Wildfire Today

News and opinion about wildland fire

Wildfire Today

Author: Kelly Andersson

Safety issues noted one day before Steep Corner Fire fatality

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Anne Veseth, a 20-year-old firefighter from Moscow, Idaho, was killed August 12 while working on the Steep Corner Fire near Orofino, Idaho. The U.S. Forest Service firefighter was struck when one tree fell and crashed into another tree, causing it to fall in a domino effect.

On August 11, the day before Veseth was killed, the Flathead Hotshots arrived at the Clearwater-Potlatch Timber Protection Association (CPTPA) station to work on the Steep Corner Fire. They were briefed, received a radio clone, and showed up at the fire about 2 p.m., where they located the CPTPA incident commander. He briefed them on tactical duties, according to the SAFENET report filed three days later, but “had to be prompted for specifics on everything else.” The hotshot report said there was no direct link to Grangeville dispatch, no information on EMS or weather, and no medical plan besides “call the county.”

The report listed a slew of other heads-up flags on the incident, including no mention of hazards and no direction other than “jump in the middle and work south.” The IC was wearing jeans, and the hotshots immediately noticed several other CPTPA personnel without PPE or shelters.

The Flathead superintendent told the IC that they’d go scout the fire before committing the crew, and the IC told him to head down the burned line through the middle of the fire. The hotshot foreman then briefed the crew, and they established their own LCES and posted the first lookout of the day on the fire. The scouting superintendent radioed back that no one should be sent down the burned line — which was still hot — through the middle of the fire because of snag hazards and previously cut log decks.
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Fire on the Garden Island

Author Kelly AnderssonPosted on Categories UncategorizedTags

A 2,000-acre fire on the island of Kauai is about 50 percent contained today, but dry conditions and high winds are challenging containment efforts. Koke’e residents are under a voluntary evacuation because of a power outage, and the Waimea Canyon drive was closed.

KHON2 News reported that the fire started early Friday on the northwest portion of Kauai, which is the northernmost and almost westernmost of the Hawaiian islands. Firefighters from at least four agencies are working the fire, which is burning near the island’s Kekaha game management area.

“Most of it is a very steep terrain and we can’t put hand crews on it; we have to let it run up to a defensible space like a roadway,” said Robert Westerman with the Kauai Fire Department. Three helicopters, including one from the U.S. Navy, are dropping water on the fire.

The Garden Island reported today that firefighters made good progress along the Poki‘i, Paua, and Waiaka ridges.

Inmate firefighter dies after falling ill on California fire

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The 2,681-acre Buck Fire south of Hemet, California, was fully contained on Friday morning, and the North County Times reported that an inmate firefighter died yesterday after he became ill on the fire.

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) and Cal Fire are investigating the illness and subsequent death of 44-year-old Jimmy Randolph, who died at a hospital in Palm Springs with his family at his bedside. The cause of death will be announced after an autopsy is completed.

(UPDATED July 13, 2017. Mr. Randolf died in a hospital August 19, 2012 seven hours after he was found unresponsive where he was sleeping at the fire. The cause of death was listed as anoxic encephalopathy combined with complications of heat stroke.)

Buck Fire location

Fenner Canyon Conservation Camp on the Angeles National Forest houses minimum-security inmates and is operated jointly by CDCR and Cal Fire.

The Buck Fire also had a microburst rip through the ICP early Thursday, with hard rain and hail and 60 mph gusts that sent tents and much of the camp skittering across the ground. The fire, ignited by lightning last Tuesday, was also plagued with injuries; according to the Desert Sun, one firefighter was taken to a hospital for minor injuries. Three other firefighters incurred minor injuries, along with two civilians, one of whom suffered severe third-degree burns to his legs.

Riverside County Sheriff’s deputies are investigating a marijuana patch discovered in the area. According to the L.A. Times, firefighters encountered two men trying to protect the small grove of plants.

This fire had more than its share of weirdness. The Desert Sun also reported that a 59-year-old local man was charged with driving over a fire captain’s foot on Tuesday afternoon. Gregory Lance Good is being held in lieu of $30,000 bail on charges of assault with a deadly weapon and interfering with a firefighter in the line of duty. He was arraigned in Riverside County Superior Court and entered a “not guilty” plea.

Washington fire’s explosive growth burns dozens of homes

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A fast-moving wildfire has burned dozens homes in central Washington and evacuated hundreds of people.

A Seattle Times blog reported that more than 450 people were evacuated overnight. KING5 News reported this morning that construction crews may have caused the initial brush fire that flared up yesterday; by midnight the fire had grown to 16,000 acres and by 2:00 a.m. it had reached nearly 27,000 acres.

