Posts Tagged ‘SoCal Fires’
Posted by feww on October 5, 2009
Fire Chases 4,000 From Their Homes
Sheep fire forced thousands of residents to evacuate the mountaintop town of Wrightwood about 130km (80 miles) east of Los Angeles, according to state officials.
Having blackened 7,500 acres since Saturday, the blaze reached the outskirts of Wrightwood, a scenic resort town of 4,000 in the San Gabriel Mountains.
The blazed has destroyed at least 5 structures, but officials said they they could most probably save the town. The cause of the fire is still unknown/ undisclosed.
The fire containment, as of posting, was 20%.
Photo: Smoke rises Saturday evening over the San Bernardino Mountains. Credit: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times. Image may be subject to copyright.
Details of Sheep Fire:
- Incident Type: Wildfire
- Cause: Under Investigation
- Date of Origin: Saturday October 3, 2009 02:11 PM PCT
- Location: Between Lytle Creek & Lone Pine Canyons
Current Situation:
- Total Personnel: 936
- Size: 7,500 acres
- Percent Contained: 20%
- Fuels Involved: Chaparral and timber
- Fire Behavior: Extreme fire behavior with rapid rates of spread, fire is fuel, topography, and wind driven
- Significant Events: Numerous helitankers and fixed wing air tankers dropped water and retardant on the fire yesterday and back fires were set to protect homes at the eastern edge of Wrightwood. The fire has not crossed Hwy 138 or Hwy 2 at this time.
Outlook:
- Planned Actions: Crews are constructing direct fireline and numerous engine strike teams are in place for structure protection for the eastern portions of Wrightwood.
- Growth Potential: Extreme
- Terrain Difficulty: Extreme
Remarks:
- The Forest Service is in unified command with San Bernardino County Fire and the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. Resources assigned to the fire are:
- 24 handcrews,
- 80 engines,
- 4 dozers,
- 7 water tenders,
- 6 helicopters and
- 9 airtankers (including the DC-10 and the Martin Mars).
Evacuations:
- All residents of Wrightwood are under a mandatory evacuation. Mandatory evacuations remain for residents in Swarthout and Lone Pine Canyons, Hwy 138 between I-15 and Hess Road, and residents on the east side of Lytle Creek Road including Applewhite Campground and Mountain Lakes Resort. Road Closures: Hwy 2, Hwy 138 between I-15 and Hwy 2, Lone Pine Canyon Road, Lytle Creek Road. Lytle Creek road is open to residents only.
Current Weather
- Wind Conditions: 19 mph SW
- Temperature: 45 degrees F
- Humidity: 45%
- Source: InciWeb
Incident Overview [from InciWeb]
The Sheep Fire started near Sheep Canyon Road near Lytle Creek at about 2:11 pm on Saturday October 3, 2009. It burned northeast to Swarthout Canyon Road, then northwest up Lone Pine Canyon. It is currently burning near the top of Lone Pine Canyon near Wrightwood, CA. It has not crossed Hwy 138 at this time. The fire is about 1/4 mile from Hwy 2 and homes in the area. Firefighters are cautiously optimistic at this time about keeping the fire from burning into Wrightwood. Numerous helitankers and fixed wing air tankers dropped water and retardant on the fire yesterday and back fires were set to protect homes at the eastern edge of Wrightwood. Engines are also continuing to do structure protection and hand crews are constructing fire line.
Mandatory evacuations are still in place for all Wrightwood, Swarthout Canyon, Lone Pine Canyon, and areas along Hwy 138 between I-15 and Hess Road. Mandatory evacuations also remain in place for the following areas in Lytle Creek: Applewhite Campground, Applewhite Picnic Area, and areas east of Lytle Creek Road up to and including Mountain Lakes RV Park. Evacuation Centers are located at Eisenhower High School in Rialto and at Victorville Fairgrounds. Small animals can be taken to the Devore Animal Shelter. Large and small animals may be taken to the Victorville Fairgrounds.
Related Links:
Posted in airtankers, Applewhite Campground, fire containment, Lone Pine Canyons, Sheep Fire and Silence of the Lamb, Swarthout, Victorville Fairgrounds | Tagged: LA fires, Lone Pine Canyons, Lytle Creek, San Bernardino Mountains, San Gabriel Mountains, Sheep fire, SoCal Fires, Wrightwood fire | 2 Comments »
Posted by feww on September 25, 2009
Image of the Day: ‘Guiberson Volcano’
A ridge of fire works its way through Grimes Canyon toward Fillmore, Calif., on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2009. (AP Photo/John Lazar). Image may be subject to copyright.
