Wednesday, June 3, 2009

California Fire News - Updates in your mail box

California Fire News - Updates in your mail box
Add to Google

Link to California Fire News - Structure, Wildland, EMS

Flash Flood Watch ~ Southwest Oregon and Northeast California

Posted: 02 Jun 2009 02:54 PM PDT


FLOOD WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
1114 AM PDT TUE JUN 2 2009

...THUNDERSTORMS MAY BRING SOME FLASH FLOODING TO SOUTHWEST OREGON
AND NORTHEAST CALIFORNIA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...

.SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING
OVER SOUTHWEST OREGON AND NORTHEAST CALIFORNIA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS
WILL BE SLOW MOVING AND SOME WILL CONTAIN HEAVY PRECIPITATION.
THIS COMBINATION MAY CAUSE FLASH FLOODING IN SMALL CREEK BASINS
ALONG WITH URBAN STREET FLOODING.

WESTERN SISKIYOU COUNTY-CENTRAL SISKIYOU COUNTY-
SOUTH CENTRAL SISKIYOU COUNTY-
NORTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST SISKIYOU COUNTY-
NORTHEAST SISKIYOU AND NORTHWEST MODOC COUNTIES-MODOC COUNTY-
EASTERN CURRY COUNTY AND JOSEPHINE COUNTY-
EASTERN DOUGLAS COUNTY FOOTHILLS-JACKSON COUNTY-
SOUTH CENTRAL OREGON CASCADES-
SISKIYOU MOUNTAINS AND SOUTHERN OREGON CASCADES-KLAMATH BASIN-
NORTHERN AND EASTERN KLAMATH COUNTY AND WESTERN LAKE COUNTY-
CENTRAL AND EASTERN LAKE COUNTY-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ETNA...FORT JONES...GREENVIEW...YREKA...
WEED...MOUNT SHASTA...DUNSMUIR...MCCLOUD...TENNANT...TULELAKE...
DORRIS...ALTURAS...GRANTS PASS...STEAMBOAT...TOKETEE FALLS...
MEDFORD...ASHLAND...CRATER LAKE...CRESCENT LAKE...DIAMOND LAKE...
UNION CREEK...HOWARD PRAIRIE...SISKIYOU SUMMIT...ALTAMONT...
KLAMATH FALLS...BEATTY...BLY...CHEMULT...CRESCENT...GILCHRIST...
SPRAGUE RIVER...LAKEVIEW
1114 AM PDT TUE JUN 2 2009

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEDFORD HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AND
OREGON...INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING AREAS...IN NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA...CENTRAL SISKIYOU COUNTY...MODOC COUNTY...NORTH
CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST SISKIYOU COUNTY...NORTHEAST SISKIYOU AND
NORTHWEST MODOC COUNTIES...SOUTH CENTRAL SISKIYOU COUNTY AND
WESTERN SISKIYOU COUNTY. IN OREGON...CENTRAL AND EASTERN LAKE
COUNTY...EASTERN CURRY COUNTY AND JOSEPHINE COUNTY...EASTERN
DOUGLAS COUNTY FOOTHILLS...JACKSON COUNTY...KLAMATH BASIN...
NORTHERN AND EASTERN KLAMATH COUNTY AND WESTERN LAKE COUNTY...
SISKIYOU MOUNTAINS AND SOUTHERN OREGON CASCADES AND SOUTH
CENTRAL OREGON CASCADES.

* THROUGH LATE TONIGHT

* SLOW-MOVING THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN

* SMALL CREEKS MAY BRIEFLY TOP THEIR BANKS. URBAN STREET FLOODING
IS ALSO POSSIBLE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS MAY DEVELOP THAT LEAD
TO FLASH FLOODING. FLASH FLOODING IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION.

YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION
SHOULD FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS BE ISSUED.

Truckee: Arson fires connected - Cal Fire serves search warrant

Posted: 02 Jun 2009 02:37 PM PDT


Truckee fires might be connected, officials say

Truckee police are investigating two suspicious fires in as many days that might be related.

The first fire occurred about 7:30 a.m. Monday a single-family home in the 10000 block of Laburnham Circle. Truckee Fire District firefighters requested assistance from the police due to the suspicious nature of the fire, police said.

Later that afternoon, detectives and arson investigators from Cal Fire used a search warrant to seize from the home evidence that might help explain the fire's origin, police said. The items were taken to the state Department of Justice lab for forensic examination.

About 8 a.m. today police and firefighters responded to a fire at a commercial building in the 10000 block of Donner Pass Road. Again, firefighters suspected the fire was suspicious and asked for police to help investigate.

A police department news release said the fires are related but did not elaborate. Cal Fire arson experts will assist Truckee detectives in the investigation.

Each fire caused an estimated $10,000 in damage, mostly from heat and smoke. Nobody was injured and no arrests have been made.

