California Fire News

Cleveland National Forest - BAER - $742,770 Posted: 01 Dec 2007 10:29 PM CST Cleveland National Forest Receives $742,770 To Implement Fire Recovery Treatments On National Forest System Land Burned In The Witch and Poomacha Fires News Release USDA Forest Service Cleveland National Forest Contact: Anabele Cornejo, Asst. Public Affairs Officer, 858-674-2985 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE San Diego , CA - November 21, 2007...The Cleveland National Forest (Cleveland NF) has released the approved Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Assessment Report for the Witch and Poomacha Fires, which burned during the last week in October and the first week in November. The Cleveland NF will receive $742,770 to implement the recommended treatment methods that include; 1 mile of range fencing; road stabilization; culvert and side drain repair and maintenance; stabilization of the San Diego River, Thornbrush and Cedar Creek Falls trails; pipe rail barriers, gates and informational signing. The Witch Fire burned 163,240 acres total with 44,144 acres burning on the Cleveland National Forest, 12,141 burning on other federal lands, 124 acres of state lands and 106,831 acres of private land. The Poomacha Fires burned 49,410 acres total, with 5,180 acres burning on the Cleveland National Forest, 22,529 acres burning on other federal lands, 1,097 acres burning on state lands and 20,604 acres burning on private lands. For more information on the Burned Area Emergency Treatment assessments, please go to www.fs.fed.us/r5/cleveland. The Forest offices are open Monday through Friday (except Thanksgiving), from 8:00AM till 4:30PM. Cleveland National Forest Supervisor's Office, (858) 673-6180. Alpine, Descanso, and Laguna Mountain Area contact the Descanso Ranger District at (619) 445-6235. Palomar Mountain, Henshaw, Ramona and Oak Grove areas contact the Palomar Ranger District at (760) 788-0250. Ortega Hwy area, San Mateo and Corona area contact the Trabuco Ranger District at (951) 736-1811.

Sequoia National Forest - Prescribed Burning - Camp Nelson Posted: 01 Dec 2007 10:27 PM CST USDA Forest Service (USDA FS), Sequoia National Forest Springville, September 29, 2007...On Friday November 30th, Sequoia National Forest personnel will begin their prescribed burning in the Tule River and Hot Springs Ranger Districts, Giant Sequoia National Monument. Weather and smoke conditions are predicted to be favorable for burning and fire crews are available to conduct the burns and remain on site until the piles are extinguished. As weather conditions and air quality conditions allow over the next couple of weeks burning will continue. The debris piles initially planned to be burned are located south of the community of Camp Nelson near Coy Flat. This controlled burning is expected to last through the beginning of April and will include up to 600 acres. These hand piles resulted from fuelbreak construction near homes to help protect them from wildland fires. With private landowners working to maintain their required clearances on their own property and efforts being done by the Forest Service, the hope is the area will be less susceptible to wildfire, helping protect the communities that are in and around it. When completed the piles themselves may not be entirely consumed in the fire. Typically there are remnants of the pile left to protect the soil from erosion, and promote growth of new vegetation. Some piles will be left unburned to benefit wildlife. Smoke from the burn operations will be visible around Camp Nelson and Coy Flat. Forest personnel will be working closely with the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District to manage smoke production and reduce any local impacts. Media planning to visit the burn project areas are asked to notify Denise Alonzo, Public Affairs, at the Tule River District Office (559) 539-2607, extension 212. For the latest information, call our (pre-recorded) prescribed burning information line at (559) 539-2607, extension 292. Contacts: Denise Alonzo, (559) 539-2607

Angora Fire Area Closure Extended Until January 31, 2008 Posted: 01 Dec 2007 10:20 PM CST Angora Fire Area Closure Extended Until January 31, 2008 Forest Service Removes Urban Lots from Closed Area South Lake Tahoe, CA. --USDA Forest Service officials of the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit have extended the public closure of most of the Angora Fire area until January 31, 2008. The lack of snow cover to date leaves the area sensitive to disturbance and damage that may lead to erosion. The extension does not apply to the urban lots managed by the Forest Service. The purpose of the closure is to allow for the emergency treatments, particularly the hydromulch, to remain undisturbed until significant snowfall reaches the area, and to maintain public safety in light of post-fire hazards, particularly tree falls. The Forest Service treated more than 600 acres using aerial hydromulching. The mulch material can be peeled away easily by people hiking or biking on it, which then allows water to run beneath it or wind to flake it away, undermining the treatment's ability to stabilize the soil. The Angora Fire started on June 24, from an abandoned illegal campfire. The fire was contained on July 2, declared controlled on July 20 and declared out on November 15. The largest wildfire in the Lake Tahoe Basin in over a century, the Angora Fire scorched just under 3,100 acres, and destroyed more than 250 homes. Emergency treatments were immediately implemented to protect life and property, as well as minimize environmental damage and water quality impacts on Angora Creek and Lake Tahoe. For more information, contact the Forest Supervisor's Office at (530) 543-2694. The closure order, as well as a map of the area affected by the closure, is posted on the Forest Service LTBMU website: www.fs.fed.us/r5/ltbmu

