Calif Rainstorm, Mid-Atlantic Snowstorm Update

Southern California Buffeted by another Major Rainstorm

Another powerful rainstorm buffeted Southern California yesterday afternoon local time triggering flash-flood warnings and more evacuations in the Sierra Madre area.

The storm was accompanied by lightening, thunder storms,  snow and hail and in both the Cajon Pass and the Grapevine. “The snow level was expected to drop below 4,000 feet this evening.” LA Times reported.

The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a flash-flood warning for foothill areas scorthched in the Station fire. NWS was reported as saying that “trained weather spotters had recorded very heavy rainfall and hail around La Cañada Flintridge.”

More mudslide in the foothill communities are expected.

National Weather Service Radar Mosaic Loop. Pacific Southwest Sector

Click image to enlarge.

Mid-Atlantic Snowstorm Update

• The second blizzard in less than a week has struck the Mid-Atlantic region of the U.S.
• Snowfall intensity is increasing
• Up to 41cm (16 inches) of snow expected in the region.
• Federal government offices are closed Wednesday, the third day this week.
• No bus services in the Washington DC area.
• Only limited Metrorail system (underground) trains will operate on Wednesday.
• Airlines in th eregion have grounded all flight for 24 hours.
• Philadelphia region is set to break its record for winter snow of  166.4cm (65.5) which was set in winter 1995-96. The region has so far received 143cm (56.2 inches) and is expecting up to  46cm (18 inches) by Wednesday night.
• The storm pushed into New York metropolitan area, prompting the Mayor to  close the schools on Wednesday.
• As of posting, public schools in all major cities along the Eastern Seaboard including Baltimore and Maryland to Boston and Philadelphia have also closed.

• Metro Area Winter Storm Warning for Wednesday [map]

National Weather Service Enhanced Radar Mosaic. Northeast sector.

Click image to enlarge.

Image of the Day:

Knock, Knock! Who is there?

It’s Mud, Mudslide making a forceful entry! A resident carts away mud out of a home on Manistee Drive, one of the streets hardest hit by Saturday’s early-morning mudslides. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times / February 8, 2010). Image may be subject to copyright.

• LA Times Photo Gallery:  Storms pound the Southland

Related Links:

• 10 Facts on Climate Change
• More Rain in the West, Snow in the East
• Snowstorm Update: Enjoyed the snowball fight?
• Humongous Snowstorm Paralyzes Eastern U.S.
• Snow covers 70 pct of the U.S.

• Phil says ’six more weeks of winter’
• 2010 Disaster Calender – January
• The Storms Attack on California
• California: Powerful new storm sails ashore
• Transitory Impact of AO is the ‘Good News’

• December Snowstorm Only a Cat 3 on NESIS Scale
• State of Emergency in Oklahoma, S. Dakota, Texas
• ‘Humongous’ storm spreads across the US
• Winter Officially Starts Today!
• Deadly Winter Storm Paralyzes United States

• Carmageddon: Nature’s Dislike for Things on Wheels

Corporate Arsonists Just Doing their Job (!)

SoCal Corporate Arson Good for GDP

This UPDATE was posted on September 8, 2009 at 5:23 PM PDT (September 9, 2009 at 00:23 UTC)

Between them, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and the state of California, are  offering a total rewards of $150,000 for information leading to the conviction of the arsonists.

“Sheriff’s homicide detectives searching for the arsonist who set the deadly Station fire are appealing for anyone who travelled on the Angeles Crest Highway just above La Cañada Flintridge around 3:30 p.m. on August 25.” LA Times reported.

“Obviously if someone saw something that day we would like them to come forward and speak to investigators. But even if they didn’t see anything we would also like them to contact detectives if they traveled past there around that time,” said Steve Whitmore, sheriff’s spokesman.

Guess what folks, FEWW said who would be responsible for the 2008 SoCal fires (as well as all other expensive fires in the previous years) as early as a year ago. As for the rewards, please give it to the family of the fire personnel who unwittingly lost their lives playing against the corporate arsonists. [BTW, are you  serious about catching the fire bogs? A $100million fire, and only $150,000 reward?]

What part of what FEWW said about the Fire Industry being the Arsonists you don’t understand?

Meanwhile, Station fire, which has consumed  more than 160,000 acres (649 km²/ 251 sq miles) in 15 days, is now 56% contained, however, the winds are picking up again, causing concern for the fire crews.

