Explosive Wildfire Destroys Dozens of Structures, Threatens Hundreds More in N. Calif

Ponderosa Fire consumes 2,500 acres in hours

Ponderosa Fire Incident Information [Cal Fire]
Last Updated: August 30, 2017 9:09 am
Date/Time Started: August 29, 2017 1:16 pm
County: Butte County
Location: Ponderosa way and Lumpkin road, 2 miles NW of Forbestown, about 80 miles north of Sacramento
Acres Burned – Containment: 2,500 acres  – UNCONTAINED
Structures Threatened: 800
Structures Destroyed: 10 residences and 20 outbuildings destroyed, 5 residences and 10 outbuildings damaged

Evacuations: Evacuation Order and Evacuation Warning

US Wildfires

National Interagency Coordination Center
Incident Management Situation Report
Wednesday, August 30, 2017 – 05:30 MT

National Preparedness Level – 5  (on a scale from 1 to 5)

Number of new large fires: 12
Number of active large fires: 59
[Total does not include individual fires within complexes]

States currently reporting large fires: California (9), Colorado (1), Idaho (5), Montana (18), Nevada (3), Oregon (15), Utah (1), Washington (6), Wyoming (1)

Total Active Fires: 110
Cumulative Acres: 845,682
Crews: 481
Engines: 1,116
Helicopters: 167
Total Personnel: 20,924

Fires Year-to-Date: 45,981
Acres Year-to-Date: 6,851,908

Ten Year Average (2007 – 2016 as of today)
Fires: 49,011
Acres: 5,248,077

Canada Fires and Hectares
FIRES YEAR – TO – DATE: 4,837

HECTARES YEAR – TO – DATE:  2,968,679 [7,332,637 acres]

 

Large Wildfires Burning Across Nine U.S. States

US Wildfires Burn 590,592 Acres

National Preparedness Level: 5
[Friday, August 18, 2017 –05:30 MT]

Active Incident Resource Summary

No of Fires: 106
Cumulative Acres: 590,592
Crews: 487
Engines: 899
Helicopters: 172
Total Personnel: 19,761

TOTAL FIRES: 42,235
TOTAL ACRES: 6,371,233

Ten Year Average Fires (2007 – 2016 as of today): 46,311
Ten Year Average Acres (2007 – 2016 as of today): 4,735,053

States Currently Reporting Large Fires: Alaska, Arizona, California, Florida, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming.

Source: NIFC

 

Wildfires Threaten Energy Infrastructure, Numerous Structures in US, Canada

UPDATED

Mass evacuations ordered as wildfires threaten numerous buildings, consume 100s of thousands of acres in US, Canada

Sunday, July 9, 2017

Initial attack activity: Moderate 230 new fires
New large incidents: 20
Large fires contained: 9
Uncontained large fires: 50

Active Incident Resource Summary
Total fires: 100
Cumulative acres: 723,737.28
Crews: 337
Engines: 920
Helicopters: 121
Personnel: 13,462

Fires and Acres Year-to-Date

TOTAL FIRES: 32,494
TOTAL ACRES: 3,372,927

Ten Year Average (2007 – 2016 as of today)

Fires: 35,242
Acres: 2,508,108

Prescribed Fires and Acres Year-to-Date

TOTAL FIRES: 61,096
TOTAL ACRES: 2,873,111

Canada

Canada Fires and Hectares
FIRES YEAR-TO-DATE: 1,904
HECTARES YEAR-TO-DATE: 276,677 (683,392.19 acres)

Fires Threatening Energy Infrastructure, Homes; Forcing Mass Evacuations

Great Basin (PL 4)
New fires: 44
New large incidents: 10
Uncontained large fires: 20

Draw Fire. Fifty miles east of Fallon, NV. Extreme fire behavior. Structures threatened. Evacuations and road closures in effect. Energy infrastructure threatened. Sage – grouse habitat threatened.

Barrett Springs Fire. Eight miles west of Winnemucca. Extreme fire behavior. Structures threatened.

Aspen, Truckee Meadows Fire . Eighteen miles northeast of Reno, NV. Active fire behavior. Structures threatened. Evacuations, road and area closures in effect. Sage-grouse habitat threatened.

Winnemucca Ranch, Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District. Started on private land 15 miles north of Reno, NV. Brush and short grass. Numerous structures threatened.

Earthstone Fire. Started on private land five miles northeast of Sparks, NV. Structures threatened.

