Above: A Los Angeles County Fire Department Captain collects hose so that he can move it further up the hill.
Fire photographer Jeff Zimmerman shot these photos July 30 at a vegetation fire in Newhall, California. Here is what he wrote in an email:
A 10-acre brush fire damaged two apartment buildings yesterday in Newhall along Valle Del Oro and Alder that were above a steep canyon. In sweltering heat firefighters knocked down the blaze in just over an hour. Trying to battle traffic in 100-degree heat, the fire was contained on my arrival so I decided to take to the burnt hillside and grab some portraits of people at the fire. My favorite is a young girl trying to stay cool near the fire hydrant along Valle Del Oro.
Jeff Rankin Superintendent of fire camp 11 takes a knee for a quick break while watching his crew put in fire line.
The Australian ABC News Service reports the US is asking for 188 specialist firefighters
(UPDATED at 12:36 p.m. MDT August 1, 2018)
On Wednesday, August 1 the National Interagency Fire Center issued a press released about the United States requesting firefighters from Australia and New Zealand to assist with suppressing wildfires in the Western United States. In addition to our report on July 31 (below) the NIFC release had this additional information:
The request is for fire personnel from both Australia and New Zealand.
The request is for Division Supervisors, Safety Officers, Task Force Leaders, Strike Team Leaders, Heavy Equipment Bosses, Helicopter Managers, Helicopter Crew Members, Structure Protection Specialists and Liaison Officers. These wildland fire management positions have been identified as “unable to fill” through the U.S. dispatch/coordination system on a daily basis in recent weeks.
In addition to the firefighters sent from “down under” in 2008 and 2015, they also assisted during the 2000, 2002, 2003 and 2006 fire seasons. U.S. firefighters traveled to Australia to assist with their fire seasons in 2010, 2009, 2007 and in 2003.
(End of update)
(Originally published at 2:41 p.m. MDT July 31, 2018)
The United States is seeking help from the other side of the world to help suppress some of the 140 large active wildfires that have burned a cumulative 1.2 million acres. We confirmed with Randy Eardley, a spokesperson for the Bureau of Land Management, that the process of requesting help from Australia is underway but all of the details have not yet been worked out.
Much more information about the effort was published by the Australian ABC News Service which had an article about the request on Monday (US time). Here is an excerpt:
The National Multi-Agency Coordination Group (MAC) in the US formally requested assistance over the weekend, seeking 188 specialist firefighters from Australia and New Zealand.The firefighters would be deployed for up to 42 days in the California area.
Candidates from each Australian state will be placed in a national pool, with the most suitable candidates chosen this afternoon ahead of their deployment to the US on Friday.
South Australian Country Fire Service spokesman Brett Williamson said the most suitable firefighters to come forward in South Australia so far had experience fighting fires in areas with rough terrain and forests.
“We are finding it is more the state-based ones — in particular [those from] the South East and the Port Lincoln area … that are the ones who will probably have the beneficial skills that the United States [is] searching for,” Mr Williamson said.
The US has asked for paid staff rather than volunteers.
“At this stage, we are still calculating the numbers of who is available, who will be available from their employers to be released and then they will go into a national pool and that national pool will then basically be cherry-picked for the best people that are suitable for the job,” Mr Williamson said.
Australia also sent help in 2008 and 2015. The 2015 request was for 71 fire managers and specialists who came from Australia and New Zealand. They arrived in Boise August 23 for a one-day induction to learn about current fire behavior, fuels, and weather conditions. After the orientation, they were assigned to large fires. The 2015 contingent included 15 Division Supervisors; 15 Task Force/Strike Team Leaders; 15 Helicopter Managers; 10 Heavy Equipment Bosses; 10 Safety Officers; 4 Regional Liaison Officers; and two National Liaison Officers. Fifteen of the total were from New Zealand.
Assistance from Australia and New Zealand is a good fit primarily because their fire organizations are very similar to the United States national fire organization in training requirements and structure.
