California Fire News

Vegetation Fire Near San Andreas Posted: 26 May 2007 07:27 PM CDT MyMotherLode.com Clean-up Following San Andreas Vegetation Fire Continues Today Saturday, May 26, 2007 - 07:00 AM BJ Hansen San Andreas, Ca -- Crews will be on hand today to continue the effort to extinguish yesterday's 111 acre vegetation fire northeast of San Andreas. We have plans for another 10 engines to come in, with six hand crews and two water tenders says CAL Fire Battalion Chief Jeff Milar. He says the official cause of yesterday's fire has yet to be determined, but it appears it may have been from a burn pile that got out of control. CAL Fire Crews Gather At Friday's Vegetation Fire Near San Andreas The fire was reported at 2:30pm and contained at 7:30pm. Firefighters have been busier than normal for this time of year. This is a fire we'd expect in July and August, adds Milar. The fire season has been moved up and that translates into a longer and busier fire season. We need the public to be more careful with everything they do when they are out in the wild lands."

Firefighter worked around clock at Ground Zero Murdered Posted: 26 May 2007 11:01 PM CDT 911 Rescue and Recovery workers: Salvatore Princiotta Firefighter worked around clock at Ground Zero Murdered Associated Press May. 26, 2007 11:59 AM NEW YORK - Firefighter Salvatore Princiotta worked around the clock at the World Trade Center site after the Sept. 11 attacks: Family members say he helped put out fires, led injured people out of the area, and spent a week digging through the smoking rubble for his uncle, a deputy fire chief. He eventually got sick with lung problems, retired from the fire department and recently moved to Arizona, hoping the abundance of sun and fresh air would be just what his ailing body needed. But on May 14 - five years to the day after the remains of his uncle, Chief Raymond Downey, were found at ground zero - Princiotta was found dead in his Arizona apartment. Police said there were bullet wounds in his decomposing body. On Friday, the suspect in the slaying committed suicide after police cornered him in California, authorities said. Police are saying little about the suspect and nothing about why he killed Princiotta, only adding to the mystery surrounding the former firefighter's final days. But one thing is for sure - Princiotta is one of hundreds of first responders who got sick after Sept. 11 and now blame their health woes on the toxic fumes and dust at ground zero. In January, Princiotta moved from his Manhattan apartment to Arizona because he was having trouble breathing. After several hospitalizations, he retired from the FDNY four years ago. "He was brokenhearted," said his brother, Joseph Princiotta of Deer Park, a Long Island community where family members have lived in six houses along Oak Street for decades. "You could say Sal was a victim of 9/11," the brother said. "He would never have moved to Arizona if 9/11 hadn't happened." Hundreds of miles from the haunting memories, in Scottsdale, Ariz., the 43-year-old retired firefighter hoped for a new life in a near-perfect, sunny climate. He was getting disability pay - three-quarters of his firefighter salary - supplemented by income from day-trading stocks. Photography was his pastime and passion and he planned to use his new home as a base to keep traveling the world. His photos - posted on his Web site - are from Turkey, the Czech Republic, Italy, Mexico, Greece. In the clear Arizona air, he could ride his new bike. Three months after the terror attacks, the image of Princiotta atop a road bike was seen across the country when he and five other firefighters cycled 3,000 miles from New York to California - to say thank you to fellow Americans, especially firefighters and police in other states, for coming to New York's rescue in its hour of need. Princiotta and his group of FDNY firefighters raised $29,000 for the Uniformed Firefighters Association Widows' & Children's Fund. His firehouse - Ladder Co. 9, Engine Co. 33 in lower Manhattan - had lost 10 of its men on Sept. 11. Princiotta, a muscled, tattoed man friends called "Sally Boy," would donate gifts to orphaned children each Christmas, but didn't want anyone to know, said his best friend in New York, Gus Thomas. During his almost 15 years with the FDNY, Princiotta received two citations for bravery; in one instance, he walked into a burning house to pull out a trapped firefighter. An online guestbook with comments from friends, relatives and strangers includes an entry from the firefighter Princiotta saved, Hank Porcaro, now retired in Las Vegas. "Sal saved my life at the very moment I was dying. Out of air, lost, and tied up in fallen cables, I knew I was breathing out my last breath," he writes, adding that the flames were blowing over his head and he was losing consciousness. "Then I heard my miracle. A big strong voice telling me I got you, brother' sounded to me like an angel. I felt his strong arms pull my tied up body and I knew I would be OK." Just outside Princiotta's old firehouse, a makeshift memorial still sits on a windowsill by the sidewalk - a wooden box with a glass lid that holds photos of him both in uniform and in casual attire, always in the company of his firefighter buddies. In New York, he remains a hero, a friend, a beloved son, brother, uncle