2025 Wildfire Season: Massive Wildfire Outbreak in Western Canada

Direct link to May 28th video from CBC News on YouTube

Direct link to video from 13 On Your Side on YouTube

I have been aware of the large wildfires in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Manitoba for a couple of days but had not not posted on these fires. When I saw two articles about these wildfires on my newsfeed this morning I knew that ir is past time for this post. The best way to start is with the two videos that I shared above, again with thanks to my friends at the B10 New Jersey Wildfire Page for sharing these videos on  their website. I hope that you take the time to watch these videos. As you can see, smoke from these wildfires will be impacting Canada and the United States today and tomorrow.

Thanks to the National Wildland Fire Situation Report from Natural Resources Canada they also have a tFire Weather Maps Page that you might want to check out.. I found links for the  Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency, the Manitoba Natural Resources and Indigenous Futures.and Alberta Wildfire

• According to the May 30th update from the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (URL leads to a file to be downloaded) there are 16 active wildfires with seven showing no containment. The largest of these is what the agency is calling the Shoe Fire (Lower Fishing Lake) at 305,343 hectares or 754,519 acres. The second largest is the 25lA-PISEW wildfires (west of La Ronge) at 61,205 hectares or 151,241 acres. Thousands of people have been evacuated in Saskatchewan.
• According to the May 28th Fire Situation Report from Manitoba there 372,338 hectares have burned or 920,067 acres.
• Alberta Wildfire has a May 30th information page showing information on several out of control wildfires, two are over 15,000 hectares or 37.066 acres, many are out of control. Please take a look at this page to see a listing of these wildfires.

For more information see this article from CNN and another article from USA Today

2025 Wildfire Season: Minnesota Wildfires (Final Update, May 28th)

Direct link to video from KSTP 5 Eyewitness News on YouTube 

Thanks to my friends at the B10 NJ Wildfire Page who shared this video on their website a couple of days ago.

I wrote about the wildfires burning in Minnesota on May 19th, and May 21st you may want to review my post.  I am writing today to follow-up on those wildfires. Significant progress has been made in fighting these wildfires as the three are nearly contained. Evacuation orders have been lifted. This will be my final update on the wildfire unless there are significant developments

As I write this on May 28th at about 11:20 AM EDT, here is the latest information from Inciweb:

• The Munger Shaw Fire (first reported May 12th) has burned 1,259 acres and remains at 95 percent containment
• The Camp House Fire (first reported May 11th) has burned 12,071 acres and is at 90 percent containment. At least 144 structures were destroyed
• The Jenkins Creek Fire (first reported May 12th) has burned 16,089 acres and is at 84 percent containment

Kudos to the wildland firefighters on the ground and aerial support for doing a good job working these wildfires.

Memorial Day: Remembering Vietnam Veterans

Direct link  to video from McAffee & Taft on YouTube

This year is the 50th anniversary of the end of the War in Vietnam. Plrase join me in remembering all who died in Vietnam and other wars.

Deployment of Bridger Super Scoopers to Minnesota and How Scoopers Fly Wildfires

Direct link to video from WCCO - CBS Minnesota on YouTube 

When U.S. State Wildfire Agencies want to use more aerial resources to fight wildfires, they may request that the U.S. Forest Service send some of their contracted aerial assets, e.g. Airtankers, to come to help the crews on the ground fight wildfires in their State. This was the case in Minnesota, when Minnesota officials made such a request to the U.S. Forest Service. The Forest Service sent two CL 215/415 Super Scoopers Airtankers from Bridger Aerospace. The Super Scoopers take advantage of the 10,000 Lakes in Minnesota providing them close proximity to scope water from the Lake and then proceed to the wildfire to make a lot of drops before their fuel runs out. 

In the video I embedded you will hear the CEO of Bridger Aerospace, Sam Davis, talk about their CL 215-415 Super Scooper aircraft and how Super Scoopers and other airtankers and helicopters fight wildfires and work with local state resources. He adds a caution about the dangers of flying unauthorized drones over wildfires.

The video that I embedded above refers to wildfire statistics on May 21st for the three wildfires burning in Minnesota, see my May 21st post for more information.

2025 Wildfire Season: Minnesota Wildfires (May 21st)

Direct link to video from F0x 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul Minnesota on YouTube

I wrote about the wildfires burning in Minnesota on May 19th, you may want to review my post.  I am writing today to follow-up on those wildfires. 

