California Fire News
California Fire News |
| InciWeb: Help With Pets During Evacuations Ordered for The Zaca Fire Posted: 03 Aug 2007 09:47 PM CDT Help With Pets During Evacuations Ordered for The Zaca Fire
P R E S S R E L E A S E
News Media Contact: Michele Mickiewicz Public Information Officer (805) 681-5446 August 3, 2007 (805) 451-3497 (cell) FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE mailto:michele.mickiewicz@sbcphd.org
ADDITIONAL NEWS MEDIA CONTACT: William Boyer (805) 896-1056 (cell)
Help with Pets During Evacuations Ordered for the Zaca Fire
Residents who will be staying at the emergency shelter set up by the American Red Cross at Dos Pueblos High School can bring their household pets, such as dogs and cats and other small animals, with them to the shelter. Cages will be set up for these pets near the area the people will be sheltered. People coming to this shelter with their pets are asked to bring their pet's favorite food, food and water dishes, leashes, carriers, and any medications the pet will need. Be sure to have identification on your pet. Residents who need assistance evacuating with large animals, such as horses and sheep, are being directed to a staging area at the corner of Highway 154 & Cathedral Oaks Road to be linked to private locations able to shelter large animals. A number of rigs with trailers will be available for assistance with loading animals that need to be relocated. In the event that resources for sheltering on private ranches are exhausted, owners will be directed to take them to the Santa Maria Elks Rodeo Grounds at 4040 Highway 101 in Santa Maria. Staff will be on site at the Elks Rodeo Grounds to coordinate the sheltering and care of all animals delivered for sheltering there. Residents with questions about animal evacuations can call (805) 681-4332. This number was set up by the County Animal Services to assist residents affected by the evacuation orders and evacuation orders issued for the Zaca Fire. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Posted: 03 Aug 2007 07:49 PM CDT Evacuation Order Issued for Paradise Road and The Lower Santa Ynez River Road to Gibralter Dam Effective 8/3/2008 at 4:30 PMIncident: Zaca The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department and Zaca Fire officials have elevated the 2:00 pm Evacuation Warning to an immediate EVACUATION ORDER for the residents and visitors of the Paradise Road and the Lower Santa Ynez River Road to Gibraltar Dam due to the potential threat of the Zaca Fire.The EVACUATION ORDER includes the Paradise Road Community, Santa Ynez Road Recreational Areas to Gibraltar Dam, Los Prietos Boys Camp and the Rancho Oso Guest Ranch.Residents who live in or around the identified communities are advised to immediately evacuate these areas. Only emergency operations personnel and equipment will be allowed in the evacuation area. Residents will not be allowed to re-enter the area.A Red Cross Emergency Shelter has been opened at the Dos Pueblos High School, 7266 Alameda Avenue in Goleta; phone 805-896-2980.If you are unable to evacuate and need assistance call 911.Additional Evacuation Information:Animal/Pet Shelter Locations:
Residents of the evacuated area can contact the Zaca Fire Information at 805-961-5770 for more information. Approved by Unified Incident Commanders: AARON GELOBTER/ MARK SCHMITT Boise Incident Management Team /Santa Barbara County Fire Department | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| InciWeb: Zaca Wildland Fire - Acres: 38,400 Acres -70 percent Containment Posted: 03 Aug 2007 07:44 PM CDT InciWeb:: Zaca Wildland Fire - ANNOUNCEMENT Evacuation Order Issued for Paradise Road and the Lower Santa Ynez River Road to Gibralter Dam Effective 8/3/2008 at 4:30 pm
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| Incident Type | Wildland Fire |
|---|---|
| Cause | Human Caused |
| Date of Origin | 07/04/2007 at 1053 hrs. |