and decorated former firefighter. He was also "a consummate bachelor, outgoing and gregarious," his brother said with a chuckle. In Arizona, the New York hero has become a victim in a murder mystery. The suspect killed himself Friday night at a motel in San Bernardino, Calif., said Sgt. Mark Clark, a Scottsdale police spokesman. When approached by police, the suspect fled on foot. After a short chase, he pulled out a gun and committed suicide, Clark said. The name of the 56-year-old man was being withheld until relatives could be notified, Clark said. The question now is: What was the motive for Princiotta's slaying? His nephew, also named Salvatore Princiotta, discovered his uncle's body on May 14, Joseph Princiotta said. Family members had been trying to reach Princiotta for about a week, after not hearing from him for a while. A niece got no reply to cell phone text messages and e-mails. Finally, the nephew, a student at a nearby college, went to check on his uncle, using his own key to enter the condominium in his gated, low-crime community. It appeared Princiotta had been dead for days, police said. There was no evidence of a break-in. Thomas visited Princiotta about a month ago. He remembers answering several calls from a man named "Jeff" who would abruptly hang up when told Princiotta was still asleep. Princiotta said the man lived in California and had sold Princiotta a safe to store his coin collection after the two met in Las Vegas. "I told him, you don't buy a safe from a stranger!" Thomas said. The Manhattan restaurant owner said he was pleased that police found a suspect, but still sad about the loss. "I haven't slept in weeks since he died," he said. At first, his family in New York believed Princiotta might have died of the post-Sept. 11 lung complications. On Tuesday, a day after he was buried on Long Island, police in Arizona announced they were conducting a homicide investigation. Princiotta was flown home to New York from Phoenix, where his coffin rode atop a fire engine to the airport. When the plane landed at New York's LaGuardia Airport, 60 firefighters saluted as the flag-draped casket emerged from the aircraft. He was buried Monday at the St. Charles Cemetery in Pine Lawn, Long Island, near his childhood home.

Liability a burning concern among firefighters Posted: 26 May 2007 12:52 PM CDT Liability a burning concern among firefighters: 10:00 PM PDT on Friday, May 25, 2007 By LORA HINES, KIMBERLY TRONE and BEN GOAD The Press-Enterprise Some state and federal fire officials are worried about criminal or civil liability as the U.S. Agriculture Department's inspector general's office begins its investigation into the Esperanza Fire that killed five U.S. Forest Service firefighters in October. Firefighters across the country say they are less likely to accept fire assignments and more likely to avoid supervisory roles because of the possibility of criminal charges being filed against fire-incident commanders. Meanwhile, fire supervisors have been encouraged to buy professional liability insurance to protect themselves if prosecuted. "Fear of prosecution is frightening to everybody," said Chuck Bushey, president of the International Association of Wildland Fire, a nonprofit professional firefighting organization. "A lot of them are thinking about not going out on fires for which they're qualified. Some of them are thinking about getting out of fire altogether. We deserve to have some immunity." By law, the inspector general must investigate deaths of federal firefighters who are killed in burnovers or entrapments. This week, a joint Forest Service and Cal Fire investigation report showed that mistakes made during the fire led to the firefighters' deaths. Previously, two fire commanders were charged in the deaths of federal firefighters in Washington and Idaho. 'Our Complete Attention' Terry McHale, public policy director for CDF Firefighters, a state firefighter union, said concerns about potential lawsuits or criminal prosecution of firefighters who made decisions battling the deadly blaze has "our complete attention." "These people work under extreme duress in the worst of conditions. Then, to suddenly say you are subject to civil or criminal liability is the most severe and perverse case of Monday-morning quarterbacking," McHale said. Laurie Levenson, a professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, said she doesn't believe firefighters will be charged. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against Raymond Lee Oyler, who faces five counts of murder in the arson that killed the Engine 57 crew. "They've already got their bad guy," Levenson said. "He's the key." Prosecutors would undermine their case against Oyler if they blamed someone else for the firefighters' deaths, Levenson said. Firefighters would more likely face disciplinary action, she said. Cal Fire officials want to keep firefighters from jeopardizing the case against Oyler. As an example, Cal Fire Southern Region Chief Candace Gregory last month issued an e-mail memo suggesting that employees avoid talking about the Esperanza Fire. Giny Chandler, Cal Fire's chief attorney, refused to provide a copy of the memo, calling it privileged legal advice. The Press-Enterprise obtained it this week from an outside source. Call for Safeguards McHale said