California Fire News

[EDIS] flash flood warning - San Bernardino County Posted: 25 Jul 2007 08:09 PM CDT [EDIS] flash flood warning - nws las vegas nv Inbox [EDIS] flash flood warning - nws las vegas nv San Bernardino County THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LAS VEGAS HAS ISSUED A * FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR... EAST CENTRAL SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA... * UNTIL 700 PM PDT. * AT 458 PM PDT...LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS REPORTED FLASH FLOODING FROM A THUNDERSTORM OVER THE WARNED AREA. * LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...NEEDLES AND HIGHWAY 95 FROM FROM NEEDLES SOUTH TO MILE MARKER 35. FLASH FLOODING IS ONGOING AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS ALONG HIGHWAY 95. Instruction: DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS SAFELY. TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN. A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR OCCURRING. IF YOU ARE IN THE WARNING AREA MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATELY. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS SWIFTLY FLOWING WATERS OR WATERS OF UNKNOWN DEPTH BY FOOT OR BY AUTOMOBILE. TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN. Area: NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV Affected Counties or parts of: San Bernardino, Sent: 2007-07-25T17:08:41-07:00 Original Sender: KVEF@nwws.oes.ca.gov From: NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV

CA-BTU - Circle IC Vegetation --> Structure fire Posted: 25 Jul 2007 05:30 PM CDT CA-BTU - Circle IC Location: Two veg fires in the Kelly Ridge area of BTU. Google map of area Sizeup: IC first requested 5 additional engines and Circle AA requeste 2 AT's for total 4 and one additional helo for 2. Update: 2 homes reported destroyed. About 20 acres with 50% containment Evacuation in progress BCSO Search & Rescue being called out to assist Evacuation. Evacuation area is Mt Ida between Robin Hill and Adrionic (Adriatic?) Way. Search & Rescue cancelled enroute. Precautionary evacuations have been lifted except for areas of Mount Ida Rd. (1)Update: IC reported that structures were involved and requested 10 additional engines and 2 chief officers. Fires breaking out Kelly Ridge area - southeast of Oroville. Wed 3:15pm Fire #1 - Circle IC is fire #1 - Circle Drive near Oro-Bangor, cross of Naranja Ave. Fire #2 somewhere (possible La Mirada Drive) Fire #3 is behind a mobile home park in Kelly Ridge somewhere. 151.400 BTU Local 154.415 Butte Support as Command 20 acres Rapid rate of Spread, 3 structures confirmed down. Air Attack 210 (2) Vegetation fire, Stumps Field. Circle IC says has 2 choppers working now and another tanker available and enroute, if I heard correctly. Stump IC on Tac 11 multiple structure threat, power lines down Throwing tons of smoke, air tac says spotting to the east. Venting propane tank (3) 15 acres. Immediate threat to Pioneer Trail, Evacuation in progress on Robin Hill to Adriatic way Evacuation center is Ohpir School. Per CHP CAD: Incident: 1048 Type: Traffic Hazard Location: PATENAUDE CT AT CIRCLE DR Zoom Map: 6684 5H Info as of: 7/25/2007 3:24:25 PM ADDITIONAL DETAILS 3:02PM 1125 POWERLINE THAT STARTED FIRE 3:00PM REQ CHP RESP FOR POSS 1125 3:00PM POWER LINES DOWN, STARTED A FIRE RESPONDING OFFICERS STATUS 3:02PM CHP Unit Assigned 3:16PM CHP Unit Assigned

