Friday, February 6, 2009

California Fire News - Updates in your mail box

California Fire News - Updates in your mail box

Link to California Fire News - Structure, Wildland, EMS

EDIS: Flash flood watch - East Central LA County

Posted: 05 Feb 2009 07:33 PM PST

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN OXNARD HAS ISSUED A * FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR... EASTERN SAN GABRIEL VALLEY IN EAST CENTRAL LOS ANGELES COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST CALIFORNIA. * UNTIL 845 PM PST *
LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO WEST COVINA... DIAMOND BAR... ROWLAND HEIGHTS... LA HABRA HEIGHTS... AND BALDWIN PARK. INTERSTATES 10 AND 210... AS WELL AS HIGHWAY 60 WILL BE AFFECTED BY THIS STRONG LINE OF STORMS.

Instruction:
* AT 715 PM PST... NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG AND NEARLY STATIONARY STORMS ACROSS THE EASTERN SAN GABRIEL VALLEY. RAINFALL RATES UP TO ONE INCH PER HOUR CAN BE EXPECTED ACROSS THE WARNING AREA...CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SIGNIFICANT AND DANGEROUS ROADWAY FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS SAFELY. MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.

Area: NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OXNARD CA
Affected Counties or parts of: San Bernardino, Orange, Los Angeles
Sent: 2009-02-05T19:25:27-08:00

News: Last of 1906 SF quake survivors dies at 106

Posted: 05 Feb 2009 07:14 PM PST

Last of 1906 San Francisco earthquake survivors dies at 106 - Herbert Hamrol, The last survivor of the earthquake that leveled San Francisco in 1906, has died.
His secret to long life - "wild women and good liquor"

Mr. Hamrol died Wednesday at Seton Medical Center in Daly City, a hospital spokeswoman said. His death came less than a month after he celebrated his birthday with a big bash at a steakhouse.

The party was just Mr. Hamrol's style, said friends and co-workers. He smoked cigars into his 90s, and told whoever wanted to know that his secret to a long life was "wild women and good liquor," said Janine Barrett, a manager at San Francisco Andronico's Market.

Mr. Hamrol worked stocking shelves and greeting customers at the upscale grocery store until January — a job he took after retiring as a grocer in 1967.

"He still came in twice a week — took the BART and the bus to work from Daly City, and walked," Barrett said. "He was very independent."

Mr. Hamrol was a regular at commemorations of the Great Quake of 1906, spinning stories about how he escaped a crumbling building in his mother's arms.

"She carried me in her left arm and used her right hand to grab the stair rail," Mr. Hamrol, who was 3 when his family fled their South of Market flat, told The Associated Press on the earthquake's 99th anniversary.

Last April 17, Mr. Hamrol was the lone survivor to attend the annual commemoration of the cataclysmic quake and fire that destroyed most of the city. He arrived in style, riding in an immaculate vintage car and saying he would attend this year's anniversary, "God, willing."

"You're not going to get an earthquake every day. So we celebrate the one that we had," Mr. Hamrol said. "It was a beautiful earthquake, if you want to look at it in the glorious way."

CAL FIRE - Lil' Smokey - 11-months old goes home thanks to Adam Deem

Posted: 05 Feb 2009 07:02 PM PST

Black bear cub Lil' Smokey released back into the wilderness today

Lil' Smokey receiving treatment by DFG wildlife veterinarians in Sacramento shortly after being rescued..

Lil' Smokey, the orphaned black bear cub rescued by a firefighter during the July 2008 Moon fire near Redding, was released back into the wilderness today. The cub had been in rehabilitation and treatment for severe burns and dehydration at the Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care center since being found by California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection forester Adam Deem.

The 11-month old male bear was released at a remote site in the Klamath National Forest by California Department of Fish and Game personnel. While the actual release site is being kept concealed, it is a natural bear den located within 75 miles of where the cub was originally found. DFG outfitted Lil' Smokey with an electronic transmitter before release so that his movements can be periodically monitored.

The little bear generated much public attention and concern since being rescued. LTWC created a blog and also installed a webcam in his cage so that the public could keep up on his care and rehabilitation. The cam today shows the empty cage where Lil' Smokey lived, with a handwritten sign in it that reads "Gone Home."

Lil' Smokey at his release today.

--Kelly Burgess

Top photo: Lil' Smokey receiving treatment by DFG wildlife veterinarians in Sacramento shortly after being rescued. Credit: Debra Hamilton/DFG

Bottom photo: Lil' Smokey at his release today.

Photo Credits: Greg Barnette/Redding Record-Searchlight
Info Credit: latimesblogs - Link

Earthquake: Magnitude 3.7 - CENTRAL CALIFORNIA

Posted: 05 Feb 2009 06:51 PM PST

Earthquake Location map

Earthquake Details

Magnitude3.7
Date-Time
Location36.693°N, 121.323°W
Depth4.8 km (3.0 miles)
RegionCENTRAL CALIFORNIA
Distances
  • 11 km (7 miles) S (181°) from Tres Pinos, CA
  • 18 km (12 miles) SSE (159°) from Hollister, CA
  • 22 km (14 miles) NE (52°) from Chualar, CA
  • 88 km (55 miles) SE (145°) from San Jose City Hall, CA
Location Uncertaintyhorizontal +/- 0.1 km (0.1 miles); depth +/- 0.3 km (0.2 miles)
ParametersNST=208, Nph=208, Dmin=5 km, Rmss=0.09 sec, Gp= 40°,
M-type=regional moment magnitude (Mw), Version=3
Source
Event IDnc40231391

LODD: San Francisco Fire department

Posted: 05 Feb 2009 03:09 PM PST

One of six SFFD Firefighter critically injured this morning working a structure fire with roof collapse has passed away.