lawmakers must create safeguards for firefighters, who don't have time to second-guess themselves while trying to protect people and their homes. Bushey said he plans to make lawmakers aware of the anxiety created when firefighters have to worry about choices they make while doing their jobs. Earlier this year, Bushey's organization conducted a survey that indicated firefighters nationwide fear decisions they make while battling blazes could put them at risk of criminal prosecution. The survey was done after former U.S. Forest Service supervisor Ellreese N. Daniels was indicted on charges of involuntary manslaughter and lying to investigators following firefighter deaths in the 2001 Thirtymile Fire in Washington. The charges came in December, five years after the blaze trapped Daniels, 13 other firefighters and two campers. All but four firefighters survived. The deaths in the Thirtymile blaze prompted Congress to pass a law in 2002 requiring the U.S. Department of Agriculture's inspector general to investigate all entrapments and burnovers involving federal firefighters. Mixed Reactions More than a quarter of the 3,083 full-time firefighters who responded to the survey said Daniels' prosecution would not affect their careers. A little more than a quarter of them said they would respond to fewer wildland blazes. About 17 percent said they would change their qualification documents to prevent being assigned to some fires. Another 16 percent said they would not take an incident-command assignment. The inspector general's office pursued involuntary manslaughter charges against the incident commander after a fatal 2003 Idaho blaze, known as the Cramer Fire, in which two Forest Service firefighters died. It was the first fatal blaze to be investigated by the inspector general. The U.S. attorney's office filed charges against the fire's incident commander, Alan Hackett, who was found to have been negligent in his management of the blaze. Hackett wouldn't comment Friday. He agreed to 18 months of federal probation to avoid possible indictment and conviction. Hackett successfully completed his probation last year. Federal fire officials say they understand prosecution fears threaten firefighter morale, recruitment, retention and safety. Officials from several federal firefighting agencies issued a memo last month saying they were considering providing firefighters with more liability information and loosening rules to give them more freedom to assess a fire's risk and make decisions accordingly. Dick Mangan, who served four decades as a Forest Service firefighter, said the threat of criminal repercussions could leave supervisors looking for reasons not to attack a blaze. He has conducted numerous studies on wildland fire deaths. Mangan and others said many firefighters in supervisory roles are buying professional liability insurance to protect themselves in the event their decisions come under scrutiny. The policies cost just under $300 a year and cover up to $100,000 in legal fees, along with $1 million in liability coverage. Results from the fire association's survey shows that 85 percent of respondents didn't have professional liability insurance. Twenty-one percent said they would buy it this year. San Bernardino National Forest Fire Chief Mike Dietrich said he has attended two presentations given by federal attorneys recommending that officials get the insurance. "You respond to an incident in the middle of the night or whenever with good-faith interests and then, poof, something happens . . . and you find yourself under investigation -- criminal investigation," he said. Reach Lora Hines at 951-398-9444 or lhines@PE.com "

Water truck tumbles down embankment Posted: 26 May 2007 11:26 AM CDT "Water truck tumbles down embankment'" Water Trucks and Water Tenders: North State Briefs: May 26, 2007 : 'LAKE SHASTA -- The driver of a water tender assigned to help fight the Bolli Fire went down an approximately 200-foot embankment Friday, and reportedly suffered minor injuries, said a spokesman for the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. The water tender did not roll into Lake Shasta as had been feared, he said. Forest Service spokesman Mike Odle said the contracted driver, who worked for Alan's Water of Cottonwood, went off a Forest Service road north of Whitegate and rolled about 200 feet before stopping. The driver was going to be taken to a Redding hospital for observation.' Water Tender Assigned to Bolli Fire Rolls From Inciweb 2007-05-26 10:26:44 Incident: Bolli Released: 2007-05-25 17:26:00 ET LAKE SHASTA, Calif. (May 25, 2007) – At approximately 12:30 p.m. today, a contract water tender assigned to the Bolli Fire went off of Forest Service Road 35N18, north of Whitegate and rolled approximately 200 feet before stopping. Contrary to initial reports, the water tender is not in Shasta Lake. The driver of the vehicle is being brought up the side of the hill on a litter and will be transported to a hospital in Redding for further medical evaluation and treatment. At this time, medical personnel on-scene characterized the driver's injuries as minor. The water tender is contracted through Alan's Water of Cottonwood, Calif. A Forest Service accident investigation team is being assembled at this time. More information will be released as it becomes available.

