Map of the Stagecoach Fire showing heat detected by a satellite as late as 3:12 a.m. PDT August 6, 2020.
The Stagecoach Fire 21 miles east of Bakersfield was very active Wednesday, putting up a large column of smoke as it spread into more rugged terrain primarily to the east and southeast. The fire is 9 miles south of the town of Lake Isabella.
Stagecoach Fire, from Breckenridge, at 7:16 am PDT Aug 6, 2020.
Wednesday at 7 p.m. fire officials with Kern County said it had burned 4,250 acres. Heat detected by satellites at 3:12 a.m. Thursday shows the fire could have grown by another 2,000 acres during the night (see map above). The unconfirmed satellite data indicates the Stagecoach Fire has moved into the Sequoia National Forest after burning on private property and land protected by the Bureau of Land Management.
Evacuations are in effect.
Stagecoach Fire as seen from Breckenridge, looking east at 6:18 pm PDT August 5, 2020.
As of Wednesday morning the Stagecoach Fire south of Lake Isabella in Kern County California had burned 4,100 acres, a spokesperson for CAL FIRE said. During the afternoon the intensity increased, sending up a large smoke column.
At least two homes have been destroyed as the fire continues to spread to the east.
Map of the Stagecoach Fire showing heat detected by a satellite as late as 2:54 p.m. PDT August 5, 2020.
Not much information about the fire is being released by Kern County.
To see all articles on Wildfire Today about the Stagecoach Fire, including the most recent, click here.
Air Tanker 944, a 747, drops on the Stagecoach Fire August 4, 2020. Photo by @SoCalFirePhoto.CAL FIRE Dozer 1743 on the Stagecoach Fire. CAL FIRE photo.Air Tanker 944, a 747, drops on the Stagecoach Fire August 4, 2020. Photo by @564fire.
But it is still spreading and has burned over 27,000 acres
Apple Fire, San Bernardino NF, August 2, 2020. Screenshot from ABC7 video.
Normally a wildfire that adds about a thousand acres a day would be very newsworthy, but now that the Apple Fire has burned over 27,000 acres, an additional 500 or 1,000 acres a day is only about a three percent increase. That is what this large fire north of Beaumont and Banning, California has been doing for the last several days. Much of the fire has reached the very steep rocky slopes of the highest peaks in Southern California and the Transverse Ranges at 7,000 to 10,000 feet where firefighting is even more difficult than it is on flat ground in California.
(To see all articles on Wildfire Today about the Apple Fire, including the most recent, click here.)
Wednesday the incident management team said the fire was mapped at 27,319 acres.
On Tuesday and Tuesday night the fire was active in some areas on the east and west flanks. Ground crews continued to build line in the area of Pine Bench and made good progress on the western perimeter east of Oak Glen. Line building continued Wednesday up to Yucaipa Ridge which is a high priority in order to protect the Forest Falls and Oak Glen communities.
Map of the Apple Fire. The red line was the perimeter at 11:10 p.m. PDT August 4, 2020. The yellow and red dots represent heat detected by a satellite in the 24-hour period ending at 2 p.m. PDT August 5, 2020.CAL FIRE fighters on the Apple Fire in the Oak Glen Area. CAL FIRE photo.
Stagecoach Fire, looking east from Breckenridge Peak at 7:49 p.m. PDT August 4, 2020.
Not much information is available about the Stagecoach Fire that was reported at 3:29 p.m. August 3 South of Havilah, California in Kern County off Stagecoach Drive and Old Ox Road. Tuesday morning Kern County Fire Department said it had burned 2,500 acres, and updated the size to 3,500 acres at 8 p.m. The fire is spreading primarily to the east and northeast.
The Stagecoach Fire is burning on private property and land protected by the Bureau of Land Management between two large parcels of the Sequoia National Forest. It is 12 miles south of Lake Isabella and 22 miles east of Bakersfield. (See the map below.)
To see all articles on Wildfire Today about the Stagecoach Fire, including the most recent, click here.
Map of the Stagecoach Fire showing heat detected by a satellite as late as 2:18 p.m. PDT August 4, 2020.
Soon after it started Kern County said structures were threatened.
At 8 p.m. PDT we checked FlightRadar24 and saw that at least two air tankers were working the fire, a DC-10 and a BAe-146.
