California Fire News
California Fire News |  |
| Sacramento firefighter online diplomas bring raises, criticism Posted: 08 Oct 2007 11:45 PM CDT Monday, October 08, 2007 SACRAMENTO (AP) Sixteen Sacramento city firefighters were paid an extra $50,000 cumulatively for higher education credits they earned from online schools that often grant degrees with little or no course work or classroom study, a newspaper reported. Their 5 percent raises were stopped after fire officials began investigating when a dozen more firefighters applied for the pay hikes, according to city payroll records and other documents obtained by The Sacramento Bee under the California Public Records Act. No one was disciplined because it was considered too difficult to prove the firefighters intended to defraud the city, Deputy Fire Chief Leo Baustian said. He said the clerk who processed the claims has since retired. The 16 firefighters were allowed to keep the extra money they were paid between April 2005 and April 2006 after their union complained about attempts to recover the money. Other fire departments have had similar problems in recent years but have taken stronger disciplinary actions. For example, the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District, which serves unincorporated Sacramento County, is investigating a dozen employees after seven firefighters submitted degrees from online universities to receive raises of 10.5 percent. Employees with that agency are being disciplined and will be required to repay the money with interest, said Richard Margarita, the fire district's general counsel. Information from: The Sacramento Bee, http://www.sacbee.com | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| RED FLAG WARNINGS EXTENDED UNTIL 10 AM PDT TUESDAY Posted: 08 Oct 2007 11:10 PM CDT
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| CA-SCU- San Pablo IC - Vegetation fire Posted: 08 Oct 2007 11:11 PM CDT Carquinez Incident Live wires down on fireground SAN PABLO AV AT CUMMINGS SKYWAY Location: Near San Pablo Ave, Crockett - Contra Costa county . Sizeup: Update: Estimating 3 hour commitment canceled inbound Belmont dozer transport. View Larger Map From CHP CAD :
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| CA-BEU-Colorado - Vegetation Fire - Carmel area Posted: 09 Oct 2007 12:46 AM CDT
Officials said they expect the fire to be contained in about five hours.  Geo Mac screen shot Colorado FireUPDATED: HMS 2007-10-08; Thermal MODIS: 2007-10-08 1905 (GMT); Fire Perimeters 2007-10-05; Sit Reports 2007-10-04 Location: Junction of SR-1 and Palo Colorado Rd...Extending 11.5 miles east of hwy 1 in Carmel, Monterey county North of Big Sir - Palo Colorado Canyon Road mid way between Carmel and Big Sur Sizeup: 1215 hrs Fully involved structure fire on arrival, 2 acres forest vegetation - Heavy Timber with structures Resources: CAL FIRE has 18 engines, 6 hand crews, 4 dozers enroute or at scene., Ordered 2 additional tankers for total of 4, plus 1 addt'l copter for total of 2. LPF sending Monterey hand crew, 2 Engines, H-527 1800 hrs: LNU dispatched Type 3 Engine Strike Team initial attack. 2145 hrs More strike teams forming up in SCU, MMU for BEU Comm: command 2 tone 2 Weather:
... Rain and wind Tuesday evening ... A strong early season cold front is forecast to move into the North Bay Tuesday afternoon then spread southward.|The rain band is expected to reach the Monterey Bay region late Tuesday night into the very early morning hours of Wednesday. In addition to the rainfall... southerly wind gusts to 35 mph will be possible during the frontal passage. Brief periods of heavy rain will also be possible as the front passes over the region. The rain band is expected to reach the Monterey Bay region late Tuesday night into the very early morning hours of Wednesday with only lingering showers left by the Wednesday morning commute. Updates: 8:11PM CHP INFO FOR S UNIT/ PER OIC RDWY WILL BE CLOSED TO ALL TRAFFIC CAR & FOOT TILL 0300 HRS Jumped the retardant line and has potential for 50-75 acres. At least 30 acres have been burned and at least one structure was destroyed, though the building is not a home. Dozer rollover: At least one person is reportedly being sent to a hospital by air after the bulldozer he was driving overturned during the firefighting operations. The incident commander at the scene said firefighters believe the fire may have been ignited by a malfunctioning spa. The fire is running uphill, away from the populated area of the canyon and no evacuations were ordered. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| RED FLAG WARNINGS CONTINUE UNTIL 8 PM Posted: 08 Oct 2007 04:59 PM CDT
