John Parks here from Parks Arcs Welding in Weaverville...funny to watch this video and see myself welding on your machine up on Big Ftench Creek...glad to help you get back on the line. I built a 1300 gallon skidgen out of a timber Jack 480 and got it signed up this year..maybe I will see you guys out there again...JEFFERSON STATE TRACTOR SERVICE...stay safe..and thanks for the work brothers!!
As a former fire fighter for Vegas/Lee Canyon NV Forestry Dept, I definitely appreciate the service these operators and machines put in. Its hard dangerous work, but rewarding in many ways also.
Ehh it's to be expected, they've got some of the highest emissions standards because of how many vehicles they have in the state, we've got the busiest highway in the world in Canada near where I live and we recently canned almost all emissions testing for passenger cars
I never heard of direct emissions recapture until going to Cali, attachments on the gas pumps that reduce the loss of fuel while filling up and taking the nozzle out, it actually adds up to a lot of lost product overall most likely
I worked on wildland fires for 26 years for cal-fire &C D F. Our company singed up yearly for help. The company was Joe Vicini inc. out of Placerville ca. I enjoyed the work. Thank you for sharing
I’m a self taught Cat Skinner having bulldozers on my Texas ranch. Those machines are badass! The tracks are like WW2 German tank tracks and the controls are wild. Hitting bees in a hollow tree is my limit. No fires for me! Bless you and others fighting fire!
Great video. I’m a retired mechanized wild land fire fighter from the south east. 25 years as a dozer operator on fires. Worked on a few fires in the western US over the years.
@@aquacleaning4994 it’s dependent on where you live. Usually you need to work for a state or federal forest service and go to fire schools 40 is pushing it to start because most agencies want beginners to be younger so they can work you more years to recoup the cost of training you. You need to be in good physical condition to pass the PT test every year also
The good old Skidgine. My Grandpa, the crazy old guy, ran Fire Dozer for 20 years. I flew BLM Helitack for 6 seasons as a FFT1, and I always thought HE was the crazy one. I for one know why you love Wildland Fire, there is a brotherhood there you will find nowhere else and it gets in your blood and stays there, forever. I truly miss it.
I was on the other side of the river cutting fire line to help save my buddies house and property his property looks right at the Ironside lookout we where watched the plains drop on the tower to save it. The footage you showed is exactly what I watched. I’ve been up there many times it is a really cool place with incredible views. Small world. Cool machine those things are goats. Thanks for coming over and helping save our forest unfortunately it’s going to be a while before we have and easy fire season. Gonna have to check out last years videos it’ll be interesting to see it from a different perspective.
Thanks flor your work. I’m working on the tech side of modernizing Wildland fire fighting. Hopefully we can bring more proactvce data to you to make give the ICPs more operational awareness.
I love wildland firefighting I’m on a FFT2 hand crew it’s an amazing job but it’s long hours and exhausting but wildland fire is amazing thing to experience I am also a carpenter this video was good man keep working hard and be safe out there
I understand your reservations a lot and being in heavy industrial work I know it’s a fine line on videos and footage however it is truly amazing seeing your equipment and the rewarding work you do. To know there are people out there that are willing to set fire as arson it’s ashame.
An arson doesn't need youtube or a video showing some of the bravest people, doing awesome work in some amazing machines and by strength and hand along, they just dont need that to start a fire.
Looks like Umpqua. Wish I could be on one of those teams, I love equipment, enjoyed being involved even in a more removed capacity out there. That or pipeline forestry/processing.
As guy below stated they are making modern chassis that can be fitted with anything that you need. Idk if it’s cost prohibitive. Or maybe kmc can sell you upgraded components for your existing chassis
@@georgevinson612 The skidder I ran when I was 6 steered just like a car... I have not been in a skidder that steered thike this one. It steers like it should have a wheel, but the wheel is just two handles, two handles in my mind from running dozers means pull on one to go one way, pull on the other to go the other way. Then you have excavators where you push and pull levers to go forward/backwards, and left and right..
