California Fire News

LODD'S - PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO REFLECT ON THE TRAGIC LOSSES TO THE FIRE FIGHTING COMMUNITY IN CALIFORNIA THIS WEEK Posted: 24 Jul 2007 08:12 PM CDT Todays Wildland fire News condensed from around the net around the net PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO REFLECT ON THE TRAGIC LOSSES TO THE FIRE FIGHTING COMMUNITY IN CALIFORNIA AND AROUND THE WORLD THIS WEEK THIS EDITOR HAS REPORTED ON A FATAL STRUCTURE FIRE INVOLVING THE DEATHS OF FOUR PEOPLE WHICH INCLUDED TWO BRAVE CONTRA COSTA FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT FIREFIGHTERS KILLED IN A FLASH OVER WHILE ATTEMPTING THE RESCUE OF THE OTHER VICTIMS, THE DEATH OF A OUT OF STATE CONTRACT WILDLAND HELICOPTER PILOT WORKING A BUCKET AT THE ELK COMPLEX, AND NOW THE DEATH OF TWO CAMP CREW MEMBERS DROWNED IN THE KLAMATH RIVER WHILE WORKING AT THE ELK COMPLEX THE DEATHS OF CONTRACT WILDLAND HELICOPTER PILOTS IN GREECE AND ITALY. LETS ALL TAKE A PERSONAL STAND DOWN FOR JUST A FEW MINUTES RIGHT NOW REMEMBER THESE BRAVE SOULS, THEIR FAMILIES AND THEN RESOLVE TO COME HOME TOMORROW DAMN IT! WHY YOU MUST COME HOME Megan Burton 11, Escorted past her deceased fathers ConFire Engine by Concord Police officer Ron Brucket Credit: CCTimes A very moving multimedia slide show at the Contra Costa Times

Elk Complex LODD: Tragedy two drowned in addition to loss in helo crash Posted: 24 Jul 2007 02:29 PM CDT Geographic Area Coordination Center: Elk Complex is now 22 percent contained at 9,179 acres. Yesterday two tragic events occurred on the Elk Complex. Yesterday morning, a type 2 helicopter assigned to the Elk Complex crashed resulting in the death of the pilot. During the afternoon, two off-duty camp crew personnel were involved in an incident along the Klamath River. One crew member drowned and the other is missing and presumed drowned. Resources assigned to the Elk Complex assisted the local sheriff office in the attempted rescue. Fire operations: Completed the burn operation on the Little Grider fire near Happy Camp. Initiated burn operation on the northern perimeter of the Wingate fire in Branch I. Established direct line on northern and eastern flank of Elk fire to direct fire into the Marble Mountain Wilderness.

