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Wildfire Today

Category: Wildfire

Unplanned vegetation fires

Maria Fire east of Ventura remapped at 9,412 acres

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories WildfireTags , , 4 Comments on Maria Fire east of Ventura remapped at 9,412 acres

The fire started 13 minutes after SCE re-energized power lines near the point of origin

Map of the Maria Fire
Map of the Maria Fire. All evacuations have been lifted. The pink line and green lines are where evacuations have been lifted. Source: Ventura County at 6:20 a.m. PDT Nov. 2, 2019.

UPDATED at 6:35 p.m. PDT November 2, 2019

The Ventura County Fire Department announced at 2:39 p.m. Saturday that all evacuation orders on the Maria Fire have been lifted.

More accurate mapping determined that the fire has burned 9,412 acres, which is a decrease from the 10,720-acre figure released earlier.

The number of structures burned has remained at three. That has not been broken down as to the type, such as outbuildings, homes, or commercial structures.

Saturday morning there were still 1,200 personnel assigned to the fire.

UPDATED at 7:37 a.m. PDT November 2, 2019

Friday afternoon the Maria Fire east of Ventura, California grew by another 2,000 acres on the west and north sides. The Ventura County Fire Department said a total of 10,720 acres have burned.

As the fire moved north into the Santa Clara river bottom on Friday live views from cameras on helicopters showed several structures burning, some of which appeared to be affiliated with ranching or farming. Horses freed by ranch hands were running from the fire.

The UPI reports that the fire, which started near mountaintop communication sites, may have been related to re-energized power lines.

Southern California Edison said that though it’s not sure what caused the Maria Fire, the company did re-energize its power lines in the vicinity about 13 minutes before it sparked. The company had previously cut off power to the area amid strong winds.

(Scroll down to see a tweet that has a photo of the fire shortly after it started.)

SCE power lines caused the huge fire across the valley from the Maria Fire, the Thomas Fire that in December, 2017 blackened 230,500 acres and destroyed 1,063 structures (see the map below). Two people were killed directly by the Thomas fire, one firefighter and a civilian, and 21 were killed later by flooding and mud flows off the vegetation-free mountains. Over 8,500 firefighters were mobilized to fight it, which is the largest mobilization of firefighters for combating any wildfire in California history. The cost of suppressing the fire was over $200 million.

Drones over the fire Friday at 3:19 a.m. and 4:05 a.m. shut down the water dropping activities of two night-flying helicopters, the LA Times reported. According to @VCscanner, Air Attack 51 reported one of the drones at about 3,000 feet, resulting in all firefighting aircraft having to shut down.

The Red Flag Warning has been extended through 6 p.m. Saturday due to very dry air with humidity levels from 2 to 8 percent, recovering only to 8 to 18 percent overnight. Daytime highs on Saturday and Sunday in the fire area are expected to be between 77 and 85 degrees. Northeast winds will persist through Saturday, with the Ventura County Mountains and Valleys experiencing 10-25 mph winds and gusts of 25-35 mph. Weaker but still present offshore winds will be present Saturday night through Sunday.

Red Flag Warnings, November 2, 2019
Red Flag Warnings November 2, 2019 include the Maria Fire area. NWS

UPDATED at 12:15 p.m. PDT Nov. 1, 2019

The wind on the north side of the Maria Fire has shifted. Instead of coming from the northeast it is now from the east at 10 mph gusting to 20, which is pushing the fire toward the river bottom south of Santa Paula. Additional firefighting resources are being dispatched to deal with the increased threat to structures.

Video from television helicopters has showed structures burning.

The Ventura County Fire Department reported at 12:10 p.m. Friday that the fire had burned 8,700 acres.

map Maria Fire Ventura County California
The red dots represent heat on the Maria Fire detected by a satellite at 2:06 a.m. PDT November 1, 2019. Click to enlarge.

Continue reading “Maria Fire east of Ventura remapped at 9,412 acres”

Roundup of new southern California wildfires, October 30-31, 2019

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories WildfireTags , , , , 1 Comment on Roundup of new southern California wildfires, October 30-31, 2019
new wildfires fires southern California San Diego Mexico
New wildfires in the greater San Diego area, updated at 6:42 a.m. PDT Oct. 31, 2019.
new wildfires fires southern California Los Angeles
New wildfires in the greater Los Angeles area, updated at 6:42 a.m. PDT Oct. 31, 2019.

