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Monday, January 12, 2009

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World Fire News: German Town loses fire engines in blaze - again

Posted: 11 Jan 2009 10:21 AM CST

German village of Syke loses Fire Station and six fire engines in blaze - again

All six fire engines in the village of Syke, have been written off after catching fire – the second time it has happened in the small Lower Saxony town.

This time the blaze destroyed the entire fire station as well as the engines.

No-one was hurt in the blaze, but it is estimated the damage could cost at least three million euros.

Nearby houses had to be evacuated due to the thick smoke coming from the fire station, while a total of 250 fire fighters fought to bring it under control.

A police spokeswoman said that the fire department in Syke had lost all its engines in a fire in 1994 and that the ones which were destroyed at the weekend had been bought new then.

An investigation is underway to determine what caused the fire.

Source article: The local - Link

Los Angeles: Red Flag parking restrictions in effect

Posted: 11 Jan 2009 09:56 AM CST

A Red Flag Condition has been issued for Los Angeles City.

Red Flag Restricted Parking will be in effect from From
Sunday, January 11, 2009 08:00 AM
to
Monday, January 12, 2009 08:00 AM or
until further notice.

California Fire weather: Drying trend is underway

Posted: 11 Jan 2009 03:05 PM CST

California Fire Weather: Despite the strong offshore winds across Southern California through early next week, there will be very
little or no fire activity across the entire region through the forecast period due to high fuel moisture levels.
Fire weather in SoCal – Fire weather conditions remain critical today and tonight for parts of Southern California. Strong Santa Ana winds are expected to gust from 50 to 70 mph tonight into Monday morning for favored areas. Red flag fire warnings are in effect through Monday for the Ventura County Coast, the Ventura County Mountains, Los Angeles County Mountains, Los Padres National Forest and Angeles National Forest.

Current Fire Weather Summary for Northern California
Weather Synopsis: Strengthening high pressure will dominate the weather pattern for the next week to 10 days. Between now and midday Tuesday there will be occasional periods of N-NE-Easterly winds that will enhance the dry conditions from the west slopes of the Sierra to the coast. The first such period is occurring this morning with gusts in exposed areas in the 30-40 mph range, and isolated exposed areas are seeing stronger gusts. This dry pattern may eventually cause increasing fire potential in areas with a heavy buildup of dry dead and dormant fine fuels.

Fire Potential Discussion: A drying trend is underway and it will last more than a week in most areas. Fine dead and dormant fuels will dry out during this time, especially in the lower elevations from the west slopes of the Sierra to the coast as offshore/NE-ly winds occur. Some localized areas will see a slight increase in fire potential with this pattern, but this will be offset by existing green grass, and the pockets of higher fire potential will be of a much smaller scale than PSA-size.

Resources: Northern California Geographic Area Preparedness Level 1, MACS Mode 1.
NOAA Northern Raws - Link
http://gacc.nifc. - Predictive outlooks - link

Current Fire Weather Summary for Southern California

Weather Discussion: ***STRONG WINDS ALONG WITH WARM TEMPERATURES AND VERY LOW HUMIDITY OVER

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING***
A strong ridge of high pressure will build into California from the Pacific Ocean bringing a slow warming
trend and very low humidity to the region through the end of next week. Temperatures will be well above
normal Sunday through the end of next week. There will be strong and gusty north to east winds over the
mountains and below the canyons and passes of Southern California through early next week. Winds will
be 20 to 40 mph with gusts to 60 mph over the wind prone areas.

Fire Potential Discussion: Despite the strong offshore winds across Southern California through early next week, there will be very
little or no fire activity across the entire region through the forecast period.

Resources: CWCG Preparedness Level: CWCG Preparedness Level 2, MACS Mode 2
NOAA Southern California Raws - Link
http://gacc.nifc. - Predictive outlooks - .pdf

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San Jose firefighters - Jail safety protocols / procedures

Posted: 11 Jan 2009 09:08 AM CST

San Jose firefighters are trying to refine their duties in treating prisoners at Santa Clara County Jail, and they have been training with jail workers in recent weeks to improve their understanding of the jail's rules.

Firefighters from Fire Station 1 at 225 N. Market St. typically respond to 911 calls at the county jail, but some firefighters said in the spring that they felt uncomfortable in the jail because their radios don't work, the doors lock behind them and they need guards to secure inmates as they enter rooms.

Firefighters have averaged 300 responses to the lockup annually in the past eight years, and some residents and Councilman Pierluigi Oliverio feared that too much service time had been drawn away from the neighborhood that the station serves.

