2. ATVs

Boca Fire As Seen from Boca Hill (8/18/2014)

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Another shot of the flames along the left flank.
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Another shot of the flames along the left flank.

  • Flyin Boy came up for 5 days of ATV riding and we decided to unload at Prosser Dam for an easy but fun warm-up day. We were out near Russell Valley later that afternoon when we saw smoke in the direction of Boca Reservoir. We made a beeline up to the top of Boca Hill to get a better view, and saw this wildfire burning near the Boca Dam.
  • The fire grew quickly. Fortunately it was near the reservoir, so the two helicopters making water drops on the fire had a nearby water source for fast turnaround times. Later, an air tanker arrived to do several borate drops on the fire. A spotter plane circled high above the fire to (presumably) direct the assault on the fire.
  • Winds were light but variable. In this shot, the winds are from the south and the fire is being pushed northward (the fire is ENE of us). You can see the flames along the left side of the fire.
  • Another shot of the flames along the left flank.
  • One of the helicopters making a water drop on the flames. The water in mid-air is easily visible, the helicopter is the dot above it. Note that there are other flames along the right flank, so the pilots and firefighters still have quite a bit of work to do.
  • Winds have shifted and the fire is now moving southward towards the Truckee River and I-80 on the other side of it. You can see the air tanker making a borate drop along the right edge of the fire. For all of his drops, the tanker would begin it's run from the upper-right corner of the photo, fly right to left (northward), then turn down slope (directly at us) for its drop.
  • Another shot of the fire and air tanker (may not have been the same drop as in the prior photo).
  • The air tanker after finishing it's drop, climbing straight towards us, and now beginning its right turn to head back to Reno Stead (to the northeast) for another refill. At least that's where he seemed to be going, but maybe the tanker base is at a different airstrip in that area(?).
  • The air tanker finishing its turn and heading for its base. We headed down from Boca Hill a little after 5 PM, and the fire was eventually declared to be contained at 6:30 PM. I think it burned a total of about 100 acres. There was no lightning in the area at all on that day, so the fire must have been caused by an act of man vs. mother nature.
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