Here we will keep a list of the new wildfires as they occur in southern California during the extremely strong northeast wind event. This list will include very brief information about each fire. The locations are shown on the map above.

Hillside Fire

Time of update: 6:55 a.m. Thursday

Location: at Highway 18 near Lupin Lane. San Bernardino/North Park/Wildwood Park. 34.183 latitude, -117.285 longitude

Size: about 200 acres

Status: Active, multiple homes have been destroyed, 500 homes evacuated. Highway 18 is closed between 40th St. in San Bernardino and Highway 138 in Crestline. The area is experiencing 20-30 mph winds with gusts to 60. Evacuation orders are in place.

Map showing location Hillside Fire
Map showing the location of the Hillside Fire at 3:12 a.m. PDT Oct. 31, 2019

46 Fire

Time of update: 11:16 p.m. Thursday

Location:  5300 block of 46th Street in Jurupa Valley in Riverside County.

Size: 300 acres at 6:30 a.m. Thursday

Status: Active, evacuations in effect. CAL FIRE reports that three residential structures and two outbuildings are confirmed destroyed.

Copper Fire

Time of update: 6:55  a.m. Thursday

Location: On the U.S./Mexico Border on Otay Mountain near Copper Canyon in southern San Diego County.

Size: CAL FIRE reports that 50 acres have burned on the U.S. side of the border. At Wildfire Today we estimate that approximately 500 acres in Mexico have burned.

Status: At 7:57 a.m. Thursday CAL FIRE reported that the spread on the portion of the fire in the U.S. has been stopped. Firefighters south of the border are engaged as well.

Copper Fire
Smoke from the Copper Fire as seen from the Otay camera at 8:36 a.m. PDT Oct. 31, 2019.

Castlewood Fire

Time of update: 7:29 a.m. Thursday

Location: Castlewood Drive and north Gilbert St, Fullerton

Size: About 15 to 20 acres

Status: Firefighters have stopped the spread.

Easy Fire

Time of update: 7:13 a.m. PDT Thursday

Location: Simi Valley south of the 118 freeway, north of Madera Road, west of Acapulco Ave., and west of the 23 freeway.

Size: 1,723 acres (according to Ventura County Fire Department at 6:52 a.m. Thursday)

Status: Some evacuations are still in effect. Two structures have burned. Firefighters have stopped the spread.

More information: https://wildfiretoday.com/2019/10/30/easy-fire-causes-evacuations-near-reagan-presidential-library/

Hill Fire

Time of update: 11:18 p.m. PDT Thursday

Location: Riverside, originally north of the 60 freeway near Pyrite Street, but spotted across.

Size: 626 acres

Status: Firefighters stopped the spread at 250 acres. Evacuations have been lifted.

More information: https://twitter.com/CALFIRERRU

Brea Fire

Time of update: 5 p.m. PDT Wednesday

Location: on the east side of the 57 freeway where it crosses over Brea Canyon Road three miles south of the 60 freeway.

Size: 16 acres

Status: Firefighters stopped the spread at 16 acres

Yosemite Fire

Time of update: 7:30 a.m. PDT Thursday

Location: In Simi Valley just south of the 118 freeway just east of Yosemite Ave. Near the intersection of Serena St. and Meralda Ave.

Size: estimate, one to two acres

Status: Started at about 1:25 p.m. Wednesday. Burned in the back yards of several homes on both sides of Yosemite Ave. Firefighters stopped the spread. A helicopter had to make a precautionary landing due to a mechanical problem, but there were no injuries.

Whittier Fire

Time of update: 4:52 p.m. PDT October 30, 2019

Location: 555 Durfee Ave South El Monte

Size: 2-3 acres

Status: Reported around 4:30 p.m. Wednesday. The spread was stopped at about 2-3 acres.

Dexter Fire

Time of update: 7:33 a.m. PDT Thursday

Location: Mission Ave at Mt. Rubidoux Dr., Riverside

Size: 30 acres

Status: It was reported at 11:40 a.m. on Wednesday. Evacuations have been lifted. Firefighters have stopped the spread.