County jail staff have said that no firefighters have been injured in the facility and that prisoners and employees deserved the same medical care as residents.

In October, San Jose leaders discussed a potential memorandum of understanding with the county that would outline firefighters' jail duties and criteria for making a 911 call, but no formal meetings about the document have taken place. Instead, jail leaders have met with firefighters and trained them on jail safety protocols and procedures, said jail spokesman Mark Cursi.

Assistant fire chief Nick Thomas said in late November that there was no time frame for the formal memorandum of understanding, but he hoped that it would increase firefighters' safety.

The memorandum would be a "living document and revised as needed to meet the needs of both agencies," Thomas wrote in an e-mail.

Firefighters are also interested in improving radio communications within the jail because the walls can block transmissions.

When jail guards call 911, an American Medical Response ambulance and four-person firefighter crew typically respond.

Firefighters usually enter the building to care for inmates, and AMR paramedics drive patients to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center.

City and county officials have discussed using a formal "sally port" on the ground floor for injured patients to wait, which would eliminate the need for firefighters to enter further into the jail.

"The city is optimistic that refinements to policies and procedures related to medical emergencies will enable all stakeholders to operate more safely, effectively and efficiently," said San Jose Fire Chief Darryl Von Raesfeld in a statement.

Source: San Jose Mercury News Article - Link

Earthquake: Big Bear Lake, CA - M 3.6

Posted: 11 Jan 2009 10:01 AM CST

Magnitude 3.6 - SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
2009 January 11 01:05:59 UTC

Earthquake Details

Magnitude	3.6
Date-Time	Sunday, January 11, 2009 at 01:05:59 UTC Saturday, January 10, 2009 at 05:05:59 PM at epicenter Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location	34.309°N, 116.915°W
Depth	5.9 km (3.7 miles)
Region	SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Distances	7 km (4 miles) N (356°) from town of Big Bear Lake, CA 8 km (5 miles) NW (308°) from Big Bear City, CA 15 km (10 miles) S (170°) from Lucerne Valley, CA 33 km (21 miles) NNE (22°) from Yucaipa, CA 40 km (25 miles) ENE (60°) from San Bernardino, CA 126 km (78 miles) ENE (77°) from Los Angeles Civic Center, CA
Location Uncertainty	horizontal +/- 0.1 km (0.1 miles); depth +/- 0.6 km (0.4 miles)
Parameters	Nph=127, Dmin=5 km, Rmss=0.21 sec, Gp= 25°, M-type=local magnitude (ML), Version=C
Source	California Integrated Seismic Net: USGS Caltech CGS UCB UCSD UNR
Event ID	ci10370561

Sunday, January 11, 2009

California Fire News - Updates in your mail box

News: Lions Club in Wrightwood helps firefighters

Posted: 10 Jan 2009 04:33 PM CST

When a fire threatens a town, or if a person needs medical help, or if a scared kitty needs to be rescued from a tree, a community can always rely on firefighters.

Members of the Timberline Lions Club from Wrightwood recently decided to return the favor and purchased $5,000 worth of ice-rescue equipment for the town's Fire Station 101.

The Lions Club spent a fifth of its yearly giving budget on the equipment, which included four ice-rescue suits and a reaching pole system.

"These suits are expensive, and the only reason we have them is because of community donation," said San Bernardino County fire Capt. Steve Roeber from Fire Station 101.

The San Bernardino County Fire Department on Friday held a training exercise at Jackson Lake near Wrightwood and tested out the donated equipment.

Firefighters from San Bernardino and Los Angeles counties took turns donning yellow suits and pulling each other out of an ice hole.

The ice-rescue suits cost $800 apiece and are designed to offer thermal protection and buoyancy. A single zipper puts on the suit, including gloves and boots.

"You don't even feel it," said San Bernardino County fire Capt. Tim Goforth, after he got out of the icy water. "The only thing cold is my face."

Most fire divisions that have an ice hazard in their coverage area have the ice-rescue equipment.

"In a small community, you need to stay close to all of your agencies and businesses," said

John Bauer, Lions Club's board member. "You need to be aware what's needed."

Every year there is at least one drowning at Jackson Lake, Bauer said.

Officials warn that the public should not attempt to make a rescue without proper equipment.

"You never want to jump in after somebody," fire Capt. Jim Pearson said. "Call for help as soon as possible."

A very healthy person can stay alive in icy water for at most 15 minutes, Pearson said.

