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Strong winds hit southern California, Pasadena declares state of emergency

Bill GabbertDecember 1, 2011August 25, 2019Uncategorizedweather

The predicted strong winds have hit much of southern California, at least in the far north and the Los Angeles areas. The city of Pasadena declared a local state of emergency because of downed power lines and the streets being littered with tree limbs. The mayor asked for help from Los Angeles County Public Works to help clear the streets. The city schools and libraries are closed today.

Wind speeds LA area 0943 PT 12-1-2011 — Wind gust speeds in the Los Angeles area, 9:43 a.m. PT 12-1-2011

As of 7 a.m. local time about 300,000 utility customers across Southern California were hit with power outages as the Santa Ana winds caused damage throughout the region. But the winds in San Diego County, where San Diego Gas and Electric turns off the power during periods of extreme winds, they are comparatively mild and the gusts have not yet met the the threshold for flipping the switch, according to the SDG&E site.

Here are some of the strongest wind gusts we were able to find in California:

94 mph, Mt. Elizabeth near Sonora
106 mph, Grey Butte, near Mt. Shasta
97 mph, Whitaker Peak, near Castaic Lake
72 mph, San Rafael Hills, near Glendale
83 mph, Acton

We are not aware of any fires larger than 100 acres burning in the area – yet.

The prediction is for the strong winds to continue through Friday afternoon. Below is the latest red flag warning from the National Weather Service for the Los Angeles area. (Maybe one day the NWS will fix that damned CAPS LOCK key):

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URGENT – FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOS ANGELES/OXNARD CA

1005 AM PST THU DEC 1 2011

…RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON OVER LOS ANGELES AND VENTURA COUNTIES FOR STRONG OFFSHORE WINDS AND MODERATELY LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY…

A COLD LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER ARIZONA WILL CONTINUE TO GENERATE STRONG NORTH TO NORTHEAST OFFSHORE WINDS OVER MOST OF LOS ANGELES AND VENTURA COUNTIES THROUGH MOST OF FRIDAY. PEAK SUSTAINED WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO EXCEED 40 MPH…ESPECIALLY ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE VALLEYS AND MOUNTAINS…WITH PEAK WIND GUSTS LIKELY EXCEEDING 60 MPH. THESE WINDS WILL ALSO HELP TO MAINTAIN LOW HUMIDITY READINGS…ESPECIALLY OVER THE COASTS AND VALLEYS. ALTHOUGH THESE WINDS SHOULD WEAKEN BY FRIDAY EVENING…THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR ANOTHER ROUND OF GUSTY NORTHEAST WINDS LATE SATURDAY INTO SUNDAY.

Followup on New Zealand firefighting helicopter crash – 2 fatalities

Bill GabbertDecember 1, 2011January 4, 2012Uncategorizedfatality, helicopter, lodd

There is now confirmation that the crash of the firefighting helicopter in New Zealand that Wildfire Today covered yesterday resulted in two fatalities. Initially it was known that the helicopter crashed Wednesday night into the ocean off shore from a vegetation fire, but the official status of the pilot and passenger was “missing” until divers could access the wreckage in seven to ten meters of water a few hundred meters off shore.

Below is an update, courtesy of FirefighterCloseCalls.com:

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We regret to advise you that 2 Firefighers died this morning when a helicopter operating at a wildland fire that destroyed homes in New Zealand’s North Island. The helicopter went missing late last night off the Karikari Peninsula, at the northern end of the North Island, and the wreckage was found early today. Rescue divers reached the wreckage and confirmed the two-man crew, a commercial helicopter pilot and a conservation department ranger, died in the crash. The helicopter was carrying out a reconnaissance flight over the fire when it crashed. The 2 Firefighters faced very heavy fire and smoke conditions. Pilot John de Ridder, along with Department of Conservation Ranger William Macrae, were sent to help evacuate trapped residents on the Karikari Peninsula. The Squirrel helicopter went down not far from the fire while making a reconnaissance flight over the fire which burned two homes in Matai Bay.

De Ridder, a seasoned pilot in these conditions, was a director for Salt Air, a charter company. Chief executive Grant Harnish said that de Ridder was one of the Far North’s most experienced and respected helicopter pilots. They were fighting the fire when he was requested by command to divert to pick civilians up from the beach and get them away from approaching fire and out of harm’s way. The pilot removed the monsoon bucket and then began the new task.

William Macrae, 54, was in the passenger seat when the helicopter crashed and was a long serving and highly respected ranger who has worked the job for 16 years. Macrae’s brother, also a DOC ranger, was busy operating at the fire when his brother crashed. His wife is the receptionist at the Kaitaia office. The fire, believed to have been deliberately set, started late Wednesday, forcing some residents in the remote area to wade into the ocean to escape the fire. Our sincere condolences to all affected.

