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Western Weather, Snow, Ice and Wildfires All In One Forecast

2012-01-20T17:14:00.001-08:00

Flooding, heavy snow, ice storm, and fires hit the Western U.S.

By Dr. Jeff Masters
Published: 12:39 PM GMT on January 20, 2012
A state of emergency has been declared in Oregon and Washington, where a powerful winter storm brought deadly floods, heavy snows of up to 4 feet, a severe ice storm, and damaging winds Wednesday and Thursday. Heavy rains of 3 - 8 inches have fallen over a wide swath of Western Oregon since Monday, causing major to record flooding on multiple rivers and creeks. In Albany, Oregon, a family of four drove out of a supermarket parking lot and into a flooded Perwinkle Creek Wednesday night, and were swept away. Two people were rescued, but a 20-month-old boy and his mother drowned. The Marys River in Philomath rose to its highest flood on record yesterday, and will remain at major flood stage today before gradually receding tonight. The rains have tapered off over much of the region today, but renewed rains are expected later today and intermittently into early next week. The storm also brought strong winds to Reno, Nevada, fanning a brush fire that tore through the Reno area, destroying more than 20 homes and forcing thousands to evacuate. Reno experienced sustained winds of 44 mph, gusting to 70 mph, during the afternoon Thursday. The city didn't get any precipitation, and has received just 0.03" of precipitation this year. That fell on Monday, breaking a 56-day streak with no precipitation--the longest wintertime dry streak in city history. Strong winds gusting to 55 mph are expected during the day today, keeping the fire danger high, but heavy rain is expected tonight, which should ease the fire danger. The storm also brought a significant freezing rain event to northern Oregon and Western Washington yesterday, and up to an inch of ice accumulated in some areas, contributing to power outages that affected at least 275,000 people.

Wildfire Washoe County NV 26 Homes Destroyed

2012-01-19T18:45:00.001-08:00

We are getting preliminary reports of a wind driven wildfire in Washoe County, NV, approximately 3,000 acres, with possible structure threat and structural loss. We will update more as more information comes in.

We are recieivng reports of strructural loss on this fire. Galena High School Evacuated. Washoe Drive at Highway 395. Rain should slow fire by late night fall. Power lines down in fire area. Galena area hit hard by fire.

Livestock may be sent to livestock event center. Fire on both sides of Highway 395. 10,000 people evacuated. Reports of 20 homes destroyed, unconfirmed at this time. Rain and possibly snow may come in soon to slow fire.

Fulton IHC committed to Western Great Basin Pre-position. Enroute to Carson City. St.James Villiage near Mt. Rose is being evacuated. Bear Divide IHC committed to Western Great Basin Support. Enroute to Carson City. Resources responding to the Jacks Valley Fire near Genoa Lakes. The Reno Sparks Livestock Event Center has been activated as an evacuation center for horses and other livestock being evacuated.

Evacuations in the Galena area are now in effect. Evacuations are now in effect for Pleasant Valley and the Pleasant Valley school has been evacuated. The Reno Weather Service has extended the Red Flag Warning for zone 450 untill 2200 tonight. 60 mph gusts reported on the Washoe Valley Fire.

Washoe City to Pleasant Valley on both sides of U.S. 395; 10 miles south of Reno (Lat. 39 19 33 Long. 119 48 31)
01/19/2012
12:45 p.m.
3,700 acres (as reported by Reno Fire)
Fire Perimeter Map in pdf (as of 7:20 p.m. on 1/19)
Brush & grass
Unified command with Reno Fire, Sierra Fire Protection District, US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management & Nevada Division of Forestry
Lyon County, Tahoe-Douglas, Mineral County, Storey County, Carson City Fire, East Fork FPD, North Lyon County Fire, Washoe County Sheriff's Dept., Nevada Highway Patrol, Nevada Army National Guard, NV Energy, Federal Emergency Management Agency.

http://emergencystream.com/video_streams/NV/Reno3.html

...STRONG WINDS WILL CONTINUE INTO THIS EVENING...

STRONG SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE INTO THIS EVENING AHEAD OF A WINTER STORM APPROACHING THE SIERRA. RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES WILL GRADUALLY INCREASE THROUGH THIS EVENING AS THE ATMOSPHERE MOISTENS AHEAD OF THE STORM. STRONG WINDS COMBINED WITH UNSEASONABLY DRY FUELS WILL CREATE CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS THROUGH 10 PM.

26 Homes Lost in Reno Fire, 2,000 Evacuated
BY MARTIN GRIFFITH
Associated Press
The forecast of rain and snow would help douse the flames but also increase the chance of flooding on the charred land, authorities said.

Created: January 20, 2012

RecommendTwitterShareEmail Print 0 Comments AP Photo/Cathleen Allison
Firefighters battle a fast-moving brush fire in Pleasant Valley, south of Reno, Nev., on Jan. 19.
Firefighters battle a fast-moving brush fire in Pleasant Valley, south of Reno, Nev., on Jan. 19.

Firefighters wait for water before attacking an outbuilding adjacent to a home Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012 in Pleasant Valley, Nev. Winds gusting up to 82 mph pushed a fast-moving brush fire south...
Firefighters wait for water before attacking an outbuilding adjacent to a home Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012 in Pleasant Valley, Nev. Winds gusting up to 82 mph pushed a fast-moving brush fire south of Reno out of control on Thursday as it burned several...

Firefighters battle a fast-moving brush fire burns in Pleasant Valley, south of Reno, Nev., on Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012. Winds gusting up to 82 mph pushed a fast-moving brush fire through a valley...
Firefighters battle a fast-moving brush fire burns in Pleasant Valley, south of Reno, Nev., on Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012. Winds gusting up to 82 mph pushed a fast-moving brush fire through a valley south of Reno on Thursday, burning several homes...

A house burns just south of the Old 395 Gas Station Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012 in Washoe Valley, Nev. Winds gusting up to 82 mph pushed a fast-moving brush fire south of Reno out of control on...A house burns just south of the Old 395 Gas Station Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012 in Washoe Valley, Nev. Winds gusting up to 82 mph pushed a fast-moving brush fire south of Reno out of control on Thursday as it burned several homes, threatened dozens more...

Editor’s note: Reno Fire Chief Michael Hernandez will be the keynote at Firehouse World next month in San Diego. He will address his agency’s response back-to-back responses to the Reno Air Race disaster and the Caughlin Fire.

RENO, Nev. -- Firefighters worked to hold the line Friday on a fast-moving brush fire that tore through the Reno area, destroyed 26 houses and forced thousands of residents to flee. The forecast of rain and snow would help douse the flames but also increase the chance of flooding on the charred land, authorities said.

The blaze started shortly after noon Thursday and, fueled by wind gusts reaching 82 mph, mushroomed to more than 6 square miles before firefighters stopped its surge toward Reno.

"The fire moved very, very fast," Washoe County Sheriff Mike Haley said Friday at a briefing. "Firefighters did an enormously good job of holding the number of structures down to 26."

The fire's cause isn't known. It started in a valley along U.S. Highway 395, which remained closed because of power lines on the road, said Chris Perry, director, Department of Public Safety.

At one point, the flames got within 100 yards of Galena High School, where Vice President Joe Biden spoke earlier Thursday. Three nearby schools were closed Friday and about 200 customers were without electricity.

The fire held steady at about 3,900 acres and was 50 percent contained. More than 10,000 people were told to leave their homes during the height of the blaze, and about 2,000 of them remained under evacuation orders.

At least 700 people were expected to fight the blaze Friday, including law enforcement, crews from the National Guard and firefighters from California.

By nightfall Thursday, the fire had burned to Reno's southern outskirts. Flames were visible from the downtown casino district, about 10 miles away.

Reno Fire Chief Michael Hernandez said there was one fatality in the fire area but declined to provide more details, saying an autopsy would be needed to determine the cause of death.

The blaze was "almost a carbon copy" of a huge wild fire on the edge of the Sierra foothills that destroyed 30 homes in southwest Reno in November, the fire chief said. It burned about 3 square miles and also forced the evacuation of 10,000 people.

"It's inconceivable that this community has been struck by tragedy again," said Gov. Brian Sandoval, who declared a state of emergency Thursday afternoon.

The flames, up to 40 feet high, raced through sage brush, grass and pines in an area where small neighborhoods are dispersed among an otherwise rural landscape.

"The area burned is absolutely devastated," Haley said.

About 300 elementary school students were taken to an evacuation center, and deputies went door to door asking people to leave their homes in Pleasant Valley, Old Washoe Valley and Saint James Village, Washoe County sheriff's Deputy Armando Avina said.

Erika Minnberry, 28, said she didn't become concerned at first because smoke from the fire appeared far enough away.

"Probably 30 minutes later, it was up to our house because of the high winds," she said. "I felt pure survival adrenaline. When we drove away, the smoke was so thick, we could barely see ahead of us. Now I feel anxiety. I couldn't find my two cats at the time and I hope they're OK."

With the smell of smoke in the air, Biden was about 25 minutes into his address when aides summoned him off stage. He told the audience he would have to move onto a question-and-answer period before officials "made me get out of here."

As with the November fire, which was sparked by downed power lines, strong winds and dry conditions helped fuel the latest blaze. The Reno area had gone a winter-record 56 days without any precipitation until light snow fell earlier this week.

___

Associated Press writers Michelle Rindels in Las Vegas, Martin Griffith in Reno and Sandra Chereb in Carson City contributed to this report.

Wildfire Lockwood Valley, Kern, Ventura, USFS Response

2012-01-16T11:11:00.001-08:00

Brush Fire - Lockwood Valley Rd & Old Adams Trl, Lockwood Valley/LPF. LPF Div 7 OS as IC reporting 2 acre brush fire

Structure Fire, Gardena CA, LACOFD

2012-01-12T20:27:00.000-08:00

Greater Alarm Structure Fire in Gardena CA, LACOFD Structure Fire 1016 164th Street. Large commercial building fire, possible mortuary well involved with fire, defensive operations, fire through the roof.

Moreno Valley School Fire, Arson

2012-01-12T11:45:00.000-08:00

MORENO VALLEY, Calif. -- Cal Fire investigators have arrested a 15-year-old boy for allegedly burglarizing and setting fire to a classroom at a Moreno Valley school.He was taken into custody just before midnight on Jan. 8, the same day as the alleged crimes at Creekside Elementary School.

Firefighters were called to a blaze at the school, located at 13563 Heacock Street, around 6:30 p.m.Forty-five firefighters were able to contain the fire to one classroom in an eight-unit building.That classroom was heavily damaged by the fire. Two other rooms sustained some smoke damage.

Total damages are estimated at $500,000.

The teen was booked on charges of burglary, arson and resisting arrest.Two other juveniles are being sought for questioning. Anyone with information is urged to call the Riverside County Arson Hotline at (800) 633-2836.All calls are anonymous and confidential.

Fire Weather Watch, SO CAL, 1-13-2012

2012-01-12T09:29:00.001-08:00

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY
AFTERNOON FOR THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY MOUNTAINS FOR GUSTY NORTHEAST
WINDS AND VERY LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...

.LIGHT OFFSHORE BREEZES THAT WILL AFFECT THE REGION ON THURSDAY...THEN

BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD AND SLIGHTLY STRONGER ON FRIDAY. THE STRONGEST
WINDS ON FRIDAY ARE EXPECTED TO OCCUR IN THE MOUNTAINS OF LOS ANGELES
COUNTY WHERE THERE WILL BE THE POTENTIAL FOR GUSTS OVER 40 MPH.
THIS IN COMBINATION WITH A LONG DURATION OF SINGLE DIGIT

HUMIDITIES HAS PROMPTED THE ISSUANCE OF A FIRE WEATHER WATCH FOR THE
LOS ANGELES MOUNTAINS...INCLUDING THE SANTA MONICA RANGE. OFFSHORE WINDS
ARE EXPECTED TO DIMINISH ON SATURDAY...HOWEVER SINGLE DIGIT
HUMIDITIES ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS.

Hwy 243, Idylwild 70% Containment

2012-01-10T10:22:00.000-08:00

Firefighters continue to work to contain fire which is estimated at 14 acres burning near Hwy 243 at black Mountain Trail in the Idyllwild area. Fire is burning in timber and is approximately 70% contained. Firefighters are improving control lines with containment expected at 1800 hours today. Ridge top winds are forecast to blow from the northeast at 10 to 15 miles per hour.

Forest fuels are dangerously dry for this time of year. Several small fires have occured during January's offshore wind events.

Wildfire, Hesperia CA

2012-01-08T13:33:00.001-08:00

Wildfire, Greater Alarm, Hesperia, Topaz and Farmington, EPN Victorville 1, 20 acres and trailers on fire, wind event.

Fire near Hesperia - fire location is n/o Summit Valley Road near Telephone Cyn Rd - approx 30ac, reports of an outbuilding on fire.

LAFD Major Emergency Structure Fire

2012-01-07T22:19:00.000-08:00

Over 100 LAFD personnel are on the scene of a major emergency building fire at Florence and Broadway in South Central Los Angeles.

Fire Weather Warning So Cal

2012-01-07T11:48:00.001-08:00

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM TONIGHT THROUGH EARLY SUNDAY EVENING FOR GUSTY NORTHEAST WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR MUCH OF LOS ANGELES AND VENTURA COUNTIES... .DISCUSSION...GUSTY NORTHERLY WINDS ARE AFFECTING THE NORTH-SOUTH FACING PASSES AND CANYONS THIS MORNING...INCLUDING THE SANTA YNEZ RANGE AND INTERSTATE 5 CORRIDOR.

Very Dry and Warm Conditions Over So Cal

2012-01-03T23:38:00.001-08:00

...WARM AND DRY WITH BREEZY OFFSHORE WINDS THROUGH THURSDAY... .DISCUSSION...AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE COUPLED WITH MODERATE OFFSHORE GRADIENTS WILL CONTINUE TO BRING WIDESPREAD WARM AND VERY DRY CONDITIONS THROUGH THURSDAY. HUMIDITIES WILL DROP INTO THE TEENS ALMOST EVERYWHERE...WITH SINGLE DIGITS LIKELY IN THE MOUNTAINS AND WARMER VALLEYS. EXCEPT FOR THE IMMEDIATE COAST...OVERNIGHT RECOVERIES WILL BE POOR...ESPECIALLY IN THE MOUNTAINS WILL HUMIDITIES WILL STRUGGLE TO GET OUT OF THE TEENS. THE GUSTY NORTHEAST WINDS FROM THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS HAVEN WEAKENED SOME TODAY...BUT SHOULD STRENGTHEN SLIGHTLY TONIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY. NEAR CRITICAL CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED AS A RESULT...ESPECIALLY IN THE MOUNTAINS OF LOS ANGELES AND VENTURA COUNTIES ON WEDNESDAY...BUT THE WINDS SHOULD NOT BE STRONG OR WIDESPREAD ENOUGH TO WARRANT A RED FLAG WARNING.

LAFD Arson Arrest

2012-01-03T13:52:00.001-08:00

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The arrest of a 24-year-old German man halted a series of overnight arson blazes that caused more than $3 million in damage and put Los Angeles residents on edge during the long holiday weekend.

But police have said nothing about a possible motive in the fires set across Hollywood, neighboring West Hollywood and the San Fernando Valley. A neighbor said the suspect's mother was having legal problems, but authorities wouldn't confirm reports that she may have faced deportation.

"We are very confident in this arrest, but we have a long way to go," said Police Chief Charlie Beck.

The suspect, Harry Burkhart, is being held without bail. Authorities didn't know how long he's been in the United States and said he isn't cooperating with them. Sheriff Lee Baca called him the "most dangerous arsonist in Los Angeles County that I can recall."

The onslaught of intentionally set fires kept residents anxious over the holiday weekend in some of the most densely populated areas of the city. Hundreds of investigators, police officers and firefighters raced to deal with the blazes. Police conducted extra patrols all weekend, and the noise of helicopters and sirens persisted virtually nonstop in Hollywood.

The blazes forced many apartment dwellers from their homes. But there were no serious injuries — one firefighter was hurt in a fall from a ladder, and another person suffered smoke inhalation.

The arrest came after another night of firefighters scrambling to snuff out the series of arson attacks. A tip came in about a German man who matched the description of someone with a shoulder-length ponytail captured on a surveillance video near where a car fire was reported.

Five hours later, Burkhart was pulled over by a reserve sheriff's deputy and later booked for investigation of arson of an inhabited dwelling. Since the arrest, firefighters have not responded to any other suspicious fires.

While the investigation is ongoing — authorities haven't ruled out the possibility that others may be involved — Burkhart's arrest was a measure of relief to anxious residents who had grown fearful after several nights of seemingly random blazes.

"Our long four-day nightmare is over," said Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky.

Galina Illarionova, who lives in the same apartment complex as the suspect, told reporters through a Russian translator that an agitated Burkhart visited her Sunday and said his mother was having some kind of legal problems. He told her his mother was in trouble with authorities and wanted Illarionova to attend a legal hearing with him, but he later said he didn't need her help.

One of Baca's reserve deputies, Shervin Lalezary, pulled over Burkhart's van sought by arson investigators shortly after 3 a.m. Lalezary, who works as an attorney and gets paid $1 a year to serve as a reserve deputy, said was glad he helped out.

"I'm ecstatic that law enforcement gets to shine a little bit," he told reporters.

Most of the fires began in cars, and authorities have not said how they were started.

One of Saturday's fires occurred at the Hollywood and Highland entertainment complex, a popular tourist destination bordered by the Walk of Fame in a neighborhood that includes Grauman's Chinese Theatre.

Damaged buildings included a former home of Doors singer Jim Morrison in Laurel Canyon.

Despite the arrest, authorities continued to urge vigilance.

"We're not resting, and we're not stopping" the extra patrols, police Cmdr. Andrew Smith said. "If you have lights in your carport area, keep them on tonight."

Some other deliberately set fires were reported Thursday in Hollywood, and two people were arrested. But police said Monday that those suspects were not connected with the 52 other blazes.

© 2012 The Associated Press.

Wildfire in Acton CA

2012-01-03T13:36:00.000-08:00

Los Angeles County Fire Department sent 5 engines, a bulldozer, a water tender, three hand crews and were assisted by three engine companies and a water tender from the United States Forest Service to California’s first greater alarm wildfire of the season, 1-2-2012, LACOFD Fire Station 80’s district. Flame raced up from the canyon near hillside homes on Bent Spur Rd in Acton CA. It took nearly 2 hours before the fire could be contained, a reminder that fire season is with us all year long in Southern California. The fire had fairly large flame lengths for January due to lack of rain. Nearby homes were threatened but no structural loss was reported. The fire is under investigation.

LAFD Arson Cases

2011-12-31T14:14:00.001-08:00

..(Reuters) - About three dozen vehicles have been intentionally burned in the Los Angeles area the past two days, causing damage estimated in the hundreds of thousands of dollars and setting off a broad police and fire investigation.

No residents have been injured and one firefighter has been treated and released for injuries fighting the spate of apparently related arson fires that has triggered a broad local and federal response, authorities said on Saturday.

Police stepped up patrols and the fire department has planned to maintain a command post for the New Year's weekend in the area. Additional fire department arson investigators have been called in to review video footage, map where and when the fires were set and interview witnesses.

Investigators were trying to determine if the string of fires was set by one person or more than one person, said Officer Norma Eisenman, a police department spokeswoman.

Nine vehicles burned early Saturday in the San Fernando Valley, police said, and the Los Angeles Fire Department reported vehicle or structure fires at other locations.

The early Saturday fires followed on 21 intentionally set fires involving vehicles or car ports in the city and county the day before, according to the fire department.

The fires have in some instances spread to structures and the fire department provided a "conservative" estimate for $350,000 in property damage from the Friday fires alone.

Authorities were offering rewards totaling $60,000 for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the arsonist, the fire department said.

No suspects were in custody Saturday morning, Eisenman said. Police released people who had been detained in the investigation after determining they had no connection to the fires, she said.

Investigators were going over numerous tips from residents and surveillance recordings from area apartment buildings, Eisenman said.

The investigation includes the U.S. ATF, the Los Angeles County Sheriff, Los Angeles County Fire Department and Beverly Hills Fire Department.

(Reporting by David Bailey)

..

Arson Update from LA Times

2011-12-31T11:44:00.000-08:00

L.A.-area residents fear arsonist may strike again
Twenty-one 'highly unusual' fires are set within a few hours in Hollywood and West Hollywood. Nearly all of them started with a vehicle being set ablaze, but flames also damaged several residences.

Plumber Uri Oren works to clear a drain after an arson fire in the carport of an apartment building on Harper Avenue in West Hollywood. Twenty-one fires were set within hours in Hollywood and West Hollywood in one of the worst arson rampages in recent L.A. history. (Mel Melcon, Los Angeles Times / December 30, 2011)

By Joel Rubin, Andrew Blankstein and Ari Bloomekatz,
Los Angeles Times
December 31, 2011

The first call came in 25 minutes after midnight. A car parked in an underground garage in West Hollywood was engulfed in flames.