As I write this on May 21at at about 11 AM EDT, here is the latest information from Inciweb:

• The Munger Shaw Fire (first reported May 12th) has burned 1,259 acres and remains at 95 percent containment
• The Camp House Fire (first reported May 11th) has burned 12,071 acres and is at 73 percent containment
• The Jenkins Creek Fire (first reported May 12th) has burned 16,748 acres and is at 13 percent containment, expected containment on or about June 15th

The above information on these fires from Inciweb is updated as conditions warrant so if you arrive at this post later, you will see different information from what I have posted here. I will continue to look at the status of these fires will write another follow-up later as conditions warrant.

2025 Wildfire Season: Minnesota wildfires (May 19th)

Direct link to video from Fox 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul MN on YouTube

Earlier this afternoon. I came across some information about wildfires that have been burning in Minnesota for a week. As sometimes happens I moved on to something else without bookmarking or otherwise saving the page.  I admit that I had known about these wildfire for a few days now and decided it was time to make a post on these wildfires. I did my own searches to find good information to share with you. 

There are three wildfires currently burning in Minnesota (all references are to InciWeb

• The Munger Shaw Fire (first reported May 12th) has burned 1,259 acres and is at 95 percent containment
• The Camp House Fire (first reported May 11th) has burned 12,177 acres and is at 40 percent containment
• The Jenkins Creek Fire (first reported May 12th) has burned 16,631 acres and is at 6 percent containment

Evacuations orders are in affect for some areas near the Jenkins Creek and Camp House Fires and at least 146 structures have been destroyed by the Camp House Fire and two structures are reported to be destroyed by the Jenkins Creek Fire. For more information see this May 19th report from Fox 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul MN

Direct link to video from Fox 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul MN on YouTube (Thanks to my friends at the B10 NJ Wildfire Page who shared this video on their webpage recently.

2025 New Jersey Wildfire Season: Danny's. Fire at 100% Containment

Direct link to May 14th, 12:25 PM post from the New Jersey Forest Fire Service on Facebook

The Danny's Fire was first spotted by a fire tower on April 18th in the Peaslee Wildlife Management Area in Vineland Cumberland County. The fire burned 1,327 acres and is at 100 percent containment. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Thanks to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service's ground crews and their helicopter and bucket and any local fire companies who responded to work this fire. Thanks for keeping us safe.

2025 New Jersey Wildfire Season: Jones Rd. Fire at 100% Containment

Direct link to video from CBS Philadelphia on YouTube

On Monday afternoon, May 12 the New Jersey Forest Fire Service (NJFFS) reported that the Jones Rd. Fire that burned 15,300 acres in Ocean and Lacey Townships in Ocean County is at 100 percent containment. Thanks again to the NJFFS, local fire companies who responded through mutual aid, and aerial resources including NJFFS helicopters and New Jersey National Guard Blackhawk helicopters for responding to working this fire and keeping us safe. Thanks to my friends at the B10 NJ Wildland Fire Page for sharing the video from CBS Philadelphit on their website on March 13th.

Direct link to May 12th 2:53PM Facebook post from the New Jersey Forest Fire Service

Coulson Converts Ex-Military C-130H to Airtankers

Direct link to video by Skies Magazine on YouTube

A common occurrence in the Airtanker business is in converting military or commercial aircraft into airtankers. Coulson Aviation is not the only contractor that does these conversions, most contractors flying airtankers will convert aircraft to an airtanker configuration as necessary. I liked this video by Coulson because it highlights the conversion of an ex-miliatry C-130H aircraft into an airtanker.  While specific to the C-130H that Coulson uses, I'd like to think that this video gives us an idea about how these conversions work. For example, any size airtanker needs a retardant tank which may involve reconfiguring the interior of the aircraft, controls have to installed for the pilots to make a drop, the aircraft has to be configured to refill the tank, obtaining any necessary FAA certifications, and inspections&maintenance.

About Lead Planes from Coulson Aviation

Direct link to video from Britt Coulson on YouTube 

I have gained some idea about how lead planes work over wildfires in the years that I have been writing this blog. I learned something about what lead planes flown by Coulson Aviation do and I think that what Coulson does is similar to what other contractors flying lead planes do. I enjoy videos like these because it takes me up close to operations that I would not be able to see in person.

Thanks to my friends at B10 NJ Wildland Fire Page who shared this video on their website today.