Areas predicted to be affected Sunday include southeast California, northern Arizona, southern Utah, and parts of Colorado and New Mexico
August 2, 2020 | 9:30 a.m. PDT
Forecast by NOAA for the distribution of smoke created by the Apple Fire in southern California at 2 p.m. PDT August 2, 2020.
The Apple Fire north of Beaumont and Banning in southern California has been burning vigorously and creating a very large amount of smoke since it started at 5 p.m. July 31. The map above is a prediction by NOAA for the distribution of wildfire smoke at 2 p.m. PDT today, August 2. It predicts that areas significantly affected will include southeast California, northern Arizona, southern Utah, and parts of Colorado and New Mexico.
(To see all articles on Wildfire Today about the Apple Fire, including the most recent, click here.)
The size of the Apple Fire is uncertain because the north side of the fire could not be completely mapped at 8:30 p.m. Saturday by the fixed wing aircraft due to the very large convection column of smoke and heat over the fire. But the crew was able to map 15,000 acres of the blaze.
Satellite photo by GOES-17 of smoke created by the Apple Fire in southern California at 7 a.m. PDT August 2, 2020. NASA.
The fire has burned 20,516 acres in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties
August 2, 2020 | Updated at 11:21 a.m. PDT
3-D map of the Apple Fire, showing the perimeter at 8:30 p.m. PDT August 1, 2020. The north side of the fire could not be completely mapped at that time by the fixed wing aircraft due to the convection column over the fire.
The Apple Fire north of Beaumont and Banning in southern California was very active Saturday afternoon and continued to spread well into the night. A fixed wing aircraft attempted to map the fire at 8:30 p.m. Saturday and was not able to completely gather intelligence on the north side due to a vigorous convection column of smoke and heat in that area. The crew on the aircraft was able to confirm that at least 15,000 acres had burned at that time. That was updated by the incident management team at about 10 a.m. PDT to 20,516 acres.
(To see all articles on Wildfire Today about the Apple Fire, including the most recent, click here.)
Several evacuation orders are in effect for the Apple Fire. Visit the Riverside County website to see a map of the evacuation areas or to determine if your address is affected.
The wind Saturday and Saturday night was consistent, blowing from the west at 11 to 14 mph and gusting to 18 mph. Combined with the steep south-facing slopes, the fire spread uphill north toward San Gorgonio Mountain and east parallel with Interstate 10 north of Banning.
The red line was the perimeter of the Apple Fire mapped by a fixed wing aircraft at 8:30 p.m. PDT August 1, 2020. The red dots represent heat detected by a satellite at 2:48 a.m. PDT August 2, 2020. The north side of the fire could not be completely mapped by the fixed wing aircraft due to the convection column of smoke and heat over the fire.
The Apple Fire is well established east of the San Gorgonio River. Approximately 80 percent of the fire is in the San Bernardino National Forest and a portion of the southeast perimeter has spread into the Morongo Reservation. The remainder is on land protected by the state and the counties of Riverside and San Bernardino.
A Type 1 Incident Management Team has been ordered to assume command of the fire.
Current resources on the fire include 20 hand-crews, 6 helicopters, 178 fire engines, and 19 water tenders. A variable number of air tankers are available to the fire as well, depending on other wildfire activity. There are also a number of unfilled resource orders, and some are responding that are not yet on-scene.
The incident management team expects fire activity to remain high Sunday.
The weather forecast for the Cherry Valley area on Sunday is for 95 degrees, 10 to 15 percent relative humidity, and afternoon winds from the west at 4 to 7 mph gusting to 12 mph, with ridgetop speeds of 15 to 20 mph. Firefighters would not consider these conditions extreme, but they could indicate weather conducive to additional fire spread.
Apple Fire, looking northeast from Elsinore Mountain at 1:26 a.m. August 2, 2020. Via @CAFireScanner.Apple Fire August 1, 2020, from Noble Creek Park, Beaumont, CA. US Forest Service photo by Zach Behrens.