Strong winds blow into California

Bill GabbertNovember 30, 2011November 30, 2011Uncategorized2 Comments

Strong winds are going to blow into California Wednesday night and continue through Friday night. They will be strongest in the southern part of the state where a red flag warning is in effect for the greater Los Angeles area. Wind gusts to 80 mph will occur over the mountains and below the canyons and passes.

Here is the forecast from the National Weather Service:

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Red Flag Warning map 11-30-2011 — Red Flag Warning for Southern California

URGENT – FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOS ANGELES/OXNARD CA

934 AM PST WED NOV 30 2011

RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT TONIGHT THROUGH LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON OVER LOS ANGELES AND VENTURA COUNTIES FOR VERY STRONG NORTHEAST WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY…

A COLD LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL MOVE OVER ARIZONA AND GENERATE STRONG NORTHEAST SANTA ANA WINDS OVER MOST OF LOS ANGELES AND VENTURA COUNTIES THIS EVENING THROUGH MOST OF FRIDAY. PEAK SUSTAINED WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO EXCEED 40 MPH…ESPECIALLY ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE VALLEYS AND MOUNTAINS…WITH PEAK WIND GUSTS LIKELY EXCEEDING 60 MPH. THESE WINDS WILL ALSO HELP TO MAINTAIN LOW HUMIDITY READINGS…ESPECIALLY OVER THE COASTS AND VALLEYS.

ALTHOUGH THESE WINDS SHOULD WEAKEN BY FRIDAY EVENING…THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR ADDITIONAL ROUNDS OF GUSTY NORTHEAST WINDS OVER THE WEEKEND.

Weather graph 11-30-2011 Simi Valley — Forecast for the Simi Valley, northwest of Los Angeles

Helicopter crashes while surveying wildfire in New Zealand

Bill GabbertNovember 30, 2011January 4, 2012Uncategorizedhelicopter

Two people are missing after a helicopter that was being used to survey a wildfire in the Northland of New Zealand (map) crashed Wednesday night, November 30. The two people onboard, believed to be a Department of Conservation staff member and long-time far North pilot, were on a reconnaissance flight over a fire. The helicopter was last heard from at approximately 11 p.m. and was found the next morning by the crew on a fishing trawler in seven to ten meters of water a few hundred meters off shore. It is unknown if the two people were still in the helicopter which is owned by Salt Air, of Kerikeri, and believed to be a light single engine Eurocopter Squirrel.

Maitai Bay — The area of the fire and the crash of the helicopter.

According to Stuff.co.nz, the fire had burned about 148 acres and is controlled on the southern side but was still spreading on the northern perimeter. Three homes are reportedly destroyed.

Some of the residents fled from the fire into the sea and were rescued by boat. This also happened about a week ago in Australia when residents who refused to evacuate took refuge in the ocean and were transported by jet ski out to a waiting rescue boat.

Our sincere condolences go out to the families and co-workers.

U.S. Forest Service firefighter sentenced to 2 years for starting fire

Bill GabbertNovember 30, 2011August 25, 2019Uncategorizedarson14 Comments

A firefighter for the U.S. Forest Service on Monday accepted a plea deal to serve two years in prison for starting a wildfire while he was on duty July 25, 2010 in southern California near Rancho Cucamonga (map). A trial was scheduled to begin Monday, but Daniel Mariano Madrigal, 26, and his attorney surprised San Bernardino County Deputy District Attorney Karen Khim with an offer to plead no contest and to serve two years. After some negotiation, the two sides agreed on the deal, which will probably result in Madrigal actually serving about 9 months, according to Christopher Lee, a spokesperson for the District Attorney’s office.

Prosecutors had alleged Madrigal “willfully, unlawfully and maliciously” set fire to forest land or caused it to burn.

Before the trial, Madrigal’s attorney, Salvador Silva, contended that the fire was an accident, according to an article in the Contra Costa Times:

The defendant was working that day and had driven his truck to an area east of the dam near a water tower to make a cell phone call. A cigarette he was smoking burned him, and he tossed it, according to the defense.

Madrigal looked for the cigarette in his truck, but he couldn’t find it. When he saw that a fire had started, the defense says Madrigal went back to the station. He and a captain drove a fire engine back to the fire and put it out.

Prosecutors say the fire burned about one-tenth of an acre, but Silva said the fire was much smaller.

Documentary about Fourmile Canyon fire

Bill GabbertNovember 30, 2011January 4, 2018UncategorizedColorado, Fourmile Canyon Fire

I wish I had known about it earlier, but last night Colorado Public Television aired a documentary about the Fourmile Canyon fire that burned 6,200 acres and destroyed 168 homes west of Boulder, Colorado on Labor Day in 2010. The documentary tells the story of seven residents who refused to evacuate but fought the fire on their own.

Here is the trailer for the program.