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

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

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

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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

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

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

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

...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

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

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

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

...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

...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

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

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.