Socal Fire Crews: May the Force Be With You …

But that’s all the water we’ve got!

Photo: From a lakeside dock in Yucaipa Regional Park, the McHenry family  cheers as a Sikorsky S64 Sky Crane firefighting helicopter goes “In the Dip” for another load of water Tuesday. (Don Bartletti /Los Angeles Times). Image may be subject to copyright.

Fires Approach Mt. Wilson Observatory from Two Directions

Fire crews are reportedly trying to save the historic Mt Wilson observatory as well as important TV and radio antennas from destruction. Fire was approaching the mountain  from two directions: about 800 meters (yards) to the north and 1,200 meters (yards) to the west.

Photo: Flames from the Station fire approach Mt. Wilson Observatory in the Angeles National Forest. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times).  Image may be subject to copyright.

“We expect the fire to hit the Mt. Wilson facilities between 5 p.m. today and 2 a.m. Wednesday morning,” LA Times quoted Los Angeles County Fire Department Deputy Chief James Powers. “Right now, we’re conducting controlled burns around the perimeter in preparation for the impending fire’s arrival. We’re also bringing in trucks and special equipment to coat all of the structures with protective gel and foam if necessary. We do not plan to cover everything with a gooey mess.”

Smoke from the Station Fire rises over downtown Los Angeles Monday, Aug. 31, 2009. (AP Photo/Jon Vidar).  Image may be subject to copyright.

The Los Angeles skyline is obscured by smoke [buildings are barely visible in the background] from the Station Fire north of the city August 31, 2009. A deadly wildfire burning out of control for a sixth day in the parched mountains north of Los Angeles doubled in size overnight on Monday and posed a continuing threat to Mount Wilson, a key communications nexus for the region’s broadcasters and emergency services. REUTERS/Freds Prouser. Image may be subject to copyright.

Head Lines:

• Pitched battle underway to save Mt. Wilson from fire as officials cite progress elsewhere
• Supervisor says county’s emergency notification system failed during fires
• Firefighters battle flames on Mt. Wilson
• Los Angeles wildfire gets first break from weather
• Huge wildfire portends bad Calif. fire season

More images at

• LA Times Photo Album
• Reuters Photos

Related Links and Previous Entries:

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

Run, if you see fire: Schwarzenegger

California Gov.  Schwarzenegger has urged residents in fire evacuation zones to flee

Schwarzenegger referring to three residents in Big Tujunga Canyon who suffered  burns while trying to save their homes Saturday said:

“There will be people who don’t listen… Move as soon as [fire crews  tell you] to move.”

The Station fire, characterized as “treacherous” by U.S. Forest Service Incident Chief the has now burned more than 35,000 acres of land, destroying another handful of homes.

Schwarzenegger: Evacuate if Ordered

About 6,600 homes across the 32-km fire line were reportedly  under mandatory  evacuation as a DC-10 and other aircraft doused the area with hundreds of tons of  water and orange-colored flame retardant.

According to Gov Schwarzenegger, 12,500 structures are under threat, with 2,200 personnel tackling the fire, which is 5 percent contained.

DC-10 douses the Station fire and surrounding area with  fire retardant. This picture was taken from Soledad Canyon Road in Acton. Credit: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times. Image may be subject to copyright.

More images at LA Times Photo Album
Related News: Station fire likely to hit historic Mt. Wilson observatory, fire officials say

Related Links and Previous Entries:

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

Censored by LA Times

Public Information Notice

Censorship by LA Times blog editors works against public interest

LA Times blog editors have apparently censored links to one or more of the following pages, which our readers posted on their blog.

FEWW Moderators wonder

1. Why are LA Times editors working against public interest?

2. Who are they trying to protect by removing links to FEWW posts?

Related Links:

• Thought for the Day: The Car Salesman & SoCal Fires
• Tell Schwarzenegger Damage from Fires Is Preventable!
• Shock and Awe Southland Fires Take No Prisoners

• Santa Barbara Fires Update
• Santa Barbara Tea Fire Targets Luxury Homes
• SoCal’s Godfather Brush Fire!

• Our Forecast for 2009 California Fires
• Marek and Sesnon Fire Update
• The “F” word is back in SoCal

• Right on Track for 2009 Cost of Calif Fires Forecast
• California Wildfire Scam Continues
• California Fires: Not Hard to Understand!

• The War on Wildfire

Santa Barbara Fires Update

Update 3 a.m. Saturday November 15, 2008

• Sayre fire has burned nearly 1,600 acres and a large number of structures
• More than 1,000 structures are threatened
• About  5,000 residents were under mandatory evacuation.
• Fire leaped both the 210 and 5 Freeways about 2 hrs ago.

Firefighters said the blaze was moving “southwest along the northern boundary of the city of Los Angeles ‘with much fuel in front of it.‘”

Schwarzenegger declares a state of emergency in Santa Barbara County

Smart Sylmar fire consumes 100 acres, 5 structures, damage toll may increase through Saturday.