Glorify the energy of people coming together for a cause. There are 99% of wildland firefighters that are energized by the rawness of each fire. I'd say focus on the pure power that is created among the crews including yourself. Exposing the truths will only gain you more support because we (viewers as well as trainers) need more material to demonstrate both in class as well as to our friends and family of what wildland firefighting is about. Keep up with the content and positivity and show the world what you do as well as what your goals are. Hope the best for your Chanel.
I don’t really know what your trying to say but part of what we do with forest management is doing prescribed burning projects so that it helps the environment
@@codysanderson7373 not sure what you don't get... But okay... Yeah. I know all about the "prescribed burns" we do. But let me ask you. How many of the roughly 500 MILLION acres of forests in this country do we actually burn to prevent wildfires? I'm pretty sure that number is around 8 million. No where NEAR enough. That leaves roughly 492 million acres of forests untouched and just WAITING to catch fire from the smallest of sources.
I find it to be really cool that you guys have heavy equipment to do firebreaks. Im am a volunteer in my countries "Federal Agency for Technical Relief" we could use dozers and such aswell, but we don´t get any due to funds. What i would like to know is if you guys are also organised in a paramilitaristic way or if you guys work birgade by bridgade?
Good luck keeping viewers and getting ppl to wait a year for content to be released. We live in an instant gratification world so I don't think most ppl will wait a year.
It's kind of crazy that someone would watch something like this and somehow be inspired to light a forest fire. I tend to forget how horrible some people can be.
I'd really love to do this again, but I'm a little old to pass the physical tests. That and a pacemaker. I'll just stick to the logging and road building.
I trhink the skidgines are probably the coolest rigs out there. I am surprised you are not getting them set up like the Aussie Brush trucks with the burnover self protection. If they got that they would be fire fighting gods.
The reason why those rocks are sacred to the natives is because the young men have a test or a trial for their mind. They take the largest rock they could lift and they will carry it to the top of the mountain and along the journey with no food and water they get a little delusional and that is a transition point for them. Some of the rocks I seen in the Klamath national Forest were pretty big
You must do what you love to do! When one does his calling it is never work. I am that way with drafting the old fashion way board/paper and pen or pencil drawing. not the new fangled way with computers. they have their uses but I loved the old way.
There are some things. I think one of the best things you can do (if possible) is to create “defensible space” by removing trees and brush close to the house.
Y'all need to do alot more prescribed burns 🤔🤔. You're just too good at putting fires out. The longer between fires the more fuel build up and it kills the roots 🤔🤔. Good luck fellas be safe 👍👍
How would someone go about getting into the job you perform with that piece of heavy equipment or any heavy equipment with the wild land fire fighters?
Its not a bad idea. I think the key in modernizing this type of machine is speed over steep difficult terrain while safely carrying heavy loads of water, equipment and/or personnel. I think the guy’s who built the “Ripsaw” tank are at the pinnacle of the technology. The speed and power are incomprehensible. Just need to build a model that can push a six way dozer blade while carrying 1,500gal of water.
John Parks here from Parks Arcs Welding in Weaverville...funny to watch this video and see myself welding on your machine up on Big Ftench Creek...glad to help you get back on the line.
I built a 1300 gallon skidgen out of a timber Jack 480 and got it signed up this year..maybe I will see you guys out there again...JEFFERSON STATE TRACTOR SERVICE...stay safe..and thanks for the work brothers!!
As a former fire fighter for Vegas/Lee Canyon NV Forestry Dept, I definitely appreciate the service these operators and machines put in. Its hard dangerous work, but rewarding in many ways also.
Thank you for your service! 1st responders aren't thanked or honored enough. You are a hero every single day!
Cousin?
In California, heavy equipment needs to pass emissions requirements to be allowed on a fire call. How ironic is that! 😂
The absolute stupidity of the state government in California is staggering.
Califorina, enough said. Different way to spell stupid.