News: Freeway funeral procession planned for killed Caltrans worker Posted: 01 Dec 2007 08:56 PM CST Parts of three major freeways from Riverside to San Bernardino may be partially closed Monday for a funeral procession for a Caltrans worker killed by a motorist this week. The procession and an accompanying California Highway Patrol motorcade will be taking up the two right lanes of state Highway 91, Interstate 215 and Interstate 10 starting at around 11 a.m. and lasting until about 1 p.m., Caltrans officials said. John Knabenbauer, a 42-year-old Fontana resident and 17-year employee of Caltrans, was killed Wednesday morning when he was hit by a car while trying to remove a dead dog from I-215 at the Fifth Street onramp. The plans are still tentative, with California Highway Patrol officials meeting today to go over the route and give their stamp of approval, said Sgt. Tel Preszler of the CHP Inland division. Caltrans workers from all over the state are expected to take part in the procession along with representatives from the U.S. Forest Service, Cal Fire and the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, said Caltrans spokeswoman Shelli Lombardo. Caltrans Director Will Kempton and Dale Bonner, the state's secretary of business, transportation and housing, are also expected to attend the services. Church services will be held at 10 a.m. at Harvest Christian Fellowship Church in Riverside, with graveside services to follow at Montecito Memorial Park in Colton. The procession will take Adams Street in Riverside, get onto eastbound Highway 91, continuing on northbound I-215 and then onto eastbound I-10, exiting at Waterman Avenue at the Colton/San Bernardino line. The procession is expected to cause some delays but won't affect the morning commute, said CHP Officer Joe Ramos, spokesman for the San Bernardino office. If motorists "happen to get stuck on the freeway with the procession, just be patient," Ramos said. Source: Original article IMRAN GHORI The Press-Enterprise Reach Imran Ghori at 909-806-3061 or ighori@PE.com

Convicted arsonist arrested in probe of 8 Angeles Forest fires Posted: 01 Dec 2007 08:52 PM CST LANCASTER, Calif.—A convicted arsonist was arrested for investigation of setting multiple fires in the Lake Hughes area of the Angeles National Forest last month, officials said Thursday. Sheriff's deputies arrested Ricky Jimenez, 52, on Wednesday during a probe into eight fires that were set at the end of October, when firefighters were already battling huge wildfires fires elsewhere in Southern California. Firefighters doused all eight fires, the largest of which was one acre. Los Angeles County prosecutors on Thursday were determining whether charges would be filed against Jimenez. Jimenez was convicted in the past of arson-related offenses and is a registered arsonist, a Sheriff's Department statement said. Deputy Bill Brauberger of the Sheriff's Headquarters Bureau could not elaborate on the past offenses. Jimenez was being held on $75,000 bail and was expected to appear at the Antelope Valley courthouse in Lancaster on Friday. Source: The Associated Press - SJMN Article

USGS Launches Web Site to Educate Public About Post-Wildfire Concerns in California Posted: 01 Dec 2007 07:31 PM CST Reston, Va. - The U.S. Geological Survey launched a Web site today where the public can access science information to help them in the aftermath of the Southern California wildfires. The public can find out how to prepare for and protect themselves from flash floods and debris flows, commonly known as mudflows; see satellite imagery of the burned areas; learn about real-time stream-flow/flood information; listen to interviews with scientists; and view a video and photo gallery. The USGS Multi-Hazards Demonstration Project team is coordinating a post-Southern California wildfire response around four public safety goals - assess and identify debris-flow danger, size and potential flows; estimate flood risk; assess biodiversity and ecological impacts; and assess surface water quality impact on human health. USGS provides science for a changing world. For more information, visit www.usgs.gov.

