California Fire News

CA-MDF-Fletcher - Wildland fire Posted: 15 Jul 2007 07:08 PM CDT CA-MDF-Fletcher: Location: Northern California, Fletcher Canyon, North of town of Alturas, CA - Devils' Garden Ranger District. Sizeup: 50 acres with spotting on three sides, large header. Resources: Full ground response, AAT, 1-Copter, 2-Seats, 2-Heavy AT. Additional: Fuels are very dry! Wind driven Updates: Per North Ops: Burning to the west of Goose Lake, the fire is approximately 250 acres with spotting up to 3/4 mile ahead of the fire. ONCC to order Kaage's T2 IMT for CA-MDF fire. CAL FIRE NEWS FROM http://calfire.blogspot.com/

CA-LNU-Spruce - Wildland fire Posted: 15 Jul 2007 06:58 PM CDT CA-LNU-Spruce : CA-LNU-Spruce New start in Lake Napa near Lower Lake - Location: Napa - Spruceville Rd / Spruce Grove Rd? cross of Noble Ranch Sizeup: AA reports 20 acres in grass and oak woodland with moderate ROS and spotting. 4 structures immediately threatened and potential of 20 others. Requesting additional air resources. Powerlines are down. Updates: (1) H-205 enroute, Per air attack 40 acres grass/oak woodland, slopping over Spruce Grove Road, if continues east will get into heavier fuels. (2) Per AA 100 acres, numerous spot fires on left flank. Right flank burned through retardant drops moving towards heavy timber. Head of fire is moving in direction of Lake Berryessa but ROS has slowed. CAL FIRE NEWS FROM http://calfire.blogspot.com/

Inciweb Update: Elk Complex Wildland Fire - 2,500 acres Posted: 15 Jul 2007 06:48 PM CDT Elk Complex Wildland Fire Incident Information Announcements News Pictures Maps INCIDENT UPDATED NEWS RELEASE Elk Complex Update #2 - July 15. 2007 Contact: Incident Information, Phyllis Swanson Phone: (530) 493-1519 July 15, 2007 2:50pmThe Titus Fire is threatening structures and a voluntary evacuation is taking place.The Little Grider Fire cont... more Summary Numerous lightning fires within the Happy Camp Ranger District boundaries that started Wednesday, July 11, 2007. Basic Information Incident Type Wildland Fire Cause Lightning Date of Origin 07/10/2007 at 00 hrs. Location Happy Camp Ranger District Incident Commander Kent Swartzlander Current Situation Total Personnel 876 Size 2,500 acres Percent Contained 10% Estimated Containment Date 07/22/2007 at hrs. Fuels Involved Mature heavy timber overstory with brush understory, large quantities of dead fuels and snags. Fire Behavior Active fire behavior with significant growth on the Titus, Elk, and Little Grider fires. Very active fire behavior resulted in crews being pulled off the line for safety on the Little Grider Fire. Significant Events Little Grider fire made a significant run this afternoon towards the town of Happy Camp. Outlook Planned Actions Protection of Happy Camp is #1 priority. Dozer line is being constructed on the West side of Happy Camp. Structure protection is being implemented. Outlying structures are also being protected east of the Titus Fire. Projected Movement 12 hours: Cooler temperatures and higher RH's are expected to moderate fire behavior. There will be spread due to rollouts and short upslope runs. Growth Potential High Terrain Difficulty Extreme Containment Target Unknown Remarks Trigger points for evacuations are in place. Contingency dozer lines are being implemented. Weather Current Wind Conditions Not available Current Temperature 75 degrees Current Humidity 75 % CAL FIRE NEWS FROM http://calfire.blogspot.com/

Seven Eleven Wildland Fire Incident Informa... Posted: 15 Jul 2007 06:44 PM CDT Seven Eleven Wildland Fire Incident Information Announcements News Pictures Maps INCIDENT UPDATED 12 MINUTES AGO Twin Fire Smoke Inversion Credit: Ali Ulwelling view pictures || view maps Summary Seven Eleven Complex is located on the Smith River National Recreation Area. The Pioneer Fire is located near the town of Gasquet, California. The Pioneer, Dean, Stephen, Sanger, Bear and Twin Fires have been contained. Crews are working on the Jedediah Fire. Due to steep, inaccessible terrain an minimal safety zones, helicopter support (food and water, as well as air support with water buckets) remains a critical need to support these crews. Basic Information Incident Type Wildland Fire Cause Lightning Date of Origin 07/11/0 at 00 hrs. Location Near the town of Gasquet Incident Commander Mike Jameson Current Situation Total Personnel 294 Size 190 acres Percent Contained 50% Estimated Containment Date 07/20/0 at hrs. Fuels Involved Heavy dense timber and heavy patches of brush in canopy openings. Fire Behavior Fire smoldering and creeping. Significant Events None. Outlook Planned Actions Continue containment lines on Jedediah Fire. Continue mop-up of the Pioneer Fire. Patrol Dean, Stephen, and Sanger Fires with engine crews. Patrol Bear and Twin Fires by air. Projected Movement None. Growth Potential Low Terrain Difficulty Extreme Containment Target Four days Remarks Not available Weather Current Wind Conditions 16 mph SE Current Temperature 55 degrees Current Humidity 54 % CAL FIRE NEWS FROM http://calfire.blogspot.com/