Yeah like the fire passing that.😆😆😆
Ehh it's to be expected, they've got some of the highest emissions standards because of how many vehicles they have in the state, we've got the busiest highway in the world in Canada near where I live and we recently canned almost all emissions testing for passenger cars
I never heard of direct emissions recapture until going to Cali, attachments on the gas pumps that reduce the loss of fuel while filling up and taking the nozzle out, it actually adds up to a lot of lost product overall most likely
I worked on wildland fires for 26 years for cal-fire &C D F. Our company singed up yearly for help. The company was Joe Vicini inc. out of Placerville ca. I enjoyed the work. Thank you for sharing
I'm in Placerville as well! Is that company still around?
@@weirdasspunk Yes there on Placerville drive . Windmill in front.
I’m a self taught Cat Skinner having bulldozers on my Texas ranch. Those machines are badass! The tracks are like WW2 German tank tracks and the controls are wild. Hitting bees in a hollow tree is my limit. No fires for me! Bless you and others fighting fire!
Great video. I’m a retired mechanized wild land fire fighter from the south east. 25 years as a dozer operator on fires. Worked on a few fires in the western US over the years.
How do u get to be able to do it? I'm already about to turn 40, is it still possible?
@@aquacleaning4994 it’s dependent on where you live. Usually you need to work for a state or federal forest service and go to fire schools
40 is pushing it to start because most agencies want beginners to be younger so they can work you more years to recoup the cost of training you. You need to be in good physical condition to pass the PT test every year also
Thank you for making this video. We appreciate all you do and the risks you take.
Thank you guys for all you do. When I was younger I would have loved to be a part of wild land fire fighter.
The good old Skidgine. My Grandpa, the crazy old guy, ran Fire Dozer for 20 years. I flew BLM Helitack for 6 seasons as a FFT1, and I always thought HE was the crazy one. I for one know why you love Wildland Fire, there is a brotherhood there you will find nowhere else and it gets in your blood and stays there, forever. I truly miss it.
Stumbled onto your channel. Very interesting. Thanks for posting.
I was on the other side of the river cutting fire line to help save my buddies house and property his property looks right at the Ironside lookout we where watched the plains drop on the tower to save it. The footage you showed is exactly what I watched. I’ve been up there many times it is a really cool place with incredible views. Small world. Cool machine those things are goats. Thanks for coming over and helping save our forest unfortunately it’s going to be a while before we have and easy fire season. Gonna have to check out last years videos it’ll be interesting to see it from a different perspective.
Thanks for sharing and I appreciate your service!!
One of your very best videos Jesse, I am anxious to see more of the wild fire fighting videos.
Thanks for your service. Keep it up. Nothing like the sound of a 2 stroke detroit diesel screaming. Very reliable engine
Thanks flor your work. I’m working on the tech side of modernizing Wildland fire fighting. Hopefully we can bring more proactvce data to you to make give the ICPs more operational awareness.
Thank you for what you do and the risk you take to protect our wild lands and wild life 🇺🇸👍🏻 new subscriber here 🇺🇸
I love wildland firefighting I’m on a FFT2 hand crew it’s an amazing job but it’s long hours and exhausting but wildland fire is amazing thing to experience I am also a carpenter this video was good man keep working hard and be safe out there
I pulled that skidgen out of a ditch during the KNP fire in 2022. Soft track fire attack is the business. Bunch of awesome folks.
Thanks for sharing this is a perspective and a view you don’t often get to see or share
Nice to hear your perspective.
Keep the videos coming.
Super interesting perspective! Enjoyed the video.
Worked with you guys on a few fires this year and last year awesome equipment
Thank you for your service one firefighter to another
I was a spotter for a cat back in the seventies one of the most exciting jobs I've ever had
We have a gyro trac .with 500 gals..in blue ridge mountains..wish we had more water capacity! 400 gallons goes quick...great video...be safe!
That's a firefighter I'd love to see more of that contract
Great video!!!
Great Video, I love your rationale about delaying video by 12 mths, thanks for sharing
The sense of urgency is huge !
