California Fire News

Saturday, October 6, 2007

California Fire News

Posted: 05 Oct 2007 11:38 PM CDT

FDNY Report: 79 Percent Of 9/11 Firefighters Have Health Problems

Story by wnbc.com

NEW YORK -- A new FDNY report shows that 79 percent of firefighters in lower Manhattan on September 11, 2001 now have respiratory problems.

Some officials consider this the most credible proof yet of health problems, because the department has data about firefighters lungs from before 9/11.

Thursday Mayor Bloomberg also announced two new free clinics for residents and workers exposed to ground zero toxins on the lower east side and in Elmhurst, Queens.

RED FLAG WARNING - Riverside, Imperial counties

Posted: 05 Oct 2007 05:47 PM CDT

[EDIS] Red Flag warning remains in effect until 8 pm mst /8 pm pdt/ this evening

Riverside, Imperial

A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM MST /8 PM PDT/ THIS EVENING. A STRONG COLD UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL MOVE THROUGH SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND PORTIONS OF ARIZONA TODAY. THIS WILL CAUSE WINDS TO INCREASE TO 15 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO NEAR 45 MPH ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA AND THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY. IN ADDITION...A VERY DRY AIRMASS WILL OVERSPREAD THE AREA...RESULTING IN MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES FALLING TO NEAR 10 PERCENT. THE STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES WILL COMBINE TO CREATE HAZARDOUS FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HOURS TODAY.

Instruction:
PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE OFFICIALS AND FIRE CREWS IN THE FIELD OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING.

Area: ARIZONA FIRE WEATHER ZONE 131YUMA/MARTINEZ LAKE AND VICINITY/LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY AZ-ARIZONA FIRE WEATHER ZONE 132SOUTH-CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST DESERTS-CALIFORNIA FIRE WEATHER ZONE 230JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK-CALIFORNIA FIRE WEATHER ZONE 231LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY CA-CALIFORNIA FIRE WEATHER ZONE 232IMPERIAL COUNTY AND EASTERN RIVERSIDE COUNTY-

Affected Counties or parts of: Riverside, Imperial,

Sent: 2007-10-05T14:42:32-07:00

From: NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ

FIRE WEATHER WATCH - Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Luis Obispo, Los Angeles

Posted: 05 Oct 2007 04:07 PM CDT

[EDIS] fire weather watch in effect for gusty santa ana winds and low humidities for the mountains and valleys of ventura and los angeles counties from saturday evening through sunday evening

-VENTURA COUNTY INTERIOR VALLEYS-VENTURA COUNTY COASTAL VALLEYS-SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS RECREATIONAL AREA-LOS ANGELES COUNTY VALLEYS-VENTURA COUNTY MOUNTAINS / LOS PADRES NATIONAL FOREST-LOS ANGELES COUNTY MOUNTAINS / ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST-SANTA CLARITA VALLEY-

SANTA ANA WINDS WILL VERY LIKELY DEVELOP AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OVER THE GREAT BASIN SATURDAY NIGHT. RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL FALL SHARPLY AS THE DRY OFFSHORE WINDS DESCEND OVER THE COASTAL SLOPES AND VALLEYS LATE SATURDAY NIGHT AND AVERAGE IN THE TEENS BY SUNDAY MORNING...PERSISTING THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING. WHILE THERE IS UNCERTAINTY IN THE STRENGTH OF THE GUSTY SANTA ANA WINDS PEAK SPEEDS WILL LIKELY OCCUR AROUND SUNRISE SUNDAY AND TAPER OFF AROUND MIDDAY. ... FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY EVENING THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING FOR GUSTY SANTA ANA WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITIES... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LOS ANGELES/OXNARD HAS ISSUED A FIRE WEATHER WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY EVENING THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING. WIDESPREAD OFFSHORE WIND SPEEDS GREATER THAN 25 MPH AND GUSTY WITH HIGHEST SPEEDS SUNDAY MORNING ARE EXPECTED. IN ADDITION... RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL FALL SHARPLY INTO THE UPPER TO MID TEENS SUNDAY MORNING AND PERSIST THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING.

Instruction:
A FIRE WEATHER WATCH MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE FORECAST TO OCCUR. PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE OFFICIALS OR FIRE CREWS IN THE FIELD OF THIS FIRE WEATHER WATCH. LISTEN FOR LATER FORECASTS AND POSSIBLE RED FLAG WARNINGS.

Area: VENTURA COUNTY INTERIOR VALLEYS-VENTURA COUNTY COASTAL VALLEYS-SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS RECREATIONAL AREA-LOS ANGELES COUNTY VALLEYS-VENTURA COUNTY MOUNTAINS / LOS PADRES NATIONAL FOREST-LOS ANGELES COUNTY MOUNTAINS / ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST-SANTA CLARITA VALLEY-

Affected Counties or parts of: Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Luis Obispo, Los Angeles,

Sent: 2007-10-05T13:52:40-07:00

From: NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOS ANGELES/OXNARD CA

LAFD - Sinking Vessel - Coast Guard mutual assist

Posted: 05 Oct 2007 05:55 PM CDT

LAFD Fireboats responding to assist Coast Guard
*UPDATE: * Inside breakwater. No injuries. Vessel =[ www.americanpride.org ] to home port in Long Beach
Cal Fire News - 1:05 PM Los Angeles fire department is responding to Coast Guard mutual assistance call for a sinking 130' vessel 6 miles south of Los Angeles Lighthouse, 40 persons aboard. LAFD anticipates dewatering effort in rough seas

*Sinking Vessel* 6 miles south of LA Light; TG Ocean; FS 112, PRELIM: 130 foot (unk type) ship with 40 persons aboard;
LAFD anticipates dewatering effort in rough seas
Comms: LAFD Com Ch: 7,2 tac: LAFD Tac Channel 12 assigned

AP News story:

Tall ship with children aboard takes on water off Long Beach

The Associated Press

Article Launched: 10/05/2007 01:38:19 PM PDT

LONG BEACH, Calif.—A three-masted tall ship with 42 children on board took on water off Southern California on Friday but managed to re-enter port under its own power after pumps were placed aboard.