[EDIS] flash flood warning - Mono, Fresno, Madera Posted: 25 Jul 2007 05:18 PM CDT [EDIS] flash flood warning - nws reno nv Mono, Fresno, Madera THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN RENO HAS ISSUED A * FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR... SOUTH CENTRAL MONO COUNTY IN CENTRAL CALIFORNIA... THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF MAMMOTH LAKES... * UNTIL 500 PM PDT * AT 305 PM PDT... TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED VERY HEAVY RAIN FROM A THUNDERSTORM OVER THE WARNED AREA. * LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO MAMMOTH MOUNTAIN EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLOODING OF SMALL CREEKS AND STREAMS... HIGHWAYS AND UNDERPASSES... ESPECIALLY HIGHWAY 203. Instruction: A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR OCCURRING. IF YOU ARE IN THE WARNING AREA MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATELY. RESIDENTS LIVING ALONG STREAMS AND CREEKS SHOULD TAKE IMMEDIATE PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS SWIFTLY FLOWING WATERS OR WATERS OF UNKNOWN DEPTH BY FOOT OR BY AUTOMOBILE. Area: NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV Affected Counties or parts of: Mono, Fresno, Madera, Sent: 2007-07-25T15:07:57-07:00 Original Sender: KREV@nwws.oes.ca.gov

Inciweb picture : Interesting Water Tender Picture Posted: 25 Jul 2007 04:08 PM CDT Interesting Water Tender Picture from Inciweb...Division G Water Tender - Monument Complex Oregon, Umatilla National Forest Credit: Robert "Robo" Robustelli photo

Inciweb: Out of State News: Oregon - Monument Complex Wildland Fire Posted: 25 Jul 2007 04:05 PM CDT Monument Complex Wildland Fire Incident Information Announcements News Pictures Maps INCIDENT UPDATED 2 HRS. AGO view pictures || view maps Summary The Monument Complex consists of a single fire formed by the merging of several lightning fires ignited on July 13. It is located 3 miles NE of Monument, Oregon, and is burning on Umatilla National Forest land, and on private and BLM land protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry. Resources fighting the fire are being managed by the Northwest Oregon Incident Management team led by Incident Commander Carl West. Basic Information Incident Type Wildland Fire Cause Lightning Date of Origin 07/13/2007 at 1030 hrs. Location 3 Miles NE of Monument, OR Incident Commander Carl West Current Situation Total Personnel 1,087 Size 53,000 acres Percent Contained 50% Estimated Containment Date 08/01/2007 at hrs. Fuels Involved Timber (litter and understory). Pine, mixed conifer, juniper, and grass. Fuel models 2, 6, and 10 are present in various areas. Fire Behavior Interior unburned islands have some individual tree torching and short uphill runs. Significant Events Continued good progress has been made in accomplishing burnout operations, securing containment lines and mopping up. We are currently burning interior islands in Divisions O and M, we are supporting the burnout at this time with helicopter bucket drops. We completed the plan with the local units for mop up and turnback standards. We flew RAM IR on fire #079 for the Forest and found no heat sources. Outlook Planned Actions Continue to conduct burnout operations to increase the depth of the burned perimeter on Divisions A, M, and O. Otherwise, continue to monitor and burn the unburned islands on the interior. Use the air resources to support the burnout operations. Continue to secure and mop up all other perimeter. Use RAM IR on all fire perimeter for heat source detection to assist in achieving effective mop up. Continue with suppression rehabilitation where it can be completed without compromising containment lines. Projected Movement Fire spread is expected to be within indirect containment lines, mostly from burnout operations. Growth Potential High Terrain Difficulty High Containment Target We continue to predict August 1. Remarks All fire activity in the past 24 hours has been within established containment lines, except for two small spot fires that suppresion crews found outside the containment line. The spots were lined and put out. Weather Current Wind Conditions 5 G 10 mph NW Current Temperature 75 degrees Current Humidity 36 %

