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Thursday, May 7, 2009

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Jesusita Fire: New mandatory evacuation order, evacuation warning expanded

Posted: 06 May 2009 05:12 PM PDT

UPDATE 16:30 p.m. CA-LPF/SBC Jesusita Incident - Wildland Fire - 196 acres 0%

The evacuation warning area has been expanded.

** Structure threat **
Critical fire conditions are occurring

SUNDOWNER EVENT - A STRONG NORTHERLY PRESSURE DIFFERENCE ACROSS SANTA BARBARA COUNTY WILL GENERATE STRONG SUNDOWNER WINDS TONIGHT AND AGAIN THURSDAY NIGHT.

The Jesusita Fire activity has grown significantly as high winds pick up in the area this afternoon. It is now threatening homes as it pushes south toward Mission Canyon.
Air attack grounded: Tankers and helicopters currently grounded as the wind conditions worsen.

A new mandatory evacuation order has been issued for the following area:

All locations east of Alamar Road (western boundary), from Foothill Road south to State Street, State Street to Constance, east on Constance to Los Olivos, Los Olivios to Alameda Padre Serra, Alameda Padre Serra to Sycamore Canyon Road (eastern boundary), north on Sycamore Canyon to Highway 192 westbound to El Cielito Road.

The previous mandatory evacuation order still stands for the following area:

All locations north of Highway 192 / Foothill Road from Morada Lane and Ontare Road to El Cielito Road / Gibralter Road to East Camino Cielo.

The evacuation warning area has been expanded:

La Cumbre Road (western boundary) to State Street, State Street to De La Vina, De La Vina to Anapamu, Anapamu to Anacapa, Anacapa south to De La Guerra, De La Guerra to Milpas, Milpas to Montecito Street, Montecito Street to Alameda Padre Serra.

Red flag warning in effect until 10 am Friday for the Santa Ynez range and Santa Barbara south coast due to gusty northerly winds and low humidity -

RED FLAG WARNING - SUNDOWNERS - Jesusita Fire area - Santa Ynez Range and Santa Barbara South coast

Posted: 06 May 2009 03:57 PM PDT

Red flag warning in effect until 10 am Friday for the Santa Ynez range and Santa Barbara south coast due to gusty northerly winds and low humidity

SUNDOWNER EVENT - A STRONG NORTHERLY PRESSURE DIFFERENCE ACROSS SANTA BARBARA COUNTY WILL GENERATE STRONG SUNDOWNER WINDS TONIGHT AND AGAIN THURSDAY NIGHT.

TEMPERATURES WILL SOAR WELL INTO THE 90S DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS...

WITH HUMIDITIES FALLING TO BETWEEN 10 AND 20 PERCENT ACROSS THE WARNING AREA.

THE LARGE AMOUNT OF DEAD FUEL CONTENT NEAR THE JESUSITA FIRE...WILL LEAD TO A GREATER THREAT OF RAPID FIRE GROWTH IN THAT REGION.

RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM PDT FRIDAY DUE TO GUSTY NORTHERLY WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITIES...

Instruction:
A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF STRONG WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND HOT TEMPERATURES WILL CREATE EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL. PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE OFFICIALS OR FIRE CREWS IN THE FIELD OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING.

Area: SANTA BARBARA COUNTY SOUTH COAST-

Affected Counties or parts of: Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Luis Obispo, Los Angeles

RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM PDT FRIDAY FOR THE SANTA YNEZ RANGE DUE TO GUSTY NORTHERLY WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITIES	Actual/Immediate/Severe/Observed
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY MOUNTAINS / LOS PADRES NATIONAL FOREST-
Alert sent at 15:01 PDT on 2009-05-06

RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM FRIDAY FOR THE SANTA YNEZ RANGE AND SANTA BARBARA SOUTH COAST DUE TO GUSTY NORTHERLY WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITIES	Actual/Immediate/Severe/Observed
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY SOUTH COAST-
Alert sent at 15:00 PDT on 2009-05-06

... A STRONG NORTHERLY PRESSURE DIFFERENCE ACROSS SANTA BARBARA COUNTY WILL GENERATE STRONG SUNDOWNER WINDS TONIGHT AND AGAIN THURSDAY NIGHT.
WITH SOME WEAKENING OF WIND SPEEDS DURING DAYTIME HOURS.