InciWeb UPDATE: Zaca Wildland Fire Posted: 15 Jul 2007 06:36 PM CDT Zaca Wildland Fire Incident Information Announcements News Pictures Maps INCIDENT UPDATED 12:45 p.m. ANNOUNCEMENT Precautionary Smoke Advisory for Areas Impacted by the Zaca Fire Precautionary Smoke Advisory for Areas Impacted by the Zaca FireSanta Barbara, CA - The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department and the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District (APCD)... more Zaca Fire Perimeter Map - 07/15/07. view pictures || view maps Summary Zaca Fire Update - July 15, 2007 (updated at 12:45 p.m.) NOW ! - Firefighters are continuing a burning operation on the north west side of the fire. An increased amount of smoke may be visible from this operation. IMPORTANT ! - See "News" section regarding additional fire restrictions currently in effect throughout the entire Los Padres National Forest. Current Situation: The fire is continuing to burn in an easterly direction within the San Rafael Wilderness. The northeast portion of the fire is still holding at the Hurricane Deck Trail. Yesterday the fire made a run in the southern portion near Sulphur Springs Canyon. Work in the wilderness continues to be a challenge due to the steep and rugged terrain. All efforts are being made to protect natural and cultural resources. The burning operation along the northwest portion of the fire will continue today dependent on favorable weather conditions. The goal today is to secure the containment line along the Sisquoc Drainage. Public and firefighter safety remains top priority. Bulldozers will continue to construct contingency lines in the Tepusquet area and on the east end of the fire. Safety Message: Travelers using SR-154, please be cautious of firefighting equipment and personnel. Fire Information fact sheets and display boards are placed throughout the Santa Ynez and Santa Maria Valley's to keep those communities updated on the status of the fire. Media Message: Due to the expanded forest closure, media must be escorted by a Public Information Officer (PIO). Information Officers will be available to provide an escort to an operationally approved location. Credentialed Media will need to check in at the Incident Command Post at Live Oak Camp (SR-154) for an escorted tour. Media is reminded to please wear appropriate clothing along with sturdy shoes for the environment. Additional Information: The fire has potential for increased growth and extended duration of wildfire suppression activities. Depending on wind conditions, smoke from the Zaca Fire may be visible over a wide area with occasional drift smoke as far away as Santa Barbara, Goleta or other areas of the county. If you would like more information, please contact the Zaca Fire Information Unit at 805-961-5770 or go to http://www.fire.ca.gov/, http://www.inciweb.org/, or http://www.sbcfire.com/ Resources currently assigned to the fire: Crews - 59 Engines - 69 Dozers - 37 Water Tenders - 40 Helicopters - 10 (operational during daylight hours) Helitankers - 7 (operational during daylight hours) U.S.D.A. Forest Service, Santa Barbara County Fire, and CAL FIRE, continue to operate under a Unified Command. "Fighting the Zaca Fire in the San Rafael Wilderness" (see "News" section). "Archery Season Impacted by the Zaca Fire Closure" (see "News" section). Fire Perimeter Map and Fire Area Closure Map (see "Maps" section). Also see Rancho Fire on this web site for additional closure information. Additional Fire Restrictions in Los Padres National Forest (see "News" section). ### Basic Information Incident Type Wildland Fire Cause Human Caused. Date of Origin 07/04/2007 at 1053 hrs. Location 15 miles north east of Buellton, CA. Incident Commander Howard Windsor - Rick Tod Current Situation Total Personnel 2,020 Size 18,450 acres Percent Contained 46% Fuels Involved Chaparral and Oak Woodlands. North Flank of the fire is burning in heavy, 40 year old fuels with high dead to live ratio. Fuel moisture levels are extremely low, and are at levels which are usually not seen until late in the summer. Fire Behavior The fire continues its easterly movement into the San Rafael Wilderness. Firing along the north west portion of the fire, south of the Sisquoc River continues today, and is expected to be completed during this operational period. The south eastern side of the fire has has spread south towards the Manzana Creek and the Nira campground. The south side does continue to be successfully held along Zaca Ridge. West and north control objectives also continue to be achieved. Significant Events Emergency closures in the Los Padres National Forest,have been expanded and now encompass the entire San Rafael Wilderness and adjacent National Forest land, from approximately Highway 166 on the north to the Buckhorn Road area on the south. The 382,000-acre area will be closed until further notice. Bulldozers continue to construct contingency line outside of the wilderness. Firefighters continue to have success at holding the fire on the south side of the Sisquoc River, to the east of School House Canyon, and on the north side of Zaca Ridge. Outlook Planned Actions Both direct and indirect line will continue being built to keep the fire within the objectives. Aircraft, both fixed and rotary wing, continue to support daily ground actions. The priority will be to secure the north west side of the fire,through the implementation of the firing plan to secure the line to the Sisquoc River. It is believed that this will be completed by the end of the operational period on Monday 7/16/2007. Direct line that was being completed on the south east side of the fire, may have to be abandoned, due to the southerly spread mentioned above. This spread is still within containment objectives. Projected Movement The fire could grow significantly larger in the next 12 to 24 hours. Growth Potential High. Terrain Difficulty Extreme. Containment Target The fire continues to establish itself further into the San Rafael Wilderness. Several management strategies and other contingencies continue to be implemented. Remarks Estimated containment dates are difficult to determine, because of the fire becoming established in the San Rafael Wilderness. The current projection is that containment will require at least 14 days or more. Weather Current Wind Conditions 4 mph NE Current Temperature 56 degrees Current Humidity 88 % CAL FIRE NEWS FROM http://calfire.blogspot.com/