Three minutes later, firefighters responded to a second call a few blocks away.

Then a third. And a fourth.

Fire crews rolling out to one scene could hear dispatchers on their radios putting out the details of another. It didn't take long for fire officials to realize there was nothing coincidental about what was happening. They had an arsonist, or perhaps more than one, on their hands.

It would become, said Los Angeles Deputy Fire Chief Mario Rueda, "a night of managing chaos."

When dawn finally broke Friday, 21 fires smoldered throughout Hollywood and West Hollywood, making it one of the worst arson rampages in recent Los Angeles history.

Among the properties damaged was the Hollywood Hills home where The Doors' Jim Morrison once lived and which inspired his song "Love Street."

The night left L.A.-area residents on edge and investigators perplexed as they began the painstaking search for clues on who had set the fires and why.

Nearly all of the fires started with a vehicle being set ablaze. Several times, however, the flames jumped to nearby apartment buildings or houses, causing significant damage at some of the locations.

Estimates on the total cost of the damage were not available, although officials from the Los Angeles County Fire Department said that four fires set in West Hollywood alone destroyed about $350,000 worth of cars and property.

One firefighter suffered back and neck injuries and was taken to a hospital. His condition was not thought to be serious.

Investigators and experts said the fires were highly unusual for even a serial arsonist because of the sheer number of fires in a relatively short period of time. Officials have not said how the fires were set or whether they believe one or more people are responsible.

Of particular interest was Samuel Arrington, a 22-year-old from Sunland. Arrington was arrested Thursday on suspicion of starting three fires that day along a stretch of Sunset Boulevard in the same area as several of the fires that erupted hours later. Arrington was never released from custody after his arrest and arson investigators questioned him Friday in search of some link between him and the fires set Friday morning, officials said.

"It's too early to say whether we have a copycat," said Jaime Moore, a captain in the Los Angeles Fire Department.

In arson cases involving an initial set of fires followed by another, it is not unusual for someone unconnected to the first arsonist — a copycat — to have set the second group.

Residents and public safety officials alike expressed fear that the person or people responsible would ignite more fires in coming nights.

Another car fire broke out about 7:30 p.m. Friday in an underground garage in Hollywood in the 1600 block of North Sycamore Avenue. A team of investigators was immediately dispatched to the scene to look into the cause.

"We believe it's a good possibility that the individual responsible for the fires this morning is responsible for the fire that occurred tonight," Moore said.

Los Angeles Police Department and Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department officials said they planned to deploy additional officers throughout the area and called on the public to keep watch for anything suspicious.

Staffing at city and county fire stations also will be upped. The city, county and federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives put up a $60,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the culprit or culprits.

"Arsonists often like to watch fires they set," said sheriff's Det. Ed Nordskog. "Someone likely saw something they may not think was important, but all clues are good clues right now."

Fire and police officials described a night of mounting anxiety and helplessness as the calls piled up and the reality of the situation set in.

From 12:25 a.m. until shortly after 1 a.m., reports of five fires came in. Four were within a block or two of each other on residential streets off Santa Monica Boulevard near Fairfax Avenue. A fifth occurred about a mile north near Hollywood Boulevard.

An hourlong lull followed the initial barrage, giving firefighters a false sense of relief that the string had ended. At 2 a.m., the calls began anew. Convinced they were dealing with an arsonist, fire officials frantically started to map the fires in an attempt to find a pattern in their location and timing — all in an effort to decipher where the arsonist or arsonists would strike next.

The LAPD, meanwhile, went on a citywide tactical alert, meaning that officers remained on the job even after their shifts ended.

Although scattered over a wide area, the fires in the second wave appeared to occur within minutes of each other. One, for example, was reported at Morrison's old home off Laurel Canyon Boulevard and then, a minute later, emergency dispatchers received word of another fire 3 1/2 miles away on Cahuenga Boulevard. Things were quiet again between 3 and 4 a.m., but then a final outburst of three fires erupted in a 10-minute span.

The distances between the locations and the timing of the calls seemed to indicate that either more than one person was involved, the fires were ignited remotely or people had been slow to report some of the fires.

"We've had nights … where there were three or four — someone was driving or walking around and setting [a series] of fires, but not something where they were targeting the community to this extent," Rueda said. "This was highly unusual."

The arsonist or arsonists may have focused on automobiles because they present an easy, effective target, said Robert Rowe, a fire safety consultant and retired arson investigator.

"They're a quick source of fuel," he said. "You break a window, you throw some type of object inside and it burns quite vigorously with the plastic, the upholstery and the gasoline."

Arsonists, he added, can be motivated by a range of things — the desire for recognition or revenge among them. Often mental illness is a factor.

"Sometimes the numbers grow because there's a thrill involved," Rowe said. "It becomes a kind of game to see how many more they can light until they finally get caught."

Whatever the reason, the fires turned an otherwise normal night on its head for scores of people who had to flee encroaching flames.

When Luisa Lopez awoke to a man shouting "Fire!" outside her apartment, choking, acrid smoke had already begun to seep into her bedroom. As she and her two children left, the 45-year-old single mother saw her 2002 Toyota 4Runner ablaze in the carport.

"It was horrible," she said. "Seeing the car was awful."

Lopez said she now would need to rent a car in order to get to her job as a housekeeper in Studio City.

In addition to Lopez's SUV, at least three other cars were badly damaged at the building and a thick coat of black soot covered the once cream-colored facade of the complex.

An apartment overlooking the carport sustained the worst damage — its windows shattered, pieces of furniture burned and the fire alarm melted.

Arson Fires Continue in North Hollywood

2011-12-31T03:06:00.000-08:00

Numerous structure and auto fires being reported tonight in North Hollywood, LAFD engines and trucks are scrambling to numerous fires, a very serious situation. It appears this is the third night of arson fires plaguing Los Angeles. Fires have been reported on New Haven, Tuxford, Burbank Bl and Riverside Dr. If anyone has information please contact LAFD Arson Hotline or LAPD (213) 893-9800, or LAPD at (213) 972-2971. There is reward money for information from ATF, LA City and LA County.

Arson Fire Arrests in Los Angeles, A Very Serious Problem

2011-12-30T19:48:00.001-08:00

The first arrest involved a suspect who is responsible for three arson fires and one attempted arson fire. The incidents occurred on December 29, 2011 between the hours of 1:12 AM and 1:28 AM and are as follows:

At 1:12 AM, a dumpster fire occurred at 1444 Poinsettia Place, and a carport fire at 1434 Fuller Avenue where four vehicles and an apartment above were damaged. Then, at 1:28 AM, fire was set to a trash can in a parking lot and an attempted arson to personal property at 7040 Sunset Boulevard.

As information was developed by Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) Arson Investigators, it was determined that this suspect was, in fact, responsible for the first two incidents. The arrested is 22 year-old Sun Valley resident Samual Arrington.

The second arrest occurred as a result of a rubbish fire at 1347 McCadden Place, at 4:29 AM. There, 55 year-old Alejandro Pineda was arrested for burning trash. LAPD assisted Arson Investigators by transporting and booking the suspect while LAFD Investigators completed their scene examination. The suspect was booked on a charge of Arson of Property and bail is set at $50,000.

Since then, 21 fires (17 in the City and four in the County), involving various intentionally set automobile and structure fires created a conservative estimate of $350,000 in property damage. These fires occurred in the densely populated (approximately 20,000 people per square mile) Hollywood area and required firefighters to work tirelessly through a long and busy night. Due to the outstanding and diligent work of Los Angeles Firefighters, no civilians were injured and no structures were a total loss. However, one firefighter sustained a non-life-threatening injury while performing firefighting operations and was transported to a local hospital in fair condition. He has since has been released.

The LAFD is very concerned about these dangerous fires that could of resulted in deaths and are working closely with, Los Angeles Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol - Tobacco - Firearms and Explosives, LA County Sheriff's, Los Angeles County Fire Department, along with Beverly Hills Fire Department as a cohesive team.

LAFD Arson/Counter-Terrorism Section called in several additional investigators, all of whom continue to work around the clock and are currently reviewing video footage, mapping out and sequencing the fire incidents, interviewing witnesses and repeatedly canvasing the ashes during this active investigation.

We are asking the public to assist. Remain vigilant and "If you see something, say something". If you have any information that may assist in this active investigation, or if you witness any suspicious activity please call LAFD at (213) 893-9800, or LAPD at (213) 972-2971. If you witness someone actively committing a crime call 9-1-1. A reward is being offered.

Arson Fire Arrests in Los Angeles, A very Serious Problem

2011-12-30T19:48:00.000-08:00

Mc Nally Fire Updae

2011-12-29T16:19:00.000-08:00

Homeless woman found dead believed to be same person who started massive 2002 wildfire
BY JASON KOTOWSKI Californian staff writer
Thursday, Dec 29 2011 06:00 AM
Last Updated Thursday, Dec 29 2011 06:00 AM
There are indications a homeless woman found dead in a small encampment near the Chester Avenue Bridge was the same woman who gained notoriety about a decade ago after accidentally igniting the largest wildfire in Sequoia National Forest history.
Peri Dare Van Brunt started the McNally Fire in July 2002 when a campfire she was using to cook hot dogs burned out of control. The blaze scorched 150,000 acres and racked up $148 million in firefighting and other costs.
The woman found dead Tuesday has been identified as Peri Dare Van Brunt, and her age and what's known of her criminal history match the records of the Van Brunt who started the wildfire.
Two of Van Brunt's children were collecting her belongings Wednesday at the small, cluttered campsite she kept amid some trees near the water's edge. Jimmy Watkins, 28, and Lani Van Brunt, 22, described their mother as a loving person who at times struggled with drugs and had been homeless for the past two years.
Lani Van Brunt turned away and said she had no comment when asked if her mother had started the McNally Fire.
But she was willing to speak about her mother's interests. Peri Dare Van Brunt enjoyed listening to classic rock, doing arts and crafts and cooking, and had worked at several local eateries, Lani Van Brunt said.
Watkins said Van Brunt had fallen on hard times and was unable to find work. He and Lani visited her frequently at her makeshift campsite.
"She'd do anything for anybody," Watkins said.
Van Brunt pleaded guilty in May 2003 to three misdemeanor charges of negligently setting the McNally Fire, and was later sentenced to 18 months in prison. The blaze burned for two months, destroying three homes, five commercial properties and six outbuildings.
Kern County Fire Engineer Leland Davis said Wednesday the McNally Fire remains the largest Sequoia National Forest wildfire.
Van Brunt admitted to taking methamphetamine the night before the fire, according to archived articles in The Californian. The blaze started July 21, 2002 at Road's End Resort, 16 miles north of Kernville.
The charges she pleaded guilty to said she left an unlawful fire unattended, didn't clear an area around the fire and caused a fire that burned trees, brush and grass. Witnesses said she went to the resort asking for help in dousing a fire near the river, and then fled with her dog.
She was arrested a week later.
Married at the time with two children, Van Brunt had gone to the resort after her estranged husband, Gary Van Brunt, traveled there to get away from her. Gary Van Brunt had asked for a court order prohibiting her from coming near him, alleging that she was unstable and destroyed the house they'd been living in, according to Californian reports at the time.
Both before and after the fire, Van Brunt was repeatedly charged with drug offenses.
The Kern County Superior Court website says Peri Van Brunt pleaded no contest to drug possession for sales in 1992 and 1994, petty theft in 2007, drug possession in 2008, and in 2009 she again pleaded no contest to drug possession for sales.
Bakersfield police Sgt. Mary DeGeare said Van Brunt was last seen alive about 5:30 p.m. Monday. She lived alone in the camp.
There was no sign of injury to the body, and no indication of foul play, DeGeare said.
Lani Van Brunt said an autopsy was scheduled for Thursday.
Source: http://www.bakersfield.com/news/local/x4969554/Homeless-woman-found-dead-believed-to-be-same-person-who-started-massive-2002-wildfire

Arson Suspect Caught by Civilian, LA Times Report

2011-12-29T12:49:00.000-08:00

Arsonist set 3 Hollywood fires 15 minutes apart, police say
By Angel Jennings

Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

December 29, 2011, 8:25 a.m.
An arson suspect has been arrested in Hollywood after allegedly setting three fires that caused massive property damage early Thursday morning.

Samuel Arrington, 22, of Sunland, is charged with arson for torching a vehicle and setting rubbish on fire. The fires were set 15 minutes apart from one another along a five-block stretch of Sunset Boulevard, authorities said.

It is estimated that the fires caused more than $100,000 in property damage, said Captain Jaime Moore, a public information officer for the Los Angeles Fire Department. An elderly male was treated for smoke inhalation.

The first blaze took place at 1:12 a.m. on Poinsettia Place and Sunset Avenue, where a dumpster was set on fire.

Around the same time, firefighters received a call about a car fire in the carport attached to an apartment building at 1434 N. Fuller Ave. Firefighters rushed to rescue the 20 occupants who lived inside the 10-unit apartment complex. A 73-year-old male was taken to the hospital and treated for smoke inhalation.

Four vehicles were destroyed in the front of the building. As the flames rose from the carport to the building itself, it damaged at least two apartment units.

In the third blaze, the suspect set a trash can on fire at Sunset Boulevard and Sycamore Avenue before a witness apprehended him.

The witness, Pedro Mejia, was cleaning the sidewalk with a pressure washer when he encountered the suspect.

"I saw him turn the trash can on fire," Mejia told KTLA News. "After that, he walked toward my equipment and tried to set it on fire."

Arrington was trying to ignite two fuel tanks attached to Mejia's pressure washer. Mejia said the fuel tanks on the washer contain 30 gallons of diesel. "I ran over there and chased him away."

Mejia detained Arrington and flagged down passing police. The LAFD's arson unit is investigating the crime. No motive has been determined, but it is suspected that Arrington may have been under the influence of a controlled substance, Moore said.

"He could have done a lot more damage," he said.
Copyright © 2011, Los Angeles Times

LA County Wildfire 1 Acre

2011-12-29T12:42:00.000-08:00

Brush Fire* FS77 [Gorman], Davidson's Ranch Rd x Copco Rd. E77's serveral miles out w/ smoke showing. Req Comm Plan. "Ranch IC" B12-T18 #LACoFD. Initial attack Fire at 1acre 12:42

Five Alarm Structure Fire, San Francisco CA

2011-12-23T00:31:00.000-08:00

Dozens forced from homes after 5-alarm San Francisco fire
By: Andrea Koskey | 12/22/11 8:41 PM
SF Examiner Staff Writer
.
Mike Koozmin/The SF Examiner
Nearly half of The City’s on-duty firefighters were called out to Thursday’s blaze. A massive wind-fueled fire tore apart three buildings in the Western Addition near Alamo Square on Thursday, leaving some 60 people without homes just days before Christmas.

The scorching blaze began about 11:53 a.m. and quickly gained steam due to gusting winds, according to the Fire Department. Wind speeds recorded at San Francisco International Airport were between 17 and 23 mph at the time, the National Weather Service said. Nearly half of The City’s on-duty fire staff was called to the scene.

The fire broke out in the rear of 1502 Golden Gate Ave., a three-story wooden Victorian building, and spread to an apartment complex and a small single-family home on Elm Street, burning for three hours. An adjacent school sustained minor smoke damage, but it was vacant due to the winter break.

Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White said roughly 150 firefighters were needed to battle the five-alarm blaze. She said Thursday’s windy conditions and the attached buildings made it difficult to fight the fire.

Related...
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Western Addition fire displaces dozens, injures three
12/22/11 12:26 PM
Three people were injured and at least 70 residents were displaced Thursday after a five-alarm fire burned out of control in two residential buildings in the Western Addition neighborhood, San Francisco Fire Department officials said. The fire was reported at 11:53 a.m. on Pierce Street near Elm Street, a narrow road between Golden Gate Avenue and Turk Street, a fire dispatcher said. Read More “It’s a stubborn fire,” Hayes-White said. “It’s very active flames.”

The cause of the blaze was unknown as of Thursday night.

Hayes-White said flames quickly reached the roof of the Victorian, which was built around 1900. It’s unknown on which floor the fire originated.

As many as 60 people were estimated to be displaced from 32 apartments, flats and homes in the three buildings, fire officials said. Three people were treated for injuries, including one firefighter for smoke inhalation and another for minor burns to the back of his neck, according to Hayes-White.

A nearby nursing home was evacuated of more than 100 residents because of potential dangers from breathing in smoke, Hayes-White said.

The extent of the overall damage was not immediately assessed, Hayes-White said, because fire crews could not enter any of the buildings.

The fire produced towering flames that shot high into the air, and smoke billowed out of all three buildings for several hours. Plumes of smoke could be seen and smelled miles away. The blaze was contained just after 3 p.m.

It was the largest blaze San Francisco firefighters have had to combat since 2005, when more than 60 people were displaced at 3330 16th St.

Hayes-White said when firefighters first arrived on scene they took an aggressive approach to contain the flames, but the intensity of the wind, flames and heat forced a different tactic.

Firefighters were called away from the blaze more than an hour after it began. They then started battling it defensively, spraying water from all angles, including from the ground and several ladder trucks.

Dozens of residents gathered at a temporary shelter nearby that was set up by the Red Cross to assist displaced families. One person, who declined to be identified, held himself up by a truck in shock of what happened.

The man was cleaning his home in the Victorian building when the fire alarm at the school went off. He said he thought nothing of it until a neighbor came by to warn him of the danger.

“It was total panic mode,” he said of when the neighbor came to his door. “I don’t know what happened.”

Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi was at the scene of the fire to assess the situation and give condolences to the victims.

“It’s gut-wrenching,” he said. “We’re setting up and doing what we can to help them deal with the consequences.”
Mayor Ed Lee said The City would do all it can to help the victims.

“There’s considerable damage,” he said. “We’re trying to locate temporary shelters. It’s so close to the holidays, not everyone will have an alternate place to go. We will help them in every way we can.”

akoskey@sfexaminer.com

Family reunions and neighborly charity bloom in ashes of devastating flames
By Amy Crawford
SF Examiner Staff Writer

Sarah Gordon was baking Christmas cookies for her family when she heard her building’s fire alarm go off.

“I had just gotten the oven pre-heated,” she said. “I walked out the door to see what it was and I saw the flames.”

With no time to spare, Gordon grabbed one of her two cats — the other had disappeared under the bed — and ran outside.

“The windows were already breaking and everyone was screaming to get out,” she said.

Gordon, 30, who lived in a studio apartment at 1015 Pierce St., was one of at least 60 residents displaced Thursday after a five-alarm fire tore through three residential buildings in the Western Addition neighborhood.

Two hours after the fire was reported at 11:53 a.m., firefighters were still working to knock down flames as a handful of residents sat in a makeshift evacuation center set up by the Red Cross in the social hall of the nearby Missionary Temple Church.

“We’re all kind of in a little bit of shock,” said Richard Lenhart, who was a live-in manager at 1015 Pierce, a three-story building with 25 studio and one-bedroom apartments.

Lenhart’s partner, Michael Pacia, said the couple were planning to spend Christmas with family in Citrus Heights. The gifts they would have brought with them were in their ruined apartment.

“A brand-new iMac, not even out of the box yet,” Pacia said, shaking his head.

Angel Plascencia, 19, a student at San Francisco State University, was planning to go to his family’s home in the Central Valley for Christmas. Now, instead of leaving, he plans to stay with friends to see if he can salvage anything from his apartment.

“I never thought I was ever going to experience anything like that,” Plascencia said, standing on the sidewalk in shorts and a T-shirt with a Red Cross blanket over his shoulders. “I was most scared when I was on the first floor and I saw the flames.”

Candice Lamarche, who lives next door to the church, dropped by to donate clothes.

“I actually had a house fire in Sacramento about five years ago, so I know what it’s like to lose everything,” she said. “You can’t really think because you’re so in shock. You don’t even have a toothbrush.”

Gordon, who left her apartment in flannel pajama pants and a pair of Giants slippers, had no time to grab her cellphone on the way out. But she borrowed a neighbor’s phone to call her father, and soon her parents, brother, sister-in-law and boyfriend were by her side.

“As we came through the Caldecott Tunnel, I saw the plume and said, ‘Oh, dear God, I hope that’s not it.’ And it was,” said her father, Michael Gordon, who had been in Walnut Creek when Sarah called.

But despite the tragedy, the Gordons were relieved.

“We have her,” Michael Gordon said.

“I just hope everybody else has as much support as I have to deal with this,” Sarah Gordon said.

acrawford@sfexaminer.com

How to help
What’s needed: Cash
Where: Visit RedCrossBayArea.org or call (888) 4-HELP-BAY, or drop by the Red Cross’ offices at 85 Second St. The Alamo Square Neighborhood Association also is accepting donations at AlamoSq.wordpress.com
When: Anytime

The Red Cross of San Francisco is providing emergency aid for people who lost their homes and belongings. Spokesman Steve Sharp said they need cash to replenish their resources for the next disaster. He asked people not to donate clothing or housewares. “It’s hard for us to take in-kind donations, because we have to sort, clean everything,” Sharp said.