Zaca Wildland Fire - 31,000 Acres - 60% Containment Posted: 24 Jul 2007 02:20 PM CDT Zaca Wildland Fire Incident Information Announcements News Pictures Maps INCIDENT UPDATED Firefighter reports weather data from the fire. Credit: Mike Ferris - USFS view pictures || view maps Summary July 24, 2007 (Morning update complete) Summary Acres: 31,000 Percent Containment: 60% Estimated Full Containment: August 3, 2007 Miles of fireline to build: 10 Estimated Cost To date: $31,900,000 Resources: Hand Crews: 21 Dozers: 7 Engines: 12 Air Tankers: 2 Helicopters: 20 Water Tenders: 29 Overhead Personnel: 191 Total Personnel: 801 Injuries: 8 Structures Threatened: 0 Structures Destroyed: 1 Current Forest and Roads Closures Per Santa Barbara County Fire officials, the following roads remain closed. Happy Canyon Road closed to the east at Baseline Road. Figueroa Mountain road closed to the east at Highway 154. Per Los Padres National Forest officials, the following areas remain closed. The Los Padres National Forest closure remains in effect from Hwy. 166 on the north to Hwy. 33 in Ventura County on the south. This closureprohibits access to the San Rafael, Dick Smith and Matilija Wilderness areas in order for the safety of citizens and fire personnel. Current Situation Steep, rocky, inaccessible terrain continues to hinder suppression efforts. Travel times for resources to north and east fire perimeters is 2-3 hours. North and east flanks of fire are burning in heavy, 40 year old fuels with high dead to live ratio. Cloud cover and increased moisture have moderated fire behavior. Interior islands continue to burn out and the fire continues short runs to the southeast near McKinley Mountain. Priority efforts continue on the east side of the fire. Safety Message Travelers using SR-154, please be cautious of firefighting equipment and personnel. Fire Information updates and display boards are placed throughout the Santa Ynez and Santa Maria Valley's to keep the communities informed on the fire status. Media Message Due to fire equipment activity, Public Information Officers are available to provide media tours. Media should check in at the Live Oak Camp Incident Command Post for escorted tours by 11:00 am. Additional Information The fire continues to have 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. ### 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 Aaron Gelobter / Rick Tod Current Situation Total Personnel 801 Size 31,000 acres Percent Contained 60% Estimated Containment Date 08/03/2007 at hrs. Fuels Involved Chaparral and oak woodlands. North and east flanks of fire are burning in heavy, 40 year old fuels with high dead to live ratio. Fuel moisture levels are extremely low, at levels normally seen in late summer. Fire Behavior Cloud cover and increased moisture have moderated fire behavior. Interior islands continue to burn out and the fire continues short runs to the southeast near McKinley Mountain. Significant Events Priority efforts continue on the east side of the fire. Outlook Planned Actions Crews continued line construction on the east side of the fire. Rugged inaccessible terrain limits suppression efforts on the south east perimeter. Projected Movement Moderate potential for the fire to grow 150 to 250 acres in the next 12 to 24 hours to the east and south. High potential for the fire to grow 500 to 750 acres in the next 48 to 72 hours to the east and south. Growth Potential High. Terrain Difficulty Extreme. Containment Target Suppression tactics continue to be successful in maintaining north and west flanks. Despite rugged terrain, poor access and extremely low fuel moisture crews are showing significant progress toward containment on the northeast and east fire perimeter with the support of helicopters. Inaccessible terrain in the southeast perimeter (Division "U")is limiting suppression efforts. Remarks All evacuation warnings have been lifted. Los Padres National Forest closure remains in effect. Happy Canyon Road is closed to the east at Baseline Road. Figuerora Mountain Road is closed to the east at Hwy 154. All Los Padres NF lands are closed from Hwy. 166 on the north roughly to Hwy. 33 in Ventura County on the south, including San Rafael, Dick Smith and Matilija Wilderness areas. Unified Command with Santa Barbara County. Injury to crew crewmember for heat exhaustion. Expected containment date changed due to rugged innaccessible terrain limiting suppression efforts in the southeast perimeter (Division "U"). Weather Current Wind Conditions Not available Current Temperature 74 degrees Current Humidity 28 %

