Wednesday, May 16, 2007

California Fire News

California Fire News

LODD: California Captain Collapses and Dies

Posted: 15 May 2007 05:59 PM CDT

The Phoenix: The WFD Retirees & Friends Blog: California Captain Collapses and Dies:

California Captain Collapses and Dies


"The Redding, Calif. Fire Department is mourning the loss of a dedicated fire captain.

Captain Ed Andrews, 53, died yesterday during training.

Battalion Chief Shane Lauderdale said Andrews was training for the upcoming summer fire season when he collapsed. He said fellow firefighters and EMS personnel immediately began CPR, and continued as he was transported to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Andrews had been with the department since 1984, and was promoted to captain in 1994."

Update on Georgia-Florida-Minnesota-Ontario fires

Posted: 15 May 2007 01:55 PM CDT

Hundreds More Flee Massive Florida Wildfire


Updated: 05-15-2007 01:29:24 PM
From
firehouse.com
By RON WORD
Associated Press Writer

LAKE CITY, Fla. --

Authorities evacuated hundreds of homes after a massive wildfire along the Georgia-Florida border jumped a containment line overnight, authorities said Tuesday.

Firefighters pushed the flames back to the containment line, but dry weather and 15 mph wind in north Florida was expected to further hinder their work.

"If we can just get through today," said Russell Hubright, a U.S. Forest Service spokesman.

Between 250 and 500 homes west of U.S. 441 had to be evacuated for a second time when the fire line was breached, Florida Highway Patrol Lt. Michael Burroughs said. An additional 570 people who were ordered out of homes east of the roadway were still waiting to return.

The wildfire had raced through the Okefenokee Swamp in southeast Georgia and into northern Florida after being started by lightning more than a week ago. By Tuesday, it had burned 109,000 acres in Florida and 139,813 acres of swampland in Georgia - nearly 390 square miles in all.

Flames jumped a containment line at the fire's western edge, but firefighters used bulldozers and water-dropping helicopters to extinguish them, said John Speaks, deputy incident commander with the forest service. The fire was about 1 1/2 miles from U.S. 441.

On the western edge of the Okefenokee Swamp in Georgia, Fargo residents were told to stay alert as wind forecast at up to 20 mph pushed the blaze against fire breaks plowed between the swamp and the city of 380 people.

"Everybody's being told not to let their guard down, don't unpack," said Laura Polant, a fire information officer in Fargo. "Residents are still being told to be prepared to leave, because the call can come at any time."

In Florida, the blaze was 50 percent contained Tuesday. The smoke had lifted enough to open Interstates 10 and 75 to traffic, but drivers were warned that periodic closures were still possible.

Another large wildfire, in northeastern Minnesota and Ontario, could be brought under control by the end of the week, officials said. No one has been seriously hurt in the fire, which has burned 117 square miles of Minnesota and Canada, but many cabins and smaller structures - more than 100 in all - have been destroyed.

