California: Silverado Fire

(UPDATED at 9:05 a.m. PDT, September 14, 2014)

The Silverado Fire in southern California seven miles southwest of Corona has spread very little over the last 24 hours. A spokesperson for the incident management team, Jake Rodriguez, said 1,084 personnel are assigned and they are calling it 20 percent contained, up from yesterday’s 10 percent. The official size of the fire is 1,600 acres, Mr. Rodriguez said. It is listed in some places on InciWeb at 1,500 acres, but a reliable source tells us that it has burned just under 1,100 acres. The Orange County Fire Authority puts it at 1,220 acres, according to the Pasadena Star-News.

For the second night in a row a night-flying helicopter worked the fire to assist firefighters on the ground.

There have been six minor injuries on the fire, some of them heat related. The high temperatures are again in the forecast for Sunday, with a prediction for 102 degrees, 10 percent relative humidity, and a 15 to 18 mph wind.

Map of Silverado Fire
Map of Silverado Fire at 4 a.m. September 14, 2014. (click to enlarge)

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(UPDATED at 10:15 a.m. PDT, September 13, 2014)

T-912 Silverado Fire
Tanker 912, a DC-10, drops on the Silverado Fire September 12, 2014. Photo by Initial Attack Fire Media. (click to enlarge)

The spread of the Silverado Fire in southern California seven miles southwest of Corona was slowed late in the day on Friday by an aggressive initial attack with firefighters on the ground and in the air. It started in the back yard of a home in Silverado Canyon and a few hours later bumped up against the road at the top of the main ridge, the North Main Divide.

The U.S. Forest Service estimates the fire has burned 1,600 acres and they are calling it 10 percent contained. On Saturday morning there were 738 personnel assigned.

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(UPDATED at 6:48 p.m. PDT, September 12, 2014)

Mandatory evacuations were ordered late Friday afternoon for some areas near the Silverado Fire which has burned 1,300 acres in southern California seven miles southwest of Corona.

While the temperature at the fire area was quite toasty on Friday, reaching 101 degrees at Temescal 8 miles east of the fire, and the relative humidity was low (in the upper teens), the wind was not a huge factor — 3 to 8 mph, except 11 to 12 between 1 and 3 p.m. Friday night the relative humidity will remain low, in the high 20s. The forecast for Saturday calls for more moderate conditions, with a high of 90 degrees, wind out of the north then west at 1 to 11 mph, and a relative humidity in the low 20s.

The night-flying helicopter, H-531, and the night fixed wing air attack platform based on the nearby Angeles National Forest has been ordered for Friday night.

Tanker 911, a DC-10, dropping on the Silverado Fire
Tanker 911, a DC-10, dropping on the Silverado Fire at 6:08 p.m. PDT 9-12-2014. Screen grab from NBC Los Angeles.

Silverado Fire at 602 pm PDT 9-12-2014
Silverado Fire at 6:02 p.m. PDT 9-12-2014. Screen grab from NBC Los Angeles.

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(UPDATED at 4:12 p.m. PDT, September 12, 2014)

Firefighters report that the Silverado Fire in Orange County, California has grown to 1,300 acres and has the potential to expand to 2,500 acres. With a west wind pushing the fire it is most active on the east side with minimal spread to the west. Minor spotting is occurring.

The map below was current as of 2:14 p.m. PDT, today.

Map of Silverado Fire at 214 pm
Map of the Silverado Fire showing heat (the red squares) detected by a satellite at 2:14 p.m. PDT, September 12, 2014. The location of the red icons are accurate to within a mile. (Click to see a larger version.)

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(UPDATED at 2:39 p.m. PDT, September 12, 2014)

The USFS reports that the Silverado Fire in Orange County, California has now burned 1,200 acres.

The fire has reached the top of the main ridge running north and south that separates Orange and Riverside Counties. At least one Very Large Air Tanker, a DC-10, has been ordered.

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(Originally published at 1:16 p.m. PDT, September 12, 2014)

Silverado Fire at 1226 pm
The ridge at the top of the Silverado Fire at 12:26 p.m. PDT 9-12-2014. Screen grab from NBC video.

The Silverado fire started at about 10:30 a.m. PDT in Silverado Canyon in Orange County, California in the Cleveland National Forest (map). It quickly ran to the top of the ridge and spotted across. The strategy of the firefighters is to let it run to the east and northeast up the very steep slope to the ridge where they hope to stop the spread with helicopters and air tankers. There are numerous spot fires on the east side of the ridge that are being attacked from the air.

The map of the Silverado Fire shows heat (the red squares) detected by a satellite at 12:56 p.m. PDT, September 12, 2014. The location of the red icons are accurate to within a mile. Click on the map to see a larger version.

Map of the Silverado Fire showing heat (the red squares) detected by a satellite at 12:56 p.m. PDT, September 12, 2014. The location of the red icons are accurate to within a mile. (Click to see a larger version.)
Map of the Silverado Fire showing heat (the red squares) detected by a satellite at 12:56 p.m. PDT, September 12, 2014. The location of the red icons are accurate to within a mile. (Click to see a larger version.)

Firefighters will be trying to take advantage of the numerous fuel breaks on the ridges and down the spur ridges.

Silverado Fire at 1256 pm PDT 9-12-2014
The Silverado Fire approaches powerlines at 12:56 p.m., September 12, 2014. Screen grab from NBC video.

As of 12:40 p.m. PDT it had burned 350 acres under very little wind but very hot temperatures above 100 degrees. It started near structures in the canyon on the west side of the ridge but a spokesperson for the Orange County Fire Authority said at 12:30 that no structures were threatened at that time.

At 1 p.m. fire activity increased substantially near the ridge with much longer flame lengths and occasional fire whirls.

Resources assigned include 160 firefighters, approximately 8 air tankers, and several helicopters. (UPDATE at 1:42 p.m. 9-12-2014: Air Attack just ordered a Very Large Air Tanker.)

Occasionally live video is streaming from the local NBC TV station and/or the FOX station.

Below are screen grab images from the NBC video stream.

Silverado Fire at 1258 pm PDT 9-12-2014
Silverado Fire at 12:58 p.m. PDT 9-12-2014.
T-131 Silverado Fire at 1238 pm PDT 9-12-2014
Air Tanker 131, a C-130Q, dropping on the Silverado Fire at 12:38 p.m. PDT 9-12-2014.
Silverado Fire at 1211 pm PDT 9-12-2014
Silverado Canyon on the Silverado Fire at 12:11 p.m. PDT 9-12-2014.

Below is a photo showing the fire minutes after it started.

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Author: Bill Gabbert

After working full time in wildland fire for 33 years, he continues to learn, and strives to be a Student of Fire.

2 thoughts on “California: Silverado Fire”

  1. The photo of the DC 10 dropping is a good example of mountain shadows. Some contribute this lack of sunshine to several air tanker accidents (early years) where the tankers had to follow the canyon out (escape) while “scratching” for altitude. Note the land depression on the ridge (lower left DC 10 drop), and the same the depression on the below photo. The second photo is a good example of retardant application and its holding ability.

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  2. This is the same area the Forest Service did a 300 acre prescribed burn during Santa Ana wind conditions in the 1980’s to thin the fuels for construction of the powerline shown in the photos. The fire then held and the towers and powerlines were completed on schedule

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