Notable San Francisco fires
June 2, 2011: Two-alarm blaze at 133 Berkeley Way in the Diamond Heights neighborhood kills two firefighters. It’s the first time in more than six decades that two firefighters die in an S.F. blaze.

Feb. 5, 2009: Six firefighters are injured, including one critically, in a fire at 627 Felton St. in the Portola district. Arson is later deemed to be the cause of the blaze.

July 8, 2005: Last five-alarm fire recorded in San Francisco before Thursday’s blaze. The fire, located at 3330 16th St., displaced 66 people and caused more than $8 million in damage, but no one was injured.

March 9, 1995: Lt. Louis Mambretti, a 25-year veteran of the Fire Department, is killed in a blaze at 75 Everson Way in Diamond Heights. Mambretti dies after getting trapped in the residence by the automatic garage door.

Oct. 17, 1989: Multiple fires break out in the Marina district after the Loma Prieta earthquake. Several buildings were destroyed on Divisadero Street near Beach and Jefferson streets.

July 30, 1946: Four firefighters die in a fire at the Herbert Hotel on Powell Street near Union Square.

April 18, 1906: San Francisco is nearly decimated by fires that raged throughout The City after the Great Earthquake. About 25,000 buildings were destroyed from the roughly 30 different fires that erupted as a result of the quake.

Read more at the San Francisco Examiner: http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/2011/12/dozens-forced-homes-after-5-alarm-san-francisco-fire#ixzz1hLQu8I00

Strong Winds Hit Southland

2011-12-22T23:33:00.000-08:00

A high-wind warning was in effect across most of Southern California, including the coastal areas, valleys and mountains, through 1 p.m. Friday. Some areas could see winds of up to 60 mph. The Newhall Pass saw winds hit 53 mph and the Malibu Hills saw 52 mph gusts.
The wind picked up steam overnight in the Inland Empire, howling fiercely near the Cajon Pass along the 15 Freeway. The California Highway Patrol urged drivers, especially those with high-profile vehicles and motorcyclists, to use caution or avoid the area.

High winds knocked over two tractor-trailers in Fontana in the morning. A FedEx truck overturned on the transition from the 210 Freeway to the northbound 15 Freeway. Another truck flipped on the transition to the southbound 15 Freeway.
Crews worked to clean up a fuel spill and dozens of palettes that fell off the back of a truck. There was damage to the guardrail, but the driver was expected to be OK.
As of 5 p.m., Southern California Edison said winds knocked out power to 480 customers in Garden Grove, 326 in Stanton, 110 in San Bernardino and 36 in Tustin.
They said they were working to restore power by 6 a.m. Friday.

A brush fire was reported in Ventura County IC requiring a second alarm assignment. The fire was burning in medium brush, over 30 companies were at the scene battling the wildfire.

GAO Report: Station Wildfire

2011-12-21T13:22:00.000-08:00

What GAO Found

The Station Fire started on the afternoon of August 26, 2009, in steep terrain covered with highly flammable vegetation during very dry conditions. After escaping initial containment efforts, the Station Fire underwent periods of rapid growth and extreme fire behavior over the following several days, ultimately threatening thousands of homes in nearby communities. In response, the Forest Service and local agencies, such as Los Angeles County, deployed thousands of firefighters and hundreds of firefighting assets, including fire engines, helicopters, and air tankers. The fire’s extreme behavior, however, often prevented firefighters from attacking it directly, instead leading them to employ tactics farther away from the fire in their efforts to protect life, homes, and natural resources. The fire was contained on October 16, 2009. Among the key issues raised by firefighters, area residents, and others regarding the Forest Service’s response to the Station Fire were questions over the adequacy of firefighting assets, strategies, and tactics used. For example, some observers questioned (1) why the Forest Service did not use certain aircraft that were available, including night-flying helicopters operated by Los Angeles County; (2) whether the agency followed appropriate procedures in ordering firefighting assets, including whether it mobilized its own assets rather than local ones in certain instances, even though its assets were located farther away and would take longer to arrive; and (3) whether more action could have been taken to protect homes in Big Tujunga Canyon, an area where dozens of homes were destroyed. GAO’s review of available information was able to clarify some of these issues by, for example, identifying the location and availability of certain aircraft and other assets. In other cases, insufficient information was available to fully ascertain the facts—such as the exact procedures followed when ordering certain assets. Also, for those concerns that centered on a difference of opinion, such as whether additional actions could have been safely taken to protect homes, GAO was able to review the various perspectives of observers but had no method for addressing these differences through analysis. While some observers were critical of the Forest Service’s response to the Station Fire, others commended its response, highlighting the difficult conditions confronting firefighters and the thousands of threatened homes that ultimately were protected. The Station Fire offers several important lessons that may help improve wildland fire response in the future, including in Southern California. These lessons include the importance of (1) determining the appropriate role of night-flying aircraft, (2) having transparent processes for ordering and mobilizing firefighting assets, (3) tracking aircraft water and retardant deliveries, (4) predicting fire behavior under a variety of conditions, and (5) having systematic methods to identify needed firefighting assets. The agency has taken action to implement some lessons, including changing its night-flying policy and the asset-ordering practices at the Angeles National Forest. The agency has not, however, clarified its expectations about when its own assets are to be ordered instead of other agencies’. In addition, while the agency prepared a “lessons-learned” report after the fire, this report does not fully describe other actions the agency expects to take to implement lessons from the fire or time frames for doing so—potentially representing a lost opportunity to capitalize on the Station Fire’s lessons.

Why GAO Did This Study

In 2009, a wildland fire in the Angeles National Forest in California known as the Station Fire led to the death of two firefighters, destroyed 89 homes and dozens of other structures, and burned more than 160,000 acres. The Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service played a key role in managing the firefighting response. Some firefighters, area residents, and others have raised questions about how the Forest Service responded to the fire. GAO was asked to evaluate the response to the Station Fire. Accordingly, this report (1) describes key events in the Station Fire and the Forest Service’s response, including strategies, tactics, and assets used; (2) examines key issues arising from this response; and (3) identifies lessons the Station Fire offers for wildland fire management in the future, including lessons specific to Southern California. GAO reviewed agency documents and interviewed officials from the Forest Service and from nonfederal firefighting agencies involved in the response, as well as other parties.

Status Legend:

XStatus will change from "In process" to "Open," "Closed - implemented," or "Closed - not implemented" based on our follow up work.

In Process
Open
Closed - implemented
Closed - not implemented
Recommendations for Executive Action
Recommendation: To improve the Forest Service’s response to wildland fires, the Secretary of Agriculture should direct the Chief of the Forest Service to clarify the Forest Service’s intent and to reduce uncertainty about how its assets are to be used relative to those of other agencies, issue guidance describing when it expects its own firefighting assets to be used instead of contract or state and local agency assets.

Agency Affected: Department of Agriculture

Status: Open

Comments: When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Recommendation: To improve the Forest Service’s response to wildland fires and to implement the lessons it identified in its review of the Station Fire, the Secretary of Agriculture should direct the Chief of the Forest Service to document the steps it plans to take, and the associated time frames.

Agency Affected: Department of Agriculture

Status: Open

Comments: When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Vehicle Fire LAFD 15's

2011-12-19T00:17:00.000-08:00

LAFD auto fire well involved at Martin Luther King BLvd and Hill. Photo Jeff Zimmerman

LAFD, Firefighters Need Help, Man With Gun

2011-12-18T23:26:00.000-08:00

Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a reported structure fire at 474 Solano, when they encountered a man with a hand gun:Jeff Zimmerman on scene for So Cal Fire Journal.

A man who threatened to shoot firefighters sent to a small blaze today was shot and killed by a sheriff's deputy when he pointed his gun at the lawman, sheriff's officials said.

The deputy, assigned to the sheriff's Transit Service Bureau, was flagged down by firefighters as a fire burned in the 400 block of Solano Avenue, near Broadway, said sheriff's Sgt. Diane Hecht.

Matt Spence of the Los Angeles City Fire Department said firefighters were dispatched to 474 W. Solano Ave. at 4:49 a.m. on a call of an outdoor fire.

Hecht said when firefighters parked their rigs and began walking down the road to the apartment, the suspect came from the apartment building armed with a handgun shouting "I have a gun." The firefighters took cover.

She said the deputy driving by at that moment was flagged down by firefighters. He also took cover, and saw the suspect waving a handgun in the air. The deputy ordered the suspect several times to drop the gun. The suspect did not comply and instead pointed the gun at the deputy, who fired at the suspect hitting him.

The man was taken to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead about 5:30 a.m., Whitmore said. Spence said the suspect was a man, approximately 35 years old.

Although firefighters at one point told reporters they had been shot at, "as far as we know, he (the suspect) did not fire his weapon," said Steve Whitmore of the Sheriff's Headquarters Bureau. Hecht said the suspect's handgun was recovered at the scene. No deputies or firefighters were injured.

The outside fire was small and was quickly extinguished once the suspect was subdued, said L.A. Fire Capt. Tom Sammartano. Although the shooting and fire were in the City of Los Angeles, sheriff's homicide detectives would handle the investigation of the deputy-involved shooting, Whitmore said.

The suspect's name was not immediately released.
Photos Copyright:Jeff Zimmerman

Federal Furlough May Cause Chaos in Your Life

2011-12-15T13:11:00.001-08:00

Overview
The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has prepared human resources guidance for agencies and employees in the event of shutdown furloughs (also called emergency furloughs). A shutdown furlough occurs when there is a lapse in annual appropriations. Shutdown furloughs can occur at the beginning of a fiscal year, if no funds have been appropriated for that year, or upon expiration of a continuing resolution, if a new continuing resolution or appropriations law is not passed.

In a shutdown furlough, an affected agency would have to shut down any activities funded by annual appropriations that are not excepted by law. Typically, an agency will have very little to no lead time to plan and implement a shutdown furlough.

NOTE: This guidance applies to activities that are funded by annual appropriations. Some agency functions have alternative funding sources and, as a result, are not directly affected by a lapse in annual appropriations. Employees performing those functions will generally continue to be governed by the normal pay, leave, and other civil service rules. Agencies should consult with their legal counsel if they have further questions concerning this distinction. Employees should consult with their human resources office.

Supplemental Guidance on Shutdown Furloughs Relating to a Potential Lapse in Appropriations for Some Agencies
Note: References below to other Q&As refer to Q&As in OPM's general furlough guidance.

PAY
Will employees receive a paycheck for hours worked prior to a lapse in appropriations?

Yes. (See Q&A-D.3. for more information.)

Will furloughed employees eventually receive pay for the furlough period?

Congress will determine whether furloughed employees receive pay for the furlough period. (See Q&A-D.2.)

Will employees who fall under an exception requiring them to work during a furlough despite a lapse in appropriations (excepted employees) be paid for their services during the furlough?

Agencies will incur obligations to pay for services performed by excepted employees during a lapse in appropriations, and those employees will be paid when Congress passes and the President signs a new appropriation or continuing resolution. (See Q&A-D.1.)

What happens if the furlough is still in effect on a holiday (e.g., the Christmas and New Year's Day holidays)?

An employee (including an excepted employee) who does not work on a holiday will not receive pay for a holiday that occurs during a shutdown furlough, unless Congress provides otherwise. (See Q&A-G.1.)

LEAVE
If there is a shutdown furlough, how does this impact a separating employee's lump-sum payment for his or her unused annual leave?

In the event of a shutdown furlough, a separating employee will not receive a lump-sum leave payment until the lapse in appropriations ends and funds are available. (See Q&A-M.1.)

What happens to furloughed employees who are already on paid leave or who are scheduled to take paid leave?

All paid time off during a shutdown furlough period must be canceled because the requirement to furlough supersedes leave and other paid time off rights. (See Q&A-F.1., F.7., and F.8. for more information.)

May excepted employees use paid leave during a furlough?

No. Excepted employees also may not use paid leave. Rather, they must be furloughed for any approved absence during the furlough period. (See Q&A-F.2. and F.7. for more information.)

If an employee has properly scheduled "use-or-lose" annual leave before the start of the third biweekly pay period prior to the end of the leave year, but is unable to use some or all of the scheduled leave because of the furlough, does the furlough constitute an "exigency of the public business" that would permit an agency to restore the leave after the beginning of the new leave year?

Employees in this situation should make every effort to reschedule "use-or-lose" annual leave for use before the end of the current leave year. However, if this is not possible due to a lapse in appropriations, agency heads (or their designees) are encouraged to use their discretionary authority to restore any lost annual leave by determining that the employee was prevented from using his or her leave because of an exigency of the public business - namely, the need to furlough employees because of the lapse in appropriations.

If an employee has properly scheduled use of "restored annual leave" that is due to expire at the end of the leave year (because it is the end of the 2-year restoration period) but that leave is canceled and lost due to lapse of appropriations, may the employing agency restore that leave again?

Unfortunately, no - unless Congress enacts legislation providing otherwise. There is nothing in existing law or regulation that allows restored annual leave to be restored a second time. In fact, the Comptroller General has determined that unused restored annual leave may not be restored after expiration of the 2-year period. (See B 188993, December 12, 1977)

RETIREMENT
If an employee is planning on retiring at the end of December, will a shutdown furlough affect the employee's retirement date?

If the employee provides notice to the employing agency on or before the requested retirement date, the shutdown furlough will not affect the retirement date. (See Q&A-L.3. and L.a.4. for more information.)

If an employee is scheduled to retire before the end of the leave year with an annual leave balance of over the maximum leave ceiling (e.g., 240, 360, or 720 hours, as applicable) and the furlough prevents the employee's retirement from getting processed until January, does the employee lose his or her annual leave above the maximum leave ceiling?

No. The employee's retirement would be retroactively applied to a date prior to the end of the leave year, and the employee would receive the full amount of accumulated and accrued annual leave in a lump-sum payment.

FEDERAL EMPLOYEE HEALTH BENEFITS (FEHB) OPEN SEASON
Would a lapse in appropriations alter the effective date of an Open Season enrollment if an enrollment request was fully processed by an agency and submitted to the health plan prior to the lapse?

No. The effective date would still be the first day of the first full pay period in January.

What happens if agency employees responsible for processing paper SF-2809 Open Season enrollment requests are furloughed?

Agencies will have to determine whether those employees may continue to process the enrollment requests if a lapse in appropriations occurs. If agencies conclude that they cannot, pending enrollment requests will not be processed until those employees return to pay status.

What happens if an individual makes an Open Season enrollment change but the agency did not process the request before the furlough?

The individual should continue to use the old health plan until he or she returns to pay status and the enrollment is processed to the new health plan.

If an enrollee required healthcare and received coverage under the old health plan, will the new health plan be responsible for the coverage received once the furlough is over?

Yes.

If a furlough delays processing of Open Season enrollment changes, will the enrollment be retroactive?

Yes. Per FEHB regulations, all Open Season enrollments and enrollment changes are effective on the first day of the first full pay period in January.

If an individual's health plan is terminating participation in the FEHB Program at the end of the current benefit year, and an Open Season enrollment change has not been processed, what should the individual do in January?

If the individual needs services urgently, he or she should incur the expenses and file a claim with the new plan once the enrollment change has been processed.

How will someone know whether his or her enrollment request was fully processed and sent to the new health plan?

If the individual receives an ID card, the enrollment in the new plan is effective. If an ID card is not received, the enrollment has not been processed.

How will someone know if an electronic Open Season enrollment change was fully processed?

If an ID card is received, the enrollment in the new plan is effective. If an ID card is not received, the enrollment has not yet been processed.

What happens to an individual not currently covered under the FEHB who elected to enroll during Open Season if the enrollment has not been processed and will not be processed until after the furlough? Does this individual still have coverage with the elected plan? If so, when?

Yes, such an individual would have coverage beginning on the first day of the first full pay period in January. Expenses incurred will be reimbursed by the plan once the enrollment has been processed. We suggest that such individuals ensure they use the plan's providers to get the maximum benefits. For fee-for-service plans, check the health plan's website for a list of network providers. (See Q&A-H.1.)

FEDERAL EMPLOYEES DENTAL/VISION PROGRAM (FEDVIP) OPEN SEASON
Will the effective date of my FEDVIP Open Season enrollment be affected?

No. (See Q&A-H.7.)

FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNT (FSA) OPEN SEASON
Will the effective date of my FSA enrollment be affected?

No. (See Q&A-H.5.)

Job Flyers Forest Service

2011-12-15T10:09:00.000-08:00

OUTREACH NOTICE

LOS PADRES NATIONAL FOREST
For more information on the Los Padres National Forest, visit the
forest’s website at www.fs.fed.us/r5/lospadres

TITLE: Temporary Wildland Firefighters DUTY LOCATION: Los Padres National Forest
SERIES: GS-0462 Various Locations- See Below
GRADE: GS-3, 4, 5

Please Apply by January 3, 2012

Listed in this document are the wildland firefighting temporary employment opportunities for the Los Padres National Forest 2012 fire season. The actual job titles for wildland firefighter positions are “Forestry Aid” and “Forestry Technician.”

Pay scales and availability of government provided housing will vary by geographic locations. Firefighters are paid an hourly rate and can earn overtime at 1.5 (time and a half) of their normal pay rate and hazardous duty pay at an extra 25% in some circumstances. Housing/Barracks may be available at a nominal cost to employees. Firefighters provide their own subsistence while at their home duty locations. The Forest Service pays living expenses when on a fire assignment or project assignments away from home duty locations. Tour of Duty is generally a 5 day work week of 40 base hours, with 2 days off. Scheduled days off are often cancelled due to emergency assignments and overtime in excess of 400 hours during a 6 month fire season is not uncommon.

Selectees must be able to meet the arduous fitness level and complete a Work Capacity Test consisting of a 3 mile hike within 45 minutes carrying a 45 pound pack as a condition of hire. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age.

TO APPLY: At the close of the outreach period a certificate of candidates will be drawn from the Open and Continuous vacancy announcement for Forestry Aid and Forestry Technician positions. Those announcement numbers are listed in the chart below. These positions are located at various stations throughout the forest.
The most important thing you need to do in order to be hired for any of these jobs is to select our Avue locations (i.e. Arroyo Grande, Big Sur, Carpinteria, Cuyama, Fillmore, Frazier, Goleta, Greenfield, Jolon, Los Olivos, Ojai, Piru, Santa Barbara, Santa Margarita, Santa Maria, Santa Ynez). You are only allowed to select nine (9) locations in Avue. To be considered for Los Padres National Forest locations they must be among the nine locations you have selected.
You may acquire a copy of the announcement from the internet at www.jobsearch.usajobs.opm.gov or www.avuedigitalservices.com/usfs/applicant.html. This web-based application provides a method for individuals interested in employment opportunities with the Forest Service to apply for jobs. You can create and update Applicant Profiles, search for current vacancy announcements, create a job search profile, apply for jobs, and check the status of jobs for which they have applied.

