Map showing the approximate location of the Courtney Fire
The Courtney Fire three miles southeast of Oakhurst, California is not one of the largest wildfires going in California or Oregon having burned 320 acres, but it has been one of the most destructive. CAL FIRE reports that 21 structures have been damaged or destroyed.
Firefighters are experiencing extreme fire behavior conditions due to drought and low fuel moisture.
#CourtneyFire #BassLake What are the odds? Fire reflected in the lake, Milky Way above with shooting star pic.twitter.com/IBCCJgmkHO
Earlier this summer we wrote about two wedding ceremonies that were planned months in advance, like most weddings, but the lucky couples did not anticipate the wildfires that would be occurring nearby. They both kept going in spite of the large smoke columns near Lake Isabella, California, and Bend, Oregon. The one in Oregon required the relocation of the reception.
On Saturday, September 13 a third wedding kept going in Corona, California and met the couple’s objectives, in spite of the noise created by large helicopters hovering and drafting water out of a nearby lake. The aircraft were working on the the Silverado Fire seven miles southwest of Corona. Check out the video below. The couple did not seem to be too bothered by the, uh, enhancement, of the ceremony. At least they have a story to tell.
King Fire, Sunset Camp, September 25, 2014. Provided by the Incident Management Team, uncredited.
The King Fire east of Placerville, California was slowed by rain on September 25, but the incident management team is still showing a modest increase in the size — now at 97,099 acres, an increase of 1,752 over the last two days.
King Fire progression map, September 27, 2014.
The numbers:
Current Acreage Burned: 97,099
Percent Containment (according to the Incident Management Team): 78%
Structures Damaged or Destroyed: 80 (12 residences, 68 others)
Injuries: 6
Structures Threatened: 289
Cause: Arson
People Evacuated: none
Total Personnel Assigned: 6,497
Other resources assigned: 172 hand crews, 418 engines, 21 helicopters
Fire suppression costs to date: $77,000,000
Current Situation Zone 1 (north portion): Fire crews continue to patrol, mop up, hold, and improve existing control lines throughout Zone 1. Rain showers and isolated thunderstorms Friday night have assisted in the efforts of further containment and are forecasted to continue throughout the day on Saturday. The demobilization process continues.
Current Situation Zone 2 (south portion): Temperatures will continue to be cool with the chance of showers and thunderstorms expected throughout the day on Saturday. Crews continue to mop up, hold, and improve existing control lines. Fire