LAFD blog: PRESS CONFERENCE* 2:30 PM Today - Update on Burned Los Angeles Firefighter Posted: 25 Jul 2007 03:53 PM CDT http://lafd.org/*PRESS CONFERENCE* 2:30 PM Today - Torrance Memorial Hospital Burn Center - 3330 Lomita Blvd; FROM THE UNOFFICIAL LAFD BLOG -*EXPLOSION* Building 114 UCLA; TG 632-A2; Prelim report of explosion in 'equipment room'; No reports of injury at this time; We are still enroute; Ch:7,12 @11:44 AM **UPDATE: Building 114 UCLA*All employees in area accounted for; Damage assessment in progress; No injuries; TAC CHANNEL CORRECTION: 14 -Brian Humphrey ### ** EXPLOSION * : Time 11:44 AM ## Brian Humphrey### From LAFD NEWS AND INFORMATION: Update on Burned Los Angeles Firefighter; Los Angeles Firefighter Injured Battling Mid-City Blaze On Tuesday, July 24, 2007 at 8:20 PM, 27 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters and 9 LAFD Rescue Ambulances, under the direction of Deputy Chief Jimmy Hill responded to a Major Emergency Structure Fire at 5111 West Adams Boulevard in mid-city Los Angeles. First units on scene reported a 100 x 75 foot single story commercial structure with fire through the roof. Firefighters were on the roof conducting ventilation operations when one LAFD member, a 30 year-old Apparatus Operator, fell through the roof. His colleagues made a made a quick rescue and pulled him from the fire. The injured Firefighter, a five-year veteran of the LAFD, was transported to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in serious condition with second- and third-degree burns to both hands and arms as well as burns to his face and head. Despite early concerns following his fall, he sustained no fractures. No other injuries were reported. Following a comprehensive medical evaluation and primary care at Cedars-Sinai, the Firefighter was transferred and admitted to the Burn Center of Torrance Memorial Medical Center. Though his condition has not been specified, his prognosis is said to be good. His current hospitalization for painful and potentially debilitating burn injuries could last as few as ten days. The fire was knocked down in 2 hours. The cause of the fire is under investigation and no dollar loss has been established for this vacant structure. "[LAFD] *PRESS CONFERENCE* 2:30 PM Today - Update on Burned Los Angeles Firefighter; Torrance Memorial Hospital Burn Center; 3330 Lomita Blvd; Update on Burned Los Angeles Firefighter; --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ LAFD_ALERT messages are *not* official instructions or authorization to take action. We do not guarantee the timeliness or accuracy of LAFD_ALERTs. For after-action reports of significant incidents, visit: http://lafd.org/blog"

InciWeb: Elk Complex Wildland Fire - 9,748 Acres - 34% containment. Posted: 25 Jul 2007 02:28 PM CDT Elk Complex Wildland Fire Expected Full Containment: 7/29/2007 Incident Information Announcements News Pictures Maps INCIDENT UPDATED 1:56 HRS. AGO 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 ELK FIRE COMPLEX UPDATE July 25, 2007 Total Complex Acreage: 9,748 acres Incident Resources: 1,151 personnel Total Complex Containment: 34% Expected Full Containment: 7/29/2007 Cost to Date: $9,890,076 Injuries to Date (minor): 9 Structures Threatened: 550 Fatalities to Date: 1 After three days of burnout operations the Little Grider is 100% contained. Crews will continue patrolling and mopping up near the fire's perimeter. Smoke will continue to be produced as fuels burn within the interior. Suppression efforts continue on the five remaining uncontained fires. The protection of Happy Camp and Elk Creek communities remains a top priority. Burnout and line construction activities continue on the Wingate, Titus and King Creek 2 with excellent results on the north and northeast corner of the Wingate fire. These actions are considered critical in order to secure the northern portion of the fire. To date, a total of 62 miles of fireline has been constructed consisting of 27 miles of dozer line and 35 miles of handline and brushed roads. Complex Fire Details Of the thirty identified fires in the Elk Complex, 25 are 100% contained. The fires will continue to be monitored, patrolled and staffed as safety, resources and access permit. The remaining five fires are as follows: King Creek II Fire (3,054 acres) 25 % contained. Line construction continued on the fire. Wingate (1,182 acres) 8% contained. Burnout operations are ongoing. Elk Fire (1,144 acres) 96% contained. Crews established direct line on the fire's northern and eastern perimeters. Titus Fire (2,043 acres) 5% contained. A recommended evacuation for homeowners, and closure for campers and miners, from Five Mile Bridge to Norcross Campground on Elk Creek Road remains in place. Firelines have been constructed and burnouts continue. Hummingbird Fire (80 acres) 0% contained. Evacuation Planning: The Siskiyou County Sheriff's Department has prepared an evacuation plan in the event evacuation becomes necessary. Individuals with special needs, such as mobility assistance, should notify the Sheriff's Department ahead of time. Sources of info include: http://www.inciweb.org/ (including other fires) or the incident information office at (530) 841-4451. Visit http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/klamath for information on fire restrictions and local closures. - # - 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 1,151 Size 9,748 acres Percent Contained 34% 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 Continue burn operation on eastern flank of the Wingate and Titus fires in Branch I. Continues direct line construction on eastern perimeterwhere feasible to minimize fire size and reduce costs. Brush roads in southern portion of Branch I. Support NTSB on Norcross incident. Projected Movement 12 hours: Continued spread expected due to futher drying of fuels and potential bounout/backfire operations. 24 hours: Continued spread expected due to further drying of fuels and potential burnout/backfire operations 48 hours: Potential for re-burn in areas wetted by previos rain event as drying continues. Short range spotting activity could increase fire spread 72 hours:Potential for re-burn in areas wetted by previos rain event as drying continues. Short range spotting activity could increase fire spread. Growth Potential High Terrain Difficulty Extreme Containment Target Likely to meet objectives based on current weather projections. Remarks The little Grinder fire contained yesterday. Expect an increase in containment as direct strategy and burnout continues. A total of sixty-two miles of fire line has been constructed to date. This includes twenty-seven miles of dozer line and thirty-five miles of handline and brushed roads. Fire acreages and containment: Of the thirty identified fires in the Elk Complex, 25 fires are 100%contained. The remaining five fires are as follows: titus 2,043 acres-5%, Wingate 1,182 acres-8%, King Creek #2 3,054 acres- 25%, Elk 1,1144 acres 96%, Hummingbird 80 acres-0% Weather Current Wind Conditions Not available Current Temperature 60 degrees Current Humidity 94 %

