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Tuesday, January 8, 2008

California Fire News

CAL FIRE - Oak Glen VMP - Burning operations

Posted: 07 Jan 2008 06:51 PM CST

On Wednesday, CAL FIRE will start burning debris on weekdays — weather permitting.

The burning is part of the Oak Glen Vegetation Management Project, part of a pre-fire plan to either prevent or help control major blazes — sort of a defensible-space plan for communities, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.

Burning operations will continue on weekdays throughout the winter between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m

LAFD - Three Firefighters injured - North Hollywood

Posted: 07 Jan 2008 03:52 PM CST

Three firefighters and one other person have been injured in a fire at a two-story building in North Hollywood.
Los Angeles fire spokesman Ron Myers says all four were treated for minor smoke inhalation and transported to area hospitals.

Green Valley Lake - Search for Hiker Continues

Posted: 07 Jan 2008 05:59 PM CST

Search for Missing Hiker Continues (Update 4)

By G.T. Houts
Sunday, January 6, 2008

View Alert

Update 4 — 8:06pm, Sunday

Green Valley Lake, CA - "We will continue to search for him throughout the night as weather permits."

That statement in a San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department press release sets the tone for the ongoing search in the Green Valley Lake area for 62-year-old Dean Christy.

The release also stated San Bernardino County Fire personnel joined the search early Sunday operating snow cats delivering searchers to various locations and patrolling fire roads and breaks in hopes of locating the hiker who has been lost since Friday.

Search teams were reported coming into the Green Valley Lake Fire Station command post to rest and were being replaced by fresh searcheres.

Story at Rimoftheworld.net

Monday, January 7, 2008

California Fire News

SAR - Green Valley Lake - Search Continues

Posted: 06 Jan 2008 06:16 PM CST

Green Valley Lake, CA - Fourteen Search and Rescue squads continue to search Sunday afternoon in the area of Green Valley Lake for 62-year-old Dean Christy who has been missing since Friday evening.

The man left his weekend home in the resort community of Green Valley Lake Friday afternoon just before the storm began, San Bernardino County sheriff's spokeswoman Arden Wiltshire said.

He used his cell phone Friday to tell authorities that he lost his sense of direction in the fog, but searchers last had phone contact with him early Saturday, she said.

Snow cats are shuttling the search teams to locations along various US Forest Service Roads in hopes of locating the missing hiker.

Approximately 40 Search and Rescue team members are currently seaching for the 62-year-old hiker lost since Friday near Green Valley Lake.

"They started their search shortly after 6:00 am Sunday morning," stated Sheriff's Department PIO Arden Wiltshire, "and we're hopeful we will locate him today despite poor visibility and cold, windy conditions."

Rimoftheworld.net is following the story very closely

WIND ADVISORY - ANTELOPE VALLEY

Posted: 06 Jan 2008 03:10 PM CST

.STRONG ONSHORE FLOW WILL CONTINUE TO BRING GUSTY SOUTHWEST WINDS TO THE ANTELOPE VALLEY THIS AFTERNOON. THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL BE FOCUSED ACROSS FOOTHILL LOCATIONS...WITH LOCAL GUSTS OVER 50 MPH LIKELY. SOUTHWEST WINDS 25 TO 35 MPH WITH LOCAL GUSTS OVER 50 MPH WILL CONTINUE THIS AFTERNOON... WITH THE STRONGEST WINDS IN THE FOOTHILLS. ANTELOPE VALLEY-WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FOR THE ANTELOPE VALLEY

FEMA - OES - Grant $41 million to CAL FIRE

Posted: 06 Jan 2008 03:06 PM CST

PASADENA — The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Governor's Office of Emergency Services (OES) recently announced that an estimated $41 million in public assistance funding will go to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) for eligible costs incurred to fight the recent Southern California wildfires.

FEMA will provide 75 percent ($30.9 million) in firefighting costs, with the remaining 25 percent ($10.3 million) coming from the State of California.

CAL FIRE, together with FEMA and OES project officers, is currently gathering cost documentation to determine the exact reimbursement amount.

The grant will go to reimburse the state for regular employee overtime, equipment use, equipment rental, contract labor, aircraft use, materials and similar costs incurred by other firefighting agencies that are part of the California Master Mutual Aid Agreement.

"When the cost of battling 24 fires in seven counties overwhelms the state's resources, there are programs in place to provide the necessary assistance," said Federal Coordinating Officer Michael Hall of FEMA. "States should not have the added burden of worrying where funding will come from when firefighters are battling to save lives and property."

The Public Assistance program funds essential government costs. The categories of expenses eligible for assistance can include debris removal; emergency protective measures, including overtime pay for emergency workers; repair of roads and bridges; repair of water control facilities; repair of public buildings and equipment; repair of public utilities; and repair of recreational facilities such as parks.

The OES coordinates overall state-agency response to major disasters in support of local government.

Friday, January 4, 2008

California Fire News

USFA - LODD Year-End Tally - 114 LODD's

Posted: 03 Jan 2008 11:50 AM CST

THROUGH THE END OF DECEMBER, the U. S. Fire Administration recorded 114 Line-of-Duty Firefighter deaths for the calendar year 2007.

CHINA - Major Structure Fire - Three LODD's

Posted: 03 Jan 2008 11:10 AM CST

12-Story Bldg. Fully Involved In China

CHINA - During search and rescue operations in a fully involved 12 story commercial building three Fire fighters have died during the SAR operations and a fourth is injured.

The building is loaded with 2,000 vendors selling clothes, cosmetics, toys and various kinds of commodities from the basement up to its fourth floor. The fifth to 12th floors were used as offices.

After pulling completely off direct interior attack after the tragic deaths, Officials are now claiming control but looking at the available photographs the building appeared to be still ripping with visible flames, heavy smoke, and a quite impressive column (little pre Olympics propaganda?).

The caption under the above picture

"Smoke is seen as the fire was under control at a wholesale market building in Urumqi, capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Jan. 3, 2008. A strong fire and heavy smoke engulfed the 12-storey wholesale market building in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Wednesday night. (Xinhua Photo)"

Reading between the lines after attempts to stop extension of the fire to an adjoining 20 story hotel failed it appears they are successfully containing the fire to the two fully involved buildings now and are allowing the two buildings to safely burn themselves out.