Headlines - Just News headlines all the time: May 17, 2009

Sunday, May 17, 2009

California Fire News - Updates in your mail box

Link to California Fire News - Structure, Wildland, EMS

Coachella: 2 - 3 year old child found standing alone along roadside

Posted: 16 May 2009 05:38 PM PDT

The Abandoned child was found standing alone on a dirt shoulder in Coachella Saturday.

The young girl, possibly 2 to 3-years-old was spotted by passers-by in Coachella Saturday.

Officers from the Coachella Police Department responded to a call at 6:40 a.m. by people passing by, who saw the girl on Avenue 48 East of Van Buren Street.

The young female child, is was possibly 2 or 3-years-old, and was wearing pink pajamas when found.

Officers from the Coachella Police Department and the Indio Police were unable to locate the girl's parents or caretakers after searching the area.

The child, who is bilingual in English and Spanish, was placed in protective custody while the search for her family continued, according to sheriff's Sgt. Alan Northrup.

Information needed: Anyone with information about this case was urged to contact the Coachella Police at (760) 863-8990 or Crime Stoppers at (760) 341-STOP and refer to Case #: Y091360009.
Photo: Riverside County Sheriff's Department - Link Riverside County Sheriff's Department dispatch number at (760) 836-3215.

AVALANCHE WATCH: NORTHERN CALIFORNIA - MT. SHASTA AREA

Posted: 16 May 2009 09:05 AM PDT

AVALANCHE WATCH…THE USDA FOREST SERVICE MT. SHASTA AVALANCHE CENTER HAS ISSUED AN AVALANCHE WATCH FOR THE MT. SHASTA AREA OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.

THE MT. SHASTA AREA IS EXPECTING UNSEASONABLY WARM TEMPERATURES THIS WEEKEND.

THIS MAY WEAKEN BONDS WITHIN THE SNOWPACK AND LEAD TO AVALANCHES. GREATEST RISK IS EXPECTED ON SOUTHERLY ASPECTS DURING THE WARMEST PARTS OF THE DAY ON SATURDAY, SUNDAY AND MONDAY.

USE EXTREME CAUTION WHEN TRAVELING IN TERRAIN TRAPS AND AVALANCHE PATHS. AVALANCHES ARE MOST LIKELY TO OCCUR AFTER 11am. WE EXPECT THE INSTABILITY TO REACH HIGHER ELEVATIONS THIS WEEKEND AS TEMPERATURES RISE.

THOSE TRAVELING ABOVE TIMBERLINE SHOULD HAVE EXTENSIVE AVALANCHE KNOWLEDGE, TRAVEL CAUTIOUSLY, AND USE CAREFUL ROUTE SELECTION.

While sun balls and most point releases are not as dangerous as slab avalanches, they are great signs of some instability in the snow as it warms and settles. Avoid travelling in terrain traps like gulleys, especially during warming hours of the day. Listen for hollow sounds of wind slabs and be ready to tip toe to safe places if you trigger shooting cracks or hear "whumpfing" sounds.

***Natural slab avalanches occurred Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, May 7, 8, 9 & 10. While most of these were shallow slabs, some were more than 1000 ft. wide. Five human triggered slides occurred on Sunday, May 10. Luckily, there were no fatalities or injuries. These are Red Flags of avalanche danger. All of these occurred below 10,000 ft., predominantly on SE aspects, but some on S, E, and NW aspects.***

For more information call the United States Forest Service Mount Shasta Avalanche Center and Wilderness Department at 926-9613 or go to www.shastaavalanche.org.