InciWeb: ZACA Fire - 31,000 Acres - 65 percent Containment Posted: 25 Jul 2007 02:23 PM CDT Zaca Wildland Fire Incident Information Announcements News Pictures Maps INCIDENT UPDATED Zaca Fire on the Los Padres NF view pictures || view maps Summary Incident Name: Zaca Fire Location: 15 miles Northeast of Buellton, Santa Barbara County Unified Command Team: Los Padres National Forest and Santa Barbara County Fire Start Date & Report Time: July 4, 2007 at 10:53 AM Acres: 31,000 Acres Percent Containment: 65 percent Estimated Containment: August 3, 2007 Resources: Hand Crews: 21; Dozers: 4; Engines: 12; Air Tankers: 2; Helicopters: 20; Water Tenders: 29; Overhead Personnel: 160; Total Personnel: 761; Injuries: 8; Structures Threatened: 0; Fireline-to-Build: 9 miles; Estimated Cost-to-Date: $33.5 million Current Forest and Road Closures: Santa Barbara County Fire Officials have ordered the following road closures: Happy Canyon Road closed to the east at Baseline Road. Figueroa Mountain road closed to the east at Highway 154. Los Padres National Forest Officials have ordered the following forest closures: 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 closure will limit access to the San Rafael and Dick Smith Wilderness in order to insure the safety of citizens and fire personnel. Significant Events: With a warming and drying trend, expect interior islands to continue to burn out during the peak burning period, with no real threats to the line. The Marre fire continues to act as a partial barrier to fire spread even during times of active burning. Please visit www.inciweb.org for maps, photos and more information on the Zaca Fire. Current Situation: The fire continues to threaten fire lines, but firefighters have been able to keep the fire from spreading beyond McKinley Ridge. Firefighters are using aerial infrared technology to locate hotspots. Today firefighters will continue to construct fire line on the two open southeast flanks and mop-up remaining hot spots. West and northern areas of the fire are being patrolled by aircraft. Despite rugged terrain, poor access, and extremely low fuel moistures, hand crews along with helicopters continue to make significant progress on the fire. Suppression rehab continues on the west side of the fire. All efforts are being made to protect natural and cultural resources. Public and firefighter safety remain the top priority. Safety Message: Travelers using SR-154, please be cautious of firefighting equipment and personnel. Additional Information: Depending on fire behavior and 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. Approved By Unified Incident Commanders: 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 761 Size 31,000 acres Percent Contained 65% 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 The fire made several small, narrow runs to McKinley Ridge. Flame lengths observed to 20'. Small spot fire, approximately .25 acres observed outside of line in Div X in the evening shifted priority for resources for tomorows actions Significant Events Priority efforts continued on the west side of the fire. An analysis was completed of fire spread and ability to hold the line at the Division I/U break where the fire made runs today. The analysis determined that there was a high liklihood of success. Outlook Planned Actions Not available Projected Movement Moderate to high potential for the fire to grow in the next 12 to 24 hours to the east and south. Growth Potential Medium Terrain Difficulty Extreme. Containment Target The north and west flanks are in patrol status with the exception of a quarter acre spot fire in Division X. Good progress is being made in Divisions I and U. 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. Weather Current Wind Conditions 4-16 mph W Current Temperature 82 degrees Current Humidity 32 %

