Here is a map of the Cottonwood fire, showing heat detected by satellites at 4:10 a.m. Friday morning. The red area is the fire, which is burning about 8 miles east of Hemet near Highway 74.
GEOMAC
Month: August 2009
Update on southern California fires
Here is an update on the four major fires currently burning in southern California. (Some of the key numbers and facts for the Cottonwood and Station fire were updated at 3:43 p.m. and 7:20 p.m. August 28.)
- The Station fire started on the Angeles Crest Highway, above La Canada Flintridge in the Angeles National Forest. It has burned 1,200 5,000 5,500 acres, is very active, and is 0% 5% contained. The fire jumped Highway 2 and into the Arroyo Seco area overnight. It is threatening Mount Wilson, which has major communications facilities. It is burning south and west towards the city of La Canada-Flintridge, West towards Mt. Lukens, North towards Grizzly Flat Road, East toward Arroyo Seco, and Dark Canyon. Some voluntary evacuations are in effect for the northern portions of La Canada-Flintridge. Dietrich’s Type 1 Incident Management Team has been mobilized for this fire.
- The Morris fire near Azusa has burned about 2,000 2,168 acres and is 60% 85% contained. Ron Woychak’s Incident Management Team is assigned.
- The RPV (or PV) Portuguese fire in the Rancho Palos Verdes area started Thursday night and has burned about 100 125 230 acres and damaged two outbuildings. It is 35% 70% 90% contained. The fire will be more accurately mapped this morning and the acreage and containment will change. This fire burned very intensely in an urban setting and the fact that only two outbuildings were damaged is due to good fire clearance around the homes, night-flying helicopters, and great efforts by firefighters.
- The Cottonwood fire east of Hemet has burned 1,000 1,200 2,200acres and is 5% 10% contained. Forella’s Wakoski’s Incident Management Team has been ordered assumed command of the fire at noon today. Los Angeles live television this morning showed firefighters conducting some very effective burnouts in the relatively flat terrain, aided by gentle winds. The Martin Mars air tanker is making drops this morning.
The LA Times has an unofficial map showing all four fires (if you zoom out).
Night-flying helicopters were very effective Thursday night on the Portuguese fire in Rancho Palos Verdes. They were using two from LA County and three from the LA Fire Department. As far as we know these are the only two agencies in the United States that use helicopters at night for fighting fire. San Diego County was considering night flying for their helicopters; we’re not sure if they got that program running.
Map of three southern California fires
Here is a map that shows heat detected on three of the four major fires in southern California, the Station, Morris, and Portuguese fires.
The Portuguese fire is in the Rancho Palos Verdes area and was formerly known as the PV or RPV fire. It is the red area in the lower left corner of the map, without a label.
GEOMAC. Data from 4:10 a.m. PT, Aug. 28.
Comments
I really appreciate it when someone leaves a comment on one of the posts here on Wildfire Today. Normally I receive an email letting me know that a comment is waiting for approval, then I look at the comment and approve it for publication. Most comments are approved and posted within a few hours–sometimes more quickly.
But there was a glitch on Wednesday and Thursday and some of the notifications did not come through. I found the comments Friday morning and approved them for publication. Sorry if your comment got delayed.
I contacted the company that hosts the web site and they said the problem was “an email issue” that they resolved yesterday, so hopefully it will not happen again.
Keep them coming! We like to hear from you!
Bill
Four major wildfires burning in southern California
The red flag warning that was issued for Wednesday through Friday for the mountain areas north of Los Angeles has led to four major wildfires that are currently burning in the area.
- The Station fire on the Angeles Crest Highway, above La Canada Flintridge in the Angeles National Forest, started Wednesday afternoon. We had a photo from that fire earlier. It is threatening the Angeles Crest U.S. Forest Service fire station on the highway. It has burned at least 500 acres and is very active. About 500 homes were evacuated Thursday night. It is 5% contained.
- The Morris fire near Azusa started on Tuesday and has burned about 2,000 acres and is 60% contained.
- The RPV (or PV) Portuguese fire in the Rancho Palos Verdes area started Thursday night and has burned at least 75 acres and at least two to three structures, including one of a retired firefighter. Many other structures are threatened and evacuations are under way.
- The Cottonwood fire east of Hemet started Thursday afternoon has burned 400-600 acres. An incident management team has been ordered.
These fires are driven by single-digit humidities and record high temperatures. There is so little wind that the smoke is hanging in the basins, mixing with the normal smog, and creating awful air quality.
Station fire, Angeles NF, and one-inch hose
Author BillPosted on Categories Uncategorized4 Comments on Station fire, Angeles NF, and one-inch hose The Station fire started yesterday near the Angeles Crest Highway on the Angeles National Forest in southern California. As of 4 p.m. today it had burned 300 acres.
When I saw the photo below, of the firefighters on the Station fire pulling a 1″ hose, apparently to knock down the flare-up in the photo, it gave me pause.
Taking on the role of an arm-chair engine captain is always dangerous, but …. geeze. Put down the 1″ hose! Grab the 1-1/2″ pre-connect and attack the fire with some actual water!