InciWeb: Elk Complex Wildland Fire - 9,179 acres - 28% Posted: 24 Jul 2007 02:20 PM CDT InciWeb: Elk Complex Wildland Fire: Elk Complex Wildland Fire Incident Information Announcements News Pictures Maps INCIDENT UPDATED ANNOUNCEMENT Elk Fire Complex Community Meeting 7/24/07 There will be a community meeting regarding the Elk Fire Complex Tuesday July 24, 2007 at 7pm, held at the Happy Camp Grange Hall. Representatives from the fire management team, local ranger district ... more view pictures || view maps Summary NEWS RELEASE July 23, 2007 11:30 a.m. At approximately 1015 a.m. on Monday, July 23, 2007, a type 2 helicopter was reported down on the Elk Fire burning within the Klamath National Forest. One fatality is confirmed and the pilot's name will be released pending family notification. The cause of the crash is under investigation and the National Transportation Safety Board has been notified. Fire crews and additional helicopter support are working to suppress a small ground fire associated with the crash. The Elk Fire is one of 30 fires burning within the Elk Complex, Happy Camp Ranger District, Klamath National Forest. The Complex is 9,085 acres at 22% containment. Currently, there are 1,145 personnel assigned. The California Interagency Incident Management Team 5 is managing the Complex. Additional information on the Elk Complex may be obtained by visiting http://www.inciweb.org/ (including other fires) or by calling the Klamath National Forest Fire Information Center at (530) 841-4451. Information on fire restrictions and area closures is available on the Klamath National Forest web site at www.fs.fed.us/r5/klamath/conditons/. -#- Basic Information Incident Type Wildland Fire Cause Lightning Date of Origin 07/10/2007 at 00 hrs. Location Happy Camp Ranger District Incident Commander Mike Dietrich Current Situation Total Personnel 1,107 Size 9,179 acres Percent Contained 28% Estimated Containment Date 07/29/2007 at hrs. Fuels Involved Mature heavy timber overstory with brush understory, large quantities of dead fuels and snags. Fire Behavior Slow moving fire with isolated torching, creeping, smoldering and roll-out on steep slopes. Significant Events Not available Outlook Planned Actions Prep contruction line and continue burn operation on the north and east flank of the Wingate fire in Branch 1. Continue direct line contruction on Wingate, Titus, King Creek 2 and Elk fires. Brush roads in southern portion of Branch 1. Projected Movement 12 hours: Fine fuels becoming receptive to active fire. Limited spread expected. 24 hours: Continued spread expected due to further drying of fuels and potential burnout/backfire operations. 48 hours: Continued spread expected due to further drying of fuels and potential burnout/backfire operations. 72 hours:Continued spread expected due to further drying of fuels and potential burnout/backfire operations. Growth Potential High Terrain Difficulty Extreme Containment Target Likely to meet objectives based on current weather projections. Remarks The threat to Happy Camp has diminished with the completion of the burnout operations on thw Little Grider fire. Expect an increase in containment as direct strategy and burnout continues. A total of 56 miles of fire line has been constructed to date. This includes 26 miles of dozer line and 30 miles of handline and brushed roads. Fire acreages and containment: Of the 30 identified fires in the Elk Complex, 24 fires are 100% contained. The remaining six fires are as follows: Little Grider 1,952 acres-60%; Titus 2,026 acres-5%; Wingate 916 acres-5%; King Creek 2 2,895 acres-25%; Elk 1,144 acres-40%; Hummingbird 80 acres-0%. Weather Current Wind Conditions Not available Current Temperature 58 degrees Current Humidity 97 %

Todays Wildland fire News condensed from around the net around the net Posted: 24 Jul 2007 02:18 PM CDT PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO REFLECT ON THE TRAGIC LOSSES TO THE FIRE FIGHTING COMMUNITY IN CALIFORNIA THIS WEEK THIS EDITOR HAS REPORTED ON A FATAL STRUCTURE FIRE INVOLVING THE DEATHS OF FOUR PEOPLE WHICH INCLUDED TWO BRAVE CONTRA COSTA FIREFIGHTERS KILLED IN A FLASHOVER WHILE ATTEMPING THE RESCUE OF THE OTHER VICTIMS, THE DEATH OF A CONTRACT HELICOPTER PILOT WORKING THE ELK COMPLEX, AND NOW THE DEATH OF TWO CAMP CREW MEMBERS DROWNED IN THE KLAMATH RIVER WHILE WORKING AT THE ELK COMPLEX THE DEATHS OF CONTRACT HELICOPTER PILOTS IN GREECE AND ITALY. LETS ALL TAKE A PERSONAL STAND DOWN FOR JUST A FEW MINUTES RIGHT NOW REMEMBER THESE BRAVE SOULS, THEIR FAMILIES AND THEN RESOLVE TO COME HOME TOMORROW DAMN IT! Over at NorCalfire Scanning : Re: CALFIRE ST heading to ID. Cal Fire SHU strike team forming. destination Idaho . CALFIRE is sending 5 Strike Teams to Idaho LNU, Sonoma-Lake-Napa, TGU, Tehama-Glen, SHU, Shasta, TCU, Tuolumne-Calaveras, and MVU,San Diego are sending one strike team each to ID-TFD-2030, the Murphy Complex...Idaho Be advised,. The strike team from TGU is going to be TGU and BTU engines. Re: CALFIRE ST heading to ID. Be advised, I spoke with a CAL FIRE Captain from MVU and their strike team got cancelled. Dont know about the northern strike teams Over at WildlandFire HOTLIST: CA-LNU-OAKS (1)LNU Working A Fire Near Clear Lake Oaks...spotting Problems; St Of Engines Still In Bound Code 3; Copter And Aa Working Also; Unknown On Other Details; Can Only Hear Command Net, No Tac Traffic ; Spot Fires Near Sr 20 And St 53 (2)Per AA - appears that they're starting to get a handle on this. Forward spread checked now. after a windshift that must have given them some concern. CA-LNU-OAKS (3)I worked that area for years and this fire is near the "Wye" and it shouldn't be too big of a long term problem. The corporate resources of the variuos county fire and Cal Fire resources should pick this fire up before night fall. Unless a screamer coastal wind comes at it from the west with a lot of velocity it is nothing more than an afternoon in Lake County for the wild land firefighters. If you listen to them it is almost a daily event.