Fires in Los Angeles County [NASA Earth Observatory – Posted September 9, 2009]
Two weeks after [one or more] arsonist[s] ignited the drought-dry forest north of Los Angeles, the Station fire had become the ninth largest fire in California since 1933. On the morning of September 8, 2009, the fire had burned more than 250 square miles (about 650 square kilometers) of land, according to the Station Fire Incident Report from September 8. This image, captured by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) on NASA’s Terra satellite on September 6, shows the extent of the burned area. The newly charred land is black in this false-color image, which was made with near infrared light. Plants are dark red, and man-made surfaces, particularly the dense urban centers of Pasadena and Burbank, are blue and white. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, using data provided courtesy of NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team. Caption by Holli Riebeek. [Edited by FEWW.]

Meanwhile another fire in SoCal was reported by the NIFC

Oasis (Sonoma-Lake Napa Unit, Cal Fire), 400 acres at 15 percent contained. This fire is five miles southwest of Wilber Springs, NIFC reporetd.

For background information and logged entries go to:  Calif Fires 2009

Related Links:

• Hazard Mapping System Fire and Smoke Product [Links to Satellite Images]
• Our Forecast for 2009 California Fires
  
• Thought for the Day: The Car Salesman & SoCal Fires
• Tell Schwarzenegger Damage from Fires Is Preventable!
• Shock and Awe Southland Fires Take No Prisoners
• California Fires: Not Hard to Understand!
• The War on Wildfire
• Links to FEWW SoCal Fires Entries

• The Problem with SoCal
• Socal Fire Crews: May the Force Be With You …
• SoCal Fires Rage On!
• SoCal Blazes Blacken More Scrubland
• FEWW Links to Calif Fires
• California Fire Fleecing Season Begins
• Calif Fires 2009

SoCal Fires Rage On!

500 km² consumed by out of control fire

The Fire in California Mainly…

• The Station Fire has more than doubled in size to about 110,000 acres burning completely out of control for a sixth day.

• Two fire crews were killed Sunday when they drove off the side of a road in the Mt. Gleason area, south of Acton.

• About 2,600 personnel are currently tackling the  massive blaze.

• Fire destroyed 18 homes Sunday and at least three structures early Monday, according to California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

• Two school districts canceled the first day of classes due to heavy smoke, which made breathing difficult.

LA Times Google Map of the Station Fire. Image may be subject to copyright. The areas shaded in yellow are (L-R) Acton/Agua Dulce area (evacuated), Cheseboro Road south of Mt Emma Road (evacuated),  Juniper Hills neighborhood (under evacuation orders).

Towering Inferno. A structure burns during the Station Fire in the Big Tujunga canyon area of Los Angeles, California August 29, 2009.  REUTERS/Gene Blevins. Image may be subject to copyright.

Smoke from the Station fire over the Angeles National Forest as seen from a hellicopter. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times /August 31, 2009). Image may be subject to copyright.

South of Dixieline? Flames burn near a cross during the Station Fire in the Big Tujunga area of Los Angeles, California August 29, 2009. REUTERS/Gene Blevins. Image may be subject to copyright.

What da  fiia ma  gonna do now? A deer walks through charred forest in the Angeles National Forest near Acton.(Justin Sullivan/Getty Images /August 31, 2009). Image may be subject to copyright.

More images at

• LA Times Photo Album
• Reuters Photos

Related Links and Previous Entries:

• https://feww.wordpress.com/calif-fires-2009/

SoCal Blazes Blacken More Scrubland

Calif Fires Beat Clunker Boost Any Day!

Sunday, August 30, 2009 at 5:48 AM PDT (12:48 UTC)

From InciWeb and other sources:

The Station Fire started off Angeles Crest Highway (SR 2) about one mile above Angeles Crest Fire Station around 3:30pm Wednesday August 26, 2009. Angeles Crest Highway, Tujunga Canyon and Big Tujunga Canyon roads are closed. As a result of extreme fire activity, and to protect public health and safety, Angeles National Forest officials implementing an area closure for lands in the vicinity of the fire. This closure is in effect until canceled.

3 injuries have been reported. Residents are advised to be ready to evacuate if they are near the fire boundary.

As of 8:00 p.m. Saturday evening the fire is moving very quickly to the north towards Acton. If the fire continues on this aggressive path it could be very near Acton by early morning.