MONTEREY RANGER DISTRICT
District Office phone: 831-385-5434 Division Chief Frank Zabrowski Battalion Chief Pete Harris Battalion Chief Casey Allen
Position Module Avue Location Contact Information Vacancy Announcement(s)

Forestry Aid (Fire) All modules below All locations below See below OCRT-462-3-FIRE-DT

Forestry Technician (Fire Engine Operator) Engine 15 Mission Creek Jolon Nicholas Valentin 831-385-3277 OCRT-462-4-ENGINE-DT

Engine 16 Nacimiento Jolon David Goldstein 805-975-7963 OCRT-462-5-ENGINE-DT-REL2

Engine 17 Pacific Valley Big Sur Josh Langston 805-927-4211
Engine 18 Big Sur Big Sur Charlie Glendinning 831-667-0294
Engine 19 Arroyo Seco Greenfield Keith Hughes 831-674-2381

Forestry Technician (Hotshot/Handcrew) Monterey Crew Jolon Kevin Poyner 831-385-1237 OCRT-462-4-HANDCREW-DT

OCRT-462-5-HANDCREW-DT-REL2

SANTA LUCIA RANGER DISTRICT
District Office phone: 805-925-9538 Division Chief Jim Smith Battalion Chief Jim Harris Battalion Chief Tom Plymale
Position Module Avue Location Contact Information Vacancy Announcement(s)

Forestry Aid (Fire) All modules except Helitack All locations below See below OCRT-462-3-FIRE-DT

Forestry Technician (Fire Engine Operator) Engine 31 Pozo Santa Margarita Luke Krenkel 805-438-5711 OCRT-462-4-ENGINE-DT

Engine 35 Pine Canyon Santa Maria Jason Mitchell 805-937-2436 OCRT-462-5-ENGINE-DT-REL2

Engine 37 Cuyama Cuyama Louis DeLaRosa 805-766-2585
Engine 38 Figueroa Los Olivos Doug Browand 805-688-3017

SANTA LUCIA RANGER DISTRICT(continued)
Position Module Avue Location Contact Information Vacancy Announcement(s)

Forestry Technician (Hotshot/Handcrew) Arroyo Grande Hotshots Arroyo Grande Mike Hickey 805-481-4391 OCRT-462-4-HOTSHOT-DT

OCRT-462-5-HOTSHOT-DT-REL2

Forestry Technician (Helitack) Arroyo Grande Helitack Arroyo Grande Kevin Murray 805-481-4391 OCRT-462-4-HLTK-DT

OCRT-462-5-HLTK-DT-REL2

SANTA BARBARA RANGER DISTRICT
District Office phone: 805-967-3481 Division Chief (vacant) Battalion Chief Mark vonTillow Battalion Chief Mark Courson
Position Module Avue Location Contact Information Vacancy Announcement(s)

Forestry Aid (Fire) All modules except Helitack All locations below See below OCRT-462-3-FIRE-DT

Forestry Technician (Fire Engine Operator) Engine 41 San Marcos Santa Barbara Brad Christensen 805-964-1313 OCRT-462-4-ENGINE-DT

Engine 42 Los Prietos Santa Barbara David Valencia 805-967-3481 OCRT-462-5-ENGINE-DT-REL2

Engine 43 Foothill Goleta Robert Thibault 805-967-3481
Engine 44 Rincon Carpinteria Michael Scott 805-566-0860
Engine 46 Gibraltar Santa Barbara Matthew Traynham 805-884-8281
Engine 47 Santa Ynez Santa Ynez Brian Berry 805-639-0458

Forestry Technician (Hotshot/Handcrew) Los Padres Hotshots Santa Barbara Steve Molacek 805-967-3481 OCRT-462-4-HOTSHOT-DT

OCRT-462-5-HOTSHOT-DT-REL2

Forestry Technician (Helitack) Santa Ynez Helitack Santa Ynez Brian Sexton 805-639-0458 OCRT-462-4-HLTK-DT

OCRT-462-5-HLTK-DT-REL2

OJAI RANGER DISTRICT
District Office phone: 805-646-4348 Division Chief Carrie Landon Battalion Chief Mike Strawhun Battalion Chief Tony Ayala
Position Module Avue Location Contact Information Vacancy Announcement(s)

Forestry Aid (Fire) All modules below All locations below See below OCRT-462-3-FIRE-DT

Forestry Technician (Fire Engine Operator) Engine 51 Casitas Ojai Joe Valencia 805-649-3861 OCRT-462-4-ENGINE-DT

Engine 52 Ojai Ojai Anthony Zavalla 805-646-4348 OCRT-462-5-ENGINE-DT-REL2

Engine 53 Temescal Piru Thomas Starvish 805-521-1707
Engine 54 Sespe Fillmore Larry Alvarado 805-524-1519
Engine 55 Wheeler Gorge Ojai Michael Nickey 805-640-6413

MOUNT PINOS RANGER DISTRICT
District Office phone: 661-245-3731 Division Chief John Abell Battalion Chief Derek Steidley Battalion Chief Richard Sandoval
Position Module Avue Location Contact Information Vacancy Announcement(s)

Forestry Aid (Fire) All modules except Helitack All locations below See below OCRT-462-3-FIRE-DT

Forestry Technician (Fire Engine Operator) Engine 71 Chuchupate Frazier Robert Moreno 661-245-3731 OCRT-462-4-ENGINE-DT

Engine 72 Ozena Frazier Ryan Bridgen 661-335-1932 OCRT-462-5-ENGINE-DT-REL2

Engine 73 Apache Saddle Frazier Chris Wright 661-301-4003
Engine 74 Los Alamos Frazier Jamie Cope 661-248-6307
Engine 75 Lockwood Valley Frazier Eric Swab 832-380-6554

Forestry Technician (Helitack) Chuchupate Helitack Frazier Dean Hall 661-245-3731 OCRT-462-4-HLTK-DT

OCRT-462-5-HLTK-DT-REL2

Creating a complete application in Avue is time-consuming. Do not wait until the last minute to begin the process.

Questions regarding a specific position or office/station location should be directed to the contact name listed in the table. If you have trouble reaching one of our points of contact during the holiday season, please contact the District offices at the following numbers:
Santa Lucia Ranger District, Santa Maria, CA, (805) 925-9538
Monterey Ranger District, King City, CA, (831) 385-5434
Santa Barbara Ranger District, Santa Barbara, CA, (805) 967-3481
Ojai Ranger District, Ojai, CA, (805) 646-4348
Mt. Pinos Ranger District, Frazier Park, CA, (661) 245-3731

Job Fair for Forestry Firefighters

2011-12-15T10:01:00.000-08:00

GOLETA, CA….Los Padres National Forest officials announced plans to hold a job fair at the Monterey Ranger District Office on Wednesday, December 21, from 2:00 pm until 5:00 pm. The job fair is free of charge and open to all members of the public seeking information about seasonal Forestry Technician jobs and the Apprentice program with the U.S. Forest Service.

Representatives of Los Padres National Forest fire staff will share information and answer questions for anyone interested in pursuing a career as a wildland firefighter. Suppression equipment such as fire engines and other specialized gear used by wildland firefighters will also be on-hand. Information about vacant temporary and seasonal positions will be available along with instructions on the Internet-based application process.

The U.S. Forest Service is committed to recruiting highly skilled, competent and diverse workforce that reflects the public we serve. The U.S. Forest Service is an equal opportunity employer. For additional information on the Monterey Ranger District job fair, please contact Harold Cook at the Tusi Fire Station (831) 385-1237 or visit the Los Padres National Forest website at http://www.usda.gov/lpnf.
###

Wind Watch

2011-12-15T00:02:00.000-08:00

...DAMAGING WIND GUSTS POSSIBLE OVER PORTIONS OF SOUTHWESTERN
CALIFORNIA FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING...

.A COLD LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL MOVE INTO SOUTHEASTERN
CALIFORNIA LATE THURSDAY...AND INTO FAR NORTHWESTERN MEXICO

THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY. THIS SYSTEM WILL DEVELOP A PATTERN
FAVORABLE FOR DAMAGING WINDS ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS OF VENTURA AND
LOS ANGELES COUNTIES INCLUDING THE SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS...AS
WELL AS THE SANTA CLARITA VALLEY. THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL MOST

LIKELY OCCUR ON FRIDAY MORNING...AND POSSIBLY BETWEEN FRIDAY
EVENING AND SATURDAY MORNING. THE MOST SUSCEPTIBLE AREAS FOR THE
STRONG WINDS WILL BE THROUGH AND BELOW NORTHEAST FACING PASSES AND
CANYONS. IT WILL ALSO BE WINDY AT TIMES ACROSS THE EASTERN VALLEYS

OF VENTURA COUNTY...THE WESTERN PORTION OF THE SAN FERNANDO
VALLEY...THE VENTURA COUNTY COAST...AND THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY
COASTAL SECTIONS BELOW THE SANTA MONICA RANGE.

Red Flag Warning, for Santa Ana Winds: SO Cal and Bay Areas

2011-11-29T10:41:00.001-08:00

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH is cancelled, Red Flag warning now in effect: STRONG NORTHEAST WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...

Fuels have started to recover with recent rains but certain fuels are still receptive to fire. Strong offshore flow warnings should be taken seriously across most of Southern California canyons and passess regardless of recent rains.

A COLD UPPER LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL BRING STRONG GUSTY SANTA ANA WINDS TO VENTURA AND LOS ANGELES COUNTIES LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH FRIDAY.

THE UPPER TROF IS FORECAST TO MOVE SOUTH AND STRENGTHEN INTO AN
UPPER LEVEL LOW OVER EXTREME SERN CA OR THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER
VALLEY BY LATE TONIGHT INTO THU MORNING. THE UPPER LOW IS FORECAST
TO REMAIN NEARLY STATIONARY THRU THU NIGHT THEN DRIFT INTO AZ ON
FRI...ALTHO THE WRF IS QUICKER IN MOVING THE UPPER LOW EASTWARD...
WHILE THE EC IS SLOWEST. A SIGNIFICANT OFFSHORE WIND EVENT IS
EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER MUCH OF VTU/L.A. COUNTIES TONIGHT THANKS TO
RAPIDLY INCREASING NORTHERLY GRADIENTS...PLENTY OF COLD AIR
ADVECTION...AND VERY STRONG N TO NE WINDS ALOFT AND AT LOWER LEVELS.
THE 12Z WRF WAS FORECASTING 850 MB WINDS TO BE AS HIGH AS 70 KT AT
TIMES...WITH 950 MB (1500 FT) WINDS AS HIGH AS 45 KT. WRF ISENTROPIC
CROSS SECTIONS AND OMEGA FIELDS CONTINUE TO INDICATE PLENTY OF
DOWNWARD SUPPORT OF MOMENTUM TRANSFER OF HI WINDS TO LOWER LEVELS.
AS A RESULT...WIND GUSTS AS HIGH AS 80 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THE
L.A./VTU MTNS EXCLUDING THE SANTA MONICA MTNS...UP TO 70 MPH IN THE
SANTA MONICA MTNS...AND AS HIGH AS 60-65 MPH IN THE VLYS OF VTU/L.A.
COUNTIES AND THE COASTAL AREAS OF L.A. COUNTY FROM LATER TONIGHT
INTO FRI MORNING. HOWEVER...WINDS OVER VTU COUNTY VLYS MAY NOT BE
QUITE AS STRONG TONIGHT INTO THU MORNING AS IT LOOKS LIKE WINDS WILL
BE MORE NORTHERLY WHICH MAY LIMIT THE WIDESPREAD STRONG WINDS TO
CERTAIN AREAS BELOW PASSES AND CANYONS SUCH AS IN AND AROUND LAKE
CASITAS AND THE VLYS OF EXTREME SE VTU COUNTY. WINDS SHOULD TURN NE
AND BECOME MUCH STRONGER THU NIGHT INTO FRI MORNING FOR THE VTU
COUNTY VLYS. AS A RESULT...THE HIGH WIND WARNING FOR THE VTU VLYS
WILL BE FOR THU NIGHT INTO FRI MORNING...WITH A WIND ADVISORY FOR
FOR TONIGHT INTO THU MORNING. OTHERWISE...HIGH WIND WARNINGS REMAIN
FOR MUCH OF L.A. COUNTY AND PORTIONS OF VTU COUNTY. PLEASE SEE THE
LATEST LAXNPWLOX FOR FURTHER DETAILS ON THE HIGH WIND WARNINGS AND
WIND ADVISORIES.

THE UPPER TROF MAY BRING SOME CLOUDINESS AT TIMES TO EASTERN L.A.
COUNTY THU INTO FRI...OTHERWISE MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES SHOULD PREVAIL
OVER THE FORECAST AREA. TEMPS ARE EXPECTED TO COOL SIGNIFICANTLY TO
SEVERAL DEGREES BELOW NORMAL IN ALL AREAS THU AND FRI. IN
ADDITION...WIDESPREAD FROST IN SHELTERED AREAS IS EXPECTED FOR THE
SLO INTERIOR VALLEYS TONIGHT. HOWEVER...IT LOOKS LIKE THE FIRST
WIDESPREAD HARD FREEZE OF THE SEASON WILL OCCUR FOR THIS AREA THU
NIGHT THANKS TO LIGHTER WINDS.

FOR FRI NIGHT AND SAT...THE UPPER LOW WILL MOVE FURTHER E WHILE
ANOTHER UPPER LOW DROPS SOUTH OVER UTAH FRI NIGHT AND INTO NORTHERN
AZ ON SAT. DRY WEATHER WILL CONTINUE OVER SWRN CA THRU SAT. OFFSHORE
FLOW IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE AGAIN BY EARLY SAT...WITH GUSTY NE
WINDS POSSIBLE OVER MUCH OF VTU/L.A. COUNTIES. THE STRONGEST WINDS
SHOULD BE OVER THE MOUNTAINS...WITH WARNING LEVEL WIND GUSTS NOT OUT
OF THE QUESTION. ADVISORY LEVEL WINDS WILL BE POSSIBLE FOR THE
VALLEYS AND PERHAPS EVEN SOME COASTAL AREAS AS WELL. IT APPEARS THAT
ANOTHER ROUND OF WIND ADVISORIES OR HIGH WIND WARNINGS MAY BE NEEDED
FOR AT LEAST THE FIRST HALF OF THE UPCOMING WEEKEND. TEMPS OVER THE
REGION WILL REMAIN COOLER THAN NORMAL THRU SAT. ANOTHER WIDESPREAD
HARD FREEZE LOOKS POSSIBLE FOR THE SLO INTERIOR VALLEYS FRI NIGHT.

.LONG TERM (SUN-WED)...GFS AND ECMWF IN MUCH BETTER AGREEMENT FOR
SUN AND MON THEN START TO SHOW SOME RELATIVELY MINOR DIFFERENCES FOR
SWRN CA FOR TUE AND WED. BOTH MODELS KEEP LARGE UPPER RIDGING OVER
THE ERN PAC WITH A BROAD NORTHERLY FLOW ALOFT FOR THE MOST PART OVER
CA. THEY ALSO FORECAST THE UPPER LOW OVER AZ MOVING E SUN AND MON.
THE GFS FORECASTS A WEAK DISSIPATING COLD FRONT MOVING INTO THE AREA
ON WED AS WELL. OTHERWISE...GENERALLY DRY OFFSHORE FLOW WILL PERSIST
MAINLY NIGHT AND MORNING HOURS THRU TUE WITH MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES.
WINDS MAY BECOME GUSTY ENOUGH TO REACH ADVISORY LEVELS AT TIMES IN
THE VALLEYS AND MTNS OF VTU/L.A. COUNTIES. THE LOW LEVEL FLOW WILL
THEN TURN ONSHORE FOR WED ALONG WITH PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES. TEMPS ARE
EXPECTED TO BE NEAR NORMAL TO SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL ACROSS THE
REGION DURING THE PERIOD. COLD NIGHTTIME TEMPS CAN ALSO BE EXPECTED
AT LEAST THRU MON NIGHT...WITH PATCHY FROST IN THE COLD SHELTERED
VALLEYS.

Diablo Wind Warning, Bay Area

2011-11-28T11:28:00.001-08:00

NORTH BAY MOUNTAINS-
846 AM PST MON NOV 28 2011

...HIGH WIND WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY MORNING

THROUGH LATE THURSDAY NIGHT...

A HIGH WIND WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY MORNING
THROUGH LATE THURSDAY NIGHT.

* TIMING: STRONG WINDS MAY DEVELOP JUST AFTER SUNRISE WEDNESDAY
MORNING AND THEN INCREASE IN SPEED BY WEDNESDAY NIGHT. STRONG

WINDS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT.

* WINDS: NORTH TO NORTHEAST WINDS FROM 20 TO 40 MPH WITH
FREQUENT WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 55 MPH. LOCAL WIND GUSTS AS
HIGH AS 70 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THE HILLS ABOVE 1000 FEET.

* IMPACTS: EARLY INDICATIONS SHOW THE POTENTIAL FOR A
SIGNIFICANT AND PROLONGED WIND STORM. DOWNED TREES AND
BRANCHES MAY CAUSE POWER OUTAGES. ANY LOOSE OBJECTS NOT TIED
DOWN WILL BLOW AROUND. HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES WILL BE PRONE TO

THE STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS. ANY STRUCTURE OR WILDFIRES COULD
BE UNUSUALLY DIFFICULT TO SUPPRESS DUE TO THE STRONG WINDS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A HIGH WIND WATCH MEANS THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR A HAZARDOUS

HIGH WIND EVENT. SUSTAINED WINDS OF AT LEAST 40 MPH...OR GUSTS OF
58 MPH OR STRONGER MAY OCCUR. CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST
FORECASTS.

Wildfires in Texas

2011-11-18T23:04:00.000-08:00

Current situation November 18, 2011:

Yesterday the Texas Forest Service responded to 2 new fires for 229 acres. Since wildfire season started on Nov. 15, 2010, firefighters have responded to 29,085 fires that have burned 3,972,566 acres and destroyed 2,912 homes and 2,808 other structures. Firefighters saved 38,581 homes and 12,984 other structures.

189 of the 254 Texas counties are reporting burn bans.

Daily detailed fire information can be found ticc.tamu.edu or at inciweb.org.

LAFD Technical Rescue, 3171 s Gaffey

2011-11-18T13:00:00.000-08:00

LAFD 3171 S Gaffey, USAR and heavy rescue at scene, 2 men trapped in underground vault, 40 foot shaft, possible chemicals involved.

Wildfire, Reno NV, Major Incident

2011-11-18T12:28:00.001-08:00

Caughlin IC reporting strong winds and structural loss in Reno NV, now a major incident.

-- The city of Reno, the rest of Washoe County and all of Nevada declared states of emergency Friday as a deadly wildfire swept through western Nevada, the governments announced on their websites.

One person has died as a result of the Caughlin Ranch Fire, Washoe County reported at 8:45 a.m. Friday. In addition, at least 20 structures had been destroyed by the blaze, which at that point had consumed more than 400 acres.

Firefighters are trying to protect other structures, but high winds are causing problems, Reno Fire Chief Michael Martinez said Friday. The National Weather Service forecast sustained southwest winds of 35 mph throughout the day, with gusts as strong as 55 mph.

Reno noted on its website that the local 211 information phone lines are overloaded, advising people to call 775-337-5800 instead for more information.

Galena High School in Reno has been set up as an evacuation center, and if that fills up, Damonte Ranch High School will serve the same purpose. The city of Reno estimated Friday that at least 9,500 people have been asked to leave their homes.

Animals in danger can be transported to the Livestock Events Center in Reno to ensure their safety, the county said.

All Washoe County schools in the Truckee Meadows area are have been closed.

Moreover, all residents in the fire zone and vicinity were urged to stay indoors due to deteriorating air quality, the Reno government noted.

Late Friday morning, after a briefing with local officials, Gov. Brian Sandoval wrote on his Twitter page, "Incredibly proud of the consolidated and coordinated response to the #CaughlinFire. They are doing an inspiring job!"

The governor also wrote that, besides the emergency declaration, "the state has also been approved for a FEMA grant. "

After peaking in the low 50s on Friday, temperatures were forecast to drop into the low 20s overnight in Reno with scattered snow showers possible, the National Weather Service said.

By the weekend, winds were expected to calm considerably, blowing from the west at 5 mph, with high temperatures in the 30s and 40s.

LAFD Task Force 90, Condominium Fire

2011-11-03T13:21:00.000-07:00

A reported structure fire at Aqueduct and Norhdoff brought 51 firefighters to the scene, kncokdown in 21 minutes. Photos Jeff Zimmerman

Ref Flag Warning in Effect, LA, Ventura and San Bernardino Counties

2011-11-01T18:10:00.001-07:00

RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 PM WEDNESDAY FOR THE MOUNTAINS OF LOS ANGELES AND VENTURA COUNTIES FOR STRONG NORTHEAST WINDS AND VERY LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY... ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 6 PM WEDNESDAY FOR THE COASTAL AND VALLEY AREAS OF LOS ANGELES AND VENTURA COUNTIES AS WELL AS THE SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS FOR STRONG NORTHEAST WINDS AND VERY LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...GUSTS BETWEEN 60 TO 70 MPH IN THE MOUNTAINS...50 TO 60 MPH IN THE VALLEYS...AND 40 TO 50 MPH ACROSS THE VENTURA COASTAL PLAIN...AS WELL AS THE LOS ANGELES COAST FROM MALIBU TO HOLLYWOOD HILLS. AS THE OFFSHORE WINDS DEVELOP...HUMIDITIES WILL RAPIDLY LOWER TO 15 PERCENT OR LESS ACROSS MOST OF THE WARNING AREA OVERNIGHT...WITH WIDESPREAD SINGLE DIGIT READINGS ON WEDNESDAY. OFFSHORE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO GRADUALLY DIMINISH LATER WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON...

So Cal Fire Journal Images

2011-10-30T21:02:00.000-07:00

Untitled ProjectThe latest Images from So Cal Fire Journal, Zimmerman Media LLC

We Remember The Esperanza Wildfire and Honor The Crew of Engine 57 Today

2011-10-26T10:32:00.000-07:00

Five years ago today five firefighters from the United States Forest Service were killed on the Esperanza Wildfire in Riverside County. We remember their sacrifice and service to our National Forests.

Santa Ana winds are predicted today in very similar circumstances that entrapped the firefighters on the Esperanza Wildfire. A red flag fire warning is in effect for Los Angeles and Ventura Counties.

Fire Station Safety, Yuba City FD

2011-10-24T13:33:00.001-07:00

OSHA: California Dept. Didn't Address MRSA at Firehouse
A complaint has been filed against the Yuba City FD, alleging health violations have not been addressed.
BY ASHLEY GEBB - Appeal-Democrat, Marysville, Calif.

Posted: Mon, 10/24/2011 - 10:27am
Updated: Mon, 10/24/2011 - 10:43am
..A complaint has been filed against the Yuba City Fire Department, alleging MRSA outbreaks and other health violations have not been addressed at a fire station.

The Department of Occupational Safety and Health notified the Fire Department on Oct. 13 that it has until Thursday to provide a response.

The complaint alleged:

--Four outbreaks of MRSA -- an antibiotic resistant staph infection -- at the Butte House Road Station in the last 16 months.