| Location | 15 miles NE of Buellton |
| Incident Commander | Aaron Gelobter/mark Schmi |
Current Situation
| Total Personnel | 1,494 |
|---|---|
| Size | 38,400 acres |
| Percent Contained | 70% |
| Estimated Containment Date | 09/07/2007 at hrs. |
| Fuels Involved | Chaparral and trees. The brush contains a large amount of dead material. Live fuel moisture is below critical level in most areas. A continuous fuelbed lies ahead of the fire\'s main direction of spread. |
| Fire Behavior | The fire remains active above the morning inversion with a large amount of dead fuels supporting the fire's spread. |
| Significant Events | Direct line construction progressed south of Santa Cruz Peak along the ridgeline bordering Black Canyon. Fire activity was visible from Santa Ynez Valley. |
Outlook
| Planned Actions | Direct line construction continues eastward on the North side of the fire into Mission Pine Basin. Direct line construction will continue on the Southeast along the ridge bordering Black Canyon south of Santa Cruz Peak. Indirect line construction will continue in the west, southeast and south. Dozers continue to clean up existing fuelbreaks as contingency lines. Structure protection groups continue to clean up brush in the Peachtree and Paradise areas. |
|---|---|
| Projected Movement | There is a high probability of the fire increasing significantly in size. |
| Growth Potential | Extreme. |
| Terrain Difficulty | Extreme. |
| Containment Target | The lack of access and rugged terrain require a long term strategy of both direct and indirect attack with contingency planning that is being implemented over a 5 to 6 week period. |
| Remarks | Not available |
Weather
| Current Wind Conditions | 6 (g 13) mph NE |
|---|---|
| Current Temperature | 77 degrees |
| Current Humidity | 13 % |
ALERT BREAKING NEWS: Governor Declares State Of Emergency As Wildfire Grows In Santa Barbara County
Posted: 03 Aug 2007 07:46 PM CDT
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declares a State of Emergency Friday afternoon as a
ZACA wildfire burns out of control in Santa Barbara County.
RELATED ANNOUNCEMENT: ZACA fire
Evacuation Order Issued for Paradise Road and the Lower Santa Ynez River Road to Gibralter Dam Effective 8/3/2008 at 4:30 pm
CA-SCU-PINE IC Vegetation --Structure
Posted: 03 Aug 2007 06:53 PM CDT
LOCATION: MARSH CREEK / PINE LANE Contra Costa County
SIZEUP: 10 ACRES 1 STRUCTURE ?, Forward progress stopped, 50% contained
Pine Air Attack working fire, Tanker 85, 86
Full vegetation response CoCo Fire, CAL FIRE 1660, 1666, 1676, 1454, 1454, 1664, 1684,1484, air on order or arrived, Delta Camp Crews on order, Transports 1641, 1741, EBRP Eagle 5, Copter 106, Helo Tender 106
BC -1614, 1615
COMM: Pine IC Tac 2
UPDATE: 2 Structures affected? Some Residential Evacuations, Tankers released full and partial,
FINAL 16:32- Some Resources being released / canceled...1741 Stopped at scene of a three vehicle accident, transport not involved - 580 EB 1 Mile west of San Ramon Exit
Hard Road Closure: RUSSELMAN AT MARSH CREEK
CA-MMU-CAMPO IC - - Re burn escaped
San Andreas- CAMPO IC
location: Sonora, Campo Seco road, CAMPO IC - Re burn escaped 4555, 4468, 4464, 4466, 4472, 4476, 4485, Copter 404, WT 768, Sonora City Fire, E-752, 511, Baseline Crews, Dozer/Tender 4445,
bc 4410
FINAL: Fire Contained, Cancel balance, Tanker released w/partial load
National Fire Activity - Preparedness Level 5 - Aug 3rd NFIC Report - California
Posted: 03 Aug 2007 02:22 PM CDT
August 3, 2007
Active wildland fire behavior continues in Montana. The 13 Montana fires have burned a total of 185,804 acres. Fire potential remains high due to the predicted thunderstorms for the next few days.
Weather Discussion: Thunderstorms are predicted across Idaho and Montana today and Saturday. Wetter thunderstorms are expected south of Idaho and Montana. Winds will increase from the Cascades through Idaho and Montana and along the Sierra Mountains through Nevada.