2 crew killed when firefighting plane crashes in Greece; similar crash in Italy leaves 1 dead Posted: 25 Jul 2007 02:01 PM CDT World News © AP 2 crew killed when firefighting plane crashes in Greece; similar crash in Italy leaves 1 dead By THANASSIS STAVRAKIS - Associated Press Writer © AP 2007-07-23 21:12:31 - 2 crew killed when firefighting plane crashes in Greece; similar crash in Italy leaves 1 dead STIRA, Greece (AP) - A firefighting plane smashed into a hillside on a southern Greek island Monday, killing both crew members, as the country struggles to contain wildfires amid sweltering heat. Another firefighting plane crashed Monday in central Italy, which is also struggling against wildfires fanned by soaring temperatures and persistent winds. One of the Canadair plane's crew died and the other was seriously injured when the plane went down in Italy's central Abruzzo region, the country's Civil Protection Department said. In Greece, the CL-415 tanker was flying through thick smoke to douse a fire outside the resort of Stira, on Evia island, when it crashed, sending wreckage across an area over 100 meters (yards). «From accounts we heard from witnesses, the plane flew very low to make its drop and then couldn't gain enough height in time,» Stira Mayor Sofia Moutsou said. «They saved our village, but it cost them their lives. The plane's crew members were aged 27 and 34, the Air Force said. The fire on Evia burned several homes and forced the evacuation of hundreds of residents. Amid successive heat waves, more than 2,000 fires have broken out in Greece since June. With Monday's temperatures reaching 42 degrees Celsius (107 Fahrenheit) in parts of the country, an elderly man died of heat stroke on the island of Corfu, and 13 others were hospitalized elsewhere in Greece, officials said. Politicians paid tribute to the Fire Service, which has lost five members this summer in fires. Three died July 11 battling a forest fire on the island of Crete. «The pilots of these fire planes died defending us ... I express my deep sense of grief to their families,» President Karolos Papoulias said Monday. Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis cut short a visit to Bosnia to return to Greece, as six large fires raged out of control in parts of the country. Hospitals have been placed on alert, and temperatures were forecast to rise to 44 Celsius (111.2 F) Tuesday, the health ministry said. «We're prepared to deal with more heat stroke cases, but the most important thing is that people look after their elderly relatives _ making sure they stay cool and hydrated,» ministry official Panos Efstathiou said. In June, 12 people _ aged between 59 and 103 _ have died from heat-related causes. A fire in central Greece on June 5 killed two people trapped by the flames. The state power company urged people to limit midday use of air conditioners to avoid overloading the national grid, as electricity consumption reached a new record Monday of 10,610 megawatts. In Italy, temperatures peaked at 40 C (104 F) Monday in the southern city in Bari, while many other cities registered temperatures in the upper 30s C (100s F).