--A toilet drain in the living area plugged with fabric.

--Insulation exposed in the living room.

--The septic system backed up three to six months ago with no official cleanup.

A Yuba City firefighter, saying he feared retribution, spoke to the Appeal-Democrat on condition of anonymity. He said one of the greatest frustrations is firefighters are doing their jobs, but do not have a clean, safe station.

"We do take risks, that's our job, but in this place, people are starting to feel like the department doesn't have their backs, and people are getting sick," he said.

Firefighters at the station are frustrated by the prolonged conditions, he said.

"They finished the exterior so it looks great from the outside. As people drive by it looks completed, but you go inside and it's a mess," the firefighter, who does not work at the station, said. "If we inspected a building like that, we'd shut it down."

Fire Chief Pete Daley is preparing a response to the workplace safety agency, known as Cal/OSHA. He said the Butte House Road station, also known as Station 7, is in the middle of a major remodel, and all health and safety issues are being overseen with the help of an industr al hygienist.

Daley said he was "disappointed" when the letter arrived, since Station 7 firefighters have been involved in the remodel and are frequently updated on its status.

"The letter from Cal/OSHA, what it allows everyone to do is make sure we are focusing on taking care of the problem," he said. "That's the primary goal, to make sure the facility is safe and that our employees are safe."

The Fire Department inherited the Butte House Road station when it merged with the Walton Fire Department in 2001. The structure was built only as a daytime-use station, not a 24-hour live-in station, and remodeling was needed, Daley said.

The first priority was to weatherize the building, Daley said, and a $316,000 exterior remodel was completed earlier this year.

It was during the exterior remodel that interior remodel discussions began. Firefighters at the station asked to remove a living room bathroom to create more space and were allowed to make the change themselves, exposing the insulation and causing the plugged toilet drain.

It was difficult to remodel a fire station while it's in use, Daley said. Exposed walls and other issues inevitably occur, and the remodel has taken longer than usual.

Six months ago, the Fire Department brought in an industrial hygienist to focus on sanitation, resulting in new safety and cleaning policies and sanitation training for all firefighters. The county Health Department was also brought in to provide additional training.

Daley stressed that MRSA -- methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus -- is common in hospitals, care homes and other locations. Its ease of contraction makes it a risk even in public places like grocery stores. As firefighters enter private homes and provide medical aid services, it is not unexpected they would be exposed to various health issues, he said.

"We deal with a lot of sick people," Daley said. "MRSA is just one of the concerns we have in our facility and with our people. As far as safety, there is hepatitis, there is MRSA, there is the flu-influenza."

Additional improvements have been identified to improve sanitation, such as replacing carpeting with a nonporous surface, switching fabric chairs to plastic, and firefighters sanitizing their boots before entering the station.

"We are using Station 7 as a prototype as we go through and remodel other stations," Daley said. "Our No. 1 priority is taking care of our customers and the community as well as our employees."

In its current condition, the anonymous firefighter said, the station has egregious fire safety violations, including covered smoke detectors and open walls that would allow the quick spread of fire.

"Here we are, the Fire Department, and we are breaking our own rules," he said.

The plans and specifications for the interior remodel went before the council Sept. 20, and the advertisement of bids was authorized with an anticipation of a November construction start. The improvements include new flooring, drywall, electrical, mechanical, painting, sound insulation, doors, appliances, cabinets, counters and plumbing.

The interior project is estimated to cost $318,000. Funding for the work has been in the city's Capital Improvement Program budget since 2009.

During the improvements, the department has saved money and create a better living situation for the firefighters by renting the house next door, Daley said.

"We are doing everything we can to deal with all the issues and all the concerns we have at Station 7," he said. "(With the) industrial hygienist to help us, I think we have taken all the precautions we can."

Mayor John Dukes had not heard about the letter Friday but after speaking with Daley, he said he trusted the Fire Department to keep its facilities and firefighters safe. The remodel of the Butte House Road station will be a model for all other stations for health and safety once it is complete.

"They are working on the issues, they were aware of these issues and had been working on them for some time," he said.

McClatchy-Tribune News Service

Santa Maria Airtanker Base

2011-10-24T10:30:00.000-07:00

Progress takes flight at SM airport
By Isaiah Brookshire, Staff Writer
So Cal Fire Journals Response

The Santa Maria Airport has been abuzz with activity in the last weeks. From movement on a permanent fire-fighting base to a special honor for the airport’s tower crew, there is a lot going on.

The downgrading of tanker bases at the Santa Barbara Airport in 2007 and at the Santa Maria Airport in 2009 meant the county was without permanent aerial fire protection for the first time since 1958. Recent meetings between fire officials, the Forest Service personnel and local politicians about bringing the Santa Maria base back to full capacity have been productive, according to Congresswoman Lois Capps.

In a statement from Capps’s press secretary, Ashley Schapitl said, “She understands that ensuring our firefighting community has all the tools they need to do their job thoroughly and quickly is paramount. The Congresswoman has been actively working to find a solution that ensures public safety and the ability to effectively fight fires.”

Schapitl went on to say, “She is confident the details of the agreement will be put to paper in the coming weeks that will address the concerns of the local fire chiefs and ensure the Santa Maria Air Tanker base will be adequately staffed and equipped to respond to wildfires.”

The concerns the new resolution addresses mainly are related to the time it takes for firefighting aircraft to reach the Central Coast. In an email Schapitl said, “The fire chief’s main concern was that in the event of a wildfire, it would take too long to get the firefighting operation up and running if the based remained ‘call when needed’ as opposed to ‘full time.’”

She said there were also worries that the aircraft would have to fly as far as Porterville, Paso Robles and Fox Field to reload retardant, sapping precious hours away from battling blazes. According to Schapitl, the new resolution quells those fears by “essentially bringing the base back to full-time status.” An exact date for when the deal might be complete wasn’t given, but Capp’s expects to move forward in the coming weeks.

Taking off:

With speculation abounding on whether the Santa Maria Airport will get a tanker base, some are already thinking about how and with what aircraft those fires will be fought. David Baskett is a local business man who has attempted in recent years to bring Russian firefighting aircraft into the Forest Service’s tanker fleet to varying degrees of success.

Baskett even came up with a plan to help lower levels of radiation at nuclear power plants crippled in the Japanese tsunami by using his tanker aircraft equipped with special foam. This too met with some resistance from officials who weren’t keen to be seen as incompetent or unprepared. Baskett said he continues to work on solving problems in Japan, but has shifted his focus back to supplying the Forest Service with tankers.

Baskett said his new BAE 200 firefighting aircraft would help restore the aging and inadequate tankers. He said that during the recent Texas wildfires there simply weren’t enough aircraft to meet the needs. “They ran into big problems and didn’t win any congressional kudos for their lack of airplanes,” he said.

While meetings over restoring the Santa Maria Air Tanker base to full-time status have been progressing, Baskett said he also was meeting with success. “We expect to sign a contract to begin testing in Russia within the next few weeks.” He added, “This is a huge step to contracting in the U.S.”

The BAE 200 will have to undergo rigorous testing if it is to enter into the Forest Service tanker lineup. One of the most challenging will be one Baskett calls the “Dixie Cup test.” The Forest Service wants any tanker it operates to lay down a consistent line of retardant or water. This helps with operational logistics but also ensures there aren’t breaks in the fire line. “Imagine a field, 3,000 feet long and 1,000 feet wide. It’s covered in steel toothpicks and on top of each toothpick is a Dixie cup. Now what the Forest Service wants you to do is fly over at 120 miles per hour and drop roughly the same amount of retardant into each cup,” said Baskett. While confident his aircraft were up to the task, he said the testing would take place in Russia, near the BAE 200 factory, where fine-tuning could take place at a lower cost.

If the testing goes well, Baskett plans to deliver 10 of his tankers to the U.S. and base them out of the Santa Maria Airport. Under contract with the Forest Service, Baskett said he hopes to employ about 80-90 total employees at the tanker base. He said he also hopes to build a new hangar and maintenance buildings at the airport to house his aircraft.

The plans for the BAE 200 don’t end with a Forest Service contract. Currently, Baskett and his business partners are in the process of forming a separate board that would raise funds to give Santa Barbara County priority on one of the tankers. The “Spirit of Santa Barbara,” as Baskett envisions it, would be funded by local citizens and companies that are willing to donate toward more fire protection. The idea for the designated tanker came after talks with property owners in Santa Barbara and Montecito, some of whom had lost homes in devastating fires.“They told me they would be happy to donate in exchange for priority access to a tanker,” said Baskett.

So Cal Fire Journal Perspective: With the loss of C-130 and numerous P-3 Orion aircraft the Central Coast is extremely vulnerable to wildfires. Many of these aircraft have been grounded since there were concerns about metal fatigue and air-worthiness. The age and fatigue are serious concerns as well as corrosion, this was justified after a c-130 wings fell off during a wildfire sortie in Northern California killing the crew.

Aero Union Corporation's airtankes have a long history of battling wildfires on the Central Coast and on the Los Padres National Forest. They have flown on many major campaign fires and have been a great firefighting asset capable of dropping water and retardant from the air in substantial volumes, which have a much larger capacity then the Cal Fire S-2 aircraft.

With heavy fuel loads of dense brush in the urban interface, much larger loads are required to hold these fires in check. With extreme energy release components of dry or dead forest fuels, larger aircraft with tanks of at least 2,000 gallons are needed. Hopefully the advent of newer jet assisted aircraft will fill the void created by the loss of older aircraft.

The solution is quick initial attack, hold the fires in check when they are small, not to drop millions of gallons of retardant when fires are massive. The quick initial attack from a local air tanker base is very important to people who live in the foothill communities. The concept of hitting the fire hard and quick while it is in the incipient phase must occur at the outset. Larger airtankers VLAT carrying up to 10,000 gallons of water are needed to cool a fire front until ground forces are in place for fire attack. Once a fire is well established, no amount of retardant can slow a forest inferno.

As the owner and CEO of Southern California Fire Journal I would encourage all of our faithful readers and your family members to contact their Congressional Office and ask for support. Every time there are budget cuts to aircraft, ground forces or forest fuel thinning projects it weakens the chain of survivability from wildfires. Of course homeowners must be responsible to maintain defensible space around their homes and property which many negate. We should not risk firefighters lives for people who have not cleared their brush and flammable vegetation from their homes and property.

With the Santa Ana season here, thousands of homes and millions of people lay in wait for the peril of large fires. To mark the 50th anniversary of the Great Bel Air conflagration we will be covering a story of those who battled the massive wildfire and urban conflagration. Many of the lessons learned from this wildfire are very applicable today. We are only as safe as our neighbor, fires from downed power lines, lightning, careless use of fire, children playing with matches or the insidious torch of arsonists threaten our very existence. Without airtanker and fixed wing support we have yet another chink in our armour of protection.

We know the U.S. Forest Service has been conducting studies as to the effectiveness of retardant and the chemical effects on forest fuels and water tributaries which is a good concept. The USFS reports that fire retardant is only used on 5 percent of the wildfires that start each year, costing $24 million to $36 million a year of the nearly $1 billion spent annually fighting wildfires. There were 36,000 retardant drops from 2000 through 2010, using more than 90 million gallons of the substance.Of course research should always continue to the effectivenss of suppressing agents but to outlaw its use at this current time would be ludicrous.

We also know there is much debate about using heavy helicopters and super scooper air craft and the cost and safety concerns associated with these programs. But let's not become penny wise and pound foolish with the fire budget. Write to your Forest Supervisor and Congressional office asking for support.

Brush Fires LAFD, Kern County and USFS

2011-10-22T15:07:00.000-07:00

...BREEZY OFFSHORE WINDS WITH WARM AND DRY CONDITIONS THIS WEEKEND... ...POTENTIAL FOR GUSTY OFFSHORE WINDS MIDDLE TO END OF NEXT WEEK... .DISCUSSION... A RIDGE ALOFT WILL BUILD OVER CALIFORNIA THROUGH THE WEEKEND...WHILE BREEZY OFFSHORE FLOW IMPACTS THE FAVORED INLAND VALLEYS AND MOUNTAINS. THESE NORTHEAST WINDS WILL BE STRONGEST OVER LOS ANGELES AND VENTURA COUNTIES...WHERE LOCAL GUSTS TO 35 MPH ARE LIKELY. AS A RESULT...WIDESPREAD WARM AND DRY CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED THIS WEEKEND...EXCEPT COASTAL AREAS IMPACTED BY ANY DENSE FOG AND THE VERY SHALLOW MARINE LAYER. HUMIDITIES SHOULD FALL INTO THE TEENS OVER MOST VALLEYS AND MOUNTAINS...AND POSSIBLY TOUCHING SINGLE DIGITS IN THE WARMEST LOCATIONS...WITH POOR MOUNTAIN AND FOOTHILL OVERNIGHT RECOVERIES. ISOLATED CRITICAL CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE WEEKEND OVER THE WINDIEST LOCATIONS...BUT SHOULD NOT EXCEED DURATION CRITERIA.

New Brush Fire, LAFD 11880 Terra Vista, 5 acres brush, LA County and Forest Service mutual aid, 482-g7 OCD channel 5, EPN Channel 1 and Tac 2

Kern County and USFS LPF working a fire near Frazier Park CA, near Kern County Fire Station 57 aand the shooting range, second alarm assignments.

A little Fire History of Santa Ana Wind events:
Major fires in Malibu and Los Angeles with loss of multiple homes: October and November Santa Ana events:

> Trippet fire LA County and La City Nov 23-3- 1938
> Laurel Cyn 1959, LAFD.
• Malibu fire in 1956
• Malibu fire in Ocotber 1958
> La Tuna Cyn Nov 6, 1955
> Bel Aire, Nov 6 1961
• Malibu Canyon fire in September 1970
> Mill Creek Fire ANF 1975
> Topanga Cyn 1977 Nov 14
> Mandevile Canyon LAFD, 1978 Ocotber
• Malibu fire October 1978
• Malibu fire in 1982
• Malibu fire in October 1985
• November 2, 1993 Old Topanga Malibu fire
• Malibu fire in October 1996
• Malibu fire in January 2003
> CA Fire Storms of October 2003
• Malibu fire in January 2007
• Malibu fires in October-November 2007

Buckweed Fire 2007

2011-10-21T14:42:00.000-07:00

Friday October 21, 2011
1:00 pm - 1:00 pm
This event repeats every year.
Santa Clarita Valley/Los Angeles County
This afternoon in 2007 an older child playing with matches started this fire which drive by hurricane-force Santa Ana Wind spread over 38,356 acres and destroyed 63 structures including many homes.
Four people were injured.

Watching for Santa Anas Wed-thru-Thursday

Oakland Hills Fire, 20th Anniversary

2011-10-20T12:20:00.001-07:00

20 years ago on October 20th 1991 a large urban fire occurred on the hillsides of northern Oakland, California, and southeastern Berkeley, just two years after the Loma Prieta earthquake. The fire has been referred to as the Oakland hills firestorm, the East Bay Hills Fire, and the Tunnel Fire (because of its origin above the west portal of the Caldecott Tunnel) in Oakland. The fire ultimately killed 25 people and injured 150 others. The 1,520 acres destroyed included 3,354 single-family dwellings and 437 apartment and condominium units. The economic loss has been estimated at $1.5 billion.

Supplemental Information:

20 years ago today, The Tunnel Fire, also known as the East Bay Hills Fire, originally started on October 19, 1991. On October 20, the fire, fanned by wind gusts up to 65 miles per hour, escaped containment lines and ran through the neighborhoods of Oakland Hills. Battalion Chief James Riley, Police Officer John Grubensky, and 23 civilians were killed; between 100-150 injured, and 3,354 single-family dwellings, 456 apartment units and approximately 2,000 vehicles were destroyed. While only burning 1,600 acres, total damages has been estimated at $1.5 billion, making it the costliest fire monetarily in U.S. history. For more information, visit http://www.wlfalwaysremember.org/incident-lists/186-james-riley-oakland-berkeley-hills.html

Ironically offshore Diablo winds are soon predicted and a small earthquak jolted San Fransico toady.

Crimson Skies Video

2011-10-10T17:56:00.000-07:00

By Zimmerman Media LLC.

Fire Weather, Offshore Wind Event

2011-10-10T15:05:00.001-07:00

HIGH PRESSURE ALOFT...CURRENTLY TO THE SOUTHWEST...WILL GRADUALLY BUILD EASTWARD THROUGH THE WEEK...SETTLING OVER SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ON WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. AT THE SAME TIME...SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO THE GREAT BASIN. THIS COMBINATION WILL PRODUCE AN OFFSHORE FLOW PATTERN ACROSS THE AREA THIS WEEK. TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT...THE LOW-LEVEL FLOW WILL BE NORTHERLY. THIS WILL PRODUCE SOME GUSTY NORTH WINDS IN THE USUAL AREAS...INCLUDING THE SANTA YNEZ RANGE AND THE INTERSTATE 5 CORRIDOR. NORTHERLY WIND GUSTS BETWEEN 35 AND 45 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THE WINDIER SPOTS. BY WEDNESDAY MORNING AND CONTINUING THROUGH THURSDAY THE WINDS WILL SHIFT TO THE NORTHEAST WITH GUSTS TO BETWEEN 35 AND 40 MPH LIKELY IN THE WINDIER SPOTS. ON WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY...AS THE WINDS SHIFT TO THE NORTHEAST... AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES WILL JUMP DRAMATICALLY. TEMPERATURES IN THE 90S ARE LIKELY ACROSS THE VALLEYS AND EVEN THE COASTAL PLAIN. AS THE TEMPERATURES INCREASE...RELATIVE HUMIDITY WILL TUMBLE. INLAND AREAS WILL EXPERIENCE AFTERNOON RELATIVE HUMIDITY IN THE TEENS ON WEDNESDAY THEN INTO THE LOW TEENS AND SINGLE DIGITS ON THURSDAY. OVERNIGHT RECOVERY WILL BE POOR AWAY FROM THE COAST. THE COMBINATION OF THE OFFSHORE WINDS...HOT TEMPERATURES AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY MAY PRODUCE A FEW HOURS OF CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ON WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. THE RAINFALL FROM LAST WEEK WILL MITIGATE THE SITUATION SOMEWHAT...BUT THERE WILL BE A HEIGHTENED FIRE WEATHER CONCERN WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY.

Crimson Skies

2011-10-09T22:34:00.000-07:00

Crimson Skies Short Photo essay from Zimmerman Media LLC Click on the purple letters"Crimson Skies"

Drying Trend for So Cal

2011-10-07T22:15:00.000-07:00

...PROLONGED WARMING AND DRYING TREND THROUGH FRIDAY OCTOBER 14... .DISCUSSION... HIGH PRESSURE...BOTH SURFACE AND ALOFT...WILL BUILD TO THE NORTH THROUGH SATURDAY. THE HIGH WILL TEMPORARILY WEAKEN SUNDAY AND MONDAY...THEN REBUILD TUESDAY THROUGH NEXT FRIDAY. THIS WILL PRODUCE PERIODS OF EAST TO NORTHEAST WINDS GUSTING TO 35 MPH...MAINLY DURING THE MORNING AND EVENING HOURS. RELATIVE HUMIDITY WILL FALL BELOW 15 PERCENT EACH DAY...BUT MODERATE RECOVERY IS EXPECTED EACH NIGHT. DAYTIME TEMPERATURES ARE LIKELY TO RUN 10 TO 15 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL BY THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK.

Global Warming and Wildfires

2011-10-02T01:45:00.001-07:00

Global Warming, NaturallyPosted by: angelafritz, 10:48 PM GMT on September 16, 2011 +16
The Earth has undergone many episodes of natural global warming and cooling and by various causes. The Earth's most common mechanism for climate change are Milankovitch cycles—variations in the Earth's orbit that change its distance from the Sun, which spur ice ages and subsequent warming. Other changes in Earth's past climate were caused by the same processes causing today's warming. The Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM), which occurred around 56 million years ago, is the most recent event that we can compare today's warming to. Global temperatures rose at least 5°C (9°F), and the PETM warmth lasted 200,000 years before the Earth system was able to remove the extra CO2 from the atmosphere. The resulting impact on Earth's climate was so severe that a new geological era was born—the Eocene. Earth's ecosystems were able to adapt to the PETM because the warming was gradual; however, the warming we're causing today is about 10 times as fast, and Mother Nature might not be able to keep up with the changing climate this time around.

Global Warming 56 Million Years Ago

After years of research, the PETM is now thought to have been caused by greenhouse gas emissions, similar to how the earth is warming today. 56 million years ago, at the end of the Paleocene epoch, the supercontinent Pangaea was in the final stages of breaking apart into the continents as we know them today. As the land masses split apart, volcanoes erupted and molten rock bubbled toward the Earth's surface, literally baking carbon-rich sediments and releasing the greenhouse gas into the air. During this time, atmospheric temperature probably increased by a couple of degrees.

