California Fire News

Fire near Alhambra High School extinguished Posted: 29 Aug 2007 12:16 AM CDT San Jose Mercury News - Fire near Alhambra High School extinguished: A brush fire that erupted on the north side of Highway 4 behind Alhambra High School in Martinez about 5:45 p.m. blackened three to four acres before it was brought under control about 6:30 p.m. Firefighters approached the blaze from F Street, east of the Franklin Hills Open Space, according to the Contra Costa Fire District. The fire burned upward toward the top of a ridge. Other units from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection arrived to help.

CA-SQF fires - One fire showing activity on the Kern River drainage Posted: 28 Aug 2007 05:32 PM CDT The Sherman Peak webcam - Active Fire on Kern River North Cam SQF fires- View all Sierra Forest webcams at Sierra Wildland Fire Reporting System (SWFRS) Sierra Wildland Fire Reporting System Web Cameras at these links

Yosemite Park News - Yosemite Falls is dry.... Posted: 28 Aug 2007 05:29 PM CDT Yosemite Falls is the highest measured waterfall in North America, and has run dry.... Vernal, Nevada, and Bridalveil Falls are flowing, but at flows more typical of late summer. Yosemite Falls is dry.

Inciweb: Zaca Wildland Fire - 240,207 acres - 95% Posted: 28 Aug 2007 04:41 PM CDT Zaca Wildland Fire Incident Information Announcements News Photographs Maps INCIDENT UPDATED Helicopter assisting with firing operation. Credit: Casey Christie - The Bakersfield Californian view pictures || view maps Summary Tuesday, August 28, 2007 8:00 AM Fire Status Acres Burned: 240,207 acres Fireline to Build: 2 miles Date Started: July 4, 2007 at 10:53 am Percent Contained: 95 percent Expected Containment: September 4, 2007 Injuries: 42 Structures Threatened: 32 Structures Destroyed: 1 outbuilding Cost to date: $107.7 million dollars Resources Crews: 50 Engines: 99 Helicopters: 22 Air Tankers: 8 Air Attack: 3 Dozers: 20 Water Tenders: 71 Personnel Assigned: 2,195 Headlines Due to successful firefighting efforts on the northeastern edge of the Zaca Fire, Highway 33 is entirely open to the public. Please be mindful that there is the potential for fire engine traffic along this route for the next few days and travel with caution. The RECOMMENDED EVACUATION in the area from Ozena north to the Ventura/Santa Barbara County line west of Highway 33 has been lifted. Current Situation Crews continue to make progress with rehabilitation efforts along fire lines and roads in the Live Oak Zone of the Zaca Fire. In addition to rehabilitation work the Live Oak Zone will be monitored by aircraft. Monday's higher humidity allowed fire suppression resources another day to improve fireline in the Brubaker Canyon area just west of Highway 33. Today, a combination of ground and aerial resources will continue to construct fireline around the north end of the spot fire near Cuyama Peak. Over the next three days, predicted lower relative humidity, higher temperatures and potential increased fire activity will test containment lines. Aerial infrared photography will be used to identify hot spots and ground patrols will work to extinguish problem areas, primarily along completed fireline in the Sisquoc River drainage and the northern perimeter of the fire. Road closures and evacuations associated with the Live Oak fire suppression activities on the south have been lifted. All areas and roads included within the Los Padres National Forest Closure Area remain closed to public entry; including the Snyder Trail, a popular mountain bike trail. Highways, Forest Roads and Area Closures Highway 33 is entirely open to the public. Happy Canyon Road is closed at the Los Padres National Forest boundary. Figueroa Mountain Road is closed at the Los Padres National Forest boundary. East Camino Cielo Road is open between Hwy 154 and Gibraltar Road. East Camino Cielo is closed east of Gibraltar Road because it is within the Forest closure. Paradise Road is open from Highway 154 to First Crossing Day Use Area. The Zaca Fire Area Closure in Los Padres National Forest remains in effect. The closure includes lands in Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Kern Counties. The expanded closure encompasses approximately 888,000 acres including the entire San Rafael, Matilija, and Chumash Wildernesses, a portion of the Sespe Wilderness, and adjacent national forest lands. Detailed information on the closure can be found at www.fs.fed.us/r5/lospadres or www.inciweb.org or at a Los Padres National Forest office. Evacuations The RECOMMENDED EVACUATION in the area from Ozena north to the Ventura/Santa Barbara County line west of Highway 33 has been lifted. Recreation facilities along Paradise Road between Highway 154 and First Crossing, including Forest Service campgrounds and Rancho Oso Campground, are open. The Santa Ynez River Road, beyond the First Crossing and all associated recreation facilities are closed. Basic Information Incident Type Wildland Fire Cause Human Caused Date of Origin 07/04/2007 at 1053 hrs. Location 9 miles North of Santa Barbara Incident Commander Opliger/ Hawkins Current Situation Total Personnel 2,195 Size 240,207 acres Percent Contained 95% Estimated Containment Date 09/04/2007 at hrs. Fuels Involved Heavy brush containing a high dead component. Some conifers at higher elevations. Live fuel moistures are at 49% which is well below critical levels. A continuous fuel bed lies ahead of the fire. Fire Behavior Live Oak Zone (South section): The fire in the island within the Santa Cruz drainage continues to creep around. Richardson Zone (Northeastern section): Limited fire activity was observed; some interior burning with no growth in perimeter. Significant Events Live Oak Zone (South section): Progress was made in suppression rehabilitation. Richardson Zone (Northeastern section): Crews continued to line and mop up. Outlook Planned Actions Live Oak Zone: Patrol by air. Continue fire suppression rehabilitation. Richardson Zone: Monitor and mop up 100% of the slopovers in Divisions CC and DD. In Division FF, patrol and mop up all spot fires and mop up 1000 feet from structures. Continue suppression rehabilitation efforts. Projected Movement Projected incident movement in Richardson Zone: north to Dry Canyon and east to Highway 33. Growth Potential Medium. Terrain Difficulty Extreme. Containment Target Live Oak Zone: the fire management strategy has succeeded. Richardson Zone: There is high potential for success of the fire management strategy by Sept. 4th. Remarks Live Oak Zone: Type 2 Incident Management Team, Southern CA Team 1,will shadow CIIMT (Oplinger) today and assume command on 8/29/07. Weather Current Wind Conditions Not available Current Temperature 59 degrees Current Humidity 45 %