CA-TCU-MURRAY - Wildland Fire - MURRAY fire Posted: 26 May 2007 11:33 AM CDT CA-TCU-MURRAY 1: Date 05/25/2007 2: Time 1900 3: Initial | Update | Final XX | | 4: Incident Number CA-TCU-004493 5: Incident Name MURRAY 6: Incident Kind Wildland Fire 7: Start Date Time 05/25/2007 1403 8: Cause Human 9: Incident Commander MILLAR 10: Incident Command Organization Type 3 IC 11: State-Unit CA-TCU 12: County CALAVERAS 13: Latitude and Longitude Lat: 38° 12´ 3" Long: 120° 36´ 56" Ownership: CA-TCU 14: Short Location Description (in reference to nearest town): EAST OF SAN ANDREAS Current Situation 15: Size/Area Involved 111 ACRES 16: % Contained or MMA 100 Percent 17: Expected Containment Date: 05/25/2007 18: Line to Build 0 Feet 19: Estimated Costs to Date $50,000 20: Declared Controlled Date: 05/27/2007 Time: 0800 21: Injuries this Reporting Period: 0 22: Injuries to Date: 0 23: Fatalities 0 24: Structure Information none threatened, damaged or destroyed 25: Threat to Human Life/Safety: Evacuation(s) in progress ---- No evacuation(s) imminent -- Potential future threat -------- No likely threat --------------- 26: Communities/Critical Infrastructure Threatened (in 12, 24, 48 and 72 hour time frames): 12 hours: NONE 24 hours: NONE 48 hours: NONE 72 hours: NONE 27: Critical Resource Needs(kind & amount, in priority order in 12, 24, 48, and 72 hour time frames): 12 hours: NONE 24 hours: NONE 48 hours: NONE 72 hours: NONE 28: Major problems and concerns: NONE 29: Natural and Cultural Resources to be protected: NONE 30: Current Weather Conditions Wind Speed: 2 mph Temperature: 81 Wind Direction: SW Relative Humidity: 22 31: Fuels/Materials Involved: 5 Brush (2 Feet) CHAMISE AND GRASS 32: Today's observed fire behavior (leave blank for non-fire events): INTENSE FIRE BEHAVIOR WITH SPOTTING AHEAD OF MAIN FIRE IN BOTH CHAMISE AND GRASS 33: Significant events today: LACK OF RESOURCES DUE TO OTHER LOCAL FIRES WITH LACK OF CLOSE AIR ASSESTS ON INITIAL ATTACK. Outlook 34: Estimated Control Date and Time: 05/27/2007 0800 35: Projected Final Size: 111 36: Estimated Final Cost: $100,000 37: Actions planned for next operational period: IMPROVE EXISTING LINE. MOP UP AND HOLD LINE DURING NEXT OPERATIONAL PERIOD. 38: Projected incident movement/spread during next operational period: 12 hours: NONE 24 hours: NONE 48 hours: NONE 72 hours: NONE 39: For fire incidents, describe resistance to control in terms of: 1. Growth Potential - Low 2. Difficulty of Terrain - High 40: Given the current constraints, when will the chosen management strategy succeed? TONIGHT 5/26/2007 41: Projected demobilization start date: 05/26/2007 1800 42: Remarks: CALAVERAS COUNTY SHERRIFF TOOK INDEPENDENT ACTION DURING THE HEIGHT OF FIRE ACTIVITY AND VOLUNTARILY EVACUATED APPROX 6 RESIDENCES NEAR THE FIRE. 43: Committed Resources (Supplemental Committed Resources follow the first block) Agency CRW1 CRW2 HEL1 HEL2 HEL3 ENGS DOZR WTDR OVHD Camp Crews Total Personnel SR ST SR ST SR SR SR SR ST SR ST SR SR ST 5 3 2 8 2 2 2 10 USFS 1 PRI 1 OES 1 Total 5 3 0 0 0 3 0 8 3 3 0 2 10 0 0 Total personnel by agency are listed in the first section of committed resources. Agency HELTK FIXW TRKCO RESMD LGTAIR SR SR SR SR ST 3 USFS 1 PRI OES Total 0 4 0 0 0 44: Cooperating and Assisting Agencies Not Listed Above: CALAVERAS COUNTY SHERRIFF, ALL CALAVERAS COUNTY FIRE LOCAL GOV'T AGENCIES, USFS,SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY FIRE AGENCIES. Approval Information 45: Prepared by: M. STEWARD 46: Approved by: L. RAMBO 47: Sent to:SOPS by: M. STEWARD Date: 05/25/2007 Time: 1943