Below is an excerpt from an article at ABC23 in Bakersfield:
…One of the first homes to burn in the fire was a total loss. On Monday, 23ABC spoke with the home’s owners as they evacuated the area. Still emotional after losing their property, they thought fire crews should have done more.
“They said the road’s too narrow. We’re not going down there. We’re not defending that,” the homeowner said. “So they’re up in all the neighbor’s houses and everything. And the fire is going everywhere else, but it’s going straight up in our house and that’s it.”
Resources assigned to the Stagecoach Fire include 21 fire engines, 3 water tenders, 3 helicopters, 7 hand crews, 3 dozers, and a variable number of air tankers (up to 4 at one point), for a total of 242 personnel.
Hot carbon particles from the exhaust created multiple ignition points
File photo of diesel carbon particles (Photo from Guide to Wildland Fire Origin and Cause Determination)
Investigators have concluded the Apple Fire in southern California near Cherry Valley was caused by hot carbon particles from the exhaust system of a diesel-powered truck, which is not an uncommon cause of vegetation fires along roadways. Witnesses corroborated the investigators findings. At least three ignition points were found which all merged into one fire.
All internal combustion engines emit carbon particles which is why spark arrestors are required on chain saws, for example. The smallest are invisible, but particles from diesel engines can be much larger than those from small engines or gasoline engines. The bigger the engine, the larger the particles. As a qualified Cause and Origin Investigator I have picked up along railroads particles that were two inches long.
(To see all articles on Wildfire Today about the Apple Fire, including the most recent, click here.)
When a diesel engine begins ejecting carbon particles it can occur over a distance along a road or railroad. Multiple fire ignition points can be created.
Volatile hydrocarbons contained within the particle may extend the time the particle is thermally active. Larger particles may auto-ignite upon ejection and contact with the air.
A Diesel engine is more likely to throw out large carbon particles if it has been idling, it has suddenly been throttled up (such as pulling a heavy load up a hill), or if the engine is not running properly.
A discarded lit cigarette usually will not ignite dry grass unless the relative humidity is less than 22 to 25 percent, but carbon particles have been known to start fires at up to 80 percent. Many fires along roads blindly blamed on “someone tossing a cigarette” are more likely caused by hot carbon particles.
Pieces of catalytic converters can also be discharged from exhaust pipes. Normally catalytic converters can reach up to 1,380°F. When they malfunction and overheat they can break apart at temperatures of 2,400 to 2,800°F. Hot ceramic particles discharge from the exhaust system either through the tail pipe or through failures in the outer shell of the converter itself.
The Apple Fire, San Bernardino NF, August 2, 2020. Screenshot from ABC7 video.
Map of the Apple Fire, showing the perimeter (in red) at 9 p.m. PDT August 3, 2020, The white line was the perimeter about 24 hours before.
The growth of the Apple Fire north of Beaumont and Banning in southern California slowed Monday. It chewed through approximately 1,000 more acres primarily on the east side across the head of the Mill Creek Canyon and east into the San Gorgonio Wilderness. The vegetation it is moving into is sparse in some areas, especially in the higher elevations at 8,000 to 11,00o feet. Monday evening the incident management team reported 26,850 acres burned, but that number could be adjusted after they consult the mapping flight conducted at 9 p.m. Monday.
Investigators have concluded the fire was caused by hot carbon particles from the exhaust system of a diesel-powered truck, which is not an uncommon cause of vegetation fires along roadways. All internal combustion engines emit carbon particles and is why spark arrestors are required on chain saws, for example. Carbon particles from diesel engines can be much larger than particles from small engines or those powered by gasoline, and may exceed one inch. Witnesses corroborated the investigators findings. At least three ignition points were found which all merged into one fire.
Damage assessment teams are deployed and will be surveying the fire area for damage to structures and infrastructure.
Evacuation information for Riverside County Residents can be found at www.rivcoready.org/ActiveEvents.
In San Bernardino County, the community of Oak Glen is under an evacuation order. Forest Falls, Pioneertown, and Rim Rock are all under an evacuation warning.
3-D map of the Apple Fire, showing the perimeter (in red) at 9 p.m. PDT August 3, 2020, The white line was the perimeter about 24 hours before.