Wildland firefighters work 16 to 18 hr shifts, sometimes more. A standard run is 14 days working then 2 days r&r = marathon nota sprint
I understand your reservations a lot and being in heavy industrial work I know it’s a fine line on videos and footage however it is truly amazing seeing your equipment and the rewarding work you do. To know there are people out there that are willing to set fire as arson it’s ashame.
Arson occurs in Australia usually by young kids who need special attention they are from poor neglected areas
An arson doesn't need youtube or a video showing some of the bravest people, doing awesome work in some amazing machines and by strength and hand along, they just dont need that to start a fire.
Man, that would be such a fun job, I'd be so stoked to run those machines!!!
Oh hell yea, love to hear that screamin detroit!!
Great vid ! Glad yer out there !
Absolutely great vid please make more
Digging the paint job
Thank you!
Detroit baby hell yeah
Much respect!
super cool stuff man
Looks like Umpqua. Wish I could be on one of those teams, I love equipment, enjoyed being involved even in a more removed capacity out there. That or pipeline forestry/processing.
Saw your SoftTrack rigs up on the North Complex a couple years back.
That truck is sweeeeeeet 😎
The moment the truck driver started give hand signals backing up 😎😎 hahaha
This fire was super close to my family’s property in Salyer ca. I remember when the lookout on ironside burnt down. Super steep country
I remember working with you two from the Monument Fire last year
Now that's a rig set up
Time to get machines purpose built, maybe reach out to the Aussies or maybe FMC for some new chassis/ custom builds.
Look up Soft Track Attack we’ve built many custom Soft Track skidgines.
New Machines on New chassis, Not rebuilds on "Old 70's era chassis reassembled 100's of times."
The sound of the Detroit
i live here in montana and only wish i could help- but i definitely lack actual experience. you guys are the real heroes
Nice video
As guy below stated they are making modern chassis that can be fitted with anything that you need. Idk if it’s cost prohibitive. Or maybe kmc can sell you upgraded components for your existing chassis
That orange sun. Look right at that bad boy.
That steering system would mess me up. I'm used to the old clutch levers, so I would probably try to pull one side back to steer.
@@georgevinson612 The skidder I ran when I was 6 steered just like a car... I have not been in a skidder that steered thike this one. It steers like it should have a wheel, but the wheel is just two handles, two handles in my mind from running dozers means pull on one to go one way, pull on the other to go the other way. Then you have excavators where you push and pull levers to go forward/backwards, and left and right..
I bet this guy has seen some out of the ordinary things out there in the forests.
Ready for Blast Off🚀the fire Destroyer coming for you
Glorify the energy of people coming together for a cause. There are 99% of wildland firefighters that are energized by the rawness of each fire. I'd say focus on the pure power that is created among the crews including yourself. Exposing the truths will only gain you more support because we (viewers as well as trainers) need more material to demonstrate both in class as well as to our friends and family of what wildland firefighting is about. Keep up with the content and positivity and show the world what you do as well as what your goals are. Hope the best for your Chanel.
[Goh
Take er easy on the instant coffee bud, just take a deep breath - it’ll be alright
One way we mismanage our forests is by NOT letting them burn. It's kind of an important part of a forests natural cycle...
I don’t really know what your trying to say but part of what we do with forest management is doing prescribed burning projects so that it helps the environment
@@codysanderson7373 not sure what you don't get... But okay... Yeah. I know all about the "prescribed burns" we do. But let me ask you. How many of the roughly 500 MILLION acres of forests in this country do we actually burn to prevent wildfires? I'm pretty sure that number is around 8 million. No where NEAR enough. That leaves roughly 492 million acres of forests untouched and just WAITING to catch fire from the smallest of sources.
Very interesting 👌
I find it to be really cool that you guys have heavy equipment to do firebreaks. Im am a volunteer in my countries "Federal Agency for Technical Relief" we could use dozers and such aswell, but we don´t get any due to funds. What i would like to know is if you guys are also organised in a paramilitaristic way or if you guys work birgade by bridgade?
