Map showing heat detected by a satellite on the Lime Fire at 3:12 a.m. PDT June 11, 2020. The fire is probably larger than indicated because light fuels could have burned and cooled, making it impossible for the sensors to detect heat in those areas.
Ventura County Fire Department reported at 7 a.m. on Thursday that the Lime Fire west of Lake Piru has burned 450 acres. There were two minor injuries last night.
The county’s web site still shows a mandatory evacuation in effect, but reduced in size.
Lime Fire. Screenshot from Ventura County FD video at 6:50 a.m. PDT June 11, 2020.
Night-flying helicopters dropped water until about 1:45 a.m. Thursday and as the fire activity decreased significantly, all aircraft were released including an air attack fixed wing.
(Originally published at 7:47 p.m. PDT June 10, 2020)
Map showing the approximate location of the Lime Fire west of Lake Piru in southern California June 10, 2020.
Mandatory evacuations are in effect for a wildfire that started late Wednesday afternoon west of Lake Piru in southern California. The fire, estimated at about 200 acres, is about three miles north of the town of Piru which is on the north side of Highway 126 between Castaic and Fillmore.
Evacuation map for the Lime Fire west of Lake Piru, valid at 7:15 p.m. PDT June 10, 2020. Ventura County Emergency Operations Center.
At one point at least four air tankers were assigned and due to life threat they were designated as “no divert” to another fire. Later, air attack which was directing the air show had to leave to refuel, so all air tankers were told to return to base until a replacement air attack arrived on scene.
Structures near Lake Piru are threatened.
An MD-87 air tanker drops on the Lime Fire. Ventura Co. Fire Dept. photo, June 10, 2020.
At 7:10 p.m. a nearby weather station recorded 84 degrees, 15 percent relative humidity, with 14 mph west-southwest winds gusting to 19.
We will update this article as more information becomes available.
The Lime Fire as seen from a camera at Oat North, 6:59 p.m. PDT June 10, 2020
Helicopter drops on the Lime Fire. Ventura Co. Fire Dept. photo, June 10, 2020.
Map showing the location of the Blue River Fire at 9:52 a.m. June 8, 2020. Data from the incident management team.
The Blue River Fire has burned 18,602 acres 6 miles northeast of San Carlos, Arizona since it started from a lightning strike June 5. The fire is being managed by the Arizona Central West Zone Type 3 Incident Management Team.
It is burning in desert grass and brush with Ponderosa pine at the higher elevations.
The team is working to ensure all fire resources are meeting the requirements of the Centers for Disease Control as well as the standards set by the San Carlos Apache Tribe Emergency Response Commission related to COVID-19. All firefighters and team members are temperature tested before entering tribal lands. Firefighters will be “spiked-out”, camping in designated remote areas safely adjacent to the fires.
Blue River Fire northeast of San Carlos, Arizona, June 7, 2020. Photo: SCA Forestry.
The team members assisting with incident support will be working remotely from Globe, 22 air miles to the west-southwest. Firefighters will be fed and supported at their remote spike camps by local drivers that meet the tribal COVID-19 testing requirements, delivering food and supplies several times a day.
The fire has been spreading north-northeast pushed by strong, gusty winds. Smoke has been settling into the San Carlos area at night and during the day has been affecting the Fort Apache Indian Reservation.
Smoke generated by three wildfires in southeast Arizona, June 8, 2020. NOAA Hazard Mapping System.
The Quail Fire southwest of Winters, California has been mapped at 1,837 acres. CAL FIRE reports that mandatory residential evacuations have been lifted.
The number of structures destroyed remains at three.
(UPDATED at 9:25 a.m. PDT June 7, 2020)
CAL FIRE reported at 8 a.m. Sunday that the Quail Fire southwest of Winters, California has burned 1,400 acres with three structures destroyed and 100 structures still threatened. They also report that it is 10 percent contained, however for many agencies containment numbers are extremely subjective and may or may not accurately reflect the percent of the fire perimeter that is contained.
Evacuations are still in effect.
Resources assigned include 30 engines, 7 hand crews, and 9 dozers for a total of 600 personnel.
(UPDATED at 6:21 a.m. PDT June 7, 2020)
Map showing heat detected on the Quail Fire by satellites at 2:48 a.m. PDT June 7, 2020.
The spread of the fire slowed considerably overnight.
At 6:50 a.m. Sunday at a weather station south of the fire it was 53 degrees, 56 percent relative humidity, and the wind was out of the west-northwest at 7 mph gusting to 16.
