California Fire News - Updates in your mail box

Link to California Fire News - Structure, Wildland, EMS

CA-ANF- Lightning Event - 15 San Gabriel Mountain wildland fires
NIFC News and Notes: Widespread Thunderstorm activity
CA-RRU - Prescribed Fire 6-4 - Stephens Kangaroo Rat Preserve
Arsonist arrested for allegedly setting the two fires in Truckee
DOD: Vandenberg Air Force Base - Heightened security
CA-BDU- JUNE LIGHTNING SERIES - Multiple smokes reported
CA-BDF-Boundary - Wildland Fire - lightning related vegetation fire
SBNF: Vegetation Fires - 20 lightning fires

CA-ANF- Lightning Event - 15 San Gabriel Mountain wildland fires

Posted: 03 Jun 2009 10:58 PM PDT

Angeles Lightning Event - Angeles National Forest

Incident Overview: On Wednesday, June 3, between 2:30am and 8:00pm the Angeles National Forest received approximately 400 down strikes of lightning. There are currently 15 detectable new wildland fires resulting from this activity.

This incident listing includes all 15 fires in the following areas:
On the Los Angeles River Ranger District: Wilson, Upper, Ridge, Cienaga and Roost Fires.
On the San Gabriel River Ranger District: Cubbie, Twin, Terrebonne (San Dimas), Tanbark and Snow Fires.
On the Santa Clara-Mojave Rivers Ranger District: Slope, Juniper, Snag, Lake and Cruthers.

In general, these fires are located in remote, upper elevations of the San Gabriel Mountains north and east of Los Angeles. Each fire is less than 1 acre, with the exception of the Terrebonne (San Dimas) Fire, which is being fought in cooperation with L.A. County Fire.

All fires are in the main portion of the San Gabriel Mountains; there are no detectable fires located in the western portion of the Angeles National Forest between Interstate 5 and Highway 14.

Access to these fires is generally hike-in only. Hotshot and engine crews had some success Wednesday in locating and hiking in to these fires.

There are no communities currently threatened by these fires and no structures have been lost.

A reconnaissance flight by airplane is scheduled for Thursday morning, with more thunderstorm activity possible throughout the day Thursday and Friday.

Basic Information
Incident Type: Wildland Fire
Cause: Lightning
Incident Commander: John Thomas

Current Situation
Size: 12 acres
Fuels Involved: Various types of vegetation.
Fire Behavior: Subdued.
Source: inciweb incident-1672 - Link

NIFC News and Notes: Widespread Thunderstorm activity

Posted: 03 Jun 2009 10:42 PM PDT

NIFC News and Notes: 06-03-09

South Ops - OSCC 1600hrs - San Bernardino Forest experienced scattered thunder showers with lightning. There were 12 fires for approximately 165 acres the largest McKinley Incident was 150 acres. Fire was above the city of Highland near Hwy 330. Cleveland NF also experienced a number of strikes that resulted in 1 fire Pinos and was approximately ½ acre contained. The Sequoia NF also experienced some thunder showers and lightning.

China Complex CA-SQF-001724 in Kern County near Breckenridge area. Fire is 36 acres and is 10% contained with moderate consumption of fuels a rate of spread. Suppression resources had trouble making access into the area due to steep inaccessible rugged terrain.
http://gacc.nifc.gov/oscc/predictive/intelligence/news_notes/index.htm

North Ops - ONCC 1730hrs - There where 50 new lightning fires today for 10 acres.
0930hrs - Low pressure off the Central CA coast will continue to drift slowly to the southeast through the end of the week. The North Ops area will be mostly cloudy, cool and humid during this time, with showers and thunderstorms possible over much of the area, including valley locations. Some lingering showers and isolated thunderstorms are possible over the weekend as the low weakens over the southern end of the state. Early next week a gradual warming a drying trend will begin, but no strong northerly or easterly winds are expected.
http://gacc.nifc.gov/oncc/predictive/intelligence/news_notes/index.htm

CA-RRU - Prescribed Fire 6-4 - Stephens Kangaroo Rat Preserve

Posted: 03 Jun 2009 10:20 PM PDT

Release Date:	06/03/2009	Release Time:	8:58 AM
Contact:	Battalion Chief Dan Johnson (951) 712-5312	Subject:	Prescribed Fire Planned For March Stephens Kangaroo Rat Preserve
Full Text: The Riverside County Fire Department/Moreno Valley Fire Services in cooperation with March Air Reserve Base Fire Department, and the Center for Natural Lands Management (CNLM), has scheduled a prescribed fire on Thursday, June 4, 2009 at the March Stephens¿ Kangaroo Rat Preserve. The March Stephens Kangaroo Rat Preserve Area is located southwest of the intersection of Alessandro Boulevard and Interstate 215 and north of Van Buren Boulevard on the western portion of the former March Air Force Base. Prescribed fire operations will start after 8:00 a.m. and should conclude by 1:00 p.m. In addition, the Riverside County Fire Department/Moreno Valley Fire Services will be conducting patrols of the burned areas on Friday, June 5th, 2009. A total of 15 acres of grasslands are planned for the prescribed burn. The goal of this prescribed burn is to reduce hazardous wildfire fuels and to improve the wildlife habitat on the Preserve. Prescribed fire operations will be conducted only during appropriate weather conditions and with approval from the South Coast Air Quality Management District. The Riverside County Fire Department/Moreno Valley Fire Services will be conducting the prescribed fire with the following resources: Fire Engines, Fire Crews, and overhead personnel. CNLM will be providing technical assistance and logistical support with their staff. The prescribed fires in the past on the March Stephens¿ Kangaroo Rat Preserve have been very effective at managing wildfire fuels in this area. If you have questions or would like additional information on this prescribed fire, please contact the Center for Natural Lands Management Preserve Manager Kim Klementowski at 951-276-1688 or CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department Battalion Chief Dan Johnson at 951-712-5312.