"We believe there is physical evidence that will link the two," said Lt. Randy Fenn, spokesman for the Truckee Police Department.
Source: Sacto911 - Link

EDIS: Humboldt County - Severe Thunderstorm

Posted: 02 Jun 2009 03:01 PM PDT


Update: AT 250 PM PDT... STORM NOW OVER TRINITY COUNTY -
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO INDICATE A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING QUARTER SIZE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR PEANUT... OR 15 MILES WEST OF YOLLA BOLLY DISTRICT RS...MOVING NORTH AT 20 MPH. THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL OTHERWISE REMAIN OVER MAINLY RURAL AREAS OF THE INDICATED COUNTY. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Update:
AT 235 PM PDT... NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO INDICATE A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING QUARTER SIZE HAIL.THIS STORM WAS LOCATED OVER EAST CENTRAL DEL NORTE COUNTY... OR 12 MILES EAST OF GASQUET NEAR PATRICKS CREEK... MOVING NORTHWEST AT 5 MPH. THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL OTHERWISE REMAIN OVER MAINLY RURAL AREAS OF THE INDICATED COUNTY. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... &&


THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN EUREKA HAS ISSUED A * SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR... NORTH CENTRAL HUMBOLDT COUNTY IN NORTHWEST CALIFORNIA...THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF ORICK AND TRINIDAD... * UNTIL 215 PM PDT * AT 144 PM PDT... NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING QUARTER SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED 12 MILES SOUTH OF ORICK...AND MOVING NORTH AT 15 MPH. * THIS STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LOCALIZED FLOODING DUE TO HEAVY RAINFALL. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... &&

Instruction:
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM. IF YOU ARE IN ITS PATH...PREPARE IMMEDIATELY FOR DAMAGING WINDS... DESTRUCTIVE HAIL... AND DEADLY CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. PEOPLE OUTSIDE SHOULD MOVE TO A SHELTER.

Area: NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EUREKA CA
Affected Counties or parts of: Humboldt
Sent: 2009-06-02T13:49:52-07:00
Original Sender: KEKA@nwws.oes.ca.gov
From: NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EUREKA CA

CAL FIRE Santa Clara Unit - Declares “Peak Wildfire Season”

Posted: 02 Jun 2009 01:11 PM PDT


SCU Wild-Fire season: Cal FireIn conjunction with the East Bay Regional Park District CAL FIRE Santa Clara Unit, is declaring the start of the 2009 Fire Season on Monday, June 1, 2009. See Official News Release below:

CAL FIRE NEWS RELEASE

California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection - Santa Clara Unit

CONTACT: Ken McGeever
Battalion Chief

Public Information Officer
(408) 779-6611
Media line (408) 779-0930

CAL FIRE Santa Clara Unit Declares "Peak Wildfire Season" and Suspends Burn Permits

Morgan Hill - On Monday June 1, 2009 the Santa Clara Unit of CAL FIRE will be on Peak Wildfire Season status. The opening of Peak Wildfire Season is based upon weather patterns, fuel conditions and increased fire activity and varies geographically throughout the state. Additional firefighters are hired, dispatch levels are increased and fire response facilities are operated around the clock.

Additionally: CAL FIRE Santa Clara Unit will suspend all permits for open burning within the Sate Responsibility area (SRA) and the Local Responsibility areas (LRA) under contract to CAL FIRE. This applies to the counties of Santa Clara, Contra Costa, Alameda, and areas west of I-5 in Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties.

Santa Clara Unit Chief John Ellis said, "I would like to remind everyone that Peak Wildfire Season has arrived, and with the lack of rainfall, the moisture condition of the vegetation in parts of the county creates an extra hazard. So please use caution in the wild land areas." He wants to remind us that "Peak Wildfire Season also means that a certain responsibility applies to the public". The public has a responsibility under California law, to maintain a defensible space around all buildings in the wild land and wild land urban interfaces.

During Peak Wildfire Season, the threat of wildfire is increased. Therefore, CAL FIRE offers the following "5 "safety recommendations:

• Be extra careful with fire. Of the 6,000+ wildfires that CAL FIRE responds to every year, more than 90% are caused by people. Equipment use is the most common cause.

• Use weed eaters, chain saws, etc. only during the cool, moist times of day. Be careful not to send sparks into dry grass.

• Remember lawn mowers are only for lawns. They can actually cause fires if used on dry grass.

• Be prepared for the worst. Have a plan for gathering family members, pets and valuables in case an approaching wildfire requires evacuation.

• Create a defensible space around all structures. See the CAL FIRE website "Fire Safety Education" section at www.fire.ca.gov for specific requirements

The Santa Clara Unit serves: Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties.

Santa Barbara County: Firefighter Discounts - Thank-you

Posted: 02 Jun 2009 11:59 AM PDT


Santa Barbara County Offers Discounts to Firefighters

Visitors Bureau Organizes Program With Shops, Restaurants, Hotels, Others

As a way to thank firefighters from all over the state that helped protect Santa Barbara County on multiple occasions in the last year, fifty hotels, restaurants, wineries, museums and attractions in the county have joined together to create an exclusive California firefighter's discount program. Through December 31, 2009, firefighters from anywhere in California need only to identify themselves and mention the discount program at any of the offered locations to take advantage of the offers.

