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Tag: California

Rocky Fire near Clearlake, CA burns thousands of acres in first 5 hours

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories UncategorizedTags , , 9 Comments on Rocky Fire near Clearlake, CA burns thousands of acres in first 5 hours

THIS ARTICLE IS NO LONGER BEING UPDATED. Since it was becoming lengthy, we began a fresh one Sunday morning, August 2, 2015.

(UPDATED at 9 a.m. PT, August 1, 2015)

The Rocky Fire three miles east of Clearlake, California continued to expand Friday in almost all areas except for the southwest side. Friday night it was within 2.3 miles of the outskirts of Clearlake and 2 miles of Highway 20.

CAL FIRE reports that it has burned 22,500 acres.

Mandatory evacuations are in effect for Jerusalem Valley area east of Soda Creek, Bonham Road, Quarter Horse Lane, Mustang Court, Bronco Court, Sunset Court, Morgan Valley east of Bonham Road, Canyon Road, June Bug Road, Cambell Ranch Road, Sloan Ranch Road, Sky High Ranch Road, Rocky Creek Road, and Dam Road from the gate to the dam.

An Evacuation Advisory has been issued for the City of Clear Lake impacting 5000 residences

map rocky fire california
Map of Rocky Fire at 11 p.m. PT, July 31, 2015 (the red line). The white line is the perimeter about 24 hours before.

A chance of thunderstorms, cooler temperatures, and higher humidity are in the forecast for Saturday.

The fire is being battled by 1,951 personnel, 160 fire engines, 28 hand crews, 19 helicopters, and 46 dozers. The number of air tankers varies throughout the day.

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(UPDATED at 8:55 p.m. PT, July 31, 2015)

The wind controlling the direction of spread of the Rocky Fire east of Clearlake, CA changed to coming out of the northeast on Friday between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. This has pushed the smoke and some of the hottest portions of the fire to the west in the direction of the communities of Clearlake, Lower Lake, and Twin Lake. Below is an update from CAL FIRE at 5:45 p.m. on Friday:

New – The Rocky Fire has progressed and is currently moving southwest towards Lower Lake and the eastside of Clearlake. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office along with the Clearlake Police Department have issued an advisory evacuation of all areas east of Highway 29 starting at Riata Road to the Highway 53 junction. As well as all areas east of Highway 53 north to Highway 20 and Ogulin Canyon Road. An evacuation advisory is not a mandatory evacuation but it is strongly recommended. Residents are advised to gather their medications, pets and important papers. Residents should be prepared to leave the area with little notice. If residents are evacuated they may seek shelter at the Middletown High School or the Kelseyville High School.

Mandatory Evacuations:

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office has issued a mandatory evacuation order for the Jerusalem Valley area east of Soda Creek, west of Soda Creek, Bonham Road, Quarter Horse Lane, Mustang Court, Bronco Court, Sunset Court and Morgan Valley Road east of Bonham Road.

The forecast calls for the east component wind to continue until noon on Saturday, after which it will change to come out of the south and then the southwest, reducing the threat for a while to the communities on Highways 29 and 53. The humidity Friday night will increase to 69 percent which should slow the fire somewhat.

Rocky fire wildfire
A satellite image showing heat detected on the Rocky Fire and the multiple new lightning-caused fires on the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. The wind is blowing the smoke toward the west.

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(UPDATED at 2:16 p.m. PT, July 31, 2015)

The Rocky Fire 3 miles east of Clearlake, California continued its march through vegetation northwest of Sacramento, doubling in size while chewing up an additional 8,000 acres in the 25 hours after it was previously mapped. An 11 p.m. aerial mapping flight last night found that it has blackened over 16,000 acres since it started at 4:10 p.m. PT on July 29.

Map of Rocky Fire
Map of the perimeter of the Rocky Fire (in red) at 11 p.m. PT, 7-30-15. The pink line was the perimeter 25 hours before.

On Thursday the fire spread primarily to the east, sending out two large fingers of flames that were three and four miles long. An evacuation advisory has been issued for the Double Eagle Ranch and homes along the Highway 20 corridor between New Long Valley Rd. and east to the county line. Evacuations are still in effect for the area north of Morgan Valley and east of Bonham Rd, Jerusalem Grade Rd, Spruce Grove Rd (north end), Noble Ranch Rd and Cantwell Ranch Rd. The fire is being battled by 988 personnel, 151 engines, 32 hand crews, 8 air tankers, 8 helicopters, and 30 dozers.