Jumbo fire bomber to return to duty Posted: 15 Jul 2007 06:31 PM CDT San Jose Mercury News Jumbo fire bomber to return to duty The Associated Press Article Launched: 07/15/2007 11:33:17 AM PDT RIVERSIDE, Calif.—The nation's largest firefighting aircraft will return to duty next week following repairs to a wing that was damaged after a near-crash. The DC-10 air tanker had been out of commission since June 25 as it prepared to drop fire retardant along a Kern County ridge. A severe downdraft forced the aircraft to sink and its left wing clipped several treetops. 'We're thankful that no one got hurt and the damage was as minimal as it was,' said Rick Hatton, managing partner of the company that owns the DC-10. 'It's a testament to the robustness of the airplane.' The converted plane was hailed by California fire officials last year as the first jumbo fire bomber of its kind to battle wildland fires. The U.S. Forest Service has refused to certify the plane over concerns about the number of hours already logged on the 31-year-old DC-10. A preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board last week said the aircraft's left wing dropped downward while making a left turn. The cause of the accident is still unknown. The pilots have said they experienced air turbulence just before hitting the trees." CAL FIRE NEWS FROM http://calfire.blogspot.com/

Body on fire identified as Salinas man Posted: 15 Jul 2007 06:29 PM CDT MontereyHerald.com : -: Body on fire identified as Salinas man The Monterey County Herald Article Last Updated: 07/15/2007 01:37:02 AM PDT Monterey County Sheriff's deputies responding to a report of a vegetation fire on San Juan Grade Road near Crazy Horse Canyon Road found instead a smoldering body early Saturday. The body was later identified as Kenneth Jesse Valdez, 20, of Salinas. The cause of death could not be determined. Detective Sgt. Kevin Oakley called the circumstances 'highly suspicious' and said the Sheriff's Office is treating the death as a homicide. CAL FIRE NEWS FROM http://calfire.blogspot.com/