This is why at Wildfire Today we do not repeat the containment percentages given out by fire officials. From NBCLosAngeles today:
Earlier Sunday morning, fire officials said progress had been made and the blaze was 12% contained. However in a later update after U.S. Forest Service took over command, fire officials said the blaze was 0% contained.
On Sunday thousands of people had been busting their asses on the fire for three days, and the U.S. Forest Service basically said not a single foot of fire perimeter had a good fireline.
Resources on the Apple Fire Monday included 31 hand crews, 321 fire engines, 28 dozers, 12 helicopters, 2 small fixed wing planes, 50 water tenders, and a variable number of air tankers for a total of 2,565 personnel.
Originally published August 3, 2020 | 11:31 a.m. PDT
3-D map of the Apple Fire, showing the perimeter (in red) at 7:45 p.m. PDT August 2, 2020, Looking north. The white line was the perimeter about 24 hours before.
The Apple fire burned actively Sunday, primarily to the north and east. Much of the fire activity is being driven by the record low moisture content of the vegetation in the area combined with high temperatures and low relative humidity. These conditions are contributing to active fire behavior both day and night.
The fire started July 31 near Cherry Valley, California and is spreading north of Beaumont and Banning.
(To see all articles on Wildfire Today about the Apple Fire, including the most recent, click here.)
A mapping flight Sunday evening at 7:45 determined that the fire had burned 24,830 acres, an increase of about 10,000 acres in 24 hours. At about 11 a.m. the incident management team announced it had grown to 26,450 acres.
Sunday night and early Monday morning the fire was very active. Multiple spot fires ignited on the north side which were attacked by a night-vision equipped helicopter. Two of the spot fires were caught but one grew significantly and will be assessed.
The Apple fire is burning in an area with no recent fire history. It is expected to burn into less dense fuels as it progresses. Firefighters on the ground and in the air are building fireline directly on the fire’s edge where possible and are protecting structures in local communities. The extremely steep slopes and elevations up to 11,000 feet make this a challenging assignment for firefighters.
Map of the Apple Fire, showing the perimeter (in red) at 7:45 p.m. PDT August 2, 2020, The white line was the perimeter about 24 hours before.
Evacuation information for Riverside County residents is available at the county website where residents can enter an address to see if they are in an evacuation area.
In San Bernardino County, the community of Oak Glen is under an evacuation order. Forest Falls, Pioneer Town, and Rim Rock are all under an evacuation warning.
Apple Fire, San Bernardino NF, August 2, 2020. Screenshot from ABC7 video.
The weather forecast for Monday calls for more of the same conditions that have led to rapid growth of the fire — 91 to 96 degrees, 15 to 20 percent relative humidity, and ridgetop winds out of the west at 20 mph.
It is difficult for meteorologists to create a forecast for a fire like this. It is on very steep topography that ranges from 3,400 feet at Cherry Valley to 11,503 feet at the top of Mount San Gorgonio.
A steep slope at high elevation on the Apple Fire, San Bernardino NF, August 2, 2020. Screenshot from ABC7 video.
Air Tanker 15, a BAe-146, drops on the Apple Fire August 2, 2020. Screenshot from ABC7 video.
A television station in Los Angeles, ABC 7, has occasionally been live-streaming video shot from a helicopter over the Apple Fire. The station has posted on YouTube 68 minutes of video that was shot today, August 2. I did not have the time to watch all of it, but I jumped around sampling different segments and found it to be fascinating. The video is below, and I have included a few screenshots.
(To see all articles on Wildfire Today about the Apple Fire, including the most recent, click here.)
I am not sure (and someone correct me if I’m wrong) but I think in the photo below, the highest point on the left, the white barren area, is Mount San Gorgonio, the highest peak in Southern California and the Transverse Ranges at 11,503 feet.
Apple Fire, San Bernardino National Forest, August 2, 2020. Screenshot from ABC7 video.Air Tanker 914, a DC-10, drops on the Apple Fire August 2, 2020. Screenshot from ABC7 video.Apple Fire, San Bernardino National Forest, August 2, 2020; looking west across the San Gorgonio River. Screenshot from ABC7 video.Air Tanker 137, a B-737, drops on the Apple Fire August 2, 2020. Screenshot from ABC7 video.