The initial increase in temperature triggered events that led to more greenhouse gas emissions and more warming. Climate scientists generally agree that the feedback with the most impact on the atmospheric temperature increase was the melting of methane hydrates in the ocean seabed. As the atmosphere warmed the ocean surface, currents (probably not unlike the thermohaline circulation we know today) would have funneled the warm water to the ocean floor, where it melted the frozen methane hydrates (also referred to as methane clathrates), releasing the potent greenhouse gas into the ocean and eventually the atmosphere, a process called outgassing. Hydrates could have also been outgassed via other mechanisms—tectonic uplift, volcanic activity, or changes in deep ocean temperature from the closing off of certain gateways due to shifting continental plates. No matter how the process started, methane (CH4) is a potent greenhouse gas that has 20 to 25 times more warming power than carbon dioxide, although it degrades to carbon dioxide after about ten years in the atmosphere. However, a steady influx of the gas would have been sufficient to warm the planet by more than a few additional degrees.

Rate of temperature change today (red) and in the PETM (blue). Temperature rose steadily in the PETM due to the slow release of greenhouse gas (around 2 billion tons per year). Today, fossil fuel burning is leading to 30 billion tons of carbon released into the atmosphere every year, driving temperature up at an incredible rate.

Many of the other climate feedbacks that we either already observe today or expect to experience probably took place during the PETM warming, as well. Severe drought would have led to increased wildfires, injecting more carbon into the atmosphere. Some research shows that permafrost on a then glacier-free Antarctica thawed, which would have also released carbon dioxide and methane. Another interesting source of carbon that some scientists hypothesize is the burning of peat and coal seams. Peat is decayed vegetation and has a very high carbon content. Peat, which is found in the soil beneath the surface, can be ignited by something like a wildfire and continue to smolder for as long as centuries. Coal seams can be ignited in a similar way, and burn for decades to centuries, releasing huge amounts of carbon into the atmosphere.

PETM Warming vs. Current Warming

During the PETM, around 1.5 billion tons of carbon was released into the atmosphere per year. The Earth warmed around 6°C (11°F) over 20,000 years, although some estimates are that the warming was more like 9°C (16°F). Using the low end of that estimated range, the globe warmed around 0.025°C every 100 years. Today, the globe is warming at least ten times as fast, anywhere from 1 to 4°C every 100 years. In 2010, our fossil fuel burning released 35 billion tons of carbon into the atmosphere. By comparison, volcanoes release 0.2 billion tons of carbon per year. How fast carbon enters the atmosphere translates to the how fast temperature increases, and the environmental and societal consequences of warming at such a break-neck speed could be devastating.

Environmental Impacts

• Ocean Circulation
Environmental impacts of the PETM were similar to the impacts that are warned of today. There is some evidence that during the PETM, large-scale ocean circulation reversed, which would have led to enhanced warming. Ocean circulations are largely by temperature and salinity (salt concentration), and warming of ocean water at high latitudes would have acted to at least slow, if not totally reverse, the "global conveyor belt."

• Sea Level Rise
Since the PETM occurred in an already warm climate (another thing that sets the PETM apart from modern warming), there was very little sea ice and glacial cover to melt, so sea level did not change dramatically. However, there is plenty of ice to melt on our modern planet, and we expect sea level to rise anywhere from 0.2 to 0.6 meters (0.7 to 2 feet) by the year 2100. We've already seen sea level rise at a rate that would support the higher end of that range (0.6 meters/2 feet).

• Permafrost and Methane Hydrates
Scientists agree that a major contributor to the PETM warming was the melting of methane hydrates on the seafloor and permafrost at high latitudes. Both of these store immense amounts of carbon and constitute a tipping point for the climate—once hydrates and permafrost begin to melt, the process will be irreversible. The reservoirs of methane hydrate stored in marine sediments (500 to 10,000 billion tons of carbon) and in permafrost (7.5 to 400 billion tons) are being constantly monitored. Melting of methane hydrates and permafrost enhanced the PETM warming, and could tip the scales of modern warming, too. Already we see that permafrost is degrading, and scientists suspect that methane hydrates are melting near the Arctic Shelf.

• Ocean Acidification
The most disruptive impact during the PETM was likely the exceptional ocean acidification. The ocean naturally absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and also from the sea floor (in the form of calcium carbonate). When excess carbon enters the atmosphere, the oceans try to balance the system by absorbing more. Numerous studies have shown that this was the case during the PETM. The effect of this is a decrease in the pH of the water, or "acidification." Unfortunately, this has a devastatingly negative impact on calcifying creatures like foraminifera, molluscs, and coral. Coral bleaching is caused by a number of environmental changes, including ocean acidification and increased water temperature.

On the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia, bleached coral in the foreground, healthy coral in the background. Source: Wikipedia.

Ecosystem Impacts

Ecosystems adapted remarkably well to the PETM warming, likely because it was gradual enough for life to adjust to the new environment. The only species extinction that scientists have found were some foraminifera that lived on the sea floor. It's hypothesized that these foraminifera could not adapt to the new warmth at such great depths (bottom waters warmed 4 to 5°C). As excess carbon dissolved in the ocean, the water acidified which likely resulted in coral bleaching. Marine life adapted by migrating poleward toward cooler water. On land, mammals not only migrated to find more sustainable environments, but they also decreased in size, likely because it is easier for smaller animals to dissipate heat. Hoofed animals and turtles were confined to the tropics before the PETM, but during the warming this animals made the trek northward into North America and Europe. The PETM did not cause mass extinctions of plants and animals on land, but a major turnover in mammalian life occurred at that time. Many of today's major mammalian orders emerged in the wake of the PETM.

Emperor Penguins are particularly susceptible to a warming climate. Source: Wikipedia.

Modern ecosystems are already struggling to adapt to their new, warmer environments. Penguins, polar bears, whales, seals, salmon, and orangutans are just a few of the mammals being impacted by anthropogenic climate change. Foraminifera have already decreased markedly in some areas. Coral is bleaching at a very rapid rate. While it was possible for land mammals to migrate to cooler regions in the PETM, manmade infrastructure (roads, railways, cities, etc) will prevent them from doing so this time around. Given the rate of warming the globe is experiencing, it is likely that many ecosystems will be totally incapable of adapting.

The Takeaway

There are a lot of uncertainties surrounding the PETM—this extremely warm geologic period has been notoriously difficult to recreate, but recent advancements in understanding the warming have been made. Uncertainties should not be interpreted as misunderstanding. Instead, they should be treated a testament to how sensitive the climate system could be, and how influential humans are on the delicate global energy balance. It is clear that the earth dumped almost all of its stored carbon into the atmosphere, and now we are doing the same by pulling fossil fuels out of the ground and burning them. Just like the previous great global warming did, we are likely catapulting ourselves into a new geologic era: the Anthropocene.

Remembering the Fire Storms of 1970

2011-09-28T17:57:00.000-07:00

In 1970 numerous fires were burning across Southern California, hundreds of homes were detroyed and lives were lost from Kern County to the Mexican Border. Fires were burning in Oakland, Monterey County, LA County, Kern County, Riverside and San Diego County, the precursor to ICS with a mass movement of fire equipment across the State of CA.

1970: Drought in Southern California climaxed and hot Santa Ana winds blew starting on 9.25 and ending on 9.30.Winds peaked at 60 mph at Cuyamaca.The winds sparked the Laguna Fire, one of the largest in California history.

Eight were killed, 400 homes were destroyed, and 185,000 acres were burned as of this day from Cuyamaca to Alpine. In all, the fire consumed whole communities of interior San Diego County.Half a million acres were burned and caused fifty million dollars in damage.

Watch the video "Countdown to Calamity" on You Tube to recount the 1970 wildfires.

Dry Lightning Watch, Friday, Saturday for So Cal

2011-09-28T17:39:00.000-07:00

As the remnants of Huricane Hillary approach CA, some moisture may move up the coast and into the inland valleys and deserts for a 20-30% chance of thunderstorms with the potential for dry lightning. It is unclear as to the extent and duration for the county warning area. However firefighters should prepare for lightning watch on Friday afternoon and the possibility of erratic winds over fires especially in the mountainous regions of Southern California. Dry lightning and possible strong outflows may increase initial attack levels on Friday afternoon.

Forest fuels are still receptive to fire in Southern California and any dry strikes in the area may precipitate wildfires.

Northern CA is expected to have rain as early as Monday and may suppress the fire season at highr elevations in the Sierras with the possibility substantial wetting rain and snow flury's.

Dry Lightning Sparks Blazes

2011-09-25T15:05:00.000-07:00

On the afternoon of Friday September 23, 2011 a condition of Red Flag Warning was issued by the National Weather Service for the northern deserts of Los Angeles County and the deserts of Kern County. Numerous strikes along Highway 138 in the Neenach area sparked a series of grass and brush fires that required 2 separate grass B responses. Quebec Super Scoopers along with several helicopters were summoned to halt the fires near the California Poppy Reserve.

Several other fires were reported in Jaw Bone Canyon in BLM and Kern County's jurisdiction, Quail IC which is now contained at 396 acres.

The Los Padres National Forest, Good Luck IC had a 2 acre fire near Frasier Mountain Lookout Road.

Drier offshore conditions are expected Monday through Wednesday of this week.

Fire Weather

2011-09-20T17:11:00.001-07:00

ON THURSDAY SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE WILL START TO BUILD TO THE NORTH, RESULTING IN A SLIGHT OFFSHORE TREND IN THE GRADIENTS. THIS SHOULD LEAD TO A SLIGHTLY EARLIER BURNOFF FOR THE INLAND AREAS SO A FEW DEGREES OF WARMING EXPECTED THERE. HOWEVER, AT THE COAST STILL LOOKING FOR CLOUDS TO LINGER THERE INTO THE AFTERNOON SO LITTLE CHANGE IN TEMPS EXPECTED. THERE IS A FAIR AMOUNT OF DISAGREEMENT IN THE MODELS FRIDAY REGARDING THE LOCATION OF THE WEAK UPPER LOW TO OUR WEST AS WELL AS THE AMOUNT OF WARMING EXPECTED IN THE LOWER LEVELS. WITH THE FIRST ISSUE, THE 12Z GFS HAS GONE OFF SCRIPT QUITE A BIT AND NOW KEEPS THE UPPER LOW CONSIDERABLY FARTHER WEST, AS IN OVER 600 MILES WEST. THIS IS IN HUGE CONTRAST TO THE EARLIER RUNS AS WELL AS THE MORNING RUNS OF THE NAM AND ECMWF, ALL OF WHICH MOVE THE LOW TO WITHIN A COUPLE HUNDRED MILES OF THE COAST. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS IS THE POTENTIAL FOR AFTERNOON CONVECTION. WHILE ALL THE MODELS CONTINUE TO BE VERY DRY, THE ADDITION OF SOME COOLING ALOFT WITH THE UPPER LOW WOULD HELP DESTABILIZE THINGS POSSIBLY ENOUGH TO SPRING AN ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM OVER THE LOCAL MOUNTAINS. SINCE IT`S STILL VERY DRY BELOW ABOUT 700 MB, IT`S VERY POSSIBLE THAT DRY LIGHTNING WOULD BE THE MAIN RISK WITH MINIMAL PRECIP REACHING THE GROUND. FOR NOW, GIVEN THE UNCERTAINTIES IN THE MODELS, HAVE OPTED TO LEAVE IN THE LOW POPS FOR THE MTNS. AND FOR CONSISTENCY, HAVE ADDED IN THE VENTURA COUNTY MTNS SINCE A SCENARIO LIKE THIS WOULDN`T NECESSARILY FAVOR THE LA COUNTY MTNS.

Potential for Dry Lightning Wed-Friday for So Cal

2011-09-19T10:00:00.001-07:00

Watching the potential for dry lightning by Mid week, initial attack may increse later this week. http://gacc.nifc.gov/oscc/predictive/weather/myfiles/Podcast.html

Are You Ready for Santa Ana Wind Wildfires?

2011-09-18T13:26:00.000-07:00

September 15th, 2011, 1:02 pm • posted by Pat Brennan, O.C. Register science, environment editor

As Santa Ana winds begin to blow and wildfire danger rises, firefighters hope to teach Orange County homeowners a new phrase: ember storm. It’s a horizontal blast of sparks that can spread deep into neighborhoods, igniting shrubs, red mulch or wooden roofs as much as a mile away from the wildfire’s leading edge.

And its hidden dangers are one of the lessons learned from the devastating wildfires that have scorched Orange County in recent years. “It’s like a rainstorm, except it’s orange and it’s going sideways,” said Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Marc Stone. “Your house does not have to butt up against wildland. You can be blocks, or many houses, from the wildland.”

To kick off their new campaign in time for what could be a windy fall, Fire Authority experts hope to persuade homeowners to make changes — from spark arrestors on chimneys to double-paned windows — that could help reduce damage to homes and block those flying embers.As part of their web-based “Ready, Set, Go” program, the Fire Authority is trying a bold experiment on the fire-prone Cowan Heights neighborhood. Homeowners can punch in their address and pull up an assessment of their fire risk. And by checking off different home improvements, such as boxed eaves or properly spaced vegetation, they can watch their color-coded fire risk diminish from red to orange to yellow to green.

For now, the pilot project just covers 1,200 homes in Cowan Heights, although if it proves popular Fire Authority officials hope to expand it to more Orange County neighborhoods.

The agency is also working with OC Parks to reduce vegetation starting Oct. 3 in Peters Canyon Regional Park, which runs along the edge of Cowan Heights — and also provides a perfect corridor for Santa Ana winds from the northeast. Parts of Peters Canyon Trail and Creek Trail might be closed. And residents might notice work crews thinning both native and non-native vegetation, in part to improve the wild habitat, in part to reduce wildfire risk.“We’re trying to get to the point where we get rid of these big pines, palm trees and eucalyptus,” said Nick Pivaroff, a fire prevention specialist, on a visit to the neighborhood this week.

The trees are especially dangerous during wildfires, although it is up to homeowners to decide whether to remove or trim them on private property. The message for the rest of Orange County: wildfire preparation isn’t just for urban edges anymore. “A lot of people have the misperception that if they don’t live right on the interface, they’re safe: ‘It won’t happen to me,’” said Assistant Fire Marshal Dennis Grubb. “It does happen.”

Source: http://sciencedude.ocregister.com/2011/09/15/are-you-ready-for-wind-whipped-wildfire/138208/

Wildfire Mint Canyon Angeles National Forest

2011-09-17T13:53:00.000-07:00

Los Angeles County and Angeles National Forest fire crews are working a 600 acre wildfire in Mint Canyon which is burning north to north west near Sierra Pelona Ridge, East of Spunky Reservoir south of Elizabeth Lake Rd. Numerous air tankers and helicopters are working the fire.Structure protection is in place along upper Bouquet Canyon RD.

Lightning Strikes Three Firefighters on the Los Padres National Forest

2011-09-13T20:07:00.001-07:00

I am receiving reports that three firefighters were struck by lightning near the Ozena Ranger Station this afternoon working the Pinos 1 wildfire on the Los Padres National Forest. Wishing them all the best. We have not heard as to their condition as yet.

Lightning in So Cal, New Outbreak for RRU and San Bernardino

2011-09-13T11:10:00.000-07:00

Lightning RRU and San Bernardino this morning, Cal Fire Mobilizing units to the South for predeployment

Anza Complex (CA-RRU-084635) CALFIRE is staging in the Anza area and starting recon ops.

Numerous lightning down strikes occurring this morning on the San Bernardino National Forest
north of the City of the City of San Bernardino and the vicinity of Hurkey Creek (San Jacinto District near Hemet Lake). Recon in process.
Hurricane Complex (CA-LPF-2320) 262 acres, 80% contained (no change from last evening). IR flight today to verify perimeter and hot spots. Starting demob.

Comanche Fire (CA-KRN-027933) 29,338 acres, 60% contained. Harris Fire has been removed from the Comanche Complex and is being managed by the USFS.

Keene Complex (CA-KRN-027912) 10,312 acres, 88% contained.

Breckenridge Complex (CA KRN-027912) 29,383 acres, 40% contained.

South Lightning (CA-TUU-370) 407 acres, 100% contained.

Dry Lightning and Wildfires for So Cal

2011-09-11T15:05:00.000-07:00

A large dose of monsoonal moisture mixed with an unstable atmosphere yesterday sparking dry lightning and a seige of wildfires. Kern County bore the brunt of fires yesterday. Several large fires are burning near Arvin, Tehachapi and Brekenridge.

Other grass fires sprang up as the storm made dangerous cloud to ground lightning, striking western Kern County south of Highway 166, along the Temblors in the Los Padres National Forest. Lightning coordination is still in place for today as more storms are predicted. Several type 1 incident management teams have been activated. However after the storms leave the concern is for warmer temperatures that may lead to large scale fires.

Above Santa Barbara a wildfire on Figueroa Mountain and another fire on Hurricane Deck above Lake Cachuma are still concerns for firefighters.

Lightning Sparked Wildfire, Figueroa Mountain LPF

2011-09-10T09:44:00.001-07:00

Numerous downstrikes along Highway 166, Intertste 5 corridor and into Santa Barbara County, over the LPF, wildfire Figueroa Mountain, air-tankers working the fire.

Red Flag Fire Watch Isssued!

2011-09-09T15:26:00.001-07:00

A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE OVER CENTRAL CALIFORNIA WILL CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN AND DESTABILIZE THE AIR MASS WHILE SHIFTING SOUTH TONIGHT. THE TROUGH IS EXPECTED TO GRADUALLY DRAW MOISTURE FROM THE SOUTH...OVER THE AREA...TONIGHT THROUGH LATE SATURDAY NIGHT. THERE IS A CHANCE DRY THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP BY SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE THROUGH EARLY SUNDAY MORNING. THE THREAT OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH MONDAY BUT THREAT OF DRY LIGHTNING WILL DIMINISH SUNDAY AS THE MOISTURE DEEPENS WITHIN THE THREAT AREA. THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE NORTHWARD SATURDAY AFTERNOON THEN BEGIN MOVING WEST AND NORTHWESTWARD SATURDAY NIGHT. ...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING FOR DRY THUNDERSTORMS FOR INTERIOR SAN LUIS OBISPO...SANTA BARBARA...VENTURA AND LOS ANGELES COUNTIES... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LOS ANGELES/OXNARD HAS ISSUED A FIRE WEATHER WATCH FOR THUNDERSTORMS...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING. * THUNDERSTORMS... THERE IS A POTENTIAL THAT DRY THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP IN THE WATCH AREA STARTING SATURDAY AFTERNOON. * OUTFLOW WINDS...STRONG AND ERRATIC WINDS WITH GUSTS TO 35 MPH. * IMPACTS...THE COMBINATION OF DRY CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING STRIKES...STRONG OUTFLOW WINDS...AND DRY FUELS WILL POTENTIALLY BRING CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

Fire Weather Watch Sierra Foothills, Dry Lightning

2011-09-09T11:33:00.000-07:00

Weather Watch: Dry Lightning Sierra Foothills this afternoon and evening, moving west tomorrow.

http://gacc.nifc.gov/oscc/predictive/weather/myfiles/Podcast.html

Canyon Fire Slowed, Northeast Winds Predicted

2011-09-06T10:41:00.000-07:00

Offshore flow predicted for Wednesday and Thursday with triple digit temperatures and low RH for Southern California.

The Canyon Fire in Kern County burned actively until 11 pm on the desert floor along 110th street west and 90th street west and Backus Rd. 9,000 acres burned, several outbuildings and vehicles destroyed. The progress of suppression looks much better today. Fire whirls were recorded on the fire with active crowning and long range spotting in Blackburn Canyon at the onset of the fire. The fire started when a plane crashed in the area. Helicopter 205ww a contract ship making water drops made a hard landing after auto rotation, paramedics treated the pilot for injuries.A type 1 command team is in charge of the fire.

L.A. County Wagon Fire looking better as well, about 500 acres, 75% contained. A structure fire in the area may be the cause of the blaze. Type 3 engines and type 1 crews work to improve the line today. Rapid rates of spread during the onset of the fire, third alarm called in for structure protection. Davenport Road to Durling Road impacted by fire. Fire burning in brush and grass. Containment should be expected soon.

Texas is at an all time record, over 1,000 homes destroyed, and over 3 million acres charred, active fire behavior continues to destroy homes.

CA synopsis, offshore flow with critical fuel moisture for the next few days. Cooler weather by the weekend.

National Preparedness Level 3

Posted Zimmerman, MDT AOR

Cal Fire 80 Acres, Shed Canyon

2011-08-29T09:03:00.001-07:00

Cal Fire responded to an 80 acre vegetation fire in Shed Canyon in San Luis Obispo County. Air Attack reported a large column building from the air attack base shortly after 4 pm. A full wildland assignment augmented by strike teams from Fresno Kings and air craft held the fire along the rural road west of Highway 41 between towns of Creston and Shandon. No structural loss was reported. Photos Copyright Jeff Zimmerman, Zimmerman Media LLC.