Scholar: USFS conclusion wrong concerning Angora fire path Posted: 15 Jul 2007 01:13 PM CDT Scholar: USFS conclusion wrong concerning Angora fire path "The Angora fire was a crown fire that killed all the trees that were 40-60 inches in diameter. Anybody can see that; all you have to do is look at it," Adam Jensen Nevada Appeal News Service July 15, 2007 After a first-hand look, one forest-restoration specialist has drawn significantly different conclusions than the U.S. Forest Service about how and why the Angora fire burned so intensely. Tom Bonnicksen, emeritus professor of forest science at Texas A&M University and visiting scholar with the Forest Foundation, a logging-industry group, toured the burned area last week. "The Angora fire was a crown fire that killed all the trees that were 40-60 inches in diameter. Anybody can see that; all you have to do is look at it," said Bonnicksen during a phone interview on Tuesday. "This was a situation where homeowners didn't stand a chance. They were victims of the surrounding forest." he said. Bonnicksen said fire racing through the top of an overly dense forest was the major cause of property damage, while Rex Norman, USFS spokesman, has repeatedly reiterated the initial findings of agency investigators. "Many of the homes that were totally destroyed are surrounded by standing trees that were not destroyed, but were scorched, not burned," wrote Norman in a USFS statement. "Indications show that the trees did not carry the fire across most of the affected areas, but that wind-driven embers did through much of the area, and ignited flammable components of structures." Even so, fuels-reduction efforts near the southeastern boundary of the burned area were largely effective in dropping the fire from the tops of trees to the ground, limiting the potential of the fire reaching the tops of trees, Norman said. "A large number of homes were saved when these completed treatment areas on National Forest lands slowed and moderated the fire approach," Norman wrote in the statement. Six-hundred-fifty-six out of the 2,736 acres of national forest land burned by the fire had undergone modern fuels-reduction treatments by the start of the fire on June 24. An additional 60 acres were thinned, piled and awaiting prescribed burns at the fire's onset. These acres likely responded in a similar fashion to untreated areas, Norman said during a phone interview on Tuesday. These numbers are grossly inadequate, and more needs to be done to prevent another catastrophic crown fire from destroying homes in the basin, Bonnicksen said. "The amount of management that was taking place was too little to stop this fire," Bonnicksen said. "Ultimately it's the responsibility of our agencies to protect our forest, and they're not doing it." • Contact reporter Adam Jensen at ajensen@tahoedailytribune.com. CAL FIRE NEWS FROM http://calfire.blogspot.com/

CA-KNF-Elk Complex - 1,200 acres with 10% containment Posted: 15 Jul 2007 10:03 AM CDT CA-KNF-Elk Complex - Update from around the net: CA-KNF-Elk Complex Update, Extreme fire behavior with significant growth on the Titus, Elk and Little Grider fires. Little Grider fire made a significant run this afternoon towards the town of Happy Camp. Complex is now at approx. 1,200 acres with 10% containment. MWS Very active fire behavior got crews pulled off the line on the Little Grider Fire (fire in the complex that's threatening Happy Camp) yesterday afternoon. Dozer line is being constructed on West side of Happy Camp. Structure protection is being implemented. Resources fighting the complex of fires include 8 hotshot crews 12 type 2 crews 3 heli T1 3 helo T2 2 helo T3 24 engines, 3 strike teams of engines 5 dozers 9 water tenders 109 overhead 2 camp crews 876 personnel in all CAL FIRE NEWS FROM http://calfire.blogspot.com/

InciWeb out of state: Milford Flat Wildland Fire - 351, 549 acres Posted: 15 Jul 2007 09:29 AM CDT Milford Flat Wildland Fire Incident Information Announcements News Pictures Maps INCIDENT UPDATED Milford Flat Fire Containment / Perimeter Map Click map to enlarge Summary The Milford Flat is the largest fire in Utah history. Was sparked by lightning on July 6, 2007 northeast of Milford Utah. The fire is currently 351, 549 acres and is approximately 50 miles in length and 20 miles across. Suppression action has been successful and is currently 40% contained. Current objective is to stop forward progression of fire moving south and east protecting Interstate 15 corridor. Basic Information Incident Type Wildland Fire Cause Lightning Date of Origin 07/06/2007 at 1445 hrs. Location Approximately 3 miles north of Milford Utah Incident Commander Rowdy Muir Current Situation Total Personnel 508 Size 363,052 acres Percent Contained 85% Estimated Containment Date 07/17/2007 at hrs. Fuels Involved 1 Short grass (1 Foot) Fuel Models 1 and 6 depending on elevation. Fire Behavior Some isolated individual and group torching over the south end of the fire with short uphill runs in interior unburned islands. Creeping and smoldering behavior over the balance of the fire. Unburned islands have the potential to produce spotting which is a significant risk due the high probability of ignition. Significant Events Dozers and crews made good progress securing line on the south end of the fire. One Type 1 crew was flown to the ridgetop of the Mineral Range to continue secure perimeter at the Division A/Z break. The balance of the fire is in mop-up. The level of media interest has greatly abated. Outlook Planned Actions Continue to strengthen line in all divisions with emphasis on the area of the Division A & Z break in the rugged terrain of the Mineral Range. The balance of the perimeter is being mopped-up. Projected Movement 12 hours: Very Limited 24 hours: Very Limited 48 hours: Very Limited 72 hours: Very Limited Growth Potential High Terrain Difficulty Medium Containment Target With current resources all divisions will be better secured by Saturday evening and containment is expected on 7/17/07. Remarks The current weather pattern will continue with a warming and drying trend to continue. Probablility of ignition remains high with a Haines of 6 for tommorrow. Overall the terrain is moderate but the terrain in the Mineral Range where the priority work is located is difficult. The local agency is forming a Type 3 organization to take the fire on 7/17/07 Weather Current Wind Conditions 5-8 mph SW Current Temperature 95-100 degrees Current Humidity 8-12 % CAL FIRE NEWS FROM http://calfire.blogspot.com/