More dry, hot weather; more red-flag warnings!
The three-day, 16,400-acre Guiberson fire in Ventura County, which has so far cost about $3.5 to tackle, no longer poses a threat to Moorpark, Somis and other communities on its southern edge, the authorities said.
The National Weather Service has extended red-flag warnings for many areas in Los Angeles and Ventura counties until 9:00 PM Saturday because they expect dry, hot weather to continue.
Today’s temperatures stayed high throughout the region, reaching a high of 105 in Riverside, 103 in Anaheim, 102 in Pasadena, 100 in downtown Los Angeles, 98 in Santa Ana, and 97 in Long Beach.
Fire officials sent hand crews up into the hills to carve firebreaks on the northeastern and western flanks of the 27-square-mile fire, said Ventura County Fire spokesman Bill Nash. The blaze was 65 percent surrounded and about 2,750 personnel were assigned to the fire Friday. —AP
“We have an army of firefighters on the fire right now,” AP reported Nash as saying.
The LA Times reporter was more modest and put the number at “more than 1,800.”
The Station Fire is now at 98% containment, the fire authorities reported.
Related Links:
Posted in LA County fire, lava, red-flag warnings, Santa Ana winds, Station Fire | Tagged: Calif Fire, guiberson fire, Moorpark, SoCal Fires, Somis, ventura county fire, volcanic eruption | Leave a Comment »
Posted by feww on September 23, 2009
3, 2, 1, Action: SoCal fires are using the same ‘template’ as the US unending wars
SoCal: New Bull Crap Fires Rage on!
A new blaze in the hills of Ventura County NW of Los Angeles has spread to nearly 7,000 acres moving towards the city of Moorpark.
An early snap of Guiberson Fire. About 150 fire crew were reportedly tackling the blaze, which broke out in Ventura County between the towns of Fillmore and Moorpark, Tuesday morning. Photo: KABC. Image may be subject to copyright.
The fire, named Guiberson Fire, has “torched oil fields and threatened homes,” according to a report, though it’s not known how many structures are threatened.
The Guiberson fire threatens homes, ranches and farmland, among other structures, Bill Nash of the Ventura County Fire Department said. The Ventura County sheriff has reportedly called for voluntary evacuations in rural sections of Moorpark which includes a number of ranches, he said.
According to Nash several pipelines run below the brush-covered fields, though he’s unsure as to how many.
“Air tankers including a DC-10 jumbo jet and big helitankers bombarded the flames with retardant and water while hundreds of firefighters worked on the ground.” Another report said.
Another fire broke out in Riverside County, 40 miles east of Los Angeles, and burned from the city of Riverside into the city of Norco and toward adjacent Corona. Norco Fire Chief Jack Frye said the 120- to 150-acre fire was up to 60 percent contained and no homes had been lost despite gusts up to 45 mph.
Pile it on fire
LA Times quoted the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department as saying that the fire had started through “manure spontaneous combustion from a local ranch.”
Officials did not disclose exactly where the fire started or how. But spontaneous manure fires are fairly common in farm communities, often occurring during conditions of extreme heat. Temperatures around where today’s fire started near Fillmore topped 100 degrees, with wind gusts topping 50 mph.
Related Links:
- Calif Fires 2009 – Part 2 ‘We’re Watching You!’ [includes entries up to September 22, 2009]
- California Fires 09 – Part 3 ‘Pile on the Manure, Sheriff!’ [for entries dated after September 22, 2009]
Posted in bushfires, corporate arson fires, forest fires, Riverside County, Riverside fire | Tagged: bull crap fires, guiberson fire, los angeles fires, manure spontaneous combustion, Norco blaze, SoCal Fires, spontaneous manure fire, ventura county fire | Leave a Comment »
Posted by feww on September 9, 2009
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:
Posted in Angeles Crest Highway, Fire Industry, La Canada Flintridge, Lake Napa, Oasis fire, Sonoma | Tagged: calif fires 2009, Calif Fires Forecast, Corporate Arsonists, corporate arsons, SoCal Fires, Station Fire | Leave a Comment »
Posted by feww on September 4, 2009
Breaking News: Station fire arson; homicide investigation underway
“No-Good” for “Lifestyle” and fires cost too much to “fight!”