Continue reading “Rocky Fire near Clearlake, CA burns thousands of acres in first 5 hours”

Four fighters sustain burn injuries on Lowell Fire

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories UncategorizedTags , , 1 Comment on Four fighters sustain burn injuries on Lowell Fire

(UPDATED at 8:38 a.m. PT, July 27, 2015)

Sunday night CAL FIRE released the following additional information about the four fighters that sustained burns on July 26:

Early [Sunday] evening, two CAL FIRE and two U.S. Forest Service firefighters suffered burn injuries while battling the Lowell Fire in Nevada County. The firefighters were airlifted from the fire and transported to UC Davis Burn Center in Sacramento.

The two CAL FIRE personnel and one of the U.S. Forest Service firefighters are likely to be treated and released [Sunday] evening. The remaining U.S. Forest Service firefighter is being admitted with serious burn injuries.

CAL FIRE has activated one of its Serious Accident Review Teams to review the incident.

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(Originally published at 9:17 p.m., July 26, 2015)

Four fighters sustained burn injuries on the Lowell Fire 46 air miles northeast of Sacramento on Sunday. CAL FIRE Public Information Officer Daniel Berlant said they were airlifted and paramedics were assessing their condition.

The Lowell Fire started July 25 and CAL FIRE is calling it 1,500 acres.

We will update this article as more information becomes available.

Cutca Fire burns on Mt. Palomar in southern California

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories UncategorizedTags , 1 Comment on Cutca Fire burns on Mt. Palomar in southern California

Cutca Fire air attackThe Cutca Fire has burned 200 acres since it was reported at 4:00 pm Friday July 24. Firefighters on the ground and in the air have been holding it to that size since Friday night. It is in steep, inaccessible terrain east of Cutca Valley and south of Long Canyon, 2 miles north of the Palomar Observatory in the Cleveland National Forest.

Before nightfall on Friday, two hotshot crews flew in by helicopter and worked through the night. Supported by the night flying water-dropping helicopter from the Angeles National Forest the crews were able to make good progress fighting the fire by using direct attack.

No structures, including the Palomar Observatory with the 200-inch telescope, are currently threatened and no evacuations are occurring.

These photos were taken Friday by Air Attack working the fire.

Cutca Fire air attack
A P2V drops on the Cutca Fire.
Cutca Fire air attack
An Air Crane drops on the Cutca Fire.
Cutca Fire air attack
An S-2T supports firefighters on the ground.

California: Lowell fire causing evacuations east of Grass Valley

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories UncategorizedTags , 4 Comments on California: Lowell fire causing evacuations east of Grass Valley

(UPDATED at 7:38 a.m. PT, July 28, 2015)

Lowell Fire t-118
Air Tanker 118, an HC-130H operated by the U.S. Forest Service, maneuvers through smoke over the Lowell Fire July 25, 2015 on one of its first missions as an air tanker. Photo by Matthew Rhodes.

The Lowell Fire 7 miles east of Grass Valley, California grew by another 500 acres to 2,233 acres on Monday, chewing up more ground on the north side as it continues to move through the Steephollow drainage approaching Long Point. Firefighters have been mostly successful so far in keeping the fire from crossing the high-voltage electrical transmission line on the ridge just east of Steephollow.

At a weather station near the fire on Monday the temperature reached 90 degrees, the relative humidity bottomed out at 16 percent, and the wind was 2 to 5 mph with gusts at 8 to 13.  Conditions on Tuesday will not be extreme, but the temperature at the fire will reach the mid-90s and the relative humidity again will be in the mid-teens, but the wind will be moderate at 2 to 8 mph switching from the southeast to the west in the afternoon.

Early Wednesday morning between 2 a.m. and 7 a.m. the wind will increase to 14 mph with gusts to 20 out of the east, which could test some of the firelines on the west side of the fire or spread the north end of the fire in a different direction than we have seen since the fire started July 25.

Mandatory Evacuations are in effect for Red Dog Road East of Greenhorn Creek, You Bet Road East of Greenhorn Creek, Chalk Bluff, and Lowell Hill Roads. An evacuation advisory is in place for the Cascade Shores Community.