Six firefighters who were injured in a three-alarm fire in San Francisco's Portola District this morning were hospitalized one in critical condition.
Four of the injured firefighters were released from the hospital, according to Lt. Mindy Talmadge.
A neighbor reported the fire at a vacant home at 627 Felton St. around 12:30 a.m.
When the firefighters arrived the attic and a back section of the house were engulfed in flames.
Firefighters immediately called a second alarm and when they were inside, the attic and back section collapsed. Firefighters controlled the flames by 1:10 a.m.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

CA-BDU- Fort Fire- Owens Valley - 2000 acres 90%

Posted: 05 Feb 2009 06:35 PM PST

Fort IC 11:45 – BDU #001287 - Fort Fire - Multiple Vegetation fires -
Fort Fire AM Satellite perimeter map
Update: 1640hrs - Acreage reduced to 2000 acres, Cal Fire Team 7 was canceled.
Update: 1430hrs - Report on Conditions - Updated acreage 5,000+ acres
Winds are 35 to 40 mph. Cal Fire Team 7 ordered for the fire.
Additional resources ordered:
2 S/T engines (1 local govt.)
5 S/T crews
2 Helicopters (total)
Owens Valley DWP : 1 dozer & 6 water tenders
Overhead personnel
Problems/Concerns: The fire is in close proximity to a single 230 kv line
It is also 1.8 miles from a twin set of 115 kv lines
Fire behavior: The fire is being pushed East by SW winds towards the White Mountains
Wx: 56 degrees – SW winds estimated at 40 to 60 mph
Structure Threat: None at present
Evacuations: None
Infrastructure Threat: Possible threat to ISO grid – will update as information becomes available
Fire Cause: Undetermined
Resources Committed: 1 CAL FIRE helicopter, 2 CAL FIRE engines, 5 CAL FIRE crews,
1 Chief Officer, 2 USFS Chief Officers and 1 USFS engine
Update: 1430hrs - 5000+ acres. Potential for 20,000.Type 1 Command Team on order.
Update: 1310 - Fire is moving North towards division creek area. S/T 9310C leaving RRU immediate need, 2 hand crews also from RRU.
Update: 1300 - 3000+ acres along the Owens river near Fort Independence. Well east of highway 395 in the Black rock area, potential for 6,000 acres, Dozers working on line construction.

IC: BDU Chief 3505 has arrived on scene and established command
Location: US395 Junction North Fort Road, 6 miles East of Fort Independence in Owens Valley area near Independence.
GPS Location: Lat/Long 36 degrees 50.13 N by 118 degrees 13.51 W
Google map link
Sizeup: Per CAL FIRE Div Chief on scene, fire appears to be around 1000 acres. Unknown potential
Resources: 2 type 3 engine strike teams on order. 5 type 1 crew strike teams on order. Aircraft on order. - DC4701, E331A, BE321, BE313, E412, BE302...

LAFD: Assistant chief pleads no contest to hit and run, coverup

Posted: 05 Feb 2009 03:01 PM PST

A Los Angeles Fire Department assistant chief and his family pleaded no contest Wednesday to charges stemming from a San Pedro hit-and-run and an ensuing cover-up.

Robert Franco, 53, and his wife, Gerri Franco, 49, each pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor conspiracy count and were sentenced to 36 months probation and 30 days of community service, according to Frank Mateljan, a spokesman for the City Attorney's office. Their son, Richard Franco, 20, pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of hit-and-run. He also got 36 months probation and 30 days of community service for the state Department of Transportation, Mateljan said.

Richard Franco slammed his Toyota Tundra truck into two parked cars on 37th Street around 2 a.m. on Nov. 3. The truck flipped, and he immediately used his cellular telephone to call home, according to prosecutors. His parents arrived a few minutes later and Franco stayed while Mrs. Franco drove their son away. She soon returned and picked up her husband, and they left. However, they returned again minutes later and told responding emergency personnel that Mrs. Franco was behind the wheel.

The truth was learned from neighbors who witnessed the events, prosecutors said.

When charges were filed in May, a fire department spokesman said the department would not take any action against Franco until the criminal case was complete.
Source: Insidesocal.com - Link

SFFD: Three alarms fire - 6 Firefighters injured, 1 critical

Posted: 05 Feb 2009 01:41 PM PST

One firefighter is in critical condition this morning and five others are hospitalized with injuries received at a three-alarm fire in the city's Portola district, according to the San Francisco Fire Department.

Fire Lt. Ken Smith said that a firefighter suffering from major gas and smoke inhalation was reported to be in critical condition, while five others also hospitalized were in stable condition suffering from minor burns, smoke inhalation and an injured knee.

IA: 12:30 a.m. - Fire at a vacant two-story residence at 627 Felton St., Reported that the roof collapsed.
Sizeup: Under control at 1:45 a.m., more than 180 fire department personnel battled aggressive flames, heavy smoke and extreme heat, conditions that forced crews to retreat at one point and caused a large portion of the structure's roof to collapse, Smith said.
Investigating crews will remain at the scene until about 7 a.m. this morning.

News conference: An announcement will be made regarding a news conference to be held by fire officials later this morning to continue to update the public on the condition of the six injured firefighters.

video:
http://cbs5.com/video/?id=45687@kpix.dayport.com
http://www.ktvu.com/news/18647163/detail.html

CNN.com

News: Breaking News -- MercuryNews.com

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