The Tea fire consumed about 115 structures and damaged another dozen residences in the wealthy enclave of Montecito before the “Sundowner” winds died down and the fire stabilized. About 13 people were reportedly injured from smoke inhalation and burns, and a 98-year-old man died after being evacuated.

Tea fire in Montecito –  The setting sun peeks through bare limbs left after the fire swept through. November 14, 2008. Photo: Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times. Image may be subject to copyright.

Tea fire had reportedly consumed about 2,500 acres by late Friday night local time, leaving a charred landscape behind.

The authorities have warned that 1,500 homes are still threatened. About 5,500 people remained displaced, according to Santa Barbara County Supervisor.

“It’s still very unstable, and we’re not by any means ready for people to get back into their homes,” said Santa Barbara Deputy Police Chief.

In one neighborhood where 15 houses were destroyed, an old house with an old-fashioned yard sprinkler, survived the fire, according to a report.

A ruptured gas line burns in front of a large estate in the Montecito area of Santa Barbara County, California, November 14, 2008. REUTERS/Phil McCarten. Image may be subject to copyright.

Meanwhile, another smart brush fire, stoked by high Santa Ana winds, consumed about 100 acres near Veterans Memorial Park, north of Sylmar,  destroying as many as five structures. The blaze which started after 10:00 p.m. local time was reportedly visible across the San Fernando Valley.

“Gusty Santa Ana winds of up to 70 mph are forecast through Saturday, and a red flag warning remains in effect for canyons and valleys in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties,” a report said.

The cause of Tea fire [also Sayre and Sylmar fires] is still undetermined/or remains undisclosed [as it now seems to be the norm with all Calif. fires.]

Related Links:

• Tell Schwarzenegger major damage from big fires is preventable!
• Santa Barbara Tea Fire Targets Luxury Homes
• SoCal’s Godfather Brush Fire!

• Our Forecast for 2009 California Fires
• Marek and Sesnon Fire Update
• The “F” word is back in SoCal

• Right on Track for 2009 Cost of Calif Fires Forecast
• California Wildfire Scam Continues
• California Fires: Not Hard to Understand!

• The War on Wildfire

Santa Barbara Tea Fire Targets Luxury Homes

For the Latest Wildfire Updates Click on >> Calif Fires 2009

Montecito fire consumes about 900 acres, 80 homes

An intelligent brush fire which broke out Thursday at 6.00pm local time in the hills above Montecito, Santa Barbara County, targeted luxury homes with ocean views in the wealthy Cold Springs area destroying about 80 structures.

People watch a home burn in the hills above Santa Barbara. Many residents were forced to evacuate. (Phil Klein/AP). Source: SFG. Image may be subject to copyright.

Celebrities who own homes in the area include talk-show host Oprah Winfrey, and actors Rob Lowe and Michael Douglas.

More than 1,000 firefighters, about 125 fire engines and three water-dropping helicopters were rushed in to battle the blazes at the so-called Tea Fire.

The cause of Tea Fire is still undetermined/or remains undisclosed [as it now seems to be the norm with all Calif. fires.]

The Montecito Fire Protection District

• TEA FIRE EVACUATION UPDATES

Related News Links:

• Pricey homes destroyed in Montecito brush fire
• Fire destroys up to 80 houses in Montecito

Related Links:

• Tell Schwarzenegger major damage from big fires is preventable!
• SoCal’s Godfather Brush Fire!

• Our Forecast for 2009 California Fires
• Marek and Sesnon Fire Update
• The “F” word is back in SoCal

• Right on Track for 2009 Cost of Calif Fires Forecast
• California Wildfire Scam Continues
• California Fires: Not Hard to Understand!

• The War on Wildfire

The “F” word is back in SoCal

Marek Fire May Start a New Wave of Wildfires in SoCal

A 2,000-acre wildfire aided by Santa Ana winds broke out in the Angeles National Forest on Sunday. The so-called Marek fire jumped a fireline and forced the closure of Foothill Freeway, a major SoCal freeway.

[The Dragon Fire!] A firefighter works to extinguish a portion of the fire that burned near the Biedebach regional fire training center in the Angeles National Forest on Sunday morning. October 12, 2008. Photo:Rick Loomis/Los Angeles Times. Image may be subject to copyright.

The fire, which apparently started by gunfire from a range near Little Tujunga Road, about 20 miles north of downtown Los Angeles, destroyed a house and several motor homes and lead to the evacuation of about 1,500 residents of 500 homes in the areas of Lopez and Kagel canyons.

It’s feared that embers could spark new fires, Los Angeles County Fire Department said. More…

Related Links:

• Right on Track for 2009 Cost of Calif Fires Forecast
• Our Forecast for 2009 California Fires
• California Wildfire Scam Continues
• California Fires: Not Hard to Understand!

• The War on Wildfire
• Telegraph Fire: Day 5
• What Next After The Telegraph Fire?

• Nature Must Be Punished, Look at the Mess in California!
• California ‘Mojavefied’ by 2011?

• Thought for the Day
• Stop Nature! She Is Ruining Our Lifestyles