A [Neanderthal ] took up residence [in SoCal], dug a cellar [deep inside the forest] and built a log house on top of it; paved up large tracts of the forest and mountainside and bought two cars. After 20 years he decided SoCal was no good for living, for most of his forest had gone, the water table had dropped by 8 yards and he didn’t have enough water to spare the fish [and the cost of ‘fighting’ the fires had become unaffordable.] —Adapted from My Life, My Trees, by Richard St. Barbe Baker [Quoted by EDRO]
Station Fire 38% Contained
This UPDATE was posted on September 3, 2009 at 5:32 PM PDT (September 4, 2009 at 00:32 UTC)
Some 4,735 fire crew have contained about 38 % of the Station Fire, estimated at 144,743 acres.
Five other fires are still burning in SoCal:
- Oak Glen 3 (San Bernardino Unit, Cal Fire): 1,159 acres at 75 percent contained. This fire is four miles north of San Bernardino. Minimal fire activity was reported.
- Morris (Angeles National Forest): 2,168 acres at 95 percent contained. This fire is five miles north of Azusa.
- Big Meadow (Yosemite National Park): 6,283 acres at 60 percent contained. This fire is two miles northeast of El Portal. Structures remain threatened and roads are closed. Precipitation fell on the fire yesterday.
- Pendleton (San Bernardino Unit, Cal Fire): 860 acres at 95 percent contained. This fire is burning two miles east of Yucaipa. Fire activity was minimal.
- Red Rock (Klamath National Forest): 1,382 acres at 90 percent contained. This fire is 15 miles west of Fort Jones. Minimal fire activity was reported.
Year-to-date statistics:
Fires: 65,483; Acres: 5,459,428
10-year average
Fires: 62,862; Acres: 5,754,861
Cost of fighting “wildfires?”
(CALFIRE Budget)
1998/9: $44 million
2008/9: Just under $1.7 billion
2009/10: $2.0 billion (?)
A rise of more than 45 folds!
Problem with SoCal:
“No-Good” for “Lifestyle” and fires cost too much to “fight!”
SoCal Fires: “Nothing personal; it’s just business, folks!”
External Links:
Related FEWW Link:
Posted in Angeles National Forest, Azusa, california water table, Klamath National Forest, Oak Glen 3, Station Fire, Yosemite National Park | Tagged: CalFire, calfire budget, California Fires, cost of fighting fire, SoCal Fires, Yucaipa | Leave a Comment »
Posted by feww on September 1, 2009
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
Related Links and Previous Entries:
Posted in Big Tujunga Canyon, Foresta Community, Glendale, La Canada Flintridge, Mariposa County, Mount Wilson Communications Facilities, Station Fire, Yosemite National Park fire | Tagged: Angeles National Forest, calif fires 2009, Cottonwood Fire, Mount Wilson Observatory, NASA JPL, Pacheco Fire, Red Rock Fire, Rudy Gilson, SoCal Blazes, SoCal Fires, Tedmund Hall, Tujunga Canyon | Leave a Comment »
Posted by feww on August 30, 2009
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:
Posted in Altadena, Big Tujunga Canyon, Foresta Community, Glendale, La Canada Flintridge, Mariposa County, Mount Wilson Communications Facilities, Station Fire, Yosemite National Park fire | Tagged: Angeles Crest Highway, Angeles National Forest, Big Meadow Fire, calif fires 2009, Cottonwood Fire, Gloria Fire, Mount Wilson Observatory, NASA JPL, Pacheco Fire, Red Rock Fire, SoCal Blazes, SoCal Fires, Tujunga Canyon | Leave a Comment »
Posted by msrb on November 18, 2008
Don’t Buy the Official Story!
You are being shafted by the fire industry!
A distraught Joan Kezios, 78, waits to hear about the fate of her home at Sylmar’s Oakridge Mobile Home Park. (Photo: Anne Cusack/Los Angeles Times). Image may be subject to copyright.
Because cars are made that way!
Imagine being told by a car salesman that the car he wants you to buy is a fine car, but you mustn’t drive it faster than 20 mph because its breaks would fail. AND it’s also liable to roll over if driven without a passenger in the front seat. Why? Because the manufacturers design their cars that way!
Would you seriously consider buying the car? Moreover, would you buy the salesman’s story about the car manufacturers designing their cars that way?