The 130-foot American Pride reported the trouble about 12:30 p.m., Coast Guard Lt. Andrew Munoz. It was not immediately known how much water was taken on or what caused the problem.

Children in life jackets could be scene on deck in a view from a KCAL-TV helicopter overhead as emergency craft escorted the schooner into the Port of Long Beach.

The trouble occurred when the ship was about 8 miles south of Long Beach and numerous rescue craft were dispatched. Rescue crews managed to put pumps aboard, Munoz said.

The ship is operated by the nonprofit Children's Maritime Foundation of Yorba Linda. It was taking a group of 42 schoolchildren back from a weeklong trip to Santa Catalina Island, said a woman who answered the foundation's telephone but hung up without giving her name.

According to the American Pride's Web site, the schooner was built in 1941 and was used in commercial fishing off New England before being totally rebuilt in 1986. It was ultimately bought by the American Heritage Marine Institute and in 1996 was sailed through the Panama Canal to its current port at Rainbow Harbor in Long Beach.

It advertises charter sailings, whale-watching and other trips.

Fresno firefighters battle wildfire

Posted: 05 Oct 2007 02:57 PM CDT

Louis Galvan /Story at the The Fresno Bee

10/05/07 08:45:36

Fresno Fire Department firefighters continued to douse hot spots this morning at the scene of a blaze that swept through dry brush and a vineyard at the northwest corner of Floradora and Armstrong avenues east of Fresno.

The fire, which covered about 20 acres, was reported at 4:11 a.m. and was declared under control at 5:49 a.m., Chris Garcia, a fire investigator, reported.

No structures were damaged, and no injuries were reported.

Eight trucks and 23 firefighters responded to the blaze.

The cause of the fire was not immediately determined

CHP blames driver for Big Bear Lake forest service van crash

Posted: 05 Oct 2007 02:19 PM CDT

RUNNING SPRINGS, Calif. (AP) - The California Highway Patrol says driver error caused a Forest Service van to plunge over 200 feet down a cliff in the San Bernardino Mountains.

Eight firefighters were injured in Monday's crash near Big Bear Lake.

31 year-old Stanley Taylor Jr. was driving the van and the CHP says he may be ticketed for making an "unsafe turning movement."

An investigation finds Taylor was going about 40 miles an hour when he swiped a guardrail while turning. He locked up the brakes, sending the 8-ton van down the mountainside.

The van split apart, with the crew cabin separating from the cab and chassis. Both pieces stopped about 235 feet below Highway 18.

All eight firemen were wearing seat belts.

RED FLAG WARNING - IMPERIAL COUNTY AND EASTERN RIVERSIDE COUNTY-

Posted: 05 Oct 2007 12:27 PM CDT

[EDIS] Red flag warning remains in effect from 10 am mst /10 am pdt/ this morning to 8 pm mst /8 pm pdt/ this evening for southeast california... the lower colorado river valley and the southwest and south-central deserts of arizona due to strong gusty winds... low relative humidities and high fire danger

-CALIFORNIA FIRE WEATHER ZONE 230JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK-CALIFORNIA FIRE WEATHER ZONE 231LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY CA-CALIFORNIA FIRE WEATHER ZONE 232IMPERIAL COUNTY AND EASTERN RIVERSIDE COUNTY-

A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM MST /10 AM PDT/ THIS MORNING TO 8 PM MST /8 PM PDT/ THIS EVENING. THE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA...INCLUDING JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK... AS WELL AS THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY AND THE SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH-CENTRAL DESERTS OF ARIZONA. A STRONG COLD UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL MOVE THROUGH SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND PORTIONS OF ARIZONA TODAY. THIS WILL CAUSE WINDS TO INCREASE TO 15 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO NEAR 45 MPH ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA AND THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY. IN ADDITION... A VERY DRY AIRMASS WILL OVERSPREAD THE AREA... RESULTING IN MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES FALLING TO NEAR 10 PERCENT. THE STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES WILL COMBINE TO CREATE HAZARDOUS FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HOURS TODAY.

Instruction:
PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE OFFICIALS AND FIRE CREWS IN THE FIELD OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING.

Area: ARIZONA FIRE WEATHER ZONE 131YUMA/MARTINEZ LAKE AND VICINITY/LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY AZ-ARIZONA FIRE WEATHER ZONE 132SOUTH-CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST DESERTS-CALIFORNIA FIRE WEATHER ZONE 230JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK-CALIFORNIA FIRE WEATHER ZONE 231LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY CA-CALIFORNIA FIRE WEATHER ZONE 232IMPERIAL COUNTY AND EASTERN RIVERSIDE COUNTY-

Affected Counties or parts of: Riverside, Imperial,

Sent: 2007-10-05T03:09:03-07:00

From: NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