Alleged arsonist's motives remain vague after death Posted: 28 Aug 2007 04:05 PM CDT By GREG WELTER -Staff Writer Article Launched: 08/28/2007 12:00:00 AM PDT OROVILLE — Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey said accused serial arson suspect James Kenneth Hough never really gave a good reason for setting dozens of wildland blazes. Hough, 56, hung himself from a bed sheet in the Butte County Jail early on Friday, and died Saturday afternoon at Oroville Medical Center. Ramsey said arson investigators were ready to question Hough's family about his activities Friday, but postponed it because of the suicide attempt. He said Hough talked about the stresses in his life, but took the reasoning for his alleged arson spree, which may date back to 2005, to his grave. Hough was arrested July 10 near a campground in Chester after Cal Fire investigators tracked him from the scene of a fire in the Lassen National Forest. He is accused of starting the Colby fire, while on his way to go camping with his family. The blaze burned 167 acres on Colby Mountain, and closed Highway 32 for three days. Hough, a Live Oak resident, was facing nine counts of arson in Butte County, including the Colby fire, and up to 27 more for fires he allegedly set in Yuba and Sutter counties. He would have faced charges first in Butte County. "The closest he came to giving us a motive was on the Colby fire," Ramsey said. "I hated that mountain," Ramsey said Hough had told investigators, without elaborating why. Hough, who worked as a manager for a Marysville soft drink bottling company, and had 37 years on the job, occasionally stuck around to watch the fires he had started. Ramsey said Hough made no claim to getting sexual pleasure from the arsons. The suspect was being tracked by a satellite-based global positioning system, and investigators knew he had taken what Ramsey called a "tour" of several fires he had set in late July in the Oroville area. At one time, investigators said, Hough was attempting to set enough fires to burn a "ring" around the Sutter Buttes. Hough pleaded not guilty to the arson charges Aug. 15, which Ramsey said was not unexpected. "He was basically telling us to prove it," Ramsey said. Investigators discovered that Hough used "ground bloom" fireworks to start most of the blazes. "It was his favorite and distinctive method," Ramsey said. He described the fireworks, which are included among the "safe and sane" variety, as a device which spins and jumps around on the ground, shooting out sparks and smoke of various colors. "The fires started in late June, just about the time the fireworks stands opened in Live

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