World News: Inferno in Italy as criminals set forests on fire Posted: 25 Jul 2007 01:54 PM CDT Feature: Rome - Carlo Bono from Milan saw the sun "turn black". Mariella Valvo of Casale Monferrato, in northern Italy, compared it to "one of those American movies about Pompeii being destroyed by the lava of Mount Vesuvius". Another spoke of women and children seeking refuge in the sea's shallow waters, "like Moses' exodus". From Umbria to Sicily, half of Italy appears to be ablaze. More than 300 forest and bush fires were reported on Tuesday alone, prompting more than 40,000 emergency calls to fire fighters in the space of just 24 hours. Fires have destroyed thousands of hectares of countryside around the Amalfi coast, in Campania and near Castel Gandolfo, a town in the hills south of Rome which hosts the pope's summer residence and where Benedict XVI was due to arrive later this week. Other badly affected areas include the island of Sardinia and the regions of Calabria and Marche. Of the apocalyptic scenes described by witnesses in Wednesday's newspapers, by far the biggest drama took place in the southeastern seaside resort of Peschici, where fire and smoke killed two elderly siblings, poisoned 100 others and trapped thousands of tourists for hours on a nearby beach. Fuelled by strong winds, flames as high as a three-storey building destroyed shrubs and forests around the area, prompting holidaymakers to abandon their camping sites and head towards the beach. The flames spread rapidly and caused gas containers to explode. Rocco Fasanella and his sister Maria Carmela reportedly died while trying to escape. In all, about 4,000 people were left homeless while thousands of tourists had to be evacuated by sea after spending hours under the sun on the Peschici beach. "We felt like trapped mice," Giuseppe Festa told Corriere della Sera. Wild fires such as the one around Peschici are an unfortunately common occurrence during Italy's hottest summers, when rain is scarce and temperatures can easily reach 40 degrees celsius. But there's nothing natural about these annual disasters. Quite frequently, the fires are started by pyromaniacs, bored people - often pensioners - who have nothing better to do. In other cases, they are sparked by money. "Quite often they are started on commission by people who have some financial interest in seeing the land being burnt down," a policeman working for the Italian forestry corps told Corriere. A farmer may want to set an area on fire to increase the amount of grazing land at his disposal, for instance; others may do so in order to build in a protected area - despite a seven-year-old law which prohibits anyone from building in a burnt-down area for at least 10 years. Even more disconcertingly, of the nearly 100 people caught red- handed between 2000 and 2006, about 10 per cent of them were found to be forest wardens - the very people whose job it is to prevent wild fires from starting. The logic here is that the more fires there are one year, the more forest wardens will be hired next year. "You can't afford to be distracted when you have people starting fires according to very obvious criminal plans," complained Guido Bertolaso, the man in charge of handling such disasters as head of Italy's civil protection agency.

Local News - Burned Bodies Found Near California Marijuana Plantation - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News Posted: 25 Jul 2007 01:31 PM CDT Local News - Burned Bodies Found Near California Marijuana Plantation - Burned Bodies Found Near California Marijuana Plantation Wednesday, July 25, 2007 INDEPENDENCE, Calif. — The burned bodies of two people were found Tuesday near an illicit plantation along the Eastern Sierra where 50,000 marijuana plants were found and five people were arrested, authorities said. The bodies appeared to have been burned in a wildfire that consumed some 35,000 acres of vegetation in the Inyo National Forest this month, Inyo County Sheriff Bill Lutze said. But the bodies' location near the marijuana growing area, amid other undisclosed evidence, led authorities to believe they were involved in the drug operation, Lutze said. The bodies were found eight miles northwest of Independence, which is in Owens Valley, between the Sierra Nevada and the Inyo Mountains, about 225 miles north of Los Angeles. Authorities were led to the unidentified bodies by four men claiming to be family members who were looking for two missing relatives, he said. "They dropped them off apparently to go quote-unquote backpacking a few weeks ago," Lutze said. "They were supposed to make contact within the first few days and hadn't. Deputies were questioning the men, but they were not suspected of wrongdoing, he said. The area where the bodies were found was part of a huge growing operation that agents from federal, state and local agencies raided during a three-month investigation that ended Monday, officials said. Five illegal immigrants from Mexico were arrested in the raid, Lutze said. Three of the suspects, who were arrested on July 15, have been taken into custody by U.S. Forest Service and Drug Enforcement Agency officials and would face federal charges, he said. Two others, arrested Monday, were being charged in Inyo County with cultivation of marijuana, he said. The plants were found growing in five separate drainage creek beds running out of the Sierra within a 70-square-mile area, Lutze said. The growing sites were in the Inyo National Forest and on Bureau of Land Management lands. The investigation, executed by agents from more than a dozen agencies, began when hikers who saw the marijuana plantations nestled in the forested areas tipped off authorities, Lutze said.