The Taylor Bridge Fire is threatening more homes in the area, along with wind farm towers, powerlines, and a chimpanzee sanctuary. The fire’s burned to within six miles of Ellensburg. A state mobilization has been declared and command is transitioning to a Type 2 IMT today.

Rich Elliott, deputy chief for Kittitas Valley Fire and Rescue, told the Daily Record News that the fire never did lay down overnight. He said fire behavior is intense and flamelengths are running to 20 feet.

The Seattle Times reported that a crew barely outran flames yesterday, but managed to drive to safety ahead of the fire. KING5 News has a photo collection online.

Residents with claims against state for escaped Rx fire won’t be compensated anytime soon

Author Kelly AnderssonPosted on Categories UncategorizedTags ,

Residents of Jefferson County southwest of Denver learned tonight that they won’t be receiving compensation from the state for their claims of damage by the Lower North Fork Fire back in March. The fire, a prescribed fire by Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS) personnel, got away from them and blazed over a couple of ridges, killed three people, burned a couple dozen homes, and caused $11 million in damage.

ABC7 News reported that residents’ claims will be postponed until an insurance company lawsuit is settled. Back in April, an insurance company and a utility company filed “notice of claims” against the state. But Deputy Attorney General David Blake says compensation, if any, is a long ways off — because of the pending lawsuit by the insurance companies, the state claims board can’t yet address residents’ claims for compensation.

“Realistically, we’re talking about many months, if not over years,” Sen. Ellen Roberts told the Denver Post.

The prescribed fire was ignited on March 22 by the CSFS on property belonging to the Denver Water Department. They completed the burn on the same day; firefighters mopped up the next day and patrolled the area for two more days. But on the next day, a cold front passed through with gusts over 50 mph. The fire re-ignited and took off, crowning and heading northeast onto private lands. Local firefighters immediately responded to the wildfire, but were unable to contain it. It was contained about 10 days later on April 2 by Rich Harvey’s Type 1 team … in 22-degree weather and snow.

Lower North Fork FireLegislators passed new laws after the fire, creating a five-member legislative commission to investigate what happened when the fire took off, along with companion legislation that allows residents to file claims with the state for compensation. The Lower North Fork Wildfire Commission members visited the fire area, led by Elk Creek Fire Chief Bill McLaughlin. His department was one of three VFDs that responded to the fire.

McLaughlin explained how the fire went wrong. Firefighters had specified a trigger point, and decided that if the fire crossed that point, residents two miles away would be evacuated. They were supposed to have a good two hours to get out, but the fire ripped up the ridge in just 12 minutes. McLaughlin said 6-foot flames turned into 40-foot flames and then to 100-foot flames as the fire roared over the hill.

The state enacted an indefinite ban on prescribed fires after the 4,100-acre Lower North Fork Fire was contained.

State Rep. Claire Levy, a member of the investigative commission, said people will want the commission to find blame. “I think we need to work on preparing people who do choose to live in high wildfire areas to deal with that,” she said, “and recognize the risk to loss of life and property is very high and that is something they are knowingly taking on and the state cannot protect them.”

Wye and Walker fires in northern California burning hot

Author Kelly AnderssonPosted on Categories UncategorizedTags 1 Comment on Wye and Walker fires in northern California burning hot

Two fires burning east of Clearlake Oaks, California, are threatening homes and ranches and forcing evacuations. The Wye Fire, near the intersection of Highway 20 and Highway 53, was at 3,000 acres and about 25 percent containment. The Walker Fire, near Walker Ridge Road, is 30 percent contained at 2,000 acres after causing evacuations of 480 residents in the Spring Valley area. A Cal Fire spokesman told the Lake County News that both fires were very active this morning.

Wilbur Hot Springs and other areas in Lake County are popular summer destinations about two hours north of San Francisco.

NBC News reported that the smoke could be seen from Napa County from the south and Butte County from the north. The L.A. Times, which has several photos, reported that the fire was burning on both sides of Highway 20 and moving toward Spring Valley.

Crews were challenged by triple-digit temperatures, erratic winds, and low humidity; an incident command post has been set up at the Lake County Fairgrounds. California Highway Patrol closed Highway 20 east of Clearlake Oaks for a firing operation, but it should be re-opened this afternoon. Cal Fire said there were 324 personnel on the fire, along with 44 engines, eight crews, seven bulldozers, two airtankers, and four helicopters.

http://www.wilburhotsprings.com/index.htm