Wildfires Destroy Hundreds of Homes in California

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC HAZARDS
MEGA DISASTERS
STATES OF EMERGENCY
EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT
RISING TEMPERATURES
DESTRUCTIVE WILDFIRES
MASS EVACUATIONS
LOSS OF HABITAT
MASS DISPLACEMENTS
LOSS OF CROPS & LIVESTOCK
SCENARIOS 900, 800, 555, 444, 111, 101, 100, 080, 071, 070, 03, 02
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Wildfire forces entire California town’s residents to flee

The so-called Boles Fire wildfire near the small logging town of Weed in northern California has consumed about 400 acres, destroying an estimated 180 homes and forcing the entire town’s population of about 3,000 to flee.

Elsewhere across the drought-stricken [Golden] state, which is baking under record heat, more than a dozen ferocious blazes have destroyed dozens of other homes.

Courtney Fire in Madera County has destroyed 33 residences, 28 outbuildings, 13 vehicles and 4 recreational vehicles, leaving 4 other residences, 6 outbuildings and 2 vehicles  damaged, said Cal Fire.

More than 1,000 residents in Bass Lake Heights community had been evacuated.

The massive 12,000-acre King Fire in El Dorado National Forest, East of Sacramento, continues to threaten more than 500 homes. Large-scale evacuations have been ordered.

The 1,000-acre Orange County Silverado Fire, burning in Cleveland National Forest, has forced mandatory evacuations of hundreds of homes.

Meantime, across the state line in Oregon, at least half dozen major fires are burning thousands of acres. The “36 Pit Fire” has forced mandatory evacuation for dozens of homes near Portland.

SoCal Buckling Under Heat

Temperatures across Southern California remain in the triple digits territory, threatening to break more records and putting enormous pressure on the power grid.

The blistering heat has pushed demand for electricity to an all-time high, LA Times reported.

“On Monday, LADWP reported that [1.4 million] customers broke a record set in 2010, when they used 6,177 megawatts. On Monday, that figure hit 6,196 megawatts.”

The “five-day heat wave” has caused blackouts in numerous areas including Sun Valley, Burbank and Sherman Oaks, where temperatures topped 40.5C (105 degrees). Other affected areas Tuesday included Brentwood, Pacific Palisades, the Valley and West L.A., said the report.

Related Links

• Ferocious Fire Forces Hundreds of Evacuations in SoCal September 14, 2014
• Other Global Disasters/ Significant Events – September 15, 2014 September 15, 2014

Global Disasters Significant Events – October 7, 2013

China

• FITOW Turns Deadly

FITOW has so far effected more than 3 million people across 8 cities in the eastern coastal province of Zhejiang, Xinhua said, causing direct economic losses and damages of 2.28 billion yuan (~ $370 million).

United States

• Flooding in Kentucky, Raging Wildfires in California

California

San Carlos Declares State of Emergency Over PG&E Pipeline
“City officials in San Carlos, Calif. have declared a State of Emergency after a series of internal PG&E e-mails sparked safety concerns over a natural gas line that runs through the city. Issues with the gas line include certain sections made up of a “thin wall” pipe made in 1929 and external corrosion with fatigue cracks on the pipe. City leaders on Friday also requested PG&E shut down the pipeline until a hearing could be conducted with CPUC to address the issue. PG&E declined the request, according to city officials. The city on Friday night obtained a temporary injunction against PG&E in San Mateo County Superior Court requiring PG&E to immediately shut off service to pipeline 147. A hearing is scheduled for Oct. 24.” See full report…

Egypt

At least 55 killed, over 200 wounded amid new wave of protests in Egypt

Clashes between opponents and supporters of ousted Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi left at least 55 people dead and more than 200 wounded across the country on Sunday,  one of the bloodiest days since the “USrael-controlled” army seized power in a coup.

About 500 others were arrested, according to the

Protesters chanted: “The coup is terrorism” and “Sisi [the military ruler] is a killer.”

Army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the man who toppled Morsi said: “There are a lot of people who think Egypt’s army can be broken. Egypt’s army is like a pyramid but it is a pyramid because the people of Egypt support it.”

The military says it was responding to the will of the people. “We are answerable to God and to you Egyptians for the mandate [by the] Egyptian people towards the army and police to preserve Egypt,” said Sisi.

Italy

194 Bodies Found in Migrant Shipwreck Off the Coast of Sicily

Search teams have now recovered a total of 194 bodies in and around the vessel that sank on Thursday near the Sicilian island of Lampedusa.

Of the 518 African migrants on the boat 155 survived, which leave another 169 other missing presumed dead.

The 20-meter fishing vessel carrying mainly Eritrean and Somalian asylum seekers, including dozens of women and children, caught fire and sank early Thursday off the coast of Lampedusa, said reports.

Iraq

Another day of deadly violence ended Sunday with at least 46 people killed and 180 others wounded.

Suicide bombers. truck bombers, gunfire and IEDs were responsible for the carnage across at least 7 Iraqi death centers of Baghdad,
Qabak, Tal Afar, Mosul, Kirkuk, Dour and Tuz, said reports.

• October casualties as of October 6, 2013: at least 229 civilians killed.

The 2013 casualties has so far reached at least 6,331 civilians killed an more than 12,700 others wounded.

