California Fire News

Posted: 04 May 2007 07:02 PM CDT

Wildland Fire News, 2007

Updates, news stories, weather, and other information about wildland fire news in the US for 2007

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National Preparedness Level 2
(On a scale from 1 to 5)

Current hours for the National Fire Information Center are
(MST) 7:30 am - 4:30 pm, Monday - Friday
208-387-5050

May 4, 2007

Wildland fire activity remains light with 136 new fires reported. One new large fire was reported in North Carolina. Three large fires were contained: one each in California, Kentucky, and Virginia.

Weather Discussion: Southern California through Arizona and New Mexico will be dry with windy conditions as a low pressure trough passes through. The Great Lakes will also be dry and windy. A high pressure over the northeastern states will carry over more low humidity.

Weekly Statistics 5/4/07
Number of new large fires	1			States currently reporting large fires:
Number of active large fires	11			Arizona (1) Florida (2) Georgia (4) Michigan (1) North Carolina (2) Virginia (1)
Acres from active fires	112,374
Number of Wildland Fire Use (WFU) fires	0
Number of Wildland Fire Use (WFU) acres	0
Fires contained on 5/3/07	3
Year-to-date large fires contained	281
Year-to-date Statistics
2007 (1/1/07 - 5/4/07)		Fires: 26,030		Acres: 539,689
2006 (1/1/06 - 5/4/06)		Fires: 36,175		Acres: 2,292,081
2005 (1/1/05 - 5/4/05)		Fires: 18,819		Acres: 275,497
2004 (1/1/04 - 5/4/04)		Fires: 25,414		Acres: 380,758
2003 (1/1/03 - 5/4/03)		Fires: 16,985		Acres: 341,173
2002 (1/1/02 - 5/4/02)		Fires: 24,719		Acres: 469,269
2001 (1/1/01 - 5/4/01)		Fires: 24,906		Acres: 495,806
2000 (1/1/00 - 5/4/00)		Fires: 30,644		Acres: 757,591
8-Year Average
2000 - 2007			Fires: 25,162	Acres: 643,765

Source: National Interagency Coordination Center

Current Wildland Fires
Arizona	Number of fires: 1	Acres: 455	New fires: 0	Fires contained: 0
Gila River (Yuma Field Office, Bureau of Land Management): 455 acres at 90 percent contained. This fire is located 30 miles east of Yuma. Minimal fire activity was reported. Native historic and cultural features threatened. Information: Visit the Southwest Area Coordination Center site.
California	Number of fires: 0	Acres: 0	New fires: 0	Fires contained: 1
James (Bakersfield District, Bureau of Land Management): The fire was contained at 1,350 acres. Information: Visit the Inciweb site.
Florida	Number of fires: 2	Acres: 2,575	New fires: 0	Fires contained: 0
Airport Road (Florida Division of Forestry): 1,700 acres at 50 percent contained. The fire is burning three miles southwest of Ormond Beach. Residences are threatened and evacuations are in effect. Information: Visit the Florida Division of Forestry website.
Red Oak (Florida Division of Forestry): 875 acres at 65 percent contained. The fire is two miles west of Pine Lakes. Fire activity included long range spotting and crown fire. Information: Visit the Florida Division of Forestry website.
Georgia	Number of fires: 4	Acres: 105,577	New fires: 0	Fires contained: 0
Big Turnaround Complex (Okefenokee National Wildlife Reserve): 44,557 acres at 40 percent contained. This fire is 10 miles southeast of Waycross. It is burning in southern rough, timber and gallberry. Private timber plantations are threatened. Moderate fire activity continued. Information: Visit the Inciweb site or call (912) 287-2452.
Roundabout (Georgia Forestry Commission): 5,800 acres at 40 percent contained. This fire started on private land four miles west of Pearson. It is burning actively in southern rough and timber. Residences continue to be threatened by active fire behavior. Information: Visit the Georgia Forestry Commission web site.
Sweat Farm Road (Georgia Forestry Commission): 53,899 acres at 75 percent contained. This fire started on private land 10 miles southeast of Wyacross. Voluntary evacuations remain in effect and US Highway 1 is closed. Moderate rates of spread were reported. Information: Visit the Inciweb or Georgia Forestry Commission web sites or call (912) 287-2452.
Knee Knocker Swamp (Georgia Forestry Commission): 1,321 acres at 80 percent contained. This fire is located two miles northwest of Nahunta. Moderate fire activity continued and structures remain threatened. Information: Visit the Georgia Forestry Commission web site.
Kentucky	Number of fires: 0	Acres: 0	New fires: 0	Fires contained: 1
Bad Creek (Daniel Boone National Forest): The fire was contained at 299 acres. Information: Visit the Southern Area Coordination Center morning report.
Michigan	Number of fires: 1	Acres: 1,122	New fires: 0	Fires contained: 0
Baraga Bump (Ottawa National Forest): 1,122 acres at 90 percent contained. This fire burning in timber seven miles northeast of Sidnaw. Backing fire behavior was reported. Information: Visit the Ottawa National Forest site.
North Carolina	Number of fires: 2	Acres: 2,395	New fires: 1	Fires contained: 0
Pinnacle (National Forests in North Carolina): 2,265 acres at 30 percent contained. This fire burning in hardwood litter and timber 15 miles east of North Cove. Smoldering fire behavior was reported.
NEW Smith (Eastern Cherokee Agency, BIA): 130 acres at zero percent contained. The fire is 12 miles northeast of Bryson City. Residences and Blue Ridge Parkway are threatened. Extreme fire activity was reported.
Virginia	Number of fires: 1	Acres: 250	New fires: 0	Fires contained: 1
Chestnut Ridge (George Washington and Jefferson National Forest): The fire was contained at 185 acres.
Lewis Peak (Shenandoah National Park): 250 acres at zero percent contained. The fire is five miles northeast of Grottoes. Minimal fire activity was reported. Information: Visit the National Park Service fire news site.