Dry Lightning Sparks Wildfires

2011-08-28T23:43:00.000-07:00

Dry thunderstorms over the Antelope Valley sparked 4 wildfires yesterday. Approximately 300 acres were charred as lightning strikes sparked fires at 90th Street west and Ave J and along Highway 138 at Fort Tejon road near Pinion Hills. Fire units from the Los Angeles and San Bernardino County's and the United States Forest Service battled the blazes. Images copyright Jeff Zimmerman, Zimmerman Media LLC, 2011

5.9 Earthquake Hits Virginia, Washington D.C. Rattled by Quake

2011-08-23T11:19:00.000-07:00

Initial reports of an earthquake in Virginia, Washington D.C. Rattled by quake on east coast: North Anna Nuclear Plant unusual event, shut down for earthquake. There were no immediate reports of major damage or injuries from the quake, which the U.S. Geological Survey said was centered in Mineral, Virginia, between Charlottesville and Richmond. It was initially recorded at 5.8 magnitude.

Washington office workers scurried into the streets after the quake, which lasted for about five seconds and sent items crashing to the floor from store and office shelves.

Tremors shook New York City office buildings, prompting evacuations of courthouses, City Hall and halting work at the World Trade Center construction site, officials and witnesses said.

It was not immediately clear if there was any damage or injuries in New York, but fire department and police officials in Dutchess County, north of New York City, reported structural damage to some buildings.

California Fire Weather Concerns

2011-08-23T10:51:00.000-07:00

A LARGE RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE TO THE EAST WILL GRADUALLY BUILD WESTWARD THROUGH THE WEEK...BRINGING WARMER TEMPERATURES TO THE REGION...ESPECIALLY ACROSS INLAND AREAS. TRIPLE DIGIT HEAT WILL BE CONFINED TO THE ANTELOPE VALLEY...SANTA CLARITA VALLEY...AND LOWER MOUNTAIN ELEVATIONS TODAY...BUT WILL BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD ACROSS INTERIOR SECTIONS THROUGH THE WEEK. THE HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL CONTINUE TO SHRINK THE MARINE LAYER DEPTH AND BRING A DRYING TREND TO MUCH OF THE REGION. SINGLE DIGIT HUMIDITIES WILL OCCUR THE NEXT FEW DAYS ACROSS THE ANTELOPE VALLEY AND PORTIONS OF THE MOUNTAINS...WITH POOR OVERNIGHT RECOVERIES. LOCALLY GUSTY ONSHORE WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED EACH AFTERNOON AND EVENING ACROSS THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY MOUNTAINS...ANTELOPE VALLEY...AND SANTA CLARITA VALLEY. LOCALLY GUSTY SUNDOWNER WINDS WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY NIGHT...WITH POTENTIALLY VERY WARM AND DRY CONDITIONS ALONG THE SANTA BARBARA SOUTH COAST AND ADJACENT FOOTHILLS. MID-LEVEL MOISTURE MAY DEVELOP OVER THE REGION LATER THIS WEEK...BUT THUNDERSTORM CHANCES ARE MINIMAL DUE TO A FAIRLY STABLE AIR MASS. THE PROLONGED PERIOD OF VERY WARM AND DRY CONDITIONS WILL BRING HEIGHTENED FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS TO INTERIOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST CALIFORNIA THROUGH THE WEEK.

Wildfire Cajon Pass, 200 acres

2011-08-22T15:56:00.001-07:00

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2011/08/22/firefighters-battle-2-brush-fires-in-the-cajon-pass/

High Pressure In Control of Weather

2011-08-22T12:53:00.001-07:00

STRONG HIGH PRESSURE WILL DEVELOP ACROSS SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS.HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL BE WARMING AND HUMIDITIES WILL REMAIN LOW TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY.HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL BE WELL ABOVE SEASONAL NORMALS WITH MOST HOTTER DESERTS IN EXCESS OF 110 DEGREES. MINIMUM HUMIDITIES WILL BE WELL BELOW 15 PERCENT EACH DAY ACROSS MOST OF THE LOWER DESERTS. THUNDERSTORM CHANCES ARE MINIMAL AND NOT EXPECTED TO IMPACT THE AREA. GENERALLY LIGHT DIURNAL WINDS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH TUESDAY.

Jesusita Wildfire Update Law Suit

2011-08-22T11:59:00.000-07:00

Lawsuits Filed Against Trail Workers and Tool Manufacturer

Monday, August 22, 2011
By Rebecca Robbins
Santa Barbara Independent

More than two years after the Jesusita Fire wreaked destruction in the hills of Santa Barbara, a group of homeowners and the California Department of Forestry have filed two separate lawsuits seeking reimbursement for property damage and suppression costs caused by the fire.
The Jesusita Fire — which investigators say was accidentally started on the morning of May 5, 2009, by two volunteer trail workers who were using a weed trimming tool to clear brush on the Jesusita Trail — burned over 8,700 acres above San Roque Road and Ontare Road before being contained in a firefighting effort that cost the county $17 million. In the two weeks that the fired burned, 85 homes were destroyed and 15 homes were damaged.
On behalf of 70 individuals whose homes were affected by the fire, Los Angeles-based attorney Brian Heffernan filed a lawsuit last month against Stihl tool company — which manufactured the FS 110 brush cutter that allegedly sparked the fire — seeking “fair” reimbursement of damage caused to his clients’ real estate and property.
According to Heffernan, the company did not warn users that a three-point metal blade attachment on the tool — which investigators say struck a rock and sparked the Jesusita Fire — posed a “hidden danger.”
“If you do exactly what this company tells you to do … you can cause a fire,” Heffernan said. “That’s what happened in Santa Barbara.”
Although no monetary figure for damages has been set, Heffernan said he expects to go forward with a trial. Stihl — which is approaching the end of a 30-day period to settle the litigation out of court — issued this statement to The Independent: “STIHL Inc. is reviewing the complaint recently filed in Santa Barbara, Calif. regarding a 2009 wildfire and at this time has no comment.”
Meanwhile, the two trail workers who wielded the Stihl tool — Dana Larsen and Craig Ilenstine — are facing litigation of their own. The California Department of Forestry filed a civil complaint against the two men in May seeking more than $35 million in damages accrued in fighting and investigating the fire. According to the complaint, Larsen and Ilenstine “breached their duties through their acts, omissions, and/or carelessness in failing to avoid the possibility of fire, to take fire-preventative measures, or to extinguish a fire.”

View entire article here: http://www.independent.com/news/2011/aug/22/jesusita-fire-litigation-heats/

Wear your safety Gear!

2011-08-22T11:53:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLoF99LYdts&feature=share

A video depicts why you should wear your sfaety gear!

William Callaway Memorial

2011-08-04T17:19:00.000-07:00

William Callaway Memorial

God Speed Brother William Callaway. We will all miss you and we thank you for your dedicated service to the City of San Luis Obispo Fire Department and to CSFA. It is with heavy hearts that we say good bye and for a job well done.

To view the photo montage please click on the William Callaway Memorial below the header.

Jeff Zimmerman, Editor, Southern California Fire Journal

Lightning Sparks Wildfires

2011-08-01T23:56:00.000-07:00

A series of lightning strikes sparked several small fires in Los Angeles and Kern County this weekend. Water dropping aircraft was used at Little Rock Reservoir and the other along Mt Emma Road at approximately 85th street east. US Forest Service, LA County and LA City helicopters were called in to work the fires which were held to under 10 acres.

Kern County battled a lightning sparked fire along 30th Street west and Backus Rd, crews were able to contain this blaze to approximately 30 acres.

Lightning formed for 3 days over the desert floor as mosit subtropical mositure came up from the south and high temperatures hit the century mark. The air mass should start to dry out this week and demiminish the threat of thunderstorms. Photos Copyright Jeff Zimmerman, Zimmerman Media LLC

Fire Weather Watch for Saturday and Sunday

2011-07-26T15:51:00.001-07:00

RIDGE TO THE EAST BUILDING AND EXPANDING WESTWARD THROUGH MONDAY.
THIS WILL BRING STEADY WARMING EACH DAY...WITH TEMPERATURES PUSHING
ABOVE NORMAL BY THE WEEKEND...AND TRIPLE DIGITS LIKELY SUN AND MON
OVER THE WARMEST VALLEYS AND INTERIOR SPOTS. THE POSITION OF THE
HIGH WILL ALSO STRENGTHEN THE SOUTH-SOUTHEAST FLOW ALOFT. WHILE THE
MODELS CONTINUE TO POINT TO SUNDAY BEING THE MOST FAVORABLE DAY FOR
THUNDERSTORMS...IT IS STILL HARD TO IGNORE SATURDAY WITH 24-48 HRS
OF STEADY SOUTHEAST FLOW UNDER ITS BELT. WITH THE RIDGING AND AND
MID-LEVEL CLOUDS...

Grass Fire Destroys Outbuildings

2011-07-21T14:25:00.000-07:00

A wildfire was reported to the Los Angeles County and Kern County Fire Departments yesterday around 3:30 pm along Ave A at 150th Street West. The first call reported the fire along 16500 Highway 138 but firefighters found the incident at Ave A and 150 St West. Upon arrival, Los Angeles County Firefighters ordered additional equipment to a 10 acre grass and brush fire that had destroyed several outbuildings and a pickup truck. The fire was contained in about 30 minutes. The cause is under investigation. Five engines, two fire patrols, a bulldozer, 1 helicopter and two hand crews from LA County Fire Department in the Antelope Valley assisted Kern County Fire Department units from Rosamond.

Picture Fire Patrol 78 from Lake Hughes takes the lead in the fire attack
Picture Engine 134 from the Antelope Valley works a burning structure on the east flank.
Picture of destroyed pick up truck.

Copyrights Jeff Zimmerman, Zimmerman Media LLC

Elizabeth Lake Wildfire Fatality: Remembered 30 Years Ago

2011-07-14T23:45:00.000-07:00

Green Valley California

It was on July 15, 1981 that Captain Gilbert Lopez from the United States Forest Service in Green Valley led his crew up a steep mountainside above Elizabeth Lake, to battle the Elizabeth fire. It was midday (14:35)when the fire was reported and crews from Los Angeles County Fire Department and the United States Forest Service responded in force to a fast moving brush fire along Elizabeth Lake Road.Shortly after engaging the fire, the Forest Service crew from Green Valley was overrun by intense fire, killing Captain Gilbert Lopez and badly burning two other crew members.

Captain Steve Olson from the Los Angeles County Fire Department remembers it was a hot July day, over 100 degrees, with low relative humidity and drought conditions. At the time of the Elizabeth Fire, he was 18 years old and a rookie firefighter for the United Stated Forest Service. He was dispatched to the fire as part of Engine Module 3-10 from Green Valley Ranger Station. The crew had just suppressed a very small fire near Dry Gulch shooting area when they were summoned to the Elizabeth fire. As the crew arrived they could see active fire running up the steep, south facing slope moving towards the ridgeline, Portal Ridge. The crew was ordered to stop the fire on the ridge top near the repeater towers over looking Elizabeth Lake. Captain Olson remembers a thick plume of smoke rising high into the atmosphere and was fascinated by how quickly it was developing. He also remembers very dense forest fuels burning actively along the ridge as they began their attack.(The official report states that the winds were from the southwest at 22 MPH, south facing slopes had grass and mixed brush and the northern slopes had much heavier fuel loading, age class of 60 years+.)

Shortly after stopping to pull fire hose off of the fire engine along the ridge, several spot fires encircled the crew. Some of the fire was spotting above the crew and some was dangerously below the crew running up a steep chute. The crew became separated in a deafening roar of super-heated air that rushed over the ridge. Some of the crew made it to safety by running in what seemed like an eternity down the west flank towards a volunteer fire crew from Lake Hughes. Captain Lopez retreated, driving the gasoline powered International fire engine when it stalled out. The Captain facing tremendous walls of flame had to flee on foot as the fire engine began to burn. Lopez was quickly overrun by fire with no safe escape route. Lopez was a veteran firefighter with 25 years of experience.

Minutes or maybe even seconds separated those who lived, from those who were burned and from the horrific fate that was encountered by the Captain. It is speculated that the Captain was trying to pick up the crew or trying to move the fire engine to safety when it stalled, possibly vapor locking or stalling out due to lack of oxygen in the thick blinding smoke.

Firefighters assembled at Green Valley Ranger Station today not only to pay their respects but to learn valuable lessons as to how avoid future tragedies. With improvement in radio communications, safety check lists, knowledge of crew accountability and better understanding of human factors that improve performance and crew cohesion, this tragedy would probably not occur today.

The fire crews wanted to learn, not to lay blame, it is a way to honor the fallen by bringing purpose to a tragic death. Fire crews from the United States Forest Service and Los Angeles County Fire Department were both on hand to learn from eye witnesses and to hear their chilling testimony. Dennis Maki from the U.S. Forest Service walked just feet from the burning fire engine in 1981 and could remember the intense heat and thick smoke, but could not see the Captain. Maki was part of the elite Texas Canyon Hot Shot crew who was brought in to hold the west side of the fire. Maki now serves as Fire Engine Captain for the Forest Service near Pyramid Lake and has been with the agency over 32 years.

Captain Olson pointed out the exact area where the crew made the stand against the fire and where the Captain fell in the last full measure of Duty. New fire recruits looked over the edge of the steep mountain side to see where the fire originated and where asked by veterans what they would do differently today if they were asked to fight the same fire. Markers have been placed to help students to think about safety, leadership, fire behavior and crew accountability.

It was interesting to hear the responses of veterans telling new firefighters how to hold, anchor and flank fast moving fires; how to maintain command and control, how to use communications and radio equipment and how to properly and respectfully speak up when there are signs of danger. It really hit home watching the younger crews understand the lessons from seasoned veterans that where rookies at the time of the blaze in 1981.

It was Steve Olson’s second fire and he was facing a 100 foot wall of flame chasing him across the ridgeline with a 1,600 degree thermal pulse trying to knock him off his feet. The swirling winds burned two other firefighters on the ridge top but both survived. Steve had just 32 hours of basic training when he was faced with a decision that may cost him his life if he guessed wrong. It is surreal how quickly a beautiful summer day turned tragic, in seconds people were running for their lives on what was to be considered an ordinary work day in July.

Firefighters discussed fuel, weather, topography, slope, aspect, safety zones and the ten standard firefighting orders at length as part of the exercise. But what hits home is to stand in the exact places where the crew was 30 years ago and to reflect what would I have done or what would I have done differently.

The Lopez family had also lost another family member, Gilbert’s brother to a terrible firefighting accident. So the memorials at Green Valley Ranger Station and the State Capital are befitting tributes to fallen firefighters that still teach valuable lessons today. Gilbert Lopez was remembered as a tough, aggressive firefighter, not much for words, just action.

Firefighters are trained much differently today, much more in depth training before ever going on the front lines. They are taught human factors and decision making processes in basic training that may save their lives. However it takes years to understand fire behavior and to understand the complexities of the incident command system, tactics and strategy. Thus the importance of today’s staff ride in the Angeles National Forest.

Photos and Information, Copyright Jeff Zimmerman, Zimmerman Media LLC

Firefighting DC-10 Contract in Jeopardy

2011-07-07T09:01:00.001-07:00

10:07 PM PDT on Wednesday, July 6, 2011

By RICHARD BROOKS
The Press-Enterprise

Special Section: Inland Wildfires

Just as Southern California's wildfire danger is heating up, the state budget axe has cut the contract for the nation's largest air tanker, Cal Fire and company officials said.

"I was notified verbally on June 30," said Rick Hatton, CEO of the firm that owns and operates the Victorville-based DC-10 and a backup sister ship. "We thought we had passed the last cut in the budget."

Instead, the three-year pact -- which would have paid $7 million for each 120-day fire season -- appears dead, though a similar cancellation in 2009 was reinstated, Hatton said.

Story continues below

2009/The Press-Enterprise
A DC-10 air tanker drops fire retardant over the Oak Glen Fire in 2009. The man who owns the Victorville-based aircraft says the state has ended plans for a fire coverage contract. "It's penny-wise and pound foolish to cut this thing," Hatton argued. "One big fire ... probably costs 10 times as much as having this thing on for the whole season."

Hatton's 10 Tanker Air Carrier owns and operates two DC-10 jetliners-turned-firefighters, both based at Southern California Logistics Airport in Victorville. The contract called for either plane to be ready to take off within 30 minutes. Hatton kept the second plane as a spare or to provide extra capacity for large fires.

The supertankers each can carry nearly 12,000 gallons of fire retardant. By comparison, that's 10 times the capacity of Cal Fire's 23 twin-engine Grumman S-2T trackers and at least four times the capacity of the U.S. Forest Service's 19 large air tankers.

An even larger airplane -- a 20,000-gallon modified Boeing 747 -- is available but has no seasonal contract with the U.S. Forest Service, California or any other state.

At least temporarily, Hatton's big jets still are available on a call-when-needed basis -- with up to 24 hours of preparation time -- which is the same sort of contract that the state uses for large water-dropping helicopters.

But Hatton said he'll permanently ground both DC-10s and put them in storage unless the seasonal contract is reinstated or he can find another state or nation willing to hire them.

"Call-when-needed (contracts) may work for helicopters and smaller aircraft with alternative uses, but it will not sustain a ... a single-purpose large tanker," Hatton wrote Sunday to Andy Murray, Cal Fire's chief of fire protection. "Simply put, when the phone rings, the (DC-10) provider will have gone elsewhere.

"This is not a threat. It is an economic imperative."

Cal Fire has no wiggle room, its officials said.

The cancellation amounts to the best choice among poor alternatives, said Cal Fire spokeswoman Janet Upton. This season, the agency cut its engine crews from four people to three. Next season, the agency plans to eliminate five bulldozers and two fire engines. But officials are trying to avoid deeper cuts, including station closures.

The goal is to protect Cal Fire's ability to snuff out small fires before they become large.

Yet the DC-10 is fitted with enormous fire-retardant tanks specifically to fight large fires.

"It's important," Upton said, "but has very narrow applications.

"Nobody is happy about cutting this."

Reach Richard Brooks at 909-518-4979 or rbrooks@PE.com

Grass B assignmnet, Kern County and LA County Tackle Wildfire

2011-07-06T11:27:00.000-07:00

Los Angeles County Fire Department responded a full grass B assignment into Kern County along between 140th and 150th Street west and Ave A near Neenach. Appriximately 30 acres were burned. Photos Jeff Zimmerman

Thunderstorms Cause Power Outages, Neenach CA

2011-07-05T16:24:00.001-07:00

Yesterday the National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstrom warning for the Antelope Valey capable of producing nickel sized hail, the storm height was 28,000 foot AGL and CAPE at 2000 j/kg at 65 DBZ. Convective available potential energy (CAPE) ,[1] sometimes, simply, available potential energy (APE), is the amount of energy a parcel of air would have if lifted a certain distance vertically through the atmosphere. CAPE is effectively the positive buoyancy of an air parcel and is an indicator of atmospheric instability, which makes it valuable in predicting severe weather.Damaging winds above 70 mph sheared several power poles along 60th Street West above Highway 138 near the Kern/LA County line near Neenach.

Photos Copyright Jeff Zimmerman, Zimmerman Media LLC,

Fire Weather Through July 4th

2011-06-28T14:45:00.000-07:00

A low pressure system has light rain falling in the Bay area with a slight chance of rain above point conception tonight.

By Thursday the low should have cleared with high pressure building over the area with temps soaring to triple digits by Friday afternoon inland. The peak should hit Sunday with triple digit Temps. There is a slight chance of thunderstorms in the AV if subtropical moisture is picked up in the southerly flow, slight chance at best. The Fourth of July weekend should be warm and relatively dry. There is a slight chance of dry Lightning in the forecast, we will watch this closely. Posted Zimmerman

Highway 41 Wildfire, Shandon CA, 100 Acres

2011-06-24T17:23:00.000-07:00

Cal Fire and San Luis Obispo County Fire are fighting a wildfire near the town of Shandon, the fire was approximately 100 acres at 4:30 PM. Several ranch buildings were threatened for a short period of time. The fire is burning primarily in dense grass and rangeland. Several fixed wing air tankers and Helicopter 527 from the Forest Service held the fire in check before it could cross Highway 41.

Photos Copyright, Jeff Zimmerman, Zimmerman Media LLC

Fire Weather Antelope Valley

2011-06-24T15:01:00.000-07:00

WARM AND DRY CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE IN THE MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS. A PARTICULARLY DRY AIR MASS IS EXPECTED TO SPREAD ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS TONIGHT INTO SATURDAY...WHEN ISOLATED SINGLE DIGIT HUMIDITIES WILL BE EXPECTED. THE STRENGTHENING ONSHORE FLOW WILL BRING GUSTY ONSHORE WINDS TO THE MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS EACH AFTERNOON AND EVENING THROUGH THE WEEKEND. THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL GENERALLY BE FOCUSED THROUGH THE SOLEDAD CANYON INTO THE FOOTHILLS OF THE ANTELOPE VALLEY...WHERE GUSTS OVER 40 MPH WILL BE COMMON. THE COMBINATION OF GUSTY WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITIES IN THE MOUNTAINS AND ANTELOPE VALLEY MAY BRING A FEW LOCATIONS TO NEAR CRITICAL CONDITIONS FOR A FEW HOURS EACH AFTERNOON OR EARLY EVENING...BUT DURATIONS WILL BE INSUFFICIENT TO REACH RED FLAG THRESHOLDS. SLIGHT WARMING EXPECTED ON MONDAY...THEN ANOTHER COOLING TREND BY MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK AS ANOTHER UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVES INTO NORTHERN AND CENTRAL CALIFORNIA.