Continued…

Flooding in Kentucky, Raging Wildfires in California

Many rescued in Kentucky amid severe flooding caused by heavy rains

At least 12 people were rescued from floodwaters and about 400 others evacuated after torrential rains hit Louisville area.

“The deluge swamped low-lying areas and flooded streets, trapping people in their homes and cars, as the area was drenched with 6 inches of rain in less than 24 hours,” said a report.

Wildfire burns 1,500 acres, forces hundreds of evacuations

A raging brushfire at Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base forced the evacuation of 230 residents from the O’Neill Heights housing area and 22 patients from the base hospital, said a report.

The blaze damaged at least four buildings, but no injuries were reported.

“More than 200 firefighters from the Camp Pendleton Fire Department and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection were battling the blaze. They were assisted by six air tankers and five helicopters,” said the report.

Large blaze reported in southeast Orange County

Meantime, a large blaze was burning out of control in Silverado, an unincorporated area of southeast Orange County, near the edge of the Cleveland National Forest.

The blaze was driven by Santa Ana winds of about 10 mph amid extremely dry conditions, with relative humidity of 7%, LATimes reported.

“The fire started about 10:10 a.m. in a large mulch pile at a nursery in the 27900 block of Baker Canyon Road, said Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Steve Concialdi.”

More than 125 fire personnel were trying to contain the flames, so far without any success. The exact size of the fire was not known, as of posting.

Calif. Wildfire Forces Hundreds to Evacuate

Wildfire in Cleveland National Forest Forces Mandatory Evacuations

A fast-growing wildfire in Cleveland National Forest, southern California, forced the evacuation of communities in Riverside County and Lake Elsinore, said the U.S. Forest Service.

Falls Fire started August 5, 2013 on the Cleveland National Forest, Trabuco Ranger District, near Ortega Highway (SR-74) at Decker Canyon. The blaze had consumed 1,500 acres by late Monday, prompting mandatory evacuations for Lakeland Village, Decker Canyon and Rancho Capistrano residents.

• Evacuation perimeter was established for residences between Grand/Ortega HIghway and Grand/Corydon said Inciweb.

• Ortega Highway is closed to non-residents. Closures are at Grand Ave in Lake Elsinore and Antionio Parkway in Orange County.

Hundreds of Residents, Animals Evacuated as Wildfire Threatens Two Alaskan Communities

Wildfire sparked by Army artillery exercise burning close to two communities of Two Rivers and Pleasant Valley

Evacuation Ordered for Two Rivers & Pleasant Valley From Mile Post 18 to 34 – Alaska Interagency Coordination Center

The Stuart Creek 2 fire, which started on June 19, flared up last week consuming nearly 65,000 acres NW of of Fairbanks.

The blaze was burning mostly on the Army’s Fort Wainwright land and was 5  percent contained as of Monday.

“By Sunday afternoon, 843 residents and 434 structures had been evacuated, along with scores of sled dogs and livestock, Weston said. The Tanana Valley Fairgrounds had taken in dog teams, a horse, chickens, turkeys and a ‘big pig’ as of Sunday night,” said a report.

“Some area residents had already evacuated just weeks ago, when two other wildfires burned in the Chena Hot Springs Road areas, said agency coordination center spokeswoman Weston.”

Alaska Interagency Coordination Center Situation Report [Sunday – 07/07/2013]

• Preparedness Level 4
• YTD Fires: 442
• YTD Acres: 1,002,055.4
• Some 95 active fires were burning in Alaska, as of posting.

STUART CREEK 2 FIRE INFORMATION EVACUATION NOTICE
Effective 1:00 pm July 7, the Stuart Creek 2 Incident Commander has issued an evacuation notice for residents of Two Rivers and Pleasant Valley. This notice is for all residents and businesses along Chena Hot Springs Road between Mile posts 18 and 34.  The evacuation route is west on Chena Hot
Springs Road. Once you leave, you may not be able to reenter the evacuation area until the fire danger has passed

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Chariot Fire burns 2,500 acres, forcing evacuations in San Diego County

The Chariot Fire has consumed at least 2,500 acres east of San Diego and was 10% contained as of early Sunday. The Horse Heaven, El Prado, & Laguna Campgrounds on the Cleveland National Forest and the Al Bahr Shrine Campground have been evacuated. The Red Cross is setting up an evacuation center at Joan McQueen Middle School in Alpine, Inciweb reported.

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Other Global Disasters/ Significant Events

At least 51 people were killed, as of posting, in clashes between Egypt army and pro-Morsi protesters at the Republican Guard headquarters in Cairo.

The clashes  has left at least 51 civilians dead and 435 others injured, said the ministry of health on Monday.

“In an official statement published by Al-Ahram Arabic news website, the army said an ‘armed terrorist group’ attempted to break into the Republican Guard headquarters in the early hours of Monday and ‘attacked security forces.’ said a report.

“The Muslim Brotherhood’s FJP, however, issued an official statement saying ‘peaceful protesters were performing the Fajjr (dawn) prayers’ when the army ‘fired tear gas and gunshots at them without any consideration for the sanctity of prayers or life.'”

“This is also a violation against people’s right to peaceful protest,” it added.

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