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3 Don't try this at home- Fire in my valley

We control burn here in the mountains of Western N.C. If California would do that, they would have less problems and not take out 200 houses at the same time.

And if they raked their forests ...

California has been doing more controlled burning lately. But it's not a simple solution to the wildfire problem. Here's a good story on that.


But it's not a simple solution. I've been involved in prescribed burns in the Southeast and spent a little time in the woods in California. California is a very different thing from the Southeast. Drier air, drier soil, higher temperatures, and a long dry season that leaves understory vegetation in a highly flammable state. And there are a lot of buildings where they shouldn't be.

Much of the burning in the Southeast is more for habitat maintenance than reducing wildfire threat. It wasn't until the 60s that we began to understand how Longleaf Pine ecosystems evolved with periodic fire and need it to remain healthy. There are species of plants whose seeds won't germinate without fire and birds that won't nest in areas that aren't burned. Smokey the Bear led us down the wrong road in some regards, not recogizing that all fire is not bad.

This is rambling a long way from drones. But I did do some flying and photography last spring when I helped with a burn in Georgia. Nothing to even remotely compete with what @christangey posted, though.
 
Hi Christan,
holy smoke eerily beautiful and very well presented! I could try this at our place and nothing would happen because we have about 20 centimeters of fresh snow here ❄😉
cheers Paul
Thanks Jack, snow is definitely not something we see around Alice Springs!
 
I was having coffee with my father-in-law in Colorado one morning watching a fire at a good distance on the top of a mesa. I asked him how long it will take to put out. He responded "There's nothing up there anybody wants". Same kind of deal. I'm sure somebody was watching it to some degree but no action was taken.
That would be exactly the comment around here too, cattle don't eat spinifex grass
 
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And if they raked their forests ...

California has been doing more controlled burning lately. But it's not a simple solution to the wildfire problem. Here's a good story on that.


But it's not a simple solution. I've been involved in prescribed burns in the Southeast and spent a little time in the woods in California. California is a very different thing from the Southeast. Drier air, drier soil, higher temperatures, and a long dry season that leaves understory vegetation in a highly flammable state. And there are a lot of buildings where they shouldn't be.

Much of the burning in the Southeast is more for habitat maintenance than reducing wildfire threat. It wasn't until the 60s that we began to understand how Longleaf Pine ecosystems evolved with periodic fire and need it to remain healthy. There are species of plants whose seeds won't germinate without fire and birds that won't nest in areas that aren't burned. Smokey the Bear led us down the wrong road in some regards, not recogizing that all fire is not bad.

This is rambling a long way from drones. But I did do some flying and photography last spring when I helped with a burn in Georgia. Nothing to even remotely compete with what @christangey posted, though.
Same thing here in Australia until the National Park authorities listened to the Aboriginal people who have tens of thousands of years of prescribed burn-offs. Up until then the authorities were either trying to put out fires or worse still allowing the dry vegetation to continue to build-up. Then lightning triggered fires would create intense heat killing the larger trees that normally survive burn-offs and destroying the habitats of native species, some of which are food for the remote aboriginal communities.

Fortunately now many aboriginal men and women are employed as Park Rangers and expert Guides throughout Australia passing on their knowledge and extensive experience.
 
Very effective soundtrack. What was it please?
Charlie, finally had time to look it up, it is "Free" by Runar Blesvik, I license all my music through Artlist.io
 
Yes, here in the USA you need to be sure there are no TFR's or current suppression going on. This is the best I've managed to do and not break the law - the day after a brush/grass fire. I did find a hot spot and reported it. Hot spot at :40 in the video - nothing compared to yours!

 
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Yes, here in the USA you need to be sure there are no TFR's or current suppression going on. This is the best I've managed to do and not break the law - the day after a brush/grass fire. I did find a hot spot and reported it. Hot spot at :40 in the video - nothing compared to yours!

Nice Cactus
 
Great video. You figure that's the lightning strike spot that started the fire.. the top down view at 16 seconds?
Possibly, it looks a bit like Hiroshima doesn’t it?
Great video. You figure that's the lightning strike spot that started the fire.. the top down view at 16 seconds?
 
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Wow, great footage. Scary and fascinating at the same time.
yes that's a bit how it feels when you shoot them. When looking at the screen, you have to ensure the scary wins over the fascination every time or you won't have a drone😎
 
You´r welcome Christan!
Well that would look very strange to see the Ayers Rock covered by a a thick blanket of snow 😅
cheers Paul
There have been rumours of snow on the top of Ayers Rock every few years, but it's never been proven!
 
It's hard to believe, but between forest management and near-instant firefighting work, there's more square miles of forest in North America today than in 1492.
that is hard to believe...whats' the source for that? I know that the entire east from the coast to the Appalachians was mostly forest when Columbus landed and it's nothing like that now!
 
A wildfire in my valley yesterday, out here we tend to let them run unless there is a reason to intervene. Pilots should NOT attempt this without deep fire-behaviour knowledge and confirmation that the fire is not under legal suppression or other control by your local fire authorities.
Really gorgeous work Chris. Outstanding.
What altitudes were you flying over the fire areas? How close is safe from the heat and updrafts? And - was that an M3 or something else?
 
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