It’s quite paramiltaristic. Look into Stephen Pyne’s writing for some history on wildfire management in the USA (and globally).
Thank you
Good luck keeping viewers and getting ppl to wait a year for content to be released. We live in an instant gratification world so I don't think most ppl will wait a year.
We have the same exact machine at work except ours has a 70ft bucket on the back
Cool perspective
Ya I have a buddy that does what you do but you guys get payed dam good 👍
🏆🏆🏆👍🇺🇲🙏.
Thank you for sharing.
It's kind of crazy that someone would watch something like this and somehow be inspired to light a forest fire. I tend to forget how horrible some people can be.
You know this machine reminds me of the firefly from thunderbirds
Very interesting so many machine build in usa ,nobody build nice mount fire truck with pumps and hoses water supply to work non stop.
I saw that company and one of their machines on the Cameron Peak Fire in Colorado.
That was me. We were stationed in Estes Park when it snowed on us.
Is that a 2 stroke diesel???
Yes equipment offer I love seeing that kind of stuff fires in Montana viruses might have for several years
keep up the good work. i'm sure you need to get creative to keep those old machines running. looking forward to more content.
I'd really love to do this again, but I'm a little old to pass the physical tests. That and a pacemaker. I'll just stick to the logging and road building.
Screaming Detroit…….nothing better !
I trhink the skidgines are probably the coolest rigs out there. I am surprised you are not getting them set up like the Aussie Brush trucks with the burnover self protection. If they got that they would be fire fighting gods.
I believe some machines do and even have internal air supply for the operator.
next summer i will be doing wild land fire fitghting
You need heavy equipment operated by skilled operators when flame heights and temperatures are too high for human firefighters!
Wow your smart
The reason why those rocks are sacred to the natives is because the young men have a test or a trial for their mind. They take the largest rock they could lift and they will carry it to the top of the mountain and along the journey with no food and water they get a little delusional and that is a transition point for them. Some of the rocks I seen in the Klamath national Forest were pretty big
You must do what you love to do! When one does his calling it is never work. I am that way with drafting the old fashion way board/paper and pen or pencil drawing. not the new fangled way with computers. they have their uses but I loved the old way.
What would you recommend home owners do to help slow the fire before they get out of Dodge
There are some things. I think one of the best things you can do (if possible) is to create “defensible space” by removing trees and brush close to the house.
Looks and sounds like an old m113
This is so cool. Like when a kid never grows up 😂!
Need to call these wildfires what they are PLASMA FIRES!
Y'all need to do alot more prescribed burns 🤔🤔. You're just too good at putting fires out. The longer between fires the more fuel build up and it kills the roots 🤔🤔. Good luck fellas be safe 👍👍
Any reason why your fire pump truck without some blade or brush to push down
How would someone go about getting into the job you perform with that piece of heavy equipment or any heavy equipment with the wild land fire fighters?
Contact Larry at Soft Track Attack. Tell Larry that Jesse sent you.
Is that an old Detroit
the fire lookout and communication spot was that the same one famous with Jack Kerouac/author?
Looks similar but Kerouac stayed at Desolation peak in Washington state
HeavyDSparks next recovery toy...
Detroit!!!
How different is that machine from a snow-cat, obviously they're different but could a commercially available snowcat chassis be adapted?
Its not a bad idea. I think the key in modernizing this type of machine is speed over steep difficult terrain while safely carrying heavy loads of water, equipment and/or personnel.
I think the guy’s who built the “Ripsaw” tank are at the pinnacle of the technology. The speed and power are incomprehensible. Just need to build a model that can push a six way dozer blade while carrying 1,500gal of water.
Was that rum creek?
👍👍👍👊👊
Let's start them fires so we can get paid to put them out, let's go overtime.
Ok it's a fmc modified skidder
I thought this was a video game in the first 2 shots and with the thumbnail
more information in description just what area.
Are those bars made to undo chains? Ive heard they can catch you in the face or fly
Why I got me ratchet ones when I was getting chains for my trailer
Is this AAV7 engine? Sounds very familiar