CA-SNF-Trimmer Fire Posted: 26 May 2007 11:29 AM CDT CA-SNF-Trimmer Fire 1: Date 05/25/2007 2: Time 2341 3: Initial | Update | Final XX | | 4: Incident Number CA-SNF-525 5: Incident Name TRIMMER 6: Incident Kind Wildland Fire 7: Start Date, Time 05/25/2007 1141 8: Cause Under Investigation 9: Incident Commander CHARLEY 10: Incident Command Organization Type 3 IC 11: State-Unit CA-SNF 12: County FRESNO 13: Latitude and Longitude Lat: 36° 54´ 4" Long: 119° 17´ 5" Ownership: CA-SNF 14: Short Location Description (in reference to nearest town): EAST OF TRIMMER RANGER STATION Current Situation 15: Size/Area Involved 100 ACRES 16: % Contained or MMA 15 Percent 17: Expected Containment Date: 05/26/2007 18: Line to Build 19: Estimated Costs to Date 20: Declared Controlled Date: Time: 21: Injuries this Reporting Period: 2 22: Injuries to Date: 2 23: Fatalities 0 24: Structure Information none 25: Threat to Human Life/Safety: Evacuation(s) in progress ---- No evacuation(s) imminent -- Potential future threat -------- XX No likely threat --------------- 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: STEEP TERRAIN AND EXTREMELY HOT DAYTIME TEMPERATURES POSE THREAT TO FIREFIGHTER SAFETY. FIRE RESTRICTS NORTH-SOUTH THOROUGHFARE ON SOUTHERN HALF OF FOREST DURING HEAVILY TRAFFICED HOLIDAY WEEKEND. 29: Natural and Cultural Resources to be protected (kind(s) and value/significance): BIG CREEK DRAINAGE AND WATERSHED FLOWING INTO PINE FLAT RESEVOIR. 30: Current Weather Conditions Wind Speed: 4 mph Temperature: 89 Wind Direction: NW Relative Humidity: 14 31: Fuels/Materials Involved: 2 Timber (grass and understory) GRASS, OAK, PINE, MIXED FOREST FUELS. STEEP TERRAIN. 32: Today's observed fire behavior MODERATE RATE OF SPREAD. WEATHER AT 1100 WAS DRY BULB 89 WITH FUEL TEMPERATURES AT 105 DEGREES. RH14, WINDS 4 MPH OUT OF THE NORTHWEST WITH GUSTS TO 10 MPH. CLEAR SKIES. FUEL TEMPS AT 1200 HRS WAS 109 DEGREES. 33: Significant events today: HEAVY HOLIDAY USAGE IN AREA DURING THE ENTIRE WEEKEND. Outlook 34: Estimated Control Date and Time: 05/27/2007 1200 35: Projected Final Size: 150 36: Estimated Final Cost: 37: Actions planned for next operational period: KEEP FIRE FROM SPREADING TO THE NEXT RIDGE AND TIE IN ENTIRE LINE ACROSS THE TOP. SUPPORT WITH 3 HELICOPTERS, 5 ENGINES, 5 CREWS. RESOURCES FROM 5/25 EXPECTED TO BE RELEASED 5/26 0800. 38: Projected incident movement/spread during next operational period (in 12, 24, 48, and 72 hour time frames): 12 hours: ANTICIPATE 50 ACRES MAXIMUM. 24 hours: PROPOSE 0 ACRES. 48 hours: 72 hours: 39: For fire incidents, describe resistance to control in terms of: 1. Growth Potential - High 2. Difficulty of Terrain - High 40: Given the current constraints, when will the chosen management strategy succeed? WITHIN 24 HOURS. 41: Projected demobilization start date: 05/26/2007 1800 42: Remarks: ANTICIPATE HIGH VISITOR ACTIVITY AND HIGHER TEMPERATURES ARE FORECASTED FOR THE WEEKEND. RH TO REMAIN OR LOWER CONINUALLY DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS. HEAT EXHAUSTION IS A DANGER TO FIRE FIGHTERS. 43: Committed Resources (Supplemental Committed Resources follow the first block) Agency CRW1 CRW2 HEL1 HEL2 HEL3 ENGS DOZR WTDR OVHD Camp Crews Total Personnel SR ST SR ST SR SR SR SR ST SR ST SR SR USFS 1 4 1 2 1 2 ST 3 1 7 NPS 1 PRI 1 1 Total 4 0 4 0 0 4 0 9 1 0 0 3 0 0 0 Total personnel by agency are listed in the first section of committed resources. Agency HELTK FIXW TRKCO RESMD LGTAIR SR SR SR SR USFS ST NPS PRI Total 0 0 0 0 0 44: Cooperating and Assisting Agencies Not Listed Above: Approval Information 45: Prepared by: MAJOHNSON 46: Approved by: MAJOHNSON 47: Sent to:OSC by: MAJOHNSON Date: 05/26/2007 Time: 0130

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