LAFD News & Information: Los Angeles Firefighter Injured Battling Mid-City Blaze Posted: 25 Jul 2007 12:37 PM CDT LAFD News & Information: Los Angeles Firefighter Injured Battling Mid-City Blaze: Los Angeles Firefighter Injured Battling Mid-City Blaze On Tuesday, July 24, 2007 at 8:20 PM, 27 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters and 9 LAFD Rescue Ambulances, under the direction of Deputy Chief Jimmy Hill responded to a Major Emergency Structure Fire at 5111 West Adams Boulevard in mid-city Los Angeles. First units on scene reported a 100 x 75 foot single story commercial structure with fire through the roof. Firefighters were on the roof conducting ventilation operations when one LAFD member, a 30 year-old Apparatus Operator, fell through the roof. His colleagues made a made a quick rescue and pulled him from the fire. The injured Firefighter, a five-year veteran of the LAFD, was transported to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in serious condition with second- and third-degree burns to his arms, face, and head. Despite early concerns following his fall, he sustained no fractures. No other injuries were reported. Following a comprehensive medical evaluation and primary care at Cedars-Sinai, the Firefighter was transferred and admitted to the Burn Center of Torrance Memorial Medical Center. His prognosis appears to be good. The fire was knocked down in 2 hours. The cause of the fire is under investigation and no dollar loss has been established for this vacant structure. (video) (video) (images) Original Submitted by Pat Marek, Spokesman Los Angeles Fire Department

InciWeb Update: Helicopter Accident on Elk Complex Fires Posted: 25 Jul 2007 12:06 PM CDT Helicopter Accident on Elk Complex Fires, Happy Camp, Ca Incident Information Announcements News Pictures Maps Incident: Elk Complex Released: 17 hrs. ago KLAMATH NF - UPDATE FOR JULY 24TH, 2007 HELICOPTER ACCIDENT ON ELK COMPLEX FIRES, HAPPY CAMP, CA (YREKA, CA)- The victim of yesterday's helicopter crash has been identified as Dennis Luster Davis, 61, of Boise, ID. Davis was a pilot for Idaho Helicopters, Inc., also of Boise, ID, and flew a Bell 205, type 2 helicopter, tail number 205BR. Davis' helicopter crashed at 10:15 am as he was providing logistical support to crews fighting the Elk Fire. The Elk fire is one of 30 fires within the Elk Complex; 24 of the 30 fires are 100% contained. At 12 p.m. yesterday, aviation operations were suspended on the Elk Complex. Suspending air operations is routine following aviation accidents. Aviation resources resumed regular operations this morning. A USDA Forest Service National Accident Investigation Team under the leadership of Jim Sedell arrived today, and has initiated their investigation. Additional information may be obtained online at http://www.inciweb.org/ or http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/klamath or by calling (530) 841-4451.

You are subscribed to email updates from California Fire News - Structure, Wildland, EMS To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email Delivery powered by FeedBurner
Inbox too full? Subscribe to the feed version of California Fire News - Structure, Wildland, EMS in a feed reader.
If you prefer to unsubscribe via postal mail, write to: California Fire News - Structure, Wildland, EMS, c/o FeedBurner, 549 W Randolph, Chicago IL USA 60661