In 2010 the United States and Australia signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen emergency management cooperation between the two countries. One of the objectives was to streamline processes for emergency management authorities in both countries to facilitate the exchange of personnel in response to emergencies.
The fire has destroyed 1,018 residences near Redding, California
(UPDATED AT 8:54 a.m. PDT August 1, 2018)
Tuesday the Carr Fire, west of Redding, California, was active on the southwest, west, and north sides, to bring the total blackened acres up to 121,000, according to a mapping flight Tuesday night.
CAL FIRE has updated the number of structures impacted by the fire. Destroyed were 1,018 residences, 12 commercial structures, and 435 outbuildings. Buildings damaged included 181 residences, 6 commercial structures and 61 outbuildings.
Map showing the perimeter of the Carr Fire, the red line, at 11:15 p.m. PDT July 31, 2018. The white line was the perimeter 27 hours before. Click to enlarge.
To see all of the articles on Wildfire Today about the Carr Fire, including the most recent, click here.
(Originally published at noon PDT July 31, 2018)
Firefighters have made a great deal of progress on the Carr Fire, resulting in no appreciable growth during the last two days within seven miles of the west edge of Redding.
On Sunday and Monday the west side of the fire saw significant expansion from the area west of Shasta Bally Road going clockwise around the west and north sides to a point 4 miles west of Shasta Lake. The fire is 3 miles east of Trinity Lake and 4 miles east of Lewiston. At a Tuesday morning briefing officials said there is “a direct threat to Lewiston”. CAL FIRE is calling it 110,154 acres.
Map showing the perimeter of the Carr Fire at 8:30 p.m. PDT July 30, 2018. The white line was the perimeter two days before. Click to enlarge.
According to the latest information, the number of structures destroyed includes 884 residences, 4 commercial structures, and 348 outbuildings. At least 2,546 remain threatened.
To see an interactive, zoomable CAL FIRE map showing the locations of destroyed and damaged structures on the Carr Fire, CLICK HERE.
The Sheriff’s office confirmed that another fatality has been found on the Carr Fire, bringing the total up to six. The latest was a 60-year old man who recently had heart surgery. Other deaths include two firefighters, and a great grandmother and two grandchildren she was caring for. Another seven people have been reported missing.
Many areas have been repopulated, but others are still under evacuation orders.
Resources assigned to the fire include 334 fire engines, 59 hand crews, 17 helicopters, 68 dozers, and 65 water tenders, for a total of 3,607 personnel.
The fires are threatening 10,200 structures near Upper Lake and Lakeport, California
Above: Map of the Mendocino Complex of Fires. The red line was the perimeter at 9 p.m. PDT July 30, 2018. The white line was the perimeter about 24 hours earlier. The red shaded areas represent intense heat.
(Originally published at 5:02 a.m. PDT July 31, 2018)
Firefighters working on the two wildfires in the Mendocino Complex of Fires near Clear Lake east of Ukiah, California are not only battling two fires spreading aggressively near populated areas, they are also competing with numerous other large fires in California and the rest of the United States. With 140 large fires burning, every one needs resources, and not all incident commanders are receiving the numbers of crews, engines, dozers, air tankers, helicopters, and overhead personnel that they have requested.
Of the 25,632 firefighters that have been mobilized in the U.S., the 68,000-acre Mendocino Complex, comprised of the Ranch and River Fires, has obtained almost 2,000 personnel, including 205 fire engines, 38 hand crews, 12 helicopters, 45 dozers, and 43 water tenders.
3-D map of the Mendocino Complex of Fires. The red line was the perimeter at 9 p.m. PDT July 30, 2018. The red shaded areas represent intense heat at that time.
Seven residences have been destroyed on the two fires and another 12,200 remain threatened.
The Ranch Fire, just north of Upper Lake, has burned about 45,000 acres. So far firefighters have kept it out of the main part of the community and mostly west of Middle Creek near the town. There has been one slop over south of Highway 20 three miles west of the Highway 20/29 intersection.