Trouble ahead: Worst fire conditions in 100 years

Posted: 04 May 2007 06:50 PM CDT

SignOnSanDiego.com > News > Metro -- Trouble ahead: Worst fire conditions in 100 years:

By Karen Kucher and Debbi Farr Baker

UNION-TRIBUNE BREAKING NEWS TEAM

9:53 a.m. May 3, 2007

SAN DIEGO – California is facing the worst fire conditions in almost a century, and worried fire officials are sounding the alarm.

Lack of rain and dry fuel conditions prompted state fire authorities to declare the start of fire season earlier than normal in three Southern California counties, including San Diego.

Several indicators, especially fuel moisture levels, add up to tremendous fire potential, said San Diego fire Deputy Chief of Operations Jeff Carle.

"The things we look at are telling us we are in trouble," Carle said.

The state Department of Forestry and Fire Protection has hired its seasonal firefighters and says facilities will be staffed on a 24-hour basis because of fire danger.

Historically, the state has declared fire season between May and June. The start dates vary according to jurisdiction's individual weather conditions. CDF declared fire season started Monday in San Bernardino, Riverside and San Diego counties.

"We are prepared and ready for the upcoming wildfire season," Cal Fire Director Ruben Grijalva said in a prepared statement. "The lack of precipitation with the increase in temperatures has dried out Southern California significantly. . . . We will take the battle to California's wildfires."

So far this year, San Diego's Lindbergh Field, the region's main measuring spot, has received about one-third the normal rainfall it receives for the season. As of July 1, the season total at the airport was 3.85 inches of rain. Normal annual rainfall is 10.77 inches.

March 2007 was San Diego's 12th-driest March since record keeping began in 1850. And rainfall in May and June tends to be minuscule.

If Lindbergh Field receives normal rainfall from now until the season ends on June 30, the city would finish the year with 4.19 inches, which would make the year the sixth driest in history. State fire officials are reminding residents to protect their homes by clearing brush and creating defensible spaces around their homes, particularly near wild-land areas.

Dead vegetation should be cleared about 100 feet from homes and branches should be trimmed 10 feet from the ground. To lessen the risk of sparking fires with equipment, the state suggests all yard work be done during morning hours.

Trying to get the word out about the heightened fire danger, San Diego firefighters on Thursday warned of dangerous fire conditions within city limits.

Fire Chief Tracy Jarman is planning to hold a news conference at Marian Bear Memorial Park Thursday to discuss the fire conditions, warning that this is the driest year in San Diego in 90 years.

Fire officials say a cold winter lowered the moisture in local vegetation, drying it out even more than normal and making it more combustible.

Old N.C. 105 USFS - Effort to control fire starts new one

Posted: 04 May 2007 01:38 PM CDT

Charlotte Observer | 05/03/2007 | Effort to control fire starts new one:

OUTSIDE LINVILLE GORGE WILDERNESS

Effort to control fire starts new one

Blaze spreads across Old N.C. 105 closing roads and hiking trails

HANNAH MITCHELL

hmitchell@charlotteobserver.com

Firefighters battling a week-old forest fire in Burke County had to fight a new fire Wednesday that was part of a backburn they set to keep the larger forest fire from spreading.