Easy Fire causes evacuations near Reagan Presidential Library

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories WildfireTags , 3 Comments on Easy Fire causes evacuations near Reagan Presidential Library

UPDATED at 4:40 p.m. PDT October 30, 2019

Firefighters are working diligently to stop the Easy Fire at the 23 freeway. At least two spot fires erupted on the west side but were suppressed with the aid of aircraft. At times the winds were too extreme for any aircraft but late in the afternoon they subsided enough to allow helicopters and fixed wing air tankers to rejoin the fight.

Ventura County Fire Department officials said the fire has burned about 1,400 acres.

UPDATED at 11:40 a.m. PDT October 30, 2019

map Easy Fire
Map showing the APPROXIMATE location, based on live camera views, of the rapidly spreading Easy Fire at 10:30 a.m. PDT Oct. 30, 2019. Not to be used for planning or evacuation decisions.

The Easy Fire in Simi Valley has burned at least 1,300 acres according to an estimate from Ventura County authorities and has burned completely around the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in southern California. Goats have been used to reduce the vegetation around structures at the library which no doubt improved its survivability. (see map above)

Two DC-10 Very Large Air Tankers are working the fire but Air Attack is having a difficult time selecting targets in the strong wind that can be dropped on effectively.

air tankers aircraft Easy Fire
Aircraft over the Easy Fire at 11:30 a.m. Oct. 30, 2019, including two DC-10 Very Large Air Tankers, T-910 & T-914.

There are a total of 8 air tankers, 9 helicopters, and 800 firefighters working the fire.

The fire is threatening 6,500 homes.

At least two semi trucks have been overturned by the wind.

semi truck overturned by the wind
A semi truck overturned by the wind. ABC7

UPDATED at 8:39 a.m. PDT October 30, 2019

At least seven helicopters are dropping water on the fire but their effectiveness is reduced at times by the wind blowing the water off target. Two Super Scooper air tankers are also on scene and are concentrating on protecting the Reagan Presidential Library.

8:13 a.m. PDT October 30, 2019.

The Easy Fire that started in Ventura County in southern California before dawn spread very rapidly from Easy Street across Tierra Rejada Road toward the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. At 8 a.m. it had burned approximately 200 acres and was approaching the library and several homes east of Highway 23 north of Madera Road. (see map below)

Continue reading “Easy Fire causes evacuations near Reagan Presidential Library”

Kincade Fire burns into two fires from 2017

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories WildfireTags , , 1 Comment on Kincade Fire burns into two fires from 2017

The Tubbs and Pocket Fires

Kincade Pocket Tubbs fires California
The perimeter of the Kincade Fire at 1:09 a.m. PDT October 28, 2019 seen in relation to the Tubbs and Pocket Fires on October 24, 2017. Click to enlarge.

When the wind is blowing at 50 to 90 mph not much can stop a wildfire, but the footprints of two fires that burned in October of 2017, the Tubbs and Pocket Fires, may have had some limited effect on the spread of the Kincade Fire that started last week.

When a wildfire burns into a two-year-old fire scar, usually there is much less vegetation than what had been carrying the fire — fewer tons per acre  and lighter fuels. For example if moving from chaparral to grass, the intensity, the amount of heat produced, and number and size of fire brands generated would be much less. That does not mean the fire would go out on it’s own, but unless the weather is extreme, like it has been in northern California off and on for the last week, there would be less resistance to control. In other words, easier to put out.

In some cases with very steep slopes or  heavy fuels such as very dense brush or timber, retardant dropped from an aircraft might have little effectiveness in dry windy conditions. But in the lighter vegetation that follows a fire, aircraft can be very efficient in slowing the spread long enough to allow firefighters on the ground to move in and actually suppress it.

During the extreme weather in northern California the last few days the Kincade Fire spread partially into the Pocket Fire on the north and the Tubbs Fire on the south. On the map above take note of the unburned red polygon, or island, inside the perimeter of the Pocket Fire.

During extreme winds and single-digit humidity a fire can keep spreading until it runs completely out of fuel, but it would be interesting to hear from folks that were on the Kincade Fire to find out if there was any significant change in fire intensity when it moved into the two fire scars.

Getty Fire burns homes in Los Angeles

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories WildfireTags ,

The fire was reported at about 1:30 a.m. near the southbound lanes of the 405 Freeway in Sepulveda Pass

map Getty Fire
The map shows the location of the Getty Fire in Los Angeles October, 28, 2019.