Fire crews traveled from all over the state to battle the recent Jesusita Fire, and slept in area hotels between their shifts. As a way to express their gratitude for keeping the area safe and beautiful, the Santa Barbara Conference & Visitors Bureau and Film Commission created the discount program to allow the brave men and women to return with family and friends to experience the more relaxing side of Santa Barbara.

The program includes discounts from nineteen hotels and eight restaurants in the county, as well as discounted or free admission to twenty-two museums, attractions and events, allowing even local firefighters to take advantage of the offer.

For details about specific locations and discounts they are offering, California firefighters should email tourism@santabarbaraca.com, or call (805) 966-9222.

Source: Santa Barbra Independant - Link

Six Rivers National Forest: Arson, Graffiti - Info sought

Posted: 02 Jun 2009 11:20 AM PDT


[Shield]: US Forest Service

US Forest Service
Six Rivers National Forest

Contact:
Julie Ranieri
(707) 441-3673
jranieri@fs.fed.us

Eureka, June 1, 2009

On Thursday morning, Lower Trinity District personnel discovered that a public restroom located at the popular river access point known as Big Rock had been partially burned and freshly tagged with graffiti. "Approximately $3,500 in damages occurred to this Forest Service property between Wednesday night and Thursday morning," stated local law enforcement.

A half million dollars was invested in improvements at the Big Rock day use area including a new boat ramp, shaded picnic sites with new tables, a new bathroom and paved parking. "This is one of our highest use facilities along the Trinity River and it is terrible to see it vandalized," stated Bob Hemus, District Recreation Officer. "The Willow Creek area has also experienced vandalism, which can be very costly to the government and local businesses," continued Hemus.

If you have any information regarding this incident, please contact the U.S. Forest Service at (530) 629-2118.

10 Straight Days of Lightning Activity Sparks Nearly 90 Fires Across Northern California

Posted: 02 Jun 2009 11:12 AM PDT


[Image]. Forest Service Shield.

News Release

US Forest Service

Shasta-Trinity National Forest

REDDING, Calif. (June 1, 2009) – In the past week, thunderstorm activity produced over 5,000 lightning strikes in Northern California resulting in nearly 90 fires in the northern region. "On Sunday alone, roughly 1200 lightning strikes occurred in the area," according to Basil Newmerzhycky, a Forest Service meteorologist in Redding. Fire crews quickly responded to the lightning-caused blazes, holding the total acres burned for all the fires to less than 45 acres.

Since last Thursday, lightning activity ignited 17 fires on the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. The majority of these fires were successfully kept to less than half an acre in size. "Engine, hand, smokejumper and helirappell crews responded to the fires. Lookouts and aerial reconnaissance aircraft have been deployed to search for fires. Identifying fires as early as possible provides the best opportunity to safely suppress the fires. Our intent is to hit the fires hard and keep them small without injury to firefighters or others," stated Shasta-Trinity Fire Chief Arlen Cravens. "As of late Monday, 13 of the fires on the Forest have been extinguished or are controlled and in patrol status - the remaining four fires are actively being suppressed by our firefighters," Cravens continued.

Forest Service analysts noted today that while the number of lightning strikes recorded this past week is very high, the fuel conditions are different than they were for last June's Lightning Event. This lightning is coming with much more precipitation and the fuels are not quite ready to burn actively. On June 20, 2008 in Northern California, a 33 hour-long lightning event produced over 5,100 lightning strikes resulting over 1,000 fires in the area.

Forest Service meteorologists expect a 30-50% chance of showers and wet thunderstorms through much of the remaining week. As firefighters assess their successes over the past week, the anticipated wet conditions in the coming days may provide a welcome break to this early introduction of the 2009 Northern California fire season.

Fire updates will be provided as new information becomes available.

General fire information can be found at: http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/shastatrinity

Prescribed Burns: Vina Plains Area, Nature Conservancy and Dye Creek Preserve

Posted: 02 Jun 2009 09:58 AM PDT


Training control burns to be held

VINA - In an effort to prepare for fire season and to control medusa head and yellow star thistle, invasive weeds that plague ranchers and conservationists alike, CalFire will team up with The Nature Conservancy and Dye Creek Preserve to do training control bums in the next two weeks, weather permitting.

CalFire will instruct 25 employees how to use fire to fight fire by utilizing various firing techniques and control methodology. The students will apply the learned techniques during live fire training.
The Nature Conservancy will benefit from the bum by reducing the medusa head grass and star thistle and allowing non-invasive grasses to return for better cattle grazing.

June 3 and June 4 - The plan is to bum approximately 350 acres of grass in the Vina Plains Area at Rowles and Highway 99E.

June 10 - The plan is to bum approximately another 350 acres of grass in the Vina Plains Area at Rowles and Highway 99E.

June 11 - The plan is to bum approximately 300 acres on Nature Conservancy and Dye Creek Preserve. All the projected bums are based on weather permitting.

CalFire is conducting the bums with the cooperating land managers under the Vegetation Management Program, a state-sponsored cost sharing program to encourage prescribed fires on private property.

More Information: Adam Wyman, VMP Coordinator for CAL FIRE Tehama Glenn Unit, 528-5199.

No comments:

CNN.com

News: Breaking News -- MercuryNews.com

AP Top U.S. News At 8:45 p.m.