Station Fire: Location Map. Google Map may be subject to copyright.

Flames from the Station Fire are seen above the NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, in La Canada, California August 28, 2009. REUTERS/Rod Seward. Image may be subject to copyright.

Fire Stats:

• Size: 20,500 acres
• Percent Contained: 5%
• Estimated Containment Date:  Tuesday September 08th, 2009 approx 06:00 PM (!)
• Fuels Involved: Very heavy fuels of ceanothus, chamise, scrub oak and manzanita across the entire fire area, 15 to 20 feet in height with Big Cone Douglas Fir in the drainage bottoms. Fuels have not experienced any significant large fire activity in the past 40 years.
• Fire Behavior: The fire quadrupled in size driven by SE winds. Saturday behavior was extremely active with rapid rates of spread and flame lengths up to 80 feet. There is a potential for Sunday’s fire behavior to be similar to Saturday. Upslope winds are likely. Spotting may occur from 1/4 mile up to 1/2 mile.
• Significant Events: Mandatory Evacuations are in effect for over 10,000 homes. The fire is threatening the Mount Wilson Communications Facilities and Observatory.

The Station fire in the Angeles National Forest has tripled in size today, spreading rapidly to the east and west this afternoon, and prompting the evacuation of at least 4,000 homes in a broad swath of foothill neighborhoods in areas including La Cañada Flintridge, Glendale, Altadena and Big Tujunga Canyon as temperatures reached triple digits and flames drew closer to houses. Photo credit: Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times. Caption: LA Times.

Other Remarks

• Growth Potential: Extreme
• Threatened:
  • 10,000 homes threatened.
  • 500 commercial properties
  • 2,000 other structures threatened.

Current Weather:

• Wind Conditions 6-12 mph SE
• Temperature 100 degrees
• Humidity 7%
  

Other Fires

Gloria Fire:

• Date/Time Started: August 27, 2009 2:57 pm
• County: Monterey & San Benito County
• Location: Northeast of Soledad
• Acres Burned: 6,437 acres
• Containment 6,437 acres – 60% contained

• Structures Destroyed: 1 residence and 1 outbuilding destroyed
• Threatened: There are approximately 100 homes threatened by the fire.
• Evacuations: All evacuations have been lifted on Highway 146, Bryant Canyon and Stonewall Road.

• Total Fire Personnel: 1,083
• Engines: 110
• Fire crews: 32
• Airtankers: 3
• Helicopters: 5
• Dozers: 26
• Water tenders: 8
• Costs to date: $2.5 million [The Cheap Fire!]

Pacheco Fire

• County: Santa Clara County
• Location: Pacheco Pass Road near Dinosaur Point
• Status/Notes: 1,650 acres – 50% contained
• Date Started: August 29, 2009 2:20 pm

• Total Fire Personnel: 389
• Engines: 40
• Fire crews: 5
• Airtankers: 4
• Helicopters: 3
• Dozers: 4
• Water tenders: 3

Big Meadow Fire:

• County: Mariposa County
• Location: Foresta Community
• Administrative Unit: Yosemite National Park
• Status/Notes: 3,506 acres – 30% contained
• Date Started: August 26, 2009 12:08 pm

Cottonwood Fire:

• County: Riverside County
• Location: Highway 74 cross of Bee Canyon
• Status/Notes: 2,290 acres – 30% containment
• Date Started: August 27, 2009 5:13 pm
• Total Personnel 698

Red Rock Fire:

• Name: Red Rock Fire
• County: Siskiyou County
• Location: 15 miles west of Fort Jones, CA
• Administrative Unit: Klamath National Forest
• Status/Notes: 1,373 acres – 80% contained
• Date Started: August 21, 2009 6:40 pm

Related Links and Previous Entries:

• https://feww.wordpress.com/calif-fires-2009/

Mars Lookalike Rancho Palos Verdes, California

Image of the Day: Rancho Palos Verdes on Fire

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has declares a state of emergency for Los Angeles and Monterey counties as new brush fires  consume more than 12,000 acres.

Residents watch a brush fire burn in Rancho Palos Verdes, California August 27, 2009. Photo: REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

For the latest on California brush fires and the US “wildfire” stats see:

https://feww.wordpress.com/calif-fires-2009/

Related Links:

• Calif Fires 2009