LODD - Contra Costa firefighters Memorial services Posted: 24 Jul 2007 01:47 PM CDT LODD: Contra Costa County Fire Protection District Line of Duty Deaths Fire Captain Matt C. Burton, 34 Fire Engineer Scott P. Desmond, 37 12-27-1972 - 7-21-2007 2-16-1970 - 7-21-2007 Memorial services have been scheduled Friday, July 27th in Concord for two Contra Costa firefighters who gave their lives in the line of duty. Captain Matt Burton and Engineer Scott Desmond, died early Saturday morning while attempting to rescue two people from a destructive house fire in San Pablo. Burton and Desmond were the first traumatic line of duty deaths in Contra Costa County in at least three decades. The memorial, which will include an apparatus procession and full firefighter honors, will be held at the Sleeptrain Concord Pavilion on Friday, July 27, 2007. The service will begin at 11:00am, and the public is asked to arrive by 10 a.m. Sleeptrain Pavillion at Concord is located at 2000 Kirker Pass Road, Concord, CA 94521. Agencies participating in the apparatus procession Friday, July 27 are asked to please contact John Viera at 925-567-6996 to advise the number of personnel/equipment you will be sending and to receive more detailed information. Volunteers from fire and law enforcement agencies who wish to offer their assistance may contact Jaad Ajlouny at 707-495-5223. Email: firecapjad@aol.com.

News: Pilot killed in crash while fighting Elk Fire : Local : Redding Record Searchlight Posted: 24 Jul 2007 01:45 PM CDT Pilot killed in crash while fighting Elk Fire HAPPY CAMP – An unidentified pilot died this morning when his firefighting helicopter crashed into a ridge in densely forested terrain between Elk and Bear creeks, 12 miles southeast of Happy Camp. The crash was reported at 10:15 a.m. near Elk Creek and Norcross roads and the California Highway Patrol confirmed that the pilot had died, said Mel Cagle, a Klamath National Forest spokesman. There were no passengers in the helicopter. "We are extremely saddened by this accident," Cagle said. "Out hearts go out to the family." The U.S. Forest Service and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the cause of the crash. The helicopter was carrying a bucket of fire retardant to help douse the flames of the 1,144-acre Elk Fire, Cagle said. Fire crews and other helicopters were working to suppress a small ground fire associated with the crash this afternoon. Siskiyou County Sheriff's Department deputies also were hiking into the area to remove the pilot's body, said sheriff's spokeswoman Susan Gravenkamp. The man's name is being withheld until his family is notified, Gravenkamp said. She said the pilot was a contractor from out of state and he was helping the forest service fight the 9,085-acre Elk Complex fires that have been endangering Happy Camp and nearby communities for nearly two weeks.

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