Brianhead Fire. One mile north of Brian Head, UT. Numerous residences threatened. Evacuations, road, area and trail closures in effect. Sage-grouse habitat threatened.

Taber Flat Fire. Sixteen miles west of Wells, NV. Brush and tall grass. Residences threatened. Sage-grouse habitat threatened.

Dry Gulch Fire. Twenty-three miles southeast of Jackpot, NV. Structures threatened.

Iron Point Fire. Nine miles east of Golconda, NV. Extreme fire behavior. Structures threatened. Evacuations and road closures in effect. Sage-grouse habitat threatened.

Limbo Fire. Seventeen miles south of Gerlach, NV. Extreme fire behavior. Sage-grouse habitat threatened.

Coyote Fire. Twelve miles southwest of Park Valley, UT. Active fire behavior. Structures threatened. Sage-grouse habitat threatened.

Potosi Fire. Twenty-eight miles southwest of Las Vegas, NV. Numerous structures threatened. Reduction in acreage due to more accurate mapping.

White Horse Fire. Thirty-two miles southwest of Wendover, NV. Sage-grouse habitat threatened.

Limerick Fire. Twelve miles northeast of Lovelock, NV. Residences threatened. Sage-grouse habitat threatened.

Happy Creek. Forty miles southeast of Orvada, NV. Extreme fire behavior Structures threatened. Sage-grouse habitat threatened.

Southwest Area (PL 4)
New fires: 36
New large incidents: 2
Uncontained large fires: 7

Roach Fire. One mile from Dudleyville, AZ. Extreme fire behavior. Numerous structures threatened. Evacuations and road closures in effect.

Brooklyn Fire. Twenty-five miles northwest of Cave Creek, AZ. Active fire behavior with running. Energy infrastructure threatened.

Burro Fire. Eight miles northeast of Tucson, AZ. Numerous structures threatened. Evacuations, road and area closures in effect.

Hilltop Fire. Twenty-four miles west of Whiteriver, AZ. Road closures in effect.

Frye Fire. Nine miles west of Swift Trail Junction, AZ. Numerous structures threatened. Road, area and trail closures in effect.

Tiffany Fire. Thirty miles south of Socorro, NM. Structures threatened.

Elk Horn Fire. Nineteen miles southeast of Sells, AZ. Structures threatened.

Goodwin Fire. Eight miles southwest of Mayer, AZ. Numerous residences threatened. Road, area and trail closures in effect.

Southern California Area

New Fires:39
New large incidents: 2
Uncontained large fires: 4

Alamo Fire. Eight miles northeast of Santa Maria, CA. Extreme fire behavior. Numerous structures threatened. Evacuations in effect. (NIFC)

Whittier Fire. Eleven miles northeast of Goleta, CA. Chaparral and brush. Extreme fire behavior. Numerous residences threatened. Evacuations, road, area and trail closures in effect

Schaeffer Fire. Seventeen miles north of Kernville, CA. Structures threatened. Road, area and trail closures in effect.

Parkfield Fire. Three miles east of San Miguel, CA. Road closures in effect.

Quail Complex Fire. Nine miles southeast of McFarland, CA. Structures threatened. Road closures in effect.

Rocky Mountain Area (PL 3)
New Fires: 12
New large incidents: 2
Uncontained large fires: 7

Keystone Fire. Thirty-five miles southwest of Laramie, WY. Structures threatened. Evacuations, road, area and trail closures in effect.

Peekaboo Fire. Forty-four miles northwest of Maybell, CO. Structures threatened. Road and trail closures in effect. Sage-grouse habitat threatened.

Peak 2 Fire. Two miles south of Frisco, CO. Numerous structures threatened. Road, area and trail closures in effect.

Mill Creek Fire. Thirteen miles northeast of Hayden, CO. Road closures in effect.

Chain Fire. Fourteen miles east of Worland, WY. Extreme fire behavior. Sage-grouse habitat threatened.

Northern California Area
New Fires: 33
Uncontained large fires: 3

Wall fire. Eight miles southeast of Oroville, CA. Numerous residences threatened. Evacuations, road and area closures in effect.

Northern Rockies Area (PL 2)
New Fires: 28
New large incidents: 1
Uncontained large fires: 3

Witten Fire. Eighteen miles south of Lame Deer, MT. Extreme fire behavior.

July Fire. One mile southwest of Zortman, MT. Structures threatened. Road and area closures in effect.

Lee Creek Fire. Started on Forest Service land 25 miles southwest of Ashland, MT. Extreme fire behavior. Structures threatened.

