Power House Fire 29,584 Acres

If you asked me on June 1, 2013 how my day would go I would have probably said "ok", "going out to take some pictures and enjoy a hike". Instead my day ended up in an unbelievable fire storm in Lake Hughes with roaring hundred foot flames chasing me through a canyon in the Angeles National Forest.

Would I have ever imagined trying to evacuate my daughter's boyfriends home through an emergency window since they were out hiking in the Kern River area and the house was dead bolted shut, probably not. Would I have imagined driving his jeep down a burning mountain road to escape flames from destroying it behind Camp Mendenhall, probably not. Would I have ever imagined my friend Dave Mills would have to push me through a small kitchen window to gain access into the nearly burning home, no way. But it all happened in a few surreal moments.

As the day grew hotter and drier things were changing drastically on the Power House Fire along Lake Hughes Road. Flames started to erupt out of the canyon by 10:00 am, it was clearly evident that the fire was going to jump out of Ruby Canyon and over to Lake Hughes Road. By 5:30 pm radio reports stated that the town of Lake Hughes was going to be impacted by fire and that Cottonwood Campground was being over run with fire.

By now flames with unbelievable speed and intensity filled the canyon devouring anything in its path. At the mouth of the canyon were homes and ranches directly in the path of flames. Chiefs were ordering crews out of the canyon and to go up canyon to protect homes. Fire engines from across the County were summoned to the blaze for immediate need structure protection. My only goal was to stay out of harms way and record some video of the inferno. As I looked back in my rear view mirror from leaving the forestry camp the entire canyon was ablaze in just moments. I had locked all his windows and removed what I could of his personal property for safe keeping. That is if I made it out of the canyon unharmed.

Several homes have been destroyed, 29,584 acres charred and 2,185 people are working the incident. Helicopters and fixed wing aircraft are working the perimeter and much more work needs to get finished before temperatures swell to 105 degrees by the weekend.

I will continue to cover this story as time allows. For now the forestry camp in Lake Hughes will need to be rebuilt, several families will have to try and recover serious loses and hopefully the road system will be opened soon.

Power House Fire Reaches 25,000 Acres

As predicted hot dry weather helped to spurn on a large wildfire in Los Angeles County near the town of Green Valley. Started near the Department of Water and Power Plant 1 on San Francisquito Canyon Road, the fire has covered a lot of ground since its ignition.

Approximately 25,000 acres have burned in the past three days, hundreds of firefighters are working the lines and half a dozen or so homes have been razed to the ground. Numerous evacuations have occurred in the fire area.  Dense dry fuels, steep slopes and very aggressive fire behavior have required the County and the Forest to request large firefighting aircraft to help slow the rate of spread.  

Today the DC -10 with a vast storage capacity came in and painted the ridges on the west side of the fire stop its advances before it entered into Kings Canyon, a densely populated and steep canyon along 205 Street west. The tanker flew in low and precisely laying in a drenching line with retardant along 190 Street west and Ave G. It was a very impressive site to behold. 

Firefighters also had to allow horses some freedom today as fire threatened barns and corrals along Lancaster Road. Another glorious site to see horse coming full throttle to you in the midst of a fire storm.  The horse ran free for about 2 hours until animal control arrived and rounded up them up. 

More hot weather is on the way later in the week but hopefully the fire can be contained soon.  The Forest Service is investigating the fire to see if a faulty power line may have sparked the fire.  

 

 

 

Information and photos Copyright: Jeff Zimmerman

 

 

 

Power House Fire, Angeles National Forest

Approximately 800 acres have been scorched and evacuations are in progress in Green Valley CA, Angeles National Forest. The Forest Service and LA County Fire Department are in joint command, hundreds of firefighters are battling the blaze. San Francisquito Canyon Road is closed to through traffic. Very active fire behavior crowning and spotting. No estimate time for containment, potential fire growth could become complex, fire is just below structures.

Severe Fire Activity in Southern California, Critical Fire Weather Friday-Sunday

It is only May and we are having very large scale fires with very intense fire behavior in Southern California. Drought and persistant winds, low relative humidity and triple digit temperatures have been recordered all of May. Fuel moistures are all ready at critical levels and another heat wave is in store for this weekend. We still have another 4-6 months of fire season and it may become a monster.

So far this year I have photographed the Springs fire in Camarillo, nearly 40,000 acres, the Grand fire in Frazier Park, 4,100 acres, White fire on the Los Padres National Forest 1,881 acres and several small IA fires, the Highway Fire, Magic Fire, Gorman Fire all along the Interstate 5 corridor. Last month we had another serious fire above Filmore CA threatening homes and real property.

Flame lengths have been well above average as fires are already spotting and crowning in heavier fuels, sounding the alarm for critical fire behavior. As warmer weather approachs and fuels continue to dry, fire behavior will intensify to the point where almost all IA fires will have the potential to become very large fires.

I will continue to monitor and publish fuel moisture content records as they become avialable and post fire weather during critical periods. Please follow along with Jeff Zimmerman on Facebook as social media seems to be very popular with younger firefighters.

We are expectiving critical fire weather conditions Friday through Sunday. An offshore flow will push temperatures into triple digits with very low RH values.

Please go to the GACC web site for fuels discusssion, http://gacc.nifc.gov/oscc/predictive/fuels_fire-danger/myfiles/Fuels_Discussion.pdf

Large Scale Wildfire, Frazier Park CA

A large wildfire is burning in Frazier Park CA, structures threatened, burning in heavy fuels, timber and heavy brush, crowning and spotting. Fire is just west of Interstate 5. Fire has large potential for growth. Approximately 2,000 acres, moving into Hungry Valley State Park. Erratic fire behavior.

Photos Copyright Jeff Zimmerman

Active Fire Day in South Los Angeles

In the streets of South Los Angeles yesterday. Photos Jeff zimmerman

Wildfire Strikes at Homes above Filmore

Last week a fast moving brush fire threatened homes atop Morris and Central Streets north of foothill Blvd in the town of Filmore, Ventura County CA. The termed the good Enough fire was possible started by downed power lines in strong north winds. Two homes were ruined by the fire.

North east winds and near red flag conditions exist today through the weekend. Two fires have already broken out today one at Highway 14 and Soledad Cyn Rd in LACOFD and USFS protection areas. The other was a small spot fire along Interstate 5 and Zenobia RD above Quail Lake road.

Photos Jeff Zimmerman