INITIALLY... THE STRONGEST NORTHERLY WINDS WILL OCCUR IN THE EVENING HOURS... SHIFTING TO A MORE NORTHEASTERLY DIRECTION DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS.

TEMPERATURES WILL SOAR WELL INTO THE 90S DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS...

WITH HUMIDITIES FALLING TO BETWEEN 10 AND 20 PERCENT ACROSS THE WARNING AREA.

THE LARGE AMOUNT OF DEAD FUEL CONTENT NEAR THE JESUSITA FIRE...WILL LEAD TO A GREATER THREAT OF RAPID FIRE GROWTH IN THAT REGION.

... RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM PDT FRIDAY DUE TO GUSTY NORTHERLY WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITIES...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LOS ANGELES/OXNARD HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM PDT FRIDAY. AREAS OF NORTH TO NORTHEAST WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE TO 25 TO 40 MPH WITH LOCAL GUSTS TO 60 MPH BELOW PASSES AND CANYONS.

THE STRONGEST NORTHERLY WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO OCCUR THIS EVENING... SHIFTING TO THE NORTHEAST OVERNIGHT INTO EARLY THURSDAY MORNING.

WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO DIMINISH SOMEWHAT AT TIMES ON THURSDAY... THEN RESTRENGTHEN ON THURSDAY NIGHT.

TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO SOAR WELL INTO THE 90S TODAY AND THURSDAY...WITH HOT CONDITIONS EXPECTED TO LINGER INTO THE EVENING HOURS.

HUMIDITY LEVELS ARE EXPECTED TO LOWER TO BETWEEN 10 AND 20 PERCENT TODAY AND THURSDAY IN FAVORED DOWNSLOPE LOCATIONS. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

San Diego: Cobra Attack helicopter down - 2 dead

Posted: 06 May 2009 08:04 AM PDT

2 Dead in Military Helicopter Crash Cobra Attack helicopter carrying live ordnance crashes in East County

Military investigators are on scene of a deadly helicopter crash in San Diego's east county. Officials with MCAS Miramar have confirmed two U.S. Marine pilots on board the AH-1W attack helicopter, also known as a "Super Cobra," were killed when the helicopter crashed just before midnight Tuesday.

Officials said the two Marines are part of the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, and fly with a squadron based out of Camp Pendleton and overseen by MCAS Miramar. The pilots were reportedly flying as part of a pre-deployment training exercise last night. Military officials could not confirm the helicopter's direction of flight when it went down.

The U.S. Forrest Service and CAL Fire said they received a call about a brush fire near Interstate 8 and Kitchen Creek Road near the Cleveland National Forest around 11:45 last night. Fire crews said they were alerted by the military that a helicopter was missing. Fire crews were warned to stay a quarter of a mile away from the crash site because of the threat of live ammunition aboard the aircraft.

Fire crews said the fire burned itself out. It blaze scorched between one and two acres of a remote and rugged area surrounding the crash site.

Fire officials said around 10 military officials arrived this morning to disarm any live ordinance and begin their investigation into what caused the crash that killed two U.S. Marines.

A command post has been set up at Kitchen Creek Road in Pine Valley.

Source: NBC - Link

UC Davis first responders emergency drill today

Posted: 06 May 2009 01:52 PM PDT

The University of California, Davis fire department emergency drill: Bus rollover drill this morning UC Davis Fire Department. Using an old campus Unitrans bus, UC Davis fire department firefighters and personnel from neighboring fire departments will practice their response to an accident with many casualties.

What: The scenario of a bus rollover accident, requiring the care and transportation of a large number of pretend victims, Fire engines will respond and a helicopter will be involved in transporting some of the pretend victims.

When: The training exercise will will take place today from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m, begining at 9 a.m. at an old cannery site off Covell Boulevard in north Davis where the Uni-trans bus will be on its side.

Why: UC Davis officials say that highway bus crashes with their many victims test resources and skills of firefighters and medical personnel. Today's exercise gives emergency responders a chance to practice working together.