Magpie Fire. Twenty-eight miles northeast of Beach, MT. Extreme fire behavior.

Northwest Area (PL 2)
New Fires: 11
New large incidents: 2
Uncontained large fires: 5

Coyote Creek Fire. Four miles east Yakima, WA. Residences threatened.

Dry Creek Fire. Six miles north of Husum, WA. Structures threatened. Road closures in effect.

Rattlesnake Hills Fire. One mile south of Moxee, WA. Residences threatened.

Alaska Area (PL 2)
New Fires: 3

Boulder Creek Fire. Started on FWS land sixty-six miles southeast of Artic Village, AK. Structures threatened.

Campbell River Fire. Started on FWS land 65 miles northeast of Chalkyitsik, AK. Structures threatened.

[Source: NIFC]

US National Debt and Wildfire Stats

National Debt of United States, as at Thursday, 29 June 2017, 17:22 UTC:

$ 19,892,741,305,482

Interest per Year: $442,565,594,766
Interest per Second: $14,034
Debt as % of GDP: 106.52%
GDP: $18,675,300,000,000
Population: 324,352,551
Debt per Citizen: $61,331
[http://www.nationaldebtclocks.org/debtclock/unitedstates]

US Wildfire Stats

National Preparedness Level 3 (June 28 at 2:00 pm MDT – on a scale from 1 to 5)

June 29, 2017. The National Multi-agency Coordinating Group at NIFC raised the national preparedness level to PL3 yesterday due to an increase in large fire activity, incident management team mobilizations, and resources commitments in multiple geographic areas.

Nine new large fires were reported. Arizona, California, Washington, New Mexico, Idaho and Nevada all have multiple large fires. Several of them are threatening homes and officials have evacuated residents. More than 8,400 firefighters and support personnel are assigned to wildfires across the country.

Daily statistics 6/29/17
Number of new large fires: 9
Number of active large fires: 29
Total number includes full suppression and resource managed fires.
Total does not include individual fires within complexes.

Acres from active fires: 207,345

11 States currently reporting large fires:
Alaska (1)
Arizona (5)
California (5)
Florida (1)
Idaho (3)
New Mexico (4)
Nevada (3)
Oregon (1)
Texas (1)
Utah (1)
Washington (4)

Year-to-date statistics 2017 (1/1/17 – 6/29/17)
Fires: 29,613
Acres: 2,768,931

Annual average prior 10 years [2006-2016]
Fires: 31,998
Acres: 1,966,971

[www.nifc.gov]

Wildfires Burning in AK, AR, CA, FL, ID, MT, NV, NM, OR, WA

U.S. Wildfires: 14 Large fires burning across 5 states

• Alaska (4)
• California (3)
• Montana (3)
• Oregon (2)
• Washington (2)

Year-to-date statistics 2015 (1/1/15 – 7/23/15)
Fires: 34,115
Acres: 5,583,190

Annual average prior 10 years (2005-2014)
Fires: 43,894
Acres: 3,569,966

Evacuation and Fire Updates

• Reynolds Creek Fire
• Blue Creek Fire Wildfire: Evacuation Levels as of 07/24/15 at 7:00pm
• Cabin Gulch Fire – Deep Creek Canyon, Eastern Montana
• California Wragg Fire (FM-5091)
• Shasta-Trinity National Forest Fire Update
• Tanana Are Fires Update 7/24/2015
• Modoc NF Lightning Fires 2015
• Rye Fire, Joseph Canyon, Oregon – Update
• All other Updates

Mountain Fire: State of Emergency Declared in Riverside County

Mountain Fire grows to about 30,000 acres

California’s Lieutenant Governor has issued an emergency proclamation for Riverside County in response to Mountain Fire, a massive wildfire that has destroyed residences and threatens thousands of homes and commercial properties forcing mass evacuations evacuations.

Mountain Fire has grown to 27,179 acres and remains at 15% containment as of Friday p.m. and more than 6,000 people have already been evacuated.

Additional Evacuation Orders/ Warning/ Notices

• The Riverside County Sheriff in cooperation with Idyllwild Fire Protection District has issued an evacuation notice for the Idyllwild and Fern Valley area. This does not include Mountain Center and Poppet Flats.
• This evacuation notice also includes the San Jacinto State Park Wilderness, Forest Service Wilderness and Forest Service Campgrounds.
• An Evacuation Warning was issued for the community of Pine Cove just before noon on July 19, 2013.

