Submitted photo

An ALERT Wildfire camera view of Wagontire Lookout. Many fires spotted through ALERT Wildfire have already been reported, but that isn’t always the case. If you’re watching ALERT Wildfire cameras, you may be the first to discover a new wildfire. Visit alertwildfire.org/support/ to learn how you can report it.

by Scott Barton and Lauren Brown
for Burns Times-Herald

Like much of the American West, Harney County finds itself in the height of wildfire season. Daytime temperatures are hot, and the moisture that saturated the ground in the spring after a wet winter is all but gone.

Wildfires have the potential to threaten homes, property, and lives. Fortunately, there are multiple tools in the wildfire tool box, including Rangeland Fire Protection Associations (RFPAs).

Harney County has several, making it possible for ranchers to participate in fire suppression on private, state, and federal rangelands. These all-volunteer crews receive training and can function as first responders when wildland fires appear. RFPAs are often the initial force on the scene when a fire starts. That early detection and rapid response can be vital in helping to keep fires small and manageable.

Another important tool in Harney County’s wildfire tool chest is the Harney County Wildfire Collaborative, which provides a forum for people to work together toward building a wildfire-resilient landscape.

Jeff Rose, Burns District Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manager, said it’s important to have a diverse group of stakeholders established and communicating before a catastrophic wildfire happens, so those relationships are already in place.

“It sets us up to be successful,” he said. “It’s always hard to talk when smoke is in the air.”

As far as the actual tools used to help fight a fire, Rose said everything is on the table when faced with a potential wildfire.

“We use any tool we can,” he said. “The key is always people on the ground.”

Tankers and helicopters can be very effective, and while it’s important to have access to tools that can assist from the ground and the air, people are the most important factor.

“Really, the fire gets put out by the firefighter at the end of the nozzle,” Rose said.

Tankers can buy time while fighting a fire, but the BLM’s goal is getting trained personnel on the fire line in a safe manner.

ALERT Wildfire
While actual firefighters are key to managing wildfires, wildfire response groups and their personnel are reaping the benefits of modern technology in the realm of early wildfire detection.

A consortium of the University of Nevada, Reno; Nevada Seismological Laboratory; and the University of Oregon, ALERT Wildfire uses cameras to detect wildfires and inform response and evacuation decisions accordingly.

More than a camera
On the surface, ALERT Wildfire cameras seem pretty basic in their function. They’re installed in fire lookouts and at strategic high points to send alerts to the appropriate channels when wildfires ignite. These channels include local interagency fire zone groups and other local, state, and federal agencies.

However, there’s a lot more to the story. Not only can these cameras discover, locate, and confirm wildfires, they can strategically scale resources, monitor fire behavior during the containment process, provide enhanced situational awareness to help responders strategize evacuation and containment strategies, and monitor fires for flare ups after they’ve been put out.

ALERT Wildfire cameras aren’t just your run-of-the-mill cameras. They’ve been designed specifically to locate wildfires, track their movements, and provide real-time information. Much of this is made possible by their Pan-Tilt-Zoom technology, which allows them to provide clear imaging in even the undulating, inhospitable terrain. What’s even better, is that anyone with an Internet connection can view live footage of any camera in the network via the ALERT Wildfire website. This is especially useful in rural locations (like here in Harney County) where resources are spread out.

Early detection and rapid response are key when it comes to wildfire management. RFPAs are critical to rapid response, and ALERT Wildfire cameras aid with early detection.

Many fires spotted through ALERT Wildfire have already been reported, but that isn’t always the case. If you’re watching ALERT Wildfire cameras, you may be the first to discover a new wildfire. Visit alertwildfire.org/support/ to learn how you can report it. You could be a critical component in stopping the spread of wildfires.