 --> 00:19:58,150 - Yes sir. 394 00:19:58,150 --> 00:19:59,700 - Mosha Gaines with NBC News. 395 00:19:59,700 --> 00:20:02,240 Is there any assessment to date 396 00:20:02,240 --> 00:20:05,463 on how much of the fire has been contained? 397 00:20:06,793 --> 00:20:09,560 - Yeah, that's available on the Cal Fire website. 398 00:20:09,560 --> 00:20:11,480 I'd point you there for the specifics on it, 399 00:20:11,480 --> 00:20:15,670 but the majority of the big fires currently burning 400 00:20:15,670 --> 00:20:18,950 in the state, are up around 60 to 70% contained. 401 00:20:18,950 --> 00:20:21,870 I think with the exception of the Donelle fire down south. 402 00:20:21,870 --> 00:20:24,580 I think that's maybe the 25% range. 403 00:20:24,580 --> 00:20:26,020 But I direct you to the Cal Fire website. 404 00:20:26,020 --> 00:20:28,270 They can tell you exactly the current status. 405 00:20:29,350 --> 00:20:33,613 - Now General, you said you have 969 Guardsmen 406 00:20:33,613 --> 00:20:38,432 called up right now, do you anticipate calling up more? 407 00:20:38,432 --> 00:20:42,793 And how long are these guys on duty for? 408 00:20:45,081 --> 00:20:48,262 - Right now we don't anticipate calling up any additional 409 00:20:48,262 --> 00:20:51,829 soldiers to airmen, given the current situation 410 00:20:51,829 --> 00:20:53,420 as we see it. 411 00:20:53,420 --> 00:20:55,200 That obviously could change. 412 00:20:55,200 --> 00:20:58,532 Fire season in California is just getting underway. 413 00:20:58,532 --> 00:21:01,890 We have yet to have experience Santa Ana winds 414 00:21:01,890 --> 00:21:03,940 in the southern part of the state. 415 00:21:03,940 --> 00:21:06,270 And extreme fire behavior generally occurs 416 00:21:06,270 --> 00:21:08,807 much later in the summer, and into early fall. 417 00:21:08,807 --> 00:21:11,199 So this'll be a busy year for us, 418 00:21:11,199 --> 00:21:13,195 but we train for this every year. 419 00:21:13,195 --> 00:21:16,830 Our soldiers and airmen are obviously very ready, 420 00:21:16,830 --> 00:21:18,700 and very prepared. 421 00:21:18,700 --> 00:21:21,286 This initial employment of the 900 folks 422 00:21:21,286 --> 00:21:23,782 that we have on the ground now, generally will last 423 00:21:23,782 --> 00:21:27,640 for this go around, probably about 30 days. 424 00:21:27,640 --> 00:21:29,473 And then they'll be released. 425 00:21:31,360 --> 00:21:34,813 - Are you getting help from other states? 426 00:21:36,810 --> 00:21:37,643 - We are. 427 00:21:37,643 --> 00:21:38,533 We are absolutely. 428 00:21:39,518 --> 00:21:42,473 We have a rotary wing aircraft from Arizona, 429 00:21:43,708 --> 00:21:46,377 and from Oregon. 430 00:21:46,377 --> 00:21:50,240 We have an additional RC26 air frame 431 00:21:50,240 --> 00:21:52,213 from New Mexico that we've used. 432 00:21:53,147 --> 00:21:55,820 In addition to the 200 soldiers 433 00:21:55,820 --> 00:21:57,130 from Joint Base Lewis McChord, 434 00:21:57,130 --> 00:21:59,063 from the 14th Brigade Air Battalion. 435 00:21:59,940 --> 00:22:03,570 So yes, absolutely, we've brought in out of state assets. 436 00:22:03,570 --> 00:22:06,453 As well as title 10 assets to assist us. 437 00:22:11,023 --> 00:22:12,503 - Any additional questions? 438 00:22:16,644 --> 00:22:19,430 Thank you for joining us everyone. 439 00:22:19,430 --> 00:22:20,560 That is all the time we have. 440 00:22:20,560 --> 00:22:23,000 If you would like clarity on anything we've discussed, 441 00:22:23,000 --> 00:22:24,803 please don't hesitate to ask.