Campground and Trail Closures:

The Pacific Crest Trail is now closed from Highway 74 (mile 152) to Strawberry Junction (mile 183) near the San Jacinto State Park boundary. All of the trails connection to the Pacific Crest Trail are closed as well, including South Ridge Trail, Carumba Trail, Spitler Peak Trail, Fobes Trail, and Cedar Springs.

All Forest Service Campgrounds located along Highway 243 are closed, The San Jacinto State Park is closed, and the San Jacinto Wilderness is closed.

Hurkey Creek County Campground, and all hiking and mountain biking trails out of Hurkey Creek and May Valley are closed.

Road Closures and Evacuations:

Evacuations orders for Trails End, Morris Ranch, and Camp Joe Scherman have been lifted as of 1:00 P.M. on July 20, 2013. Evacuation orders are still in effect for Idyllwild and Fern Valley. An Evacuation Warning also remains in place for the community of Pine Cove.

Closures have been lifted for Highway 74. Please be advised that fire crews and apparatus will still be working in the area; proceed with care for their safety and yours. Highway 243 is under a hard closure south of Pine Cove at the Nature Center to the junction of Highway 74. Residents have been allowed to return to the Apple Canyon and Bonita Vista areas.

Camp Ronald McDonald has been voluntarily evacuated due to health concerns related to air quality.

Evacuation Centers:

Hemet High School, 41701 E. Stetson Ave, Hemet

Hamilton High School, 57430 Mitchell Road, Anza – Can accept small animals

Beaumont High School, 39139 Cherry Valley Blvd., Cherry Valley

Large and Small animals can be brought to the San Jacinto Animal Shelter, 581 S. Grand Ave, San Jacinto CA

Mountain fire continues to rage in the San Jacinto Mountains

The full text of the emergency proclamation is below:

A PROCLAMATION OF A STATE OF EMERGENCY

WHEREAS a wildfire started on July 15, 2013, and continues to burn in Riverside County; and

WHEREAS the fire has burned over 24,000 acres, destroyed homes and commercial properties, and is threatening thousands of other residences and scores of other commercial properties, necessitating the evacuation of residents, and the opening of emergency shelters; and

WHEREAS on July 18, 2013, Riverside County proclaimed a local emergency and requested that I proclaim a state of emergency; and

WHEREAS the circumstances of this wildfire, by reason of their magnitude, are or are likely to be beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment and facilities of any single county, city and county, or city and require the combined forces of a mutual aid region or regions to combat; and

WHEREAS under the provisions of section 8558(b) of the California Government Code, I find that conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property exists within the County of Riverside due to these events.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GAVIN NEWSOM, Lieutenant Governor of the State of California, in accordance with the authority vested in me by the State Constitution and statutes, including the California Emergency Services Act, and in particular, section 8625 of the California Government Code, HEREBY PROCLAIM A STATE OF EMERGENCY to exist within Riverside County.

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT all agencies of the state government utilize and employ state personnel, equipment, and facilities for the performance of any and all activities consistent with the direction of the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services and the State Emergency Plan.

I FURTHER DIRECT that as soon as hereafter possible, this proclamation be filed in the Office of the Secretary of State and that widespread publicity and notice be given of this proclamation.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of California to be affixed this 19th day of July, 2013.

Related Links

• Wildfire Forces 6,000 Residents, Visitors Flee Calif. Town July 18, 2013

• Wildfire Clears Thousands in Calif. Town
• 6,000 people under evacuation orders as winds stoke Mountain fire

Wildfire Forces 6,000 Residents, Visitors Flee Calif. Town

Fierce, fast-moving wildfire turns on Calif. town, surrounding communities

At least 6,000 people were under mandatory evacuation Wednesday night as a massive wildfire exploded out of control in mountain terrain SW of Palm Springs.

The so-called Mountain fire has already consumed about 20,000 acres and destroyed 15 structures including at least 6 homes.

Mandatory evacuations were issued as a wind shift pushed the massive Mountain fire toward the resort town of Idyllwild.

At least 2,200 homes were evacuated and 4,100 residences including hotels, condominiums and cabins were threatened, said Forest Service spokeswoman Melody Lardner.

Large amounts of smoke and ash from the fire has prompted the authorities to issue a smoke advisory for multiple areas including Hemet, San Jacinto Valley, Banning Pass, Anza and the Coachella Valley.