UPDATED at 4:31 p.m. PDT October 28, 2019

Monday afternoon Firefighters made progress in slowing the spread of the Getty Fire west of the 405 Freeway below the Getty Center museum in Los Angeles. Fire officials said the fire had burned eight homes and 618 acres.

An aggressive air assault after sunrise assisted firefighters on the ground. Numerous helicopters, large air tankers, plus two DC-10 airtankers dropped retardant and water on the brush-covered slopes.

At 4 p.m. some evacuation orders were still in effect for about 10,000 homes, and the southbound lanes of the 405 freeway were closed from the junction of US 101 to Sunset Boulevard.

8:08 a.m. PDT October 28, 2019

The Getty Fire broke out Monday morning near the 405 Freeway below the Getty Center museum in Los Angeles causing authorities to issue evacuation orders for about 3,300 homes. (see map)

The fire was reported at about 1:30 a.m. near the southbound lanes of the 405 Freeway in Sepulveda Pass.

There are reports that several homes  have burned. The Los Angeles Fire Department reported at 7:30 a.m. that approximately 500 acres had burned.

Getty Fire
Getty Fire. ABC7.
Getty Fire
Getty Fire at 8:04 a.m. PDT October 28, 2019.

The home of Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James was one of 3,300 affected by the Getty Fire.

Later he wrote on Twitter,”Finally found a place to accommodate us! Crazy night man!”

Firefighters on Kincade Fire prepare for Red Flag weather conditions

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories WildfireTags , , 3 Comments on Firefighters on Kincade Fire prepare for Red Flag weather conditions

Two firefighters were burned Sunday

8:09 a.m. PDT October 29, 2019

map kincade fire California wildfire
Map showing in red the perimeter of the Kincade Fire at 12:49 a.m. PDT October 29, 2019. The white line was the approximate perimeter about 24 hours before. Click to enlarge.

On Monday the Kincade Fire grew a relatively small amount, all of it on the east and southeast sides. CAL FIRE reports that the official size is 75,415 acres. (see map above)

(To see all articles on Wildfire Today about the Kincade Fire, including the most recent, click here.)

The weather on Monday gave firefighters the opportunity to make significant progress on the fire. But on Tuesday and Wednesday much of California is under a Red Flag Warning for strong winds and low humidity, including the Kincade Fire area.

Below is the National Weather Service forecast for wind and humidity near the fire at Geyserville. The wind barbs point to the direction the wind will be from. After 2 p.m. Tuesday the prediction is for 14 to 16 mph sustained winds out of the northeast with gusts of 21 to 33 until 4 a.m. Wednesday. The humidity will reach into the single digits and there will be no clouds or chance of precipitation.

Weather forecast Geyserville
Weather forecast for the Geyserville area October 29-30, 2019.

CAL FIRE reports that 57 homes and 5 commercial structures have been destroyed.

Resources assigned to the fire include 549 engines, 42 water tenders, 27 helicopters, 86 hand crews, and 66 dozers for a total of 4,548 personnel.

Many fixed wing air tankers have been used on the fire. The 747 Very Large Air Tanker (VLAT) has been activated as well as four DC-10 VLATs. These and other tankers, such as the C-130, 737, BAe-146, RJ85, P-3, and MD87 are being used on CAL FIRE and U.S. Forest Service contracts throughout California as fires erupt. There could be more if needed, but the Forest Service has not awarded the Call When Needed contracts for backup air tankers that was first advertised 517 days ago. The eight C-130 military Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System, MAFFS, could also be activated.

7:14 a.m. PDT October 28, 2019

Strong northeast winds that continued Sunday pushed the Kincade Fire to Highway 101 south of Healdsburg, California. The map below indicates that the fire may have been stopped before entering the city.

Two firefighters were burned yesterday. CAL FIRE spokesperson Jonathan Cox said one firefighter with serious burn injuries was airlifted to University of California Davis Medical Center.

Sunday afternoon CAL FIRE reported that the fire had burned 54,298 acres, but an overnight mapping flight found that number had increased to nearly 80,000 acres. Approximately 94 structures have been destroyed and 17 damaged.

Continue reading “Firefighters on Kincade Fire prepare for Red Flag weather conditions”