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| Yosemite West Prescribed Burn - New Date - Tuesday, October 9 Posted: 08 Oct 2007 03:19 PM CDT Yosemite West - Prescribed Burn - Tuesday, October 9, 2007 -  Map of Yosemite West area Prescribed Burn boundaryYosemite West Prescribed Burn The National Park Service plans to conduct a prescribed burn in the Yosemite West area to reduce hazard fuels, protect structures from the threat of unwanted wildland fire and promote ecosystem health.Besides being used to thin forests and reduce unnatural fuel loads in areas that are in close proximity to public and private structures and use areas, prescribed fire is used to simulate the effects of a natural lightning-caused fire. Weather and air quality conditions permitting, this burn is scheduled to start on Tuesday, October 9, 2007 and will continue for 5-7 days. This burn will consist of three units, B, C & E, located west of the Wawona Road, (Hwy. 41), and south of Henness Ridge. The initial burn will be approximately 250 acres in Unit B. These units are comprised primarily of ponderosa pine, and other mixed-conifers. Together these burn units total approximately 900 acres. Park staff will monitor smoke on a consistent basis. However, due to the topography of the area smoke will be noticeable within the Yosemite West area, as well as down canyon following the Merced River corridor, affecting El Portal and Mariposa areas. Take extra care while driving near the burn area, by observing all warning signs posted along the roadway and using your headlights when smoke is on the road. Expect reduced lanes and traffic control pilot vehicle escort and on Wednesday and Thursday with minimal travel delays on Hwy 41. Residents and visitors are advised to take precautions to minimize smoke impacts to health. People with respiratory problems should use caution when exerting themselves in smoky areas. For information or concerns, please call the Fire Information Line at 209-372-0480 or our Prescribed Fire Office at 209- 375-9574. Mariposa County Air Quality District (APCD): Phone: (209) 966-2220 Fax: (209)966-8248 (G. Wuchner - 10/05/07) ************************************************* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| History: The largest forest fire in the recorded history of North America Posted: 08 Oct 2007 02:50 PM CDT Fire Prevention Week, October 7-13, 2007, was chosen decades ago to commemorate the anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. On the same date as the Great Chicago Fire, October 8, the largest forest fire in the recorded history of North America swept through northeastern Wisconsin and Upper Michigan, destroyed an area of 2,400 square miles or 1.5 million acres, took between 1,200 and 2,400 lives, and left more than 1,500 homeless. The great forest fires of October 1871.  An illustration from the November 25, 1871 edition of Harper's Weekly magazine.Credit: Wisconsin Electronic Reader On the evening of October 8, 1871 the worst recorded forest fire in North American history raged through Northeastern Wisconsin and Upper Michigan, destroying millions of dollars worth of property and timberland, and taking between 1,200 and 2,400 lives. The great Midwestern city of Chicago also happened to endure a terrible fire that same fateful night, and for whatever reasons -- an irresistibly charming legend about a cow and a lantern among them -- the Chicago Fire became part of the national consciousness while the Peshtigo tragedy gradually slipped into obscurity, eventually remembered primarily by scholars, local "old-timers" and Wisconsin school children (who are required to study their state's history in the 4th grade). In recent years America's "forgotten fire" has proven to be anything but. The tragedy is a subject of inquiry and debate among meteorologists, astronomers and conservationists. It has been dramatized by novelists and playwrights. It continues to fascinate history buffs and frustrate genealogists. Source: (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Reminder: Flags at all state buildings will be flown at half-staff Posted: 08 Oct 2007 02:26 PM CDT This week is Fire Prevention Week  Flags at all state buildings will be flown at half-staff in honor of all fallen California firefighters, according to the office of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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