Out of state news: Firefighters battle lightning-caused blazes as another storm looms Posted: 15 Jul 2007 09:19 AM CDT BENTON CITY, Washington (AP) -- Firefighters tried to contain about a dozen lightning-caused fires in Washington state on Saturday, hours before another thunderstorm was expected to give them more work. A fast-moving wildfire threatens homes in Asotin County, Washington, on Friday night. Close to 2,700 lightning strikes were reported in Washington and Oregon on Friday and early Saturday, sparking 212 fires, but firefighters quickly contained most of them. Three of the largest remaining fires had burned nearly 43 square miles (69 square kilometers) of grass, sagebrush and farm fields in south-central Washington, and only one had been contained by early Saturday afternoon. Triple-digit temperatures, low humidity and high winds complicated firefighting efforts, and a fresh round of lightning-packed storms was expected late Saturday. "We're expecting additional fires coming from the lightning, but they are able to hit the fires pretty hard right now, and they expect to get pretty good containment on 80 percent," said Paul Norman, spokesman for the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center. "Our highest priority is initial attack, just because if you can stop them small, it saves you the effort down the road." A red-flag warning for high fire danger remained in effect for south-central Washington and the northeast corner of the state, but cooler, more humid weather was expected beginning today. To the east, three brush fires burning in the Hanford Reach National Monument, near the Hanford nuclear reservation, were 85 percent contained at about 30,000 acres, or 46 square miles (74 square kilometers). In northern Idaho near Lewiston, a fast-moving wildfire burned about three square miles (five square kilometers), destroyed a home and several other buildings, knocked down power lines and temporarily closed a highway. No injuries were reported. The blaze, burning mostly on private and Nez Perce Tribe land, reportedly started Friday when a tractor-trailer blew a tire, and flames quickly spread up a hillside, Nez Perce County Fire Chief Ron Hall said. By Saturday, the fire had moved into a more remote area, and evacuation orders had been lifted, said Sandy Holt, assistant fire manager for the tribe. In eastern Oregon near Burns, a complex of fires started by lightning July 6 was about 36 percent contained but continued to threaten about 140 structures. The largest fire in Utah history, about 120 miles (193 kilometers) south of Salt Lake City, was 75 percent contained Saturday after burning more than 568 square miles (914 square kilometers). Officials said it could be fully contained by Tuesday. "We made excellent progress on the line" Saturday, Kathy Jo Pollock, a fire incident command spokeswoman, told The Salt Lake Tribune. "It was a really good day." In Southern California, firefighters continued the struggle to surround a 26-square-mile (42-square-kilometer) blaze in steep wilderness in Los Padres National Forest. The fire in the interior of Santa Barbara County was 37 percent contained, a figure that had not changed for days. Crews were trying to prevent flames from jumping a river and possibly threatening the towns of Tepusquet and Figueroa Mountain. High humidity and calm winds had slowed the blaze in recent days, but firefighters expect it to pick up as temperatures rise this weekend, fire information spokesman Tony Guzman said. CAL FIRE NEWS FROM http://calfire.blogspot.com/

Rossmoor fire quickly controlled Posted: 15 Jul 2007 09:07 AM CDT By Shirley Dang CONTRA COSTA TIMES A brush fire near the Rossmoor Golf Course sent plumes of smoke sailing into the sky and closed roads Saturday. The Contra Costa Fire District received reports of smoke from residents Saturday afternoon, said Battalion Chief Dave George. The fire apparently started when a transformer blew up and a power line fell down, cutting off power to thousands and showering the dry grass near Stanley Dollar Drive with sparks. District crews responded to the 2-acre fire on the ground. Cal Fire and the East Bay Regional Park District also lent a hand by dumping water via helicopter. Firefighters got the blaze under control within an hour, George said. "What we were very thankful for is we received many calls from Rossmoor residents. We were able to get on the fire and get ahead of the fire." No one was injured and no structures were damaged. Police closed Stanley Dollar and Running Springs Road as crews mopped up the scene over the next few hours. Meanwhile, 2,860 residents lost power during the simultaneous outage at 2:23 p.m., said J.D. Guidi, PG&E spokesman. The company had restored power to the majority of customers by 7 p.m. CAL FIRE NEWS FROM http://calfire.blogspot.com/

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