Remembering the Fire Storms of 1970

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

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

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

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

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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