California Fire News
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| Thieves hit memorial to Calif. victims of fire Posted: 18 Jun 2007 08:38 AM CDT Thieves hit memorial to Calif. victims of fire: Thieves hit memorial to Calif. victims of fireBy Harry Harris OAKLAND, Calif. — Thieves have targeted the Oakland Firestorm Memorial Garden, which commemorates one of the city's most tragic episodes — the deadly East Bay hills fire of October 1991 — taking aluminum plaques bearing the names of the 25 people killed in the blaze. Two bronze "trees" that were part of the memorial, located at Tunnel Road and Hiller Drive, also were stolen and another was badly damaged. The theft just recently was discovered, and police had not received a crime report as of Friday. But they have already assigned an investigator and done some preliminary work. Lt. Mike Yoell, commander of the theft section, said a dollar estimate of the loss would be hard to make but could easily be several thousand dollars. He said the memorial was either the target of vandals or of thieves who stole the metal objects to sell them. He said police are leaning toward the theft-for-profit theory, especially since the theft of valuable metals all over the area, including cemeteries and even of freeway guardrails, has been on the rise. Yoell agreed with others there is no way to estimate the emotional loss of those who survived the fire and built the memorial to honor those who died. Among the plaques were those bearing the names of Oakland Fire Batallion Chief James Riley and Oakland Police Officer John Grubensky. Both were killed trying to lead others to safety. Grubensky was in the same squad as Yoell at the time and was working his day off when he died trying to lead a family out of the burning hills. "This does hit closer to us," Yoell said. The fire began October 20, 1991, killing the 25 people, destroying more than 3,000 houses and causing $1.5 billion in damages. It was at the time the worst urban wildfire in California history. The memorial was dedicated in 1994, with most of the labor and materials donated. "The (fire) area looked like it had been bombed. We wanted something to welcome people back and memorialize the victims," said Gordon Piper, a resident whose home burned in the fire and who pushed the project forward as chairman of the North Hills Landscape Committee. Piper, who tends to the garden, said he discovered the theft Wednesday after he returned from a weeklong trip. He first noticed that several of the custom-made bars on the sculpture were "bent to heck." One was broken, he discovered. That's when Piper turned around and saw plaques had been pried off the cement walls. "My mouth fell open," he said. The entire project cost about $100,000, Piper estimated. He said will cost about $5,000 to replace the plaques and the bars, which were made to prevent such an attempted heist. The thieves have no regard for what the memorial meant to residents like him, Piper said. His home burned to the ground and he was left with nothing more than the pair of work overalls he was wearing, he recalled. Donations to replace the plaques and bars can be sent to the North Hills Landscape Committee, c/o 33 Hiller Drive, Oakland, 94618. The donations will be deposited in the committee's account with the Friends of Oakland Parks and Recreation. For more information, e-mail Robert Bruce rbruce@pacific.net . Yoell said police would like to talk to anyone who may have any of the items, sold them, or were approached by anyone trying to sell them. Police and Crime Stoppers of Oakland are offering up to $5,000 in reward money for information leading to the arrest of the suspects. Anyone with information can call police at 238-3951 or Crime Stoppers at 238-6946. | |
| CA-MVU-VUELTA - VEGETATION FIRE Posted: 17 Jun 2007 02:09 PM CDT CA-MVU\VUELTA VEGETATION FIRE - in the Fallbrook area, south of SR 76, West of I5 in rough ground. No engine access. AA and 2 tankers plus at least 2 coptors. Closing SR 76.
Moving up CDF rigs to cover stations. Video from HPWREN; launches windows media player. http://grizzly.hpwren.ucsd.edu/Anima...t/TODAY-PM.mpg CA-MVU\Local Govt-VUELTA - Wildlandfire.com Hotlist Forum: UPDATE 14:13 06-16-07: This is second fire in area today. This one got into about 8 acres, heavy heavy stuff in river bottom, but sounds like they are catching it with the rotary. Still working it, but no additional resources being requested. UPDATE 15:00 06-16-07: Lost it again...not sure if its the newer fire or the one from this morning but header clearly visible again and requesting LGA Type 3 strike team. UPDATE 15:41 06-16-07: Just requested a Type 1 Strike Team for structure protection although I think precautionary more than anything. UPDATE 17:21 06-16-07: Ordering evacuations in the Montserrat Hills Rd. area now. possibly along Sage Rd. later. Fire jumped to the North of SR76 but they caught it. They want the evacuations in case it happens again and they cannot get it. Frequent spot fires. UPDATE 20:55 06-16-07: Air resources released about 1900 Hrs. reporting 118 acres, long ways from tying in the line. Heavy mop up. UPDATE 06:00 06-17-07: from 0600 209 118 acres, 50% contained Burning in 3 tall grass (2.5 feet); in river bottom; grass, brush, chaparral, oak unified command, but CA-MVU ownership near FALLBROOK Lat: 33° 18´ 41" Long: 117° 13´ 0" Threat to Human Life/Safety: No evacuation(s) imminent but potential future threat for structures in the Gird Valley area if fire jumps Hwy 76. Hwy 76 still closed | |
| CA-SHU-Silver - Wild land fire Posted: 17 Jun 2007 02:25 PM CDT CA-SHU-Silver: Working fire. Large Column visible from Red Bluff. Area of Silver Bridge/Hwy 44. Multiple aircraft fixed and rotary onscene. CHP closing Silver Bridge Rd. IC just confirmed that size up 15-20 acres but says most of forward ROS has stopped with retardant drops but still some line. Some house by house evacs in progress as needed by units on scsene. | |
| Posted: 17 Jun 2007 02:16 PM CDT [EDIS] red flag warning continues through 1 pm pdt today for the northern sacramento valley and surrounding higher terrain: .SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING INTO OREGON WILL BRING GUSTY NORTHERLY WINDS TO THE NORTHERN SACRAMENTO VALLEY THROUGH MID DAY. THIS WILL CAUSE RELATIVE HUMIDITY LEVELS TO BE VERY LOW. THERE WILL ALSO BE ISOLATED POCKETS OF HIGH WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY IN THE SURROUNDING FOOTHILLS AND HIGHER ELEVATIONS. ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM PDT THIS AFTERNOON... GUSTY NORTHERLY WINDS WILL BRING LOW HUMIDITY LEVELS FOR PORTIONS OF THE NORTHERN SACRAMENTO VALLEY AND SURROUNDING FOOTHILLS. THE GUSTY NORTHERLY WINDS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH MID DAY TODAY AS THE MINIMUM HUMIDITIES DROP QUITE LOW. BY EARLY AFTERNOON THE PRESSURE GRADIENT IS EXPECTED TO WEAKEN WITH THE STRONGER WINDS DECREASING. THE WARNING IS FOR THE NORTHERN SACRAMENTO VALLEY INCLUDING PORTIONS OF THE SHASTA TRINITY NATIONAL FOREST...AND AREAS COVERED BY CALFIRE SHASTA TRINITY AND TEHAMA GLENN UNITS. Instruction: PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE OFFICIALS AND FIRE CREWS IN THE FIELD OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING. Area: NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SACRAMENTO CA Affected Counties: Yuba, Plumas, Yolo, Trinity, Mendocino, Mono, Napa, Calaveras, Amador, Sonoma, San Joaquin, Shasta, Sacramento, Mariposa, Butte, Merced, Solano, Colusa, Sutter, Lake |
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