Current hours for the National Fire Information Center are
(MST) 7:30 am - 4:30 pm, Monday - Friday
208-387-5050
This report will be updated daily.
Source: National Interagency Coordination Center
Daily statistics 8/3/07
Number of new large fires 2
States currently reporting large fires: California (2), Idaho (14), Montana (13), Nevada (1), North Dakota (1), Oregon (3), Washington (1), Wyoming (2) (details below)
Number of active large fires 33
Acres from active fires 591,349
Number of Wildland Fire Use (WFU) fires 4
Number of Wildland Fire Use (WFU) acres 33,463
Fires contained on 8/2/07 2
Current Wildland Fires
California Fires: 2 Acres: 55,584 New fires: 0 Fires contained:0
Zaca (Santa Barbara County Fire Department): 38,400 acres at 70 percent contained. This fire is 15 miles northeast of Bulleton and is burning in chaparral. Active fire behavior was reported. Residences are threatened and evacuations are in order.
Information: Call 805-961-5770 or visit the website.
Elk Complex (Klamath National Forest): 17,184 acres at 84 percent contained. This complex is two miles east of Happy Camp and is burning in timber. Slow moving surface fire was reported.
Information: Call (530) 841- 4451 or visit the website.
Great News Story: Turning inmates into civil servants
Posted: 03 Aug 2007 09:47 PM CDT
Published: August 2, 2007 - The Union Democrat
|
Many little boys dream of being firefighters — donning helmets and heavy gear to brave the flames and smoke.
Orange County native Carlos Lopez did.
"It's one of the ultimate gifts I think — risking your life for someone else," he said.
But his childhood ambitions likely didn't include wearing the signature bright-orange uniform of a prison inmate.
Lopez, 38, is serving a sentence for aggravated assault at Sierra Conservation Center, where he is going through the inmate firefighter training program.
Despite the path he took to reach prison, the training is providing him a new opportunity. Already, he's learned much.
"There's more to it than I ever imagined," he said.
Lopez is one of 2,100 to 2,200 men to enter firefighter training at SCC each year. Of those, about 1,800 go on to fill spots at 19 of 39 inmate fire camps in California from El Dorado County to the Mexican border.
The army of firefighting convicts saves the state millions of dollars each year on high-security housing they would otherwise need. And those savings don't include the low-cost labor they provide.
Sierra Conservation Center was actually designed for this purpose, Cal-Fire Battalion Chief Craig Konklin said.
Its yards were built larger to transition prisoners from the tight walls of other prisons to the wildlands. Its barracks help acclimate inmates to living in larger groups.
"The whole thing was engineered with the thought in mind of converting the inmate into a firefighter," Konklin said.
Time and prison overcrowding have provided some distraction from SCC's original mission, but the program has survived and is still pivotal in the state's conservation camp program.
The program is a partnership between Cal Fire, the Department of Corrections and the California Youth Authority.
Participating inmates must be minimum-security prisoners, the lowest on a scale of one to four, with no history of trying to escape from behind prison or jail walls, and no convictions of certain offenses such as sex crimes, arson or kidnapping.
They also must be within five years of the end of their sentence.
Once inmates are determined eligible, they must meet medical requirements and complete a physical fitness training program.
Then they enroll in a two-week training program in classrooms on the SCC grounds. It consists of one week of in-class instruction from a Cal Fire captain, then a week of field training.
Wednesday morning, a group of inmates sat in rows of desks in their orange garb, "SCC prisoner" written down a leg of their pants.
Capt. Bob Coolidge pulled one of a dozen tools from a red board on the wall, demonstrating how to use it.
Above him, an array of posters show a diagram of an incident command post, warn against the danger of power lines and illustrate the parts of a fire.
"To take these people, some of who never worked a hard day in their life, and be able to give and motivate them to do the kind of grueling work they have to do on a hand crew, is quite satisfying," Capt. Walter Southwick said.
Once inmates move to a camp, the work begins.
Baseline Conservation Camp is Tuolumne County's version of the program in action. The small camp near the prison holds a maximum of 134 inmates.