Arsonist arrested for allegedly setting the two fires in Truckee

Posted: 03 Jun 2009 05:12 PM PDT

Truckee woman arrested for arson; Dr. Erinn Tamney Randall, 38, has been arrested for arson after her downtown Truckee chiropractic office, her Glenshire home, and a building containing her Loyalton practice and residence were set on fire Monday and Tuesday

TRUCKEE — A Truckee woman has been arrested for allegedly setting the two fires in Truckee this week.

Dr. Erinn Tamney Randall, 38, has been arrested for arson after her downtown Truckee chiropractic office, her Glenshire home, and a building containing her Loyalton practice and residence were set on fire Monday and Tuesday, according to a release from the Truckee Police.

"Physical evidence at both the residence and the business were strongly indicative of arson that in combination with other factors led to the arrest," said Truckee Police Lt. Randy Fenn. "It was blatant that it was arson."

On Wednesday, a team of investigators from Truckee Police, CalFire, Truckee Fire and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives served a search warrant at Randall's Truckee office.

The CalFire investigator that originally investigated the Loyalton blaze is now working in Truckee on the joint investigation, Fenn said, but charges haven't been raised against Randall in Loyalton yet.

Randall is being charged with two counts of arson and held in the Nevada County Jail with bail set at $1 million, according to the release.

Source: http://www.sierrasun.com - Link

DOD: Vandenberg Air Force Base - Heightened security

Posted: 03 Jun 2009 12:33 PM PDT

Vandenberg Air Force Base has increased their security routines for an "indefinite period of time."

According to a press release, Vandenberg states this heightened security is due to guidance from the Department of Defense.
The press release states that most security practices don't affect surrounding communities or civilians working on base. However, base officials have suspended some outdoor recreational activities and has closed access to Point Sal Beach by way of Brown Road. Base officials are not giving a reason for the increased security at this time.

http://www.vandenberg.af.mil/

CA-BDU- JUNE LIGHTNING SERIES - Multiple smokes reported

Posted: 03 Jun 2009 06:49 PM PDT

Reports of multiple lightning fire starts in Southern California Mountains.
BDC,BDF,BDU - Many single tree fires on the forest and surrounding mountains.

Incident Overview: 150 acres - The San Bernardino National Forest is working fifteen lightning related fires on the Forest, including at least 20 fires in the San Gorgonio Wilderness. All of the fires are only accessible by hand crews and by air.
The largest is the McKinley Fire located in the Harrison Mountain area east of Hwy 330. Rain is currently falling on the Mckinley fire and smoke is dissipating. State Highway 330 has been re-opened.
Inciweb: - http://inciweb.org/incident/1671/ - Link

Twitter update: ENeitzelRT @SanBernardinoNF: Fire Crews have located a single tree fire at the mouth of Waterman Canyon. The fire will be named Arrowhead.

Update: Noon - Five of the Fifeteen Lightning fires are burning in the rugged San Bernardino Mountains and one lightning sparked wildland Fire was burning near Idyllwild in the San Jacinto Mountains to the southeast, said John Miller, spokesman for the San Bernardino National Forest.
The two largest fires, one burning above the city of Highland and the other to the north below the mountain community of Running Springs, were about 100 acres combined, he said. State Route 330 was closed in the area, about 60 miles east of Los Angeles.

Update: - From CHP Cad: Link
12:04PM Report of Fire WB I10 AT FORD ST
11:17AM CAN SEE LARGE FIRE BEGINING NEAR THE SR 38
10:26AM POSS 10 OTHER SPOT FIRES, 1/4 TO 4 ACRES IN THE SB PEAK AREA
10:26AM MCKINLEY FIRE IS 2 SEPERATE FIRES, COMBINED 100 ACRES

Closures: State Highway 330 has been re-opened.

Location: San Bernardino County near Highland in the Inland Empire. Some Fires are burning at elevations as high as 4,000 feet.
Resources: Four helicopters, two air tankers, Numerous hand crews and Strike Teams deployed. Arroyo Grande Crew-3 en route from the LPF
Recon: Air Attack 12 now re-coning the San Gorgonio Wilderness, report of a smoke near Mt. San Bernardino.
Weather forecast: Dry lightning was continuing in some areas while bands of showers and thunderstorms moved through other areas.
The National Weather Service said thunderstorms, gusty winds and hail were possible through the day.
Streaming RAW video: KABC Footage is from Air 7 HD (No sound). - Link

CA-BDF-Boundary - Wildland Fire - lightning related vegetation fire

Posted: 03 Jun 2009 10:12 AM PDT

BDF working Four lightning related vegetation fires

The Boundary Fire is on the Forest - City Creek area above Cloverhill Dr in Highland
Resources: BDF: B33, Crews: 3, 4,
Air resources: H-534, AA-12, AT-75, AT-10, Helitanker 720
Request for 4 more Type 1 crews, additional Type 2 helicopter

SBNF: Vegetation Fires - 20 lightning fires

Posted: 03 Jun 2009 06:18 PM PDT

San Bernardino National Forest - 20 Lightning caused Wildfires

Update: SanBernardinoNF - Lightning is suspected in at least 20 fires on the San Bernardino National Forest today.

IA: AM - Currently working four lightning fires - No further