IF you don’t buy the salesman’s story about the ‘freaky’ cars and their crazy manufacturers, how could you buy the official story that the massive damage caused by SoCal fires every year is inevitable?
It’s time SoCal residents held state officials responsible for the pain and damage caused by the fires!
Related Links:
Posted in brush fires, Mayor Villaraigosa, Montecito, Orange county, wild fires | Tagged: LA fires, Schwarzenegger, SoCal Fires, Sylmar Fire, Tea Fire | Leave a Comment »
Posted by feww on November 17, 2008
Image of the Day: Mounting Costs of SoCal Fires Blaze the Coffers
Major damage from SoCal fires can be prevented for just a fraction of what it costs to ‘fight’ the fires
A firefighter removes a scorched American flag as he works to contain a wildfire fuelled by strong winds in the Sylmar area of Los Angeles November 15, 2008. A fast-moving wildfire in suburban Los Angeles is a threat to the city’s power supply, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said on Saturday. REUTERS/Phil McCarten. Image may be subject to copyright.
Related Links:
Posted in Diamond Bar, Orange County fire, San Bernardino, Southland fires, Sylmar Fire | Tagged: Mayor Villaraigosa, Schwarzenegger, Shock and Awe fires, Snoop Dogg, SoCal Fires | 3 Comments »
Posted by feww on November 16, 2008
Southland Fires: ‘Designed’ for rapid dominance
Tell Schwarzenegger major damage from big fires is preventable!
As if designed by the same neocon gang who advised Pentagon on the Iraqi invasion, the ‘shock and awe’ Southland fires left behind a trail of destruction, burning hundreds of structures and forcing tens of thousands of people to flee their homes.
Baghdad after the 2003 “Shock and Awe” campaign? No, the destruction path blazed by Tea fire in Montecito November 14, 2008. (Photo: Rick Loomis/Los Angeles Times). Image may be subject to copyright.
The Southland fires were fundamentally intelligent, politically bullying, democratically inclined, technically shape-shifting and above all demanding. They demand lots of “respect” [Syn: Money.]
As if a game of chess played by the world’s top 10 players, they maneuvered through the neighborhoods, wrong footed all concerned, destroyed properties and checkmated thousands of residents. The trail of destruction spanned neighborhoods from Orange County to Santa Barbara.
Some of the fire-related stats:
- More than 30,000 people were ordered to evacuate their homes
- Interstate 5 and the 91 and 71 Freeways, were closed down.
- About 800 mobile homes were destroyed in a a community in Sylmar.
- Some 100 houses and apartments were damaged or destroyed in Riverside and Orange counties.
A fire in Corona, Riverside County, named the Freeway Complex fire damaged or destroyed up to 100 homes in Corona then crept through Ana Canyon into Orange County, destroying or damaging about 50 homes in Yorba Linda. The fire then spread to Anaheim Hills, consuming 70 homes and 60 apartments. The fire blackened about 80 sq km.
Total acreage consumed: 6,000 acres by Saturday night [ was just 5% contained.]
Sayre fire in Sylmar, which started Friday night, swept through the Oakridge Mobile Home Park destroying at least 500 housing units. By Saturday night It had spread over at least 8,000 acres.
Tea fire which destroyed 111 homes and threatened 1,500 others, was about 40% contained by Saturday night.
Schwarzenegger who toured the area devastated by Tea fire said: “When you walk around the area that was destroyed, it looks like hell.”
He declared a state of emergency in Los Angeles and Orange counties, following similar declaration for Santa Barbara County. Schwarzenegger said: “I feel awful for the people whose homes were destroyed.”
Major damage from all fires are preventable!
Well, Gov. Schwarzenegger instead of feeling so awful, lets do something about it. Let’s get an independent report on how to prevent property damage from most of these fires. Here are some hints on what to look for:
- The average per acre cost of clearing bushes and shrubs in SoCal’s fire prone areas (the Moderators will tell you if the cost is exaggerated.)
- Total acreage of the strategic locations that need to be regularly cleared to prevent 99% of the fire damage from occurring. (Again, the Moderators would scream blue murder, if the numbers are too high, or too low).