The blaze is burning in the San Jacinto Mountains about 12 miles from the site of the 2006 Esperanza fire that destroyed 34 homes and five U.S. Forest Service fire crews, AP reported.

Timelapse of “Mountain Fire” near Idyllwild/San Jacinto wilderness

“Mountain Fire” in the San Jacintos destroys homes

Related Links

• Wildfire Clears Thousands in Calif. Town
• 6,000 people under evacuation orders as winds stoke Mountain fire

Wildfires Prompt Evacuations in CA, MT

Hundreds evacuated as wildfires threaten dozens of homes in Calif. and Mont.

A raging wildfire in rural Riverside County has forced the evacuation of dozens of  homes.

The fast moving blaze broke out Monday p.m. in the community of Mountain Center between Palm Springs and Hemet, and devoured 1,000 acres within hours, damaging or destroying a number of structures.

The blaze was 5 percent contained, as of posting, with more than 400 state and federal fire crews at the scene.

Mandatory evacuations have been issued for the community of Bonita Vista,  Fleming Ranch and a nearby animal sanctuary, said a report.

-oOo-

West Mullan Fire, Superior, Mont.

Mandatory evacuations are in place for dozens of homed in the Flat Creek and Pardee Creek areas, reported Inciweb.

The so-called West Mullan Fire  started near Interstate 90 about two miles northwest of Superior Sunday p.m. and quickly spread to more than 700 acres in less than 24 hrs.

Thick smoke has resulted in limited visibility in Superior and along Interstate 90 in the area, said a report.

“The fire’s hitting Superior hard. The smoke is so thick in Superior, health officials closed the pool and are now urging people to stay indoors.”

Heat wave over the East will expand into the Plains by the middle of the week: NWS

A large subtropical dome of hot air will expand across the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and to the Midwest this week bringing a long duration heat wave to the area. Temperatures will soar through the 90s with heat indices well over 100 degrees. 

A large mid-level ridge centered over the Ohio Valley is responsible for the
heat wave currently across the east, and the ridge is forecast to expand westward through Wednesday. This will have the effect of increasing high temperatures past the 90 degree mark throughout most of the central and northern Plains by Wednesday.

US Weather Hazards Map – July 16, 2013. Source: NWS

Disaster Calendar – 4 June 2012

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,381 Days Left

[4 June 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,381 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History…

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

Disaster Calendar – 3 June 2012

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,382 Days Left

[3 June 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,382 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History…

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

Disaster Calendar – 2 June 2012

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,383 Days Left

[2 June 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016. SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,383 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History…

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

Disaster Calendar – 1 June 2012

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,384 Days Left

[1 June 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016. SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,384 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History…

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

Wildfire Alley

Red Flag Warnings Issued in 9 States

Extreme fire growth potential created by a combination of warm temperatures, low relative humidity and strong winds have created critical fire weather conditions prompting NWS to issue Red Flag Warnings in 9 states.

U.S. Hazards Map. Source: NWS.  Map enhanced by FIRE-EARTH.

Disaster Calendar 2012 – March 31

Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,446 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar:  Collapse has already Begun

US Wildfire Pattern Consistent with Drought

2011: The Worst Year for Wildfires?

Large parts of Alaskan (and Canadian) forests could be consumed by wildfires: FEWW forecast

US Drought Monitor

Click images to enlarge.

Temperature Forecast – 3 Months Outlook

Fire Information – National Fire News

Weather: Winds will weaken, but relative humidity will remain in the teens which will continue a heightened risk for large fire potential across New Mexico and west Texas today. Showers and thunderstorms will increase today in the southern United States. Scattered showers will continue from Washington and Oregon to Montana and Wyoming. Source

Click images to enlarge.

Source: NIFC

Related Links

• National Fire Stats Falsified?
• Denver wildfire forces evacuation of 10,000 homes
• Wildfires Wreaking Havoc Across the U.S.
• US Wildfires: 50-percent more fires than the 10 year average

• U-S Attacked by Continued Severe Weather
• Climate Forcing: Positive Feedback Mega Loop
• Global Climate Extremes INTENSIFYING

• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2011-2012 MegaDisasters
• Earth: Wounded and Feverish

• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• FEWW DISASTER FORECAST 2011
• 2011 Much More Disastrous
• 2011 SIX TIMES MORE DISASTROUS THAN 2010
• Megadisasters Loom
• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities

Fire Information

• Georgia Forestry Commission
• InciWeb
  
• Rocky Mountain Area Fire Center
• NIFC
• WILDFIRES Satellite Page