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

Police: Poor power line maintenance caused OC fire

Posted: 10 Jan 2009 01:14 PM CST

Police Report: Poor power line maintenance caused Orange County wildfire

BREA, Calif.—Police say an electrical discharge from a poorly maintained power line caused a fire last November in Brea that destroyed three homes and a school.

Sgt. Bill Smyser says the investigation shows the fire was not intentionally set but that a criminal negligence charge is possible.

The power lines blamed for the fire are owned by Los Angeles-based Breit Burn Management Co. The flames consumed at least 1,500 acres and destroyed the main building of Brea Canyon High School before merging with another fire to create the Freeway Complex, which burned hundreds of homes.

BreitBurn attorney Greg Brown says the company is cooperating with the investigation and questioned why police would release what he called "partial findings."

The case will be submitted for review to Orange County prosecutors.

Source: The Orange County Register, http://www.ocregister.com

NWCG: Update of Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy

Posted: 10 Jan 2009 10:34 AM CST

NWCG Letter: Update on the Interagency Strategy for the Implementation of Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy

Revised policy implementation guidance will move to two kinds of wildland fire: planned ignitions (prescribed fire), and unplanned ignitions (wildfire)

MEMORANDUM
Reference: NWCG#001-2009
To: NWCG Executive Board
From: NWCG Chair

Subject: Update on the Modifications to the Interagency Strategy for the Implementation
of Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy

Federal Wildland Fire Policy, adopted in 1995, stated that "Fire, as a critical natural process, will be integrated into land and resource management plans and activities on a landscape scale, and across agency boundaries. Response to wildland fire is based on ecological, social, and legal consequences of fire. The circumstances under which a fire occurs and the likely consequences on firefighter and public safety and welfare, natural and cultural resources, and values to be protected dictate the appropriate response to fire." Federal land management agencies have operated within this policy since its adoption, and a review conducted in 2001 affirmed that the policy was sound. Operational clarification and continuing guidance supporting implementation of this policy was issued in 2003.

As a result of the 2008 field test and review, Federal wildland fire leadership determined that the 1995 Federal Wildland Fire Policy remains sound. They also determined that revising the 2003 Implementation Guidance would reduce confusion and provide a more flexible approach to wildland fire management that promotes the goal of managing fire to meet safety, protection, and natural resource management goals. Initial action on human-caused wildfire will continue to suppress the fire at the lowest cost with the fewest negative consequences with respect to firefighter and public safety.

Revised policy implementation guidance will move to two kinds of wildland fire: planned ignitions (prescribed fire), and unplanned ignitions (wildfire) by revising the "Interagency Strategy for the Implementation of Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy" and rescinding the "3 Kinds of Wildland Fire" Memorandum (2003). The revision allows fire managers to manage a fire for multiple objectives and increase managers' flexibilty to respond to changing incident conditions and firefighting capability while strengthening strategic and tactical decision implementation supporting public safety and resource management objectives.

A new wildfire analysis and decision process, the Wildland Fire Decision Support System (WFDSS), is being developed to improve decision documentation, risk assessment/decision support, and operational implementation. This system will replace the Wildland Fire Situation Analysis (WFSA), Wildland Fire Implementation Plan (WFIP), Long-Term Implementation Plan (LTIP), and Strategic Implementation Plan (SIP) and enhance managers' ability to analyze fire conditions and develop risk informed strategies and tactics.

The revised policy implementation guidelines will be finalized by early February, 2009. Modification of National Wildfire Coordinating Group program coordination and standards and bureau and agency manuals and direction is proceeding concurrently to support field implementation of the revised guidance. Agencies and Bureaus will define unit requirements and a schedule for full implementation to accommodate differing capabilites. To the extent possible, roll out will be coordinated among adjoining units to limit confusion. This provides agencies the most opportunities and greatest flexibility to build capacity and understanding with internal staff and external audiences, coordinate with state and local air quality regulators, and revise annual operating plans with cooperating state and local fire management agencies.

Please send questions or comments to fire_help@fs.fed.us with "Fire Policy" as the Subject.

Contacts:
Richard Bahr, Co-Chair AMR Task Group
National Park Service
Branch of Wildland Fire
Fire Science & Ecology Program Leader
E-mail: dick_bahr@nps.gov
(208) 387-5217

Rich Lasko, Co-Chair AMR Task Group
USDA - Forest Service
Fire & Aviation Management
Assistant Director Fuels & Fire Ecology
E-mail: rlasko@fs.fed.us
(202) 205-0888