Related News Links and Update:
Related Links:
Posted in Orange county, Santa Barbara, Schwarzenegger, Southland fires, Yorba Linda | Tagged: Shock and Awe, SoCal Fires, Sylmar Fire, Tea Fire, Ventura County | 3 Comments »
Posted by msrb on October 24, 2008
submitted by a reader
Sepulveda Pass brush fire closed 405 Freeway for several hours
400 firefighters and nine water-dropping helicopters took 8 hrs to extinguish 100-acre Sepulveda Pass brush fire
Sepulveda Pass brush fire was the mother of all brush fires of late. It must have been. It took 32 firefighter-hours to extinguish each acre [one acre is about 4,047 m².] In other words, it took each firefighter an average of one hour to extinguish an area measuring about 11.25 x 11.25 meters (12.3 x 12.3 yards, or 1,361 ft²), about 7.7 full-size car spaces (20′ x 8′ parallel parking, one-way aisle – Off-Street Parking Design Standards, San Jose, California).
And of course nine water-dropping helicopters from the city and Los Angeles County helped douse the flames with their massive loads.
How long will a tumbleweed take to burn out?
A helicopter drops water as drivers make their way over the Sepulveda Pass on the 405 Freeway. An early-morning brush fire temporarily closed the interstate. Photo: Gus Ruelas/Associated Press. Image may be subject to copyright. See Fair Use Notice.
Sepulveda Pass brush fire was also a very intelligent fire! It started at about 12.50 am trying to catch the brave firefighters off guard. The fire started west of Interstate 405 in Los Angeles and crept toward the Getty Museum, a college, a cultural center as well as some of the most expensive homes in SoCal.
This was a fire to capture the attention of the well-heeled, grabbing their private parts so that their hearts and minds would follow, softening the attitude of anyone [without a wild imagination ] who might have doubted the seriousness and prevalence of California fires. This was a fire with a message for the wealthy elite [who didn’t strike it rich through the fire industry] and lawmakers alike: No amount of money, not even a zillion dollars, is too much to pay to fight the flames.
Can you imagine, god forbid, the Getty Museum going up in smoke because there wasn’t enough money to fight the flames?
Call it Sepulveda Pass brush fire, if you must, but this brush fire was no ordinary fire. It had blood from the severed head of Khartoum splashed all over it!
An excerpt from Brush Fire Burns 100 Acres near The Getty Center
Date: Thursday, October 23, 2008 at 12:51 AM,
- 69 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters,
- 7 LAFD Rescue Ambulances,
- 1 Heavy Rescue, 4 Arson Units,
- 3 Rehab Units,
- 8 Helicopters,
- 7 EMS Battalion Captains,
- 16 Battalion Chief Officer Command Teams,
- 2 Division Chief Officer Command Teams,
- LAFD Dozers, [unspecified numbers]
- Water Tenders, [unspecified numbers]
- Mobile Command Post,
- 2 CERT Team Coordinators,
and companies from
- Los Angeles County,
- Orange County and
- State Office of Emergency Services Fire Departments
all under the direction of Assistant Chief Craig Fry responded to a Major Emergency Brush Fire at the South Bound 405 Freeway near Getty Center Dr. in Bel Air.
Related Links:
Posted in brush fire, Fire Service, I 405, Khartoum blood, Sepulveda Pass | Tagged: Calif Fires Forecast, Calif ring of fire, Getty Museum, LA fires, SoCal Fires | 5 Comments »
Posted by feww on October 15, 2008
California: Playing with fire!
“Once again, we are facing the perfect storm of high winds, low humidity and high heat,” said Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Wildfires have consumed 26,000 acres and 64 structures [and many mobile homes] from Los Angeles to the Mexican border in the last few days, Schwarzenegger said.
[This bag and my son is all I ever needed!] – Maria Ramirez runs through a police closure to get her son from their home as the Marek fire threatens houses in Lake View Terrace. October 13, 2008. Photo: Al Seib/Los Angeles Times. Image may be subject to copyright.
- Marek fire was more than 50% contained.
- Sesnon fire, doubled in size overnight to about 10,000 acres, is still burning in a southwesterly direction.
- Villaraigosa signed a local emergency declaration to receive state and federal disaster assistance.
The Sky Terrace Mobile Lodge in the northeast San Fernando Valley suffered significant damage to residences and structure from the Marek fire. October 13, 2008. Photo: Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times. Image may be subject to copyright.
Related Links:
Posted in air pollution, mandatory evacuation, Marek Fire, state of emergency, Villaraigosa | Tagged: Los Angeles, Mexican border, Schwarzenegger, Sesnon fire, SoCal Fires | Leave a Comment »
Fire Earth 