As of Tuesday morning 2,277 personnel were battling the fire.

map lowell fire
Map of the Lowell Fire at 10 p.m. PT, July 27, 2015. The red line represents the perimeter then, and the white line is the perimeter 24 hours before.

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(UPDATED at 8:33 a.m. PT, July 27, 2015)

Tanker 60 Lowell Fire
Tanker 60, a DC-7, drops on the Lowell Fire, July 25, 2015. Photo by Matthew Rhodes.

(More photos of air tankers working on the Lowell Fire are at Fire Aviation.)

The Lowell Fire northeast of Sacramento was very active on Sunday, spreading for another 1.4 miles to the north. The growth was accelerated by airborne burning embers that generated spot fires a quarter of a mile in front of the main fire. It continued to move up through the Steephollow drainage and crossed over Chalk Bluff Ridge into the South Fork Greenhorn drainage.

Access to the fire is difficult for the 1,424 firefighters working to suppress the blaze which has now burned 1,700 acres. Other firefighting resources on the fire include 104 engines, 42 hand crews, 14 helicopters, 39 dozers, and 6 water tenders. The number of air tankers varies throughout the day.

Sunday night CAL FIRE released additional information about the four fighters that sustained burns on July 26:

Early [Sunday] evening, two CAL FIRE and two U.S. Forest Service firefighters suffered burn injuries while battling the Lowell Fire in Nevada County. The firefighters were airlifted from the fire and transported to UC Davis Burn Center in Sacramento.

The two CAL FIRE personnel and one of the U.S. Forest Service firefighters are likely to be treated and released [Sunday] evening. The remaining U.S. Forest Service firefighter is being admitted with serious burn injuries.

CAL FIRE has activated one of its Serious Accident Review Teams to review the incident.

Below is a 3-D map of the Lowell Fire at 11 p.m. on July 26.

map Lowell Fire
The red line represents the perimeter of the Lowell Fire at 11 p.m. PT, July 26, 2015. The yellow line is the perimeter from 24 hours before. We are looking toward the northeast. (click to enlarge)

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(UPDATED at 9:02 p.m. PT, July 26, 2015)

Four firefighters on the Lowell Fire northeast of Sacramento sustained burn injuries on Sunday. They were flown to a hospital but very little other information is available. When we find out more we will post it HERE.

The fire was active again today, but the official acreage did not increase. CAL FIRE Public Information Officer Daniel Berlant distributed this information via Twitter Sunday evening:

While fire activity did increase last this afternoon the fire remains 1,500 acres & 15% contained. Over 1,100 firefighters at scene.

Continue reading “California: Lowell fire causing evacuations east of Grass Valley”

Time-lapse of Wragg Fire in Napa Valley

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories UncategorizedTags ,

This time-lapse video of the Wragg Fire 14 miles northeast of Napa, California was shot by Justin Majeczky on July 22, 2015.

Berryessa Fire Timelapse from Justin Majeczky on Vimeo.

Justin Majeczky’s description of the video:

A wildfire started a yesterday in the hills by Lake Berryessa. I was lucky enough to live close and see the fire starting early. I quickly grabbed my camera gear and ran to go shoot some time lapses of the massive fire. I drove alls round Yolo county and parts of Winters to capture this footage.
Music by Blaise Douros.

The Wragg Fire started on July 22 and has burned 6,900 acres, one outbuilding, and a tent trailer.

Firefighting resources assigned on July 25 include 1,825 personnel, 157 engines, 45 crews, 13 helicopters, 28 dozers, and 19 water tenders.

All evacuation orders and road closures were lifted at 10:00 A.M. July 25.

New York Times, on California’s drought and its effect on wildfires

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories UncategorizedTags ,
NY Time fire article
NY Times article article about California’s drought and the effect on wildfires. (click to enlarge)

The New York Times has a visually stunning article about the drought in California and its effect on wildfires. It was published about four days before record-setting rain in the south part of the state caused flooding and a bridge washout on a heavily-travelled Interstate Highway. This one rain event, however, will not turn around the drought, or have any lasting effect on the trees and brush that have already died due to lack of water.

The article was written by Haeyoun Park, Damien Cave, and Wilson Andrews. The photos are by Zackary Canepari. If you enjoy seeing awesome photos, especially of wildfires, check it out — preferably on a computer with a large monitor.

Thanks and a tip of the hat go out to Roy.