The convicts live in dormitories lined up in front of an immaculate yard.
The camp is basically self-sustaining, with everything from barbers to cooks to laundry service to mechanics on hand within the inmate population.
Prison counselors help provide the camp with inmates with special skills, said Lyn Rambo, a Cal Fire division chief in charge of the camp's firefighters.
Its Sew Shop takes orders from fire stations all over the state, tailoring uniforms and sewing on insignia. And the mechanics service engines from the entire Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit, he said.
Those side services also give purpose to inmates who find their niche.
Danny Mullett, 42, worked in construction before he was convicted on drug charges. He's moved up the ranks to become lead chef in the Conservation Camp's kitchen, and found it is more than a way to pass the time.
"This has probably changed my life," Mullett said. "I've taken on a lot of responsibility here ... It's really made me stop and examine my life."
One of Baseline's distinctive qualities is the substance abuse program it runs alongside the firefighting camp. Almost all of the inmates at the camp participate, attending counseling for three hours, five nights a week.
During the day prisoners work on community service and fire suppression projects, until they hear the tones signaling a fire or other emergency, said Sam Cousins, a Cal Fire administrative captain at Baseline.
"We keep them busy," Rambo added.
All the work gets them in shape, said Michael Buckholz, 35, an inmate in prison on drug charges.
"It's hard, it's hot, it's physically demanding," he said. "But all and all, when it's said and done, you get a feeling of having done something for the public."
"Going out there and seeing 100-foot flames, it's a whole other experience," added Richard Resch, 38, in prison for transporting drugs. "You get to respect it."
Security out in the field is not the issue one might think. The inmates know that trying to escape could lose them their coveted spot at the camp, Konklin said.
"It's very rare we have an issue with that because these guys want to be firefighters," he said.
But just in case, fire captains make security checks throughout the day, Rambo said.
On days off, there is some opportunity for recreation, Correctional Officer Mike Sanders pointed out, with a basketball court, TV rooms, game room, library, hobby program and others.
"They become artists at this camp," he said. "They find a lot of talent they never had or knew they had."
Few inmates actually move on to become firefighters once released from prison, said Kenny Calhoun, a custody captain for the prison.
But they take an improved work ethic and self esteem to other jobs, he said.
"For many of these guys, this is the biggest accomplishment of their lives," he said.
It shows them an alternate lifestyle to what many of them have been leading, Konklin added.
"When they get off the bus, the public doesn't see them as inmates, they see them as firefighters, and there's a pride in that," he said.
The more tangible benefits are better are wages than general prison workers. Firefighters earn $1.45 a day when they are working on projects, but are bumped to $1 a hour while on a fire. Jobs within SCC's walls only pay about 8 to 30 cents an hour.
Some inmates earn two days off their sentence for every day served in camp, and the program is a nice touch on a resume, Konklin said.
Inmate Jason Kawana, 29, would like to turn his Baseline Camp experience into a career with the U.S. Forest Service when he's released.
"Before I came here, I never thought that I could physically and mentally push myself as far as I have here," said Kawana, who is serving time for evading arrest. "It's given me hope, and I know now what I can accomplish."
Contact Alisha Wyman at awyman@uniondemocrat.com or 588-4527.
Yosemite National Park - MISSING PERSON
Posted: 03 Aug 2007 11:58 AM CDT
 LAST SEEN 7-30 MISSING PERSON STILL MISSING 10:00 HRS 8-03-07 80 year old female 5 feet tall 112 pounds Short, dyed blond hair/brown eyes |  | LAST SEEN 7-30 MISSING PERSON Did you hike south of Tuolumne Meadows or east of Merced Lake since July 30? Ottorrina "Terrina" Bonaventura Last seen 7/30/07 in the vicinity of Vogelsang High Sierra Camp. If you hiked in the Yosemite backcountry east of Merced Lake or south of Tuolumne Meadows area from 7/30/07 to present, please call the Incident Investigations Unit at 209/372- 0778... even if you didn't see anyone matching her description. |
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