Re: CA-LAC-Island (Catalina) - 209

Posted: 15 May 2007 01:49 PM CDT

Re: CA-LAC-Island (Catalina)
1:DATE 05/14/2007
2: Time 1800
3: Initial | Update |XX Final |
4: Incident Number CA-LAC-102481
5: Incident Name ISLAND
6: Incident Kind Wildland Fire
7: Start Date Time 05/10/2007 1231
8: Cause Under Investigation
9: Incident Commander Osby / Hoefs
10: Incident Command Organization Type 2 Team
11: State-Unit CA-LAC
12: County Los Angeles
13: Latitude and Longitude Lat: 33° 21´ 37" Long: 118° 22´ 14" Ownership: SR-SRA
14: Short Location Description (in reference to nearest town):4 miles west of Avalon (Catalina Island)
Current Situation
15: Size/Area Involved 4,750 ACRES
16: % Contained or MMA 97 Percent
17: Expected Containment Date: 05/15/2007
18: Line to Build
19: Estimated Costs to Date $4,400,000
20: Declared Controlled Date: time:
21: Injuries this Reporting Period: 1
22: Injuries to Date: 14
23: Fatalities 0
24: Structure Information
Type of Structure # Threatened # Damaged# Destroyed
Residence 1 destroyed
Outbuilding/Other 6 Destroyed
25: Threat to Human Life/Safety:
Evacuation(s) in progress ---- No evacuation(s) imminent --
Potential future threat --------
No likely threat --------------- XX
26: Communities/Critical Infrastructure Threatened (in 12, 24, 48 and 72 hour time frames):
12 hours:
24 hours:
48 hours:
72 hours:
27: Critical Resource Needs(kind & amount, in priority order in 12, 24, 48, and 72 hour time frames):
12 hours:
24 hours:
48 hours:
72 hours:
28: Major problems and concerns (control problems, social/political/economic concerns or impacts, etc.) Relate critical resources needs identified above to the Incident Action Plan.
Santa Catalina Island is located 26 miles off the coast of Los Angeles. All ground resources were ferried to the island and back via barges. Steep and inaccessible terrain hindered efforts of ground resources constructing hand lines.
29: Natural and Cultural Resources to be protected (kind(s) and value/significance):
Critical watershed, wildflowers and indigenous plants, wildlife habitat for the Bald Eagle, Catalina Island Fox, Buffalo, Beechy Ground Squirrel, and Deer.
30: Current Weather Conditions
Wind Speed: 3-6 mph
Temperature: 62
Wind Direction: s/w Relative Humidity: 56
31: Fuels/Materials Involved: 4 Chaparral (6 Feet)
32: Today's observed fire behavior (leave blank for non-fire events): Smoldering of 10 and 100 hours fuels, 1 hour fuel have reached their moisture extinction levels.
33: Significant events today (closures, evacuations, significant progress made, etc.): Damage assessment teams nearing completion for final damage totals. Local law enforcement removing control points allowing for residents and tourist to travel outside of the city. Portions of the interior of the island still remain closed to residents only. Exceptional efforts of ground crew and favorable weather conditions has produced better than expected perimeter containment, allowing the estimated containment on 5/15/07 1800 hours.
34: Estimated Control Date and Time: 05/15/2007 1800
35: Projected Final Size:
36: Estimated Final Cost:
37: Actions planned for next operational period:
Structure protection efforts in vulnerable areas and patrol of the fire perimeter. On going fire suppression rehab.
38: Projected incident movement/spread during next operational period (in 12, 24, 48, and 72 hour time frames)
12 hours: Minimal potential of escape around secured perimeter, 1 and 10 hours fuel have reached their moisture of extinction levels. W
24 hours: No fire spread anticipated. Increased RH, and cooler temperatures have aided in post burn areas minimizing this threat of fore growth. Moisture of extinction levels have reached throughout the fire.
48 hours:
72 hours:
39: For fire incidents, describe resistance to control in terms of:1. Growth Potential - Low 2. Difficulty of Terrain - Extreme40: Given the current constraints, when will the chosen management strategy succeed? It is very likely that the containment and control targets will be met.
41: Projected demobilization start date: 05/13/2007 0800
42: Remarks: Demobilization has been slower than normal due to transporting personnel and vehicles by ferries and barges.
43: Committed Resources (Supplemental Committed Resources follow the first block)
Agency CRW1 CRW2 HEL1 HEL2 HEL3 ENGS DOZR WTDR OVHD Camp Crews Total Personnel
ST SR ST SR SR SR SR ST SR ST SR SR
PRI 2 2
OTHR 1 1
USFS 1 1
CNTY 3 4 172 176
LGR 1 4 9
ST 6 1 10 128
Total 0 9 0 0 0 0 0 5 2 0 0 2 88 0 317
Total personnel by agency are listed in the first section of committed resources.
Agency HELTK FIXW TRKCO RESMD LGT AIR
SR SR SR SR
PRI
OTHR
USFS
CNTY
LGR
ST
Total 0 0 0 0 0
44: Cooperating and Assisting Agencies Not Listed Above:
Southern Calif Edison, LA Sheriffs Dept, Orange County Fire Authority,USFS, Long Beach Fire Dept, Avalon Animal Control, USCG, U.S. Navy, Island Conservancy, Catalina Island Co. City of Avalon Harbor Patrol, California Coservation Corps.
Date: 05/14/2007 Time: 1800

CA - SCU - Del Puerto Fire

Posted: 15 May 2007 09:34 AM CDT


Name: Del Puerto Fire
County: Stanislaus
Administrative Unit: CAL FIRE Santa Clara Unit
Status/Notes: 10% - 200 acres

This fire is burning just west of Patterson. CAL FIRE has over 230 firefighters battling this fire.

Updates from around
the net:
May 15, 2007 3:00 am



(1) CA-SCU-Del Puerto Canyon- "Started early morning, around 150 acres. About 50% contained. Early start for a Del Puerto fire, under investigation."

(2) Re: SCU Del Puerto Canyon- "Strike team coming into the SCU Unit to cover stations."

(3) Re:09:21 CA-SCU-Del Puerto Canyon- "Strike team from BEU"


(4) 09:28-Re: CA-SCU-Del Puerto Canyon- "Crew strike team from AEU cancelled"

(5)

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