The 23,000-acre River Fire turned southeast Monday, skirting around Lakeport and Finley as it burned across Highway 175.
The National Park Service has identified the firefighter who was killed Sunday morning July 29 while battling the Ferguson Fire on the Sierra National Forest in California west of Yosemite National Park. It was Captain Brian Hughes of the Arrowhead Hotshots.
The incident occurred just before 9:30 a.m. Captain Hughes and his crew were engaged in a tactical firing operation on the east side of the fire. In an area with a large amount of tree mortality, he was struck by a falling tree. Captain Hughes was treated at the scene, but passed away before he could be transported to a hospital.
Captain Brian Hughes. Photo courtesy of Brad Torchia.
The two large fires are threatening Lakeport and Upper Lake, California
(Originally published at 7:04 a.m. PDT July 30, 2018)
The Ranch and River Fires that comprise the Mendocino Complex of Fires were very active again Sunday.
The northernmost of the two fires, the Ranch Fire, spread three to five miles to the east and south and at 1:30 a.m. Monday was less than a mile north of Upper lake. So far firefighters have been able to keep it mostly north and east of Highway 20, but at 1:30 a.m. there was a spot fire across the highway three miles west of Upper Lake.
3-D map of the Mendocino Complex of Fires. The red line was the perimeter at 1:30 a.m. PDT July 30, 2018. The yellow line was the perimeter 25 hours earlier. The red shaded areas represent intense heat at that time. Click to enlarge.
Farther south, the River Fire grew three miles to the east and at 1:30 a.m. Monday was less than a mile west of the Highway 29/175 intersection near Lakeport. Firefighters are no doubt working hard to keep the fire north of Highway 175, but it had slopped over at one point two air miles southwest of the intersection.
(To see all of the articles on Wildfire Today about the Mendocino Complex of Fire, click HERE.)
Using infrared mapping data our very unofficial estimate of the total number of acres burned in the two fires at 1:30 a.m. PDT on Monday is approximately 55,000. (UPDATE at 7:16 a.m. PDT July 30, 2018: at 7:15 a.m. CAL FIRE updated the size of the fires. They reported the Ranch Fire has burned 35,076 acres, and the River Fire, 20,911, for a total of 55,987 acres.)
CAL FIRE reports that six residences have been destroyed and 10,200 are threatened. The agency also said weather conditions will continue to challenge firefighters as hot, dry and windy conditions persist. A lack of available suppression and overhead personnel will also slow the firefighting efforts, they said.
Mandatory evacuation orders affecting thousands of residents are in place for several locations around the two fires in Lake County. Below is an excerpt from an article in the Lake County News:
The River fire’s approach to the Lakeport, the county seat, and its full evacuation has had numerous impacts, including closure of the Lake County Superior Court, and county and city offices; the evacuation of Sutter Lakeside Hospital and Evergreen Lakeport Healthcare; temporary shuttering of the Lakeport Senior Center; as well as closure of numerous businesses.
The weather forecast for the foothills west of Lakeport for Monday predicts 94 degrees, 18 percent relative humidity, and west or northwest winds of 3 to 9 mph gusting to 13. These conditions are expected to persist through Friday.
Resources assigned to the Complex include 118 fire engines, 22 water tenders, 6 helicopters, 31 hand crews, and 37 dozers for a total of 1,379 personnel.
Map of the Mendocino Complex of Fires. The red line was the perimeter at 1:30 a.m. PDT July 30, 2018. The yellow line was the perimeter 25 hours earlier. The red shaded areas represent intense heat at that time. Click to enlarge.
If you or your family is affected by any of the current wildfires please, please be smart and be safe out there! This is view of the #RiverFire across from Clear Lake in Lucerne part of the two-fire #MendocinoComplex in Lake County (Photo Credit @RonKeas) pic.twitter.com/f6gylmQ8J9
