#firefighting

cr 中国消防

Got a quick, easy action item for anyone with a couple minutes to spare.

The Wildland Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act is back in the Senate. If it does not pass, federal wildland firefighters will be facing a 50% paycut here in a couple months (yeah, I said FIFTY). I don't know about you, but I don't know anyone who would keep working their job if their pay got cut by fifty-percent. And right now, that cut is poised to come right at the start of the worst of fire season. I'm sure I don't need to explain why this is NOT GREAT.

Please use this handy dandy form to contact your representatives and ask them to pass this act. Call them too, if that's a thing you've got the bandwidth for!

Firefighting goats have been deployed by the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians to protect tribal land and neighboring property from potentially devastating brush fires.

The goats are unleashed by the San Manuel Fire Department to eat up dry brush and grass that would normally be ideal fuel for fires — a recent fire was actually partially stopped once it reached an area cleared by the caprine crew earlier this year.

The herd, officials said, is about 400-strong and is made up of generations of goat families.

On Tuesday, the goats were treated to a feast of fruit before being sent on their brush-eating mission.

The goats will spend the next several months trimming and thinning out vegetation on the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Reservation and nearby properties in San Bernardino.

Tribal officials said the brush that covers the hillsides in and around San Manuel property is thriving and diverse, boosted by the recent history-making rainy season. The plant life is an ideal food source because goats prefer food that’s at their eye level.

The Tribe has used goats as a natural, environmentally friendly fire preventative tool since 2019; the plants get trimmed in a sustainable fashion, which allows them to survive and recover naturally overtime unlike most chemical sprays.

Tribal officials called the practice an extension of the Tribe’s “culture of lands stewardship.”

“Caring for the land is a sacred duty of the Tribe,” said Lynn Valbuena, chairwoman of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians. “Stewardship is a responsibility given to our people by the Creator. No matter who owns the land.”

So many special people in the FireService.

Father/Son Firefighting Duo! Absolutely love the FirefightingFamily!

The Dad retiring after 30 years, son continuing in service. ✌️

God Bless you both & Thank you, Caden!