LODD, Florida

2011-06-21T21:36:00.000-07:00

…The two Florida Division of Forestry firefighters died Monday while fighting a wildfire in north-central Florida that had been declared contained but which suddenly burst out of control, Amanda Bevis, a division spokeswoman, said Tuesday.

“They were both in tractors, and the fire literally just caught up with them,” she said.

The firefighters were identified as Josh Burch, 31, and Brett Fulton, 52. Both were Forest Rangers with the forestry division working the Blue Ribbon Fire in Hamilton County.

Wildfire Kern County, Woody

2011-06-21T16:28:00.000-07:00

Kern County Fire Department and BLM are fighting a 1,000 acre near Woody CA, along Highway 155 and Highway 65.

Wildfire, Kern County, San Luis Obispo County

2011-06-19T22:00:00.000-07:00

Kern County CA: The Antelope Fire in Kern County is moving south west into the grasslands of San Luis Obispo County. Approximately 2,500 acres have been scorched as of 5pm 6-19-2011. At 10:00 am on 6-20-2011 KERO TV is reporting that the fire has grown to 5,000 acres per a Kern County spokesman.

Location: The fire is 5 to 7 miles south of Highway 46 along Antelope Road, west of Highway 33 and north east of Highway 58.

Resources: Several air tankers, hand crews and a type 1 team from Cal Fire have been ordered in addition to a second alarm assignment from Kern County and BLM. Cal Fire crews will be entering the fire area through the Cariso Planes along Highway 58, caution in the area since large dozers are on order and the roads have limited access. Paso Robles Air Attack Base was very busy reloading air craft today.

Fuels: The fire is burning in light flashy fuels, grass and mixed brush, temperatures were in the 80's today. One small out building was reportedly destroyed, unknown value.

Weather: High pressure is expected to build over the region bringing in warmer temperatures and lower humidity. By Tuesday and Wednesday the high pressure may usher in temperatures of triple digits in the valleys and deserts with the possibility of single digit humidity and mild offshore flow. The deserts of San Luis Obispo, Kern, Ventura and Antelope Valley will have temperatures exceeding the high 90's and will have the first taste of summer. However a low pressure system will move down the coast by Friday increasing the marine layer at the coast and cooling temperatures.

Photos Copyright, Zimmerman Media LLC, Jeff Zimmerman 6-19-2011 16:00 Hours

Disturbing Video of Rioting, Vancouver Canada

2011-06-17T21:10:00.000-07:00

After the Stanley Cup finals rioting broke out in Vancouver Canada. Disturbing videos of firefighters being assaulted and mobs burning vehicles and damaging buildings. The video was filmed following the Wednesday Stanley Cup final in which the Vancouver Canucks lost to the Boston Bruins, which sparked riots in the Canadian city.

Images and video posted at http://www.firerescue1.com/fire-news/1066184-video-drunk-punches-firefighter-in-canada-hockey-riot/.

City of Paso Robles Firefighters Quickly Contain Small Brush Fire

2011-06-17T20:40:00.000-07:00

Paso Robles CA: City Firefighters were called to a reported brush fire on the north bound side of US Highway 101 near Tar Springs. Upon arrival firefighters made a quick knockdown of the flames near the City Sewer Treatment plant. No structures were threatened by the fire.

Photos Copyright Jeff Zimmerman, Zimmerman Media LLC

San Francisco Firefighters at Rest, Memorial Service, Post Tragic Blaze

2011-06-14T10:43:00.000-07:00

http://www.ktvu.com/news/28199343/detail.html.

Family, friends and firefighters from around the country were attending the services for Lt. Vincent Perez, 48, and firefighter-paramedic Anthony Valerio, 53.

The pair died of injuries they suffered while battling a fire at a home at 133 Berkeley Way on June 2. Perez died later that day and Valerio succumbed to his injuries on Saturday morning.

Please go to KTVU.com and Fire Rescue 1 to watch the video of the memorial service. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the two fallen heroes of the San Francisco Fire Department.

Wallows Fire , AZ 511,118 Acres, 32 Homes Destroyed

2011-06-07T22:58:00.000-07:00

Arizona's largest wildfire. Red flag fire conditions,high winds,low RH,low fuel moistures, structural threat to Eagar, Greer, Springerville.

Red flag conditions continue to exist, Town of Eager is still threatened by fire.

Photos Copyright, Jeff Zimmerman, Zimmerman Media LLC

San Ardo, Monterey County, Cal Fire

2011-05-30T00:19:00.000-07:00

Units are still working the flanks and hot spots of a 500 acre wildfire in San Ardo CA. Strong winds hampered firefighting efforts and blew flames dangerous close to structures along Cattleman Drive, Red Head Canyon and Pancho Rico Rd. Three airtankers, three helicopters and numerous engines from Cal Fire and the United States Forest Service responded to the incident. No structures appeared to have been lost or damaged. The fire may have been sparked by a power line problem.

Photos Jeff Zimmerman, Zimmerman Media LLC

Wind Driven Wildfires Start CA Wildfire Season

2011-05-27T15:36:00.001-07:00

The winds have been giving rise to a series of vegetation fires across the southland in Bakersfield, Kern and Los Angeles County. Eventhough temperatures have been relatively mild for this time of year the wind has helped to spread a series of small grass fires into structures. More wind is predeicted for South Western CA on Saturday.

Kern County and the Untied States forest Service are curently battling a 200 acres wildfire near Lake Isabella in Kern County known as the Cove fire, the fire is burning near Highway 178 and a populated campground. Some evacuations have taken place.

Severe Weather Outbreak, Oklahoma

2011-05-24T16:41:00.000-07:00

Several tornadoes were reported on the ground causing property damage and killing 2 people in Oklahoma today at 3:30 PST. Large debris piles and numerous injuries have been reported as the storms intensify from kansas, Texas, Oklahoma up toward Joplin MO. Many poeple are reported missing in Joplin as death toll rises to 122.

Major Emergency Structure Fire, LAFD Chatsworth

2011-05-24T00:45:00.000-07:00

LAFD Engine 107 has a greater alarm commercial building fire at 9654 Cozycroft X of Superior in Chatsworth CA. Fire is in 100x300 foot commercial building, fire is through the roof, LAFD going defensive operation. Ladder pipes and heavy handlines being deployed. LAFD BC 17 is the IC, LAFD channel 9, EPN Channel 1. Cozycroft IC.

Follow Up:Firefighter Injured Battling Flames in Chatsworth

On Tuesday, May 24, 2011 at 12:15 AM, 16 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, 8 LAFD Rescue Ambulances, 1 Arson Unit, 1 Urban Search and Rescue Unit, 1 Rehab Unit, 1Hazardous Materials Team, 1 LAFD Helicopter, 1 EMS Battalion Captain, 3 Battalion Chief Officer Command Teams and 1 Division Chief Officer Command Team, a total of 118Los Angeles Fire Department personnel under the direction of Assistant Chief Daryl Arbuthnott, responded to a Major Emergency Structure Fire at 9654 Cozycroft Avenue in Chatsworth.

Firefighters arrived quickly to find fire through the roof above a pair of centrally located units housing a one business in a single-story eight-unit 160' x 300' industrial building.

Forcing entry through rolling steel doors of the wholesale gift firm involved in fire, scores of firefighters worked in unison to swiftly salvage key business records and computer equipment from the office, as their colleagues nearby held advancing flames at bay.

The offensive attack on the fire, accompanied by strategic vertical ventilation, continued unabated for more than 20 minutes, until the roof became untenable and portions of the structure began to give way.

Defensive operations prevented flames from spreading beyond the one business, as large hosestreams were brought to bear against the blaze. The well-coordinated firefighting effort prevented the fire from causing direct damage to a gymnastic club to the south or a metalworking firm to the north.

The flames were brought under full control in just 63 minutes.

During the assault on the flames, one Los Angeles Firefighter sustained painful and potentially debilitating 2nd-degree burns to as much as nine-percent of his body, including hands and chest. He was taken in fair condition by LAFD ambulance to West Hills Hospital, home of the Grossman Burn Center, where he was treated in the Emergency Room and released to remain off-duty.

No other injuries were reported.

Fire loss to Bey-Berk International a timepiece wholesaler, is still being tabulated.

The cause of this midnight blaze remains under active investigation

Wild April Weather

2011-05-23T14:35:00.000-07:00

Fire and rain: Fed scientists point to wild April

By SETH BORENSTEIN, AP Science Writer Seth Borenstein, Ap Science Writer – Mon May 9, 6:54 pm ET

WASHINGTON – April was a historic month for wild weather in the United States, and it wasn't just the killer tornado outbreak that set records, according to scientists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

April included an odd mix of downpours, droughts and wildfires. Six Midwestern states — Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia — set records for the wettest April since 1895. Kentucky, for example, got nearly a foot of rain, which was more than three times its normal for the month, NOAA reported.
Yet the U.S. also had the most acres burned by wildfire for April since 2000. Nearly 95 percent of Texas has a drought categorized as severe or worse, exacerbated by the fifth driest April on record for the Lone Star state.

Add to a record 305 tornadoes from April 25-28, which killed at least 309 people and the most tornadoes ever for all of April: 875. The death toll and total tornado figures are still being finalized.

Much of the southern and eastern United States were near record hot for April, while northwestern states were cooler than normal. Overall, the month was warmer than normal for the nation, but not record-setting. The odd mix of massive April showers and bone-dry drought can be blamed on the cooling of the central Pacific Ocean, which causes storm tracks to lock in along certain paths, said Mike Halpert, deputy director of NOAA's Climate Prediction Center.

"It's very consistent with La Nina; maybe we've had more extremes," Halpert said. "It's a shift of the jet stream, providing all that moisture and shifting it away from the south, so you've seen a lot of drought in Texas."
U.S. scientists also looked for the fingerprints of global warming and La Nina on last month's deadly tornadoes, but couldn't find evidence to blame those oft-cited weather phenomena.

NOAA research meteorologist Martin Hoerling tracked three major factors that go into tornadoes — air instability, wind shear and water vapor — and found no long-term trends that point to either climate change or La Nina. That doesn't mean those factors aren't to blame, but Hoerling couldn't show it, he said.
Climate models say that because of changes in instability and water vapor, severe thunderstorms and maybe tornadoes should increase in the future. But it may take another 30 years for the predicted slow increase to be statistically noticeable, said NOAA research meteorologist and tornado expert Harold Brooks.
But Kevin Trenberth, climate analysis chief at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, said the preliminary study that Hoerling conducted was flawed and too simplified. He said there is evidence of an increase in instability in the atmosphere happening now.

Severe Weather Outbreak in Missouri,Tornado

2011-05-22T22:36:00.000-07:00

Numerous reports of a severe tornado striking a hospital in Joplin Missouri.

JOPLIN, Mo. – A massive tornado blasted its way across southwestern Missouri on Sunday, flattening several blocks of homes and businesses, smashing up cars and leaving an untold number of people dead.

The storm that swept through Joplin left behind piles of brick and wood where homes and schools once stood. Cars were ripped apart and thrown on top of each other. A wrecked helicopter lay on its side in front of a damaged hospital. All that was left on one hillside was bare trees, stripped of their leaves and branches. The devastation was reminiscent of Tuscaloosa, Ala., last month, when a flurry of twisters killed more than 300 people across the South.

Missouri authorities said they could confirm that people had died in Joplin, but the numbers were unknown late Sunday and police said they had stopped the search overnight. Details about the number of fatalities and injuries were difficult to obtain even for emergency management officials, because the tornado knocked out power, landline phones and some cellphone towers, said Greg Hickman, assistant emergency management director in Newton County.

Triage centers and shelters were setup around the city of about 50,000 people about 160 miles south of Kansas City. At Memorial Hall, a downtown entertainment venue, nurses and other emergency workers from area hospitals were treating critically injured patients.

Hundreds of windows were blown out St. John's Regional Medical Center, where a few moments' notice gave staff time to hustle patients into hallways before the tornado struck the multistory building. All were quickly evacuated into the parking lot to be moved to other hospitals in the region.

The same storm system that produced the Joplin tornado spawned twisters along a broad swath of the Midwest, from Oklahoma to Wisconsin. At least one person was killed in Minneapolis.

The storm that hit Joplin spread debris about 60 miles away, with medical records, X-rays, insulation and other items falling to the ground in Greene County, said Larry Woods, assistant director of the Springfield-Greene County Office of Emergency Management.

Travel through and around Joplin was difficult, with Interstate 44 shut down and streets clogged with emergency vehicles and the wreckage of buildings.

Emergency management officials rushed heavy equipment to Joplin to help lift debris and clear the way for search and recovery operations. Gov. Jay Nixon activated the National Guard and declared a state of emergency, and President Barack Obama said the Federal Emergency Management Agency was working with state and local agencies.

Obama issued a statement sending condolences to families of those who died in storms in Joplin and across the Midwest.

Jeff Lehr, a reporter for the Joplin Globe, said he was upstairs in his home when the storm hit but was able to make his way to a basement closet.

"There was a loud huffing noise, my windows started popping. I had to get downstairs, glass was flying. I opened a closet and pulled myself into it," he told The Associated Press. "Then you could hear everything go. It tore the roof off my house, everybody's house. I came outside and there was nothing left."

He said people were walking around the streets outside trying to check on neighbors, but in many cases there were no homes to check.

"There were people wandering the streets, all mud covered," he said. "I'm talking to them, asking if they knew where their family is. Some of them didn't know, and weren't sure where they were. All the street markers were gone."

On social networking sites, people with ties to Joplin and even those without were calling for prayers for the southwest Missouri city. Some people were quick to post that they and their families are OK, or to get the word out that loved ones are missing or homes were destroyed. Others found themselves without access to phones because of overburdened phone lines, but able to text and use social media.

Resident Tom Rogers walked around viewing the damage with his daughter.

"Our house is gone. It's just gone," Rogers told The Joplin Globe. "We heard the tornado sirens for the second time. All of a sudden, everything came crashing down on us. We pulled our heads up and there was nothing. It was gone."

Tornado warnings were posted throughout the evening for other southwestern Missouri counties as the system powered its way east.

In Minneapolis, city spokeswoman Sara Dietrich said the death was confirmed by the Hennepin County medical examiner. She had no other immediate details. Only two of the 29 people injured there were hurt critically.

Though the damage covered several blocks in Minneapolis, it appeared few houses were totally demolished. Much of the damage was to roofs, front porches that had been sheared away, or smaller items such as fences and basketball goals.

In Wisconsin, the mayor of La Crosse declared a state of emergency Sunday after a severe storm hit, tearing roofs from homes and sending emergency responders. No one was seriously injured.

Sunday's storms followed a tornado Saturday night that swept through a small eastern Kansas town, killing one person and destroying at least 20 homes, as severe thunderstorms pelted the region with hail that some residents described as the size of baseballs, authorities said Sunday.

Kansas Division of Emergency Management spokeswoman Sharon Watson identified the victim as Don Chesmore, 53, of Reading. He was in a mobile home that flipped. He was taken to a hospital in Emporia, where he was pronounced dead.

Additional storms were predicted across the southern Plains through Thursday morning.

An advisory from the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla., said warm weather Monday could fuel instability in advance of another weather system. A few tornadoes, some strong, could occur — starting in Oklahoma and southern Kansas in the afternoon and in North Texas in the late afternoon.

More severe weather is coming up from Tennessee as severe thunderstorms continue this evening. Severe weather is expected tomorrow. Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have been injured and lost property.

Donations are needed for the American Red Cross as tornados have hit the midwest today and most of April.

___

Amgen Tour Arrives In Paso Robles

2011-05-19T16:00:00.000-07:00

Point Magu Plane Crash

2011-05-19T12:21:00.001-07:00

A Boeing 707 has crashed on takeoff at the Naval Base Ventura County Point Mugu and three people on board escaped with minor injuries, authorities said.
The plane has 150,000 pounds of fuel that caught on fire. Ventura County firefighters were called to the base about 5:30 p.m. to help put out the flames.
The plane went off the south end of the runway, authorities said.
Details are still sketchy, but a large plume of black smoke could be seen in the area.

Ground Breaking Ceremony, Los Padres National Forest

2011-05-16T13:47:00.000-07:00

Monterey Ranger District: May 16, 2011

Thanks to the hard work of dedicated employees of the Los Padres National Forest and Federal funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the Monterey Ranger District will have a new district headquarters located in King City CA. The new building will replace a 37 year old wooden structure on Mildred Street that has served the Forest well for over three decades. The new office will be far more efficient for employees, will be LEED certified and will enahnce the esthetics of King City.

Congressman Sam Farr from the 17th District was on hand today to help break ground with Mayor Robert Cullen of King City, Monterey County Supervisor Simon Salinas, District Ranger Sherry Tune, Deputy Forest Supervisor Ken Heffner and of course Smokey Bear.

Other dignitaries included liaisons from the Esselen Tribal Council who provided a short tribal ceremony and asked for a blessing on the land. Children from Santa Lucia Elementary sang folklore songs and entertained guests by a rousing rendition of Smokey the Bear.

The Monterey Ranger District is one of five administrative districts on the Los Padres National Forest,originally established as the Monterey Forest Reserve in 1906.

Today the Monterey Ranger District encompasses 330,000 acres extending from Monterey-San Luis Obispo County line to Carmel River Valley, from the Pacific Ocean to the Salinas River. The area is known for its rugged and scenic vistas from sea level to over 5,000 foot elevation. Eighty seven percent of the land is designated as wilderness.

The District has had very large wildfires through ought history due to steep topography, narrow canyons, heavy fuel loading and difficult access. Over 400,000 acres have been consumed by wildfire, many sparked by dry lightning.

Information and Photos Copyright, Jeff Zimmerman, Zimmerman Media LLC

Auto Vs Block Wall with Fire, LAFD Eng 65

2011-05-11T12:28:00.000-07:00

Central Los Angeles, A vehicle hit a block wall and burst into flames at Avalon and Manchester, LAFD Engine 65 and County Engine 16 responded to the fire. Images Copyright, Jeff Zimmerman, Zimmerman Media LLC.

Police and Fire Closures in Los Angeles

2011-05-11T12:18:00.000-07:00

Closing Ranks for Public Safety
By LAPPL Board of Directors on 05/10/2011 @ 04:04 PM

When we preach public safety first, we mean just that. When someone dials 9-1-1, the caller is typically in urgent need of help from police, firefighters or paramedics, if not all three. Our city’s residents expect and deserve a timely public safety response – especially when every minute counts.

The League continually calls attention to the impacts of the city budget crisis on the LAPD. But we’re also growing increasingly concerned about the effects of budget cuts on the Los Angeles Fire Department. When it comes to public safety, the LAPD and LAFD are full partners in protecting and serving the people of Los Angeles.

Every day, the LAFD temporarily closes 22 fire companies and six ambulance teams to save money. This stopgap measure was implemented in 2009 as part of a budget balancing effort. The idea was that the closed companies’ firefighters would report to other companies to fill in for sick or vacationing firefighters. Measures like these leave residents hoping their nearest station won’t be closed on a day they need the help of firefighters or paramedics. But hopeful thinking is not an adequate public-safety strategy.

Now, to eliminate the temporary closings, the City is proposing the permanent closure of 18 fire companies and four ambulances at stations across the city. This wasn’t the solution to the “temporary” closures we wanted or expected. And it isn’t the right one either. Some of our elected leaders are apparently prioritizing other concerns over public safety.

Before Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa unveiled his $6.9-billion budget last month, we knew it would require difficult choices to close the budget gap. But we also expected the choices to be prudent.

The proposed closure of the Wilmington-area Truck 38 is a case in point. L.A. County Supervisor Don Knabe fired off a letter to the Mayor, taking exception with the plan to close the fire company and two ambulances serving the community of Wilmington. Knabe rightfully acted out of safety concerns for his constituents and because the city and county have “mutual aid and automatic aid” agreements to respond into one another’s jurisdictions to assist with fire suppression.

Now consider the Malibu/Pacific Palisades border, which has some of the country’s densest brush terrain. When a brush fire threatens Malibu residents, LAFD Engine Company 69 is the primary first aid the county receives from the city because of its location on Sunset Boulevard near PCH and Temescal Canyon. Closure of this Company will result in 10-minute response time delays, assuming the next truck is not already out on a call – an unacceptable risk for Southland residents.

And then there are fire calls that impact the LAPD. When a neighborhood needs to be evacuated, for instance, LAPD officers are always on-scene to get residents out of harm’s way. And, of course, officers depend on LAFD to respond as quickly as possible when a crime victim or an officer is wounded. Every minute waiting for help can often mean the difference between life and death.

Information provided by Police and Fire Protective League