Saturday morning the fire was mapped at 1,900 acres
UPDATED at 4:26 p.m. PDT August 1, 2020
The map below shows heat detected on the Apple Fire by a satellite at 12:48 p.m. PDT August 1. On Saturday the fire has been moving to the north and east and by 3:30 p.m. had spread past the Oak Glen Conservation Camp.
(To see all articles on Wildfire Today about the Apple Fire, including the most recent, click here.)
The map shows heat detected on the Apple Fire by a satellite at 12:48 p.m. PDT August 1, 2020. The red arrows were added by Wildfire Today.
UPDATED at 3:31 p.m. PDT August 1, 2020
Apple Fire at 2:13 p.m. August 1, 2020. Toro Peak looking northeast.
The Apple fire has been very active in the early afternoon Saturday, spreading up the slope at least two miles over the last 12 hours, surrounding CAL FIRE’s Oak Glen Conservation Camp #35. The 40 acre site built in 1949 for housing and training up to seven inmate fire crews is the largest state facility of its kind.
The red arrows on the map indicate the spread of the Apple Fire Saturday afternoon, August 1, 2020.Apple Fire, DC-10 air tanker dropping near the Oak Glen Conservation Camp. Screenshot from ABC7 video.
CAL FIRE/Riverside County reported at 3 p.m. Saturday the Apple Fire has burned 4,125 acres.
Firefighters have ordered additional large and very large air tankers including two DC-10s and the 747. Additional strike teams of engines, dozers, and crews have also been requested.
Apple Fire at 2:13 p.m. August 1, 2020. Reche Peak looking southeast.
The weather conditions are not in favor of the firefighters. At 2:13 p.m. Saturday a weather station at Banning recorded winds out of the west at 10 mph gusting to 22, temperature of 99 degrees, and relative humidity of 9 percent.
(Originally published at 10:32 p.m. PDT August 1, 2020)
3-D map of the Apple, approximate location, based on heat detected by a satellite at 3:06 a.m. PDT Aug 1, 2020. Not to be used for planning purposes.
At about 5 p.m. Friday when firefighters arrived at what is now the Apple Fire north of Beaumont, California in Cherry Valley, they found at least two separate fires burning along Oak Glen Road. Saturday it has grown into a 1,900-acre blaze that has prompted evacuations and has destroyed at least one home and two outbuildings.
CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire is in Unified Command with the U.S. Forest Service, Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, and California Highway Patrol.
The fire is burning between Oak Glen Road on the west and Bluff Street on the east. It is about three miles south of Oak Glen.
Apple Fire August 1, 2020. @Captain2500agl
Resources working on the fire Saturday morning include 5 helicopters, 43 fire engines, 10 hand crews, 3 water tenders, and 3 dozers, for a total of 375 personnel. Large and very large air tankers are busy over the fire this morning.
Map showing heat detected on the Apple Fire by a satellite at 3:06 a.m. PDT Aug 1, 2020.Apple Fire, from Reche Peak at 9:45 a.m. PDT August 1, 2020.
Caldwell Fire, on Lassen Volcanic Highway July 28, 2020. Inciweb photo.
The Caldwell Fire in northeast California was not as active Tuesday as it had been in recent days. It added an additional 1,508 acres which brought the total up to 69,297. Most of the growth was on the northwest side within or west of Lava Beds National Monument.
The area is under a Red Flag Warning Wednesday from 2 p.m. until 8 p.m.
From the Incident Management Team, July 29, 2020:
“[Tuesday] crews conducted burning operations to even out the fire’s edge and fill in unburned areas. On the west side of the fire, the 49 road is holding well. Firefighters were able to begin direct control line construction on the south side of the fire, working from the 49 road eastward. Additionally, crews are still creating secondary control lines south of the fire perimeter.
“On the southeast corner, dozers and firefighters succeeded in creating solid control line, and this allowed the residents of Tionesta to return to their homes. On the east side, fire held well along the 120 road, and fire crews built control line all around the fire area that had crossed over the railroad tracks. On the north, fire flanked into the marsh and the tule is receptive to burning, however, fire is holding well at the 120 road.”
UPDATED at 7:49 a.m. PDT July 28, 2020
Caldwell Fire. USFS photo.