Inciweb: Devil Wildland Fire - YNP - 215 acres - WUF Posted: 01 Dec 2007 02:08 PM CST Devil Wildland Fire Used for Resource Benefit Incident Information Announcements News Photographs Maps INCIDENT UPDATED 38 MIN. AGO Devil Progression 11/13/07 Credit: NPS view pictures || view maps Summary The Devil Fire was detected on Nov. 3 after thunderstorms crossed over the Park on Oct. 29. It is east of the Tamarack Trail, between the Tamarack Flat Campground and Tamarack Trail footbridge crossing at Cascade Creek. Fire activity is low to moderate after last weekend's precipitation. A warm dry system is expected to prevail in the Park for the next week; these conditions will help increase fire activity. The Devil Fire will be allowed to function as a natural part of the ecosystem as it progresses across the landscape until weather puts it out. Basic Information Incident Type Wildland Fire Used For Resource Benefit Cause Lightning Date of Origin 10/29/2007 at 1500 hrs. Location A mile north of the Yosemite Valley Rim in the Cascade Creek drainage Incident Commander Taro Pusina Current Situation Total Personnel 2 Size 215 acres Fuels Involved Fire is burning between 6,000 and 7,400 feet in ponderosa pine & mixed conifer species that has burned once recently in 1986. Fire Behavior Mostly low - smoldering and some creeping. Max flame lengths of 1\'. Low rates of spread. Significant Events Vegetation in fire area has re-dried after receiving 0.8 Outlook Planned Actions Fire being monitored daily. Preparations being made to keep fire north of Yosemite\'s fire suppression zone on the North Valley Rim Trail/Old Big Oak Flat Road. Projected Movement 12 hours: Fire spreading west and south at about about 2-5 chains per day. 24 hours: Fire spreading west and south at about about 2-5 chains per day. 48 hours: Fire spreading west and south at about about 2-5 chains per day. 72 hours: Fire may reach \'suppression zone\' on Valley Rim Trail. Growth Potential Low Terrain Difficulty Medium Remarks Not available Weather Current Wind Conditions Not available Current Temperature 46 degrees Current Humidity 30 %

Inciweb: UPDATED - Jack Wildland Fire - YNP - 855 acres - 50% Posted: 01 Dec 2007 12:45 PM CST Jack Wildland Fire Yosemite National Park Incident Information Announcements News Photographs Maps INCIDENT UPDATED South aspect, north of the community of Wawona Credit: NPS view pictures || view maps Summary The Jack Fire started on Oct. 29 from lightning associated with thunderstorms moving over the Park. Jack is located on the north and south sides of Turner Ridge north of Wawona. It was originally placed under wildland fire use management for resource benefits and public safety. On Nov. 8, the fire spread outside the fire use management zone causing a change in strategy. At this point, management actions were taken to slow fire spread south toward Wawona. Crews are constructing control line in areas that will inhibit future fire spread if necessary. At a public meeting held in Wawona Monday fire managers explained to community members that the prevailing conditions, shorter daylight hours, cooler nights and elevated moisture levels in the vegetation, are conducive to managing the fire until the weather puts it out. The fires this year in Lake Tahoe and Southern California are a reminder that is important to use fire as an ecological restoration tool as well as to create defensible space around fire prone communities. Basic Information Incident Type Wildland Fire Cause Lightning Date of Origin 10/29/2007 at 1500 hrs. Location 1.5 miles north of Wawona Incident Commander Jeff Panetta Current Situation Total Personnel 49 Size 855 acres Percent Contained 50% Estimated Containment Date 12/15/2007 at hrs. Fuels Involved Primary vegetation involved is ponderosa pine/mixed conifer vegetation on northern portion of fire. Manzanita, buckbrush, and ceanothus persist on southern aspects. Fire Behavior Mostly moderate fire behavior observed yesterday - creeping and smoldering with occasional single tree torching. Low rates of spread on active portions of fire - fire mostly backing with some flanking. Significant Events Secured west flank of fire to Hwy 41 with blackline and burnout operation. Southern portion mostly contained with handline and burnout above community of Wawona. Outlook Planned Actions Continue to construct indirect handline and burnout along southern portion of fire adjacent to the community of Wawona. Projected Movement 12 hours: Fire will grow to the south toward indirect handline. Minimal spread will also occur to the north into sparser vegetation in Yosemite\\\'s wilderness. 24 hours: Fire will grow to the south toward indirect handline. Minimal spread will also occur to the north into sparser vegetation in Yosemite\\\'s wilderness. 48 hours: Fire should be approx. 90% contained and minimal spread will occur. 72 hours: Fire should be approx. 90% contained and minimal spread will occur. Growth Potential Medium Terrain Difficulty High Remarks Continued rollout due to extremely steep terrain and underslung handline is causing fire to continually re-kindle on southern portion of fire. Weather Current Wind Conditions 4-6 mph Current Temperature 41 degrees Current Humidity 30 %

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