NOAA predicts the smoke will continue to spread to the east toward Sacramento.
Smoke forecast. Product from NOAA’s Hazard Mapping System Fire and Smoke analysis for 7:58 p.m. PDT June 6, 2020.
(12:22 a.m. PDT June 7, 2020)
Map showing the approximate locations of heat detected on the Quail Fire by satellites at 9:02 p.m. PDT June 6, 2020.
The Quail Fire that started Saturday afternoon southwest of Winters, California has burned about 1,200 acres west of Davis according to a 9 p.m. PDT update from CAL FIRE. Evacuations are in progress.
It was initially reported near the intersection of Quail Canyon Road and Pleasants Valley Road south of Highway 128 approximately 9 miles north of Vacaville and 13 miles west of Davis.
The Quail Fire looking northeast from Mt. Vaca at 8:41 p.m. PDT June 6, 2020. PGE/Axis camera.
An evacuation Center is located at 3 Oaks Community Center, 1100 Alamo Dr., Vacaville, CA 95687.
At 9:45 p.m. MDT the Incident Commander requested an additional four strike teams (5 engines each) of any type of engines, immediate need. Approximately 100 structures were threatened, according to CAL FIRE.
Smoke from the Quail and other fires in the North Bay area is predicted to spread to the east affecting residents in Davis, Sacramento, Fairfield, Elk Grove, and Concord.
Product from NOAA’s Hazard Mapping System Fire and Smoke analysis for 7:58 p.m. PDT June 6, 2020.
The wind in the fire area is predicted to be out of the west-northwest Saturday night at 16 gusting to 23 mph at 10 p.m., decreasing to 9 mph by sunrise. The maximum relative humidity overnight will be 65 percent, then will drop into the low 20s by Sunday afternoon, with an air temperature of 75 degrees.
Aircraft operating near the Quail Fire west of Davis, California at 8:04 p.m. PDT June 6, 2020. FlightAware/Wildfire Today.
Photo of the Lakeville Fire southeast of Petaluma, California, June 5, 2020. Photo by CAL FIRE.
Yesterday the Lakeville Fire southeast of Petaluma, California burned about 141 acres before being suppressed by firefighters assisted by air tankers. The origin of the fire was near the 4500 block of Lakeville Highway.
Map showing the location of the Lakeville Fire southeast of Petaluma, California, June 5, 2020. Wildfire Today/Google Earth.
If the firefighters in the photo below (at top/right) are carrying drip torches as it appears, they may be burning out from a retardant line to consume the fuel between the retardant and an already burned area.
Affecting parts of Queen Valley — called “precautionary”, so firefighters can ignite back burns near the town
Map of the south side of the Sawtooth Fire at 12:47 a.m. MDT June 2, 2020.
The incident management team for the Sawtooth Fire Tuesday morning announced the evacuation of part of Queen Valley. Firefighters expect to carry out a burnout operation nearby, also called back burn, in order to prevent the fire from spreading into the town.
Below is part of the announcement issued at about 11:30 a.m.:
Over the next few days, firefighters on the Sawtooth Fire will begin back burning operations as part of structure protection and community safety measures in and around the northeast portion of Queen Valley. To ensure safety, starting at noon today, residents along Silver King Road and Williams Road in Queen Valley will be placed in precautionary GO status as they are being asked to vacate their homes while these suppression operations take place. At this time, this precautionary GO notification only effects those residents along those two roads. Currently, all other residents in Queen Valley and nearby communities are not impacted by this request and need not vacate their residence in support of these firefighting tactics.
To get notified about emergency alerts, including evacuation information, contact your local county emergency management office.
There is no estimated timeframe as to how long back burning operations will take within the northeast portion of Queen Valley. Residents are asked to be prepared to leave for a minimum of three days.
The news release included few details or links about how to find out more about the evacuation, but we did some research:
The Sawtooth Fire is east of the greater Phoenix area, 10 miles east of Apache Junction. At 12:47 a.m. Monday the south side of the fire was approximately 2 miles north of Queen Valley and 8 miles northwest of Superior.
(To see all articles about the Sawtooth Fire on Wildfire Today, including the most recent, click here)
If the incident management team releases an update on Tuesday they are expected to say it has burned over 20,000 acres.
Map showing the perimeter of the Sawtooth Fire (in red) mapped by a fixed wing aircraft at 12:47 a.m. MDT June 2.