The Caldwell Fire in northeast California burned across Lava Beds National Monument Monday, adding another 24,040 acres to bring the total up to 67,789 acres. This is 26 percent of the 259,823 acres burned in California wildfires in 2019.
Map of the Caldwell Fire. The red line was the perimeter at 11:17 p.m. PDT July 27, 2020. The white line was the perimeter about 24 hours before. “VC” is the location of the Visitors Center at Lava Beds National Monument.
There is no Red Flag Warning in effect for the fire area. The forecast for Tuesday calls for 87 degrees, 19 percent relative humidity, and 2 to 7 mph winds out of the southeast in the morning and west in the afternoon. On Wednesday the winds will be out of the south and stronger, 7 to 13 mph gusting up to 20 with 12 percent relative humidity.
Originally published at 2:39 p.m. PDT July 27, 2020
Map of the Caldwell Fire. The red line was the perimeter at 12:24 am PDT July 27, 2020. The white line was the perimeter about 24 hours before.
Outflow winds from a thunderstorm Sunday caused the Caldwell Fire to spread seven miles to the north, more than doubling in size. Early Sunday morning the fire was 13,125 acres, but at 12:20 a.m. Monday a fixed wing aircraft mapped it at 43,749 acres, an increase of 30,624.
(To see all articles on Wildfire Today about the Caldwell Fire, including the most recent, click here.)
As of 6:45 a.m. Monday one structure and three outbuildings were confirmed as destroyed. The fire threatened the community of Tulelake, prompting evacuations in that area. The fire has spread to approximately one mile south of County Road 120. Firefighting resources attacking the new growth included 20 engines, 5 water tenders, and 3 20-person hand crews. On the east side firefighters stopped the fire along 6 miles of a railroad, however there was one slop-over.
Caldwell Fire. NPS photo by fire lookout Ranger Wendy from Schonchin Butte July 26, 2020.
Firefighters conducted burn-out operations around the Lava Beds National Monument Visitor Center and around some residences in order to protect the facilities.
Caldwell Fire, NPS photo by Ranger C. Orland, as seen from the park’s north entrance July 26 2020.
The area is under a Red Flag Warning Monday for gusty winds and low humidity.
On Monday firefighters on the north side of the fire will prioritize protecting structures in the Tulelake area and construct both direct and indirect containment line. Crews west of the fire will continue work on the secondary containment lines between the fire and the Medicine Lake area. There are 16 helicopters available to assist with suppression efforts Monday.
In 2019 five wildfires in New South Wales merged and ultimately burned 1,071,740 hectares (2,648,323 acres)
Map of bushfires in New South Wales, showing projected spread and ember attack, Dec. 21, 2019.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, ABC, has put together the story of the largest bushfire in the recorded history of the continent. When the spread of the Gospers Mountain Fire finally halted during the 2019-2020 bushfire season, it had merged with four other large blazes to ultimately burn 1,071,740 hectares (2,648,323 acres).
Sometimes in the United States we call a fire that reaches 100,000 acres a “megafire”, but the prefix “mega” means a million (106). Last bushfire season the Aussies had a legitimate megafire.
The article at ABC is well researched and interesting. It includes details that previously were not widely known — such as the fact that firefighters were worried that the fire could burn into the northern suburbs of Sydney, the state capital of New South Wales.
Air Tanker 131, a C-130Q (N130FF) on the Karen Fire in San Bernardino County, CA July 26, 2020. Photo credit: CAL FIRE Riverside Co FD.
CAL FIRE and local fire departments made quick work of the Karen Fire that burned 277 acres Sunday near Fontana in southern California. It was first reported off Sierra Avenue and Karen Lane and when it was contained of the burned area was in San Bernardino County.
Karen Fire July 26, 2020. Photo credit: CAL FIRE Riverside Co FD.Air Tanker 131, a C-130Q (N130FF) on the Karen Fire in San Bernardino County, CA July 26, 2020. Photo credit: CAL FIRE Riverside Co FD.Air Tanker 131, a C-130Q (N130FF) on the Karen Fire in San Bernardino County, CA July 26, 2020. Photo credit: CAL FIRE Riverside Co FD.Karen Fire July 26, 2020. Image credit: San Bernardino Co FD.