The new fire spread across Old N.C. 105 after winds caused it to jump the road Tuesday night, a National Forest Service spokesperson said.

Officials said they couldn't estimate how large of an area was affected by the new fire.

Old N.C. 105 along the western edge of the Linville Gorge, the Spence Ridge Bridge and all hiking trails in the gorge are closed, said Maj. Ken Anthony of Burke County Emergency Services.

Wind overnight pushed the fire north of the Pinch In trail, said U.S. Forest Service spokesman Dyan Bone.

Flames are confined to the federal wilderness area and still more than a mile away from private homes in the North Cove community, but Forest Service officials met with homeowners Wednesday morning to inform them of firefighting efforts, officials said.

The fire, which started April 25 just outside the Linville Gorge Wilderness, was about 30 percent contained Wednesday. About 220 firefighters are battling the blaze.

It has burned an estimated 700 acres.

Daily information about the fire is being posted at www.burkealert.org

CA-BBD/KRN- James

Posted: 04 May 2007 11:33 AM CDT

CA-BBD/KRN-James - :

CA-BBD/KRN-James 209
From this evening's 209:

1300 acres
100% contained
Scattered interior hot spots
No night shift is planned
4 FS Type 2 crews are mopping up.

Remarks:

Responsibility for the incident will be transitioned back to the District on 5-4-07 at 0700 hrs., and managed as a small type 3 organization. This will be the last update by SCIIMT#3. Reduction in the reported size of the incident is the result of ground based GPS survey of the fire perimeter completed yesterday. Extremely steep terrain necessitated the use of ground based GPS surveys in order to accurately plot the perimeter. Excellent interagency cooperation with CALFIRE and Kern County Fire during the entire course of the incident was greatly appreciated."

Car Fire Sparks 5,000 Acre Brush Fire in California - Firehouse.com Personal Protective Equipment

Posted: 04 May 2007 11:09 AM CDT

Car Fire Sparks 5,000 Acre Brush Fire in California - Firehouse.com Personal Protective Equipment:

Kern County fire crews said a car fire near Lower Water Hole in the Grapevine has sparked a brush fire that has now spread to almost 5,000 acres.

The fire is now 50-percent contained and Kern County fire says they hope to have it fully contained by 6pm Saturday.

375 firefighters from Kern County, LA County, California Department of Forestry and the National Forest Service are on the fire lines, and they expect 700 firefighters to be working the fire by Saturday morning.

The fire is burning on Tejon Ranch property west of Interstate-5.

One problem crews encountered Friday was high-voltage power lines near the Tecuya Canyon, where thick smoke caused the lines to ground, putting firefighters in potential danger.

No one has been injured, no evacuations have been ordered and no homes or structures have been threatened.

Police Probe Hot Shots in California Station - Firehouse.com News

Posted: 04 May 2007 11:08 AM CDT

Police Probe Hot Shots in California Station - Firehouse.com News:

Ventura, Calif. --

Ventura police are investigating how an adult entertainment company was able to take risque�� photographs of scantily clad women inside a city fire station, according to a report in the Ventura County Star.

Firefighters on duty at the time told investigators that they agreed to the women's request to have their pictures taken at the station, but immediately told them to stop and leave once the women were seen wearing little clothing, acting Fire Chief Kevin Rennie said Monday in the published report.

"As soon as the on-duty personnel realized the women had moved into these positions, they immediately asked them to stop and to leave," Rennie said in the published article. "Our personnel would not allow a photo shoot like this."

The models allegedly posed there for a variety of risque shots, NBC4 reported.

The city's acting fire chief said the models stopped by the station and without authorization, suddenly disrobed for an impromptu photo shoot, which was quickly shut down, according to NBC4.

The photos later showed up on a Web site, but were taken down.

A spokeswoman who only identified herself as "Rhonda" told NBC4 that the company "Simply Seductive" did not break any laws and their models did not raise their blouses or skirts.

Police Lt. John Garner, who is conducting the investigation, said he spoke with a woman he described as the owner of Simply Seductive, according to the Ventura County Star. "She said, 'We pulled a hit-and-run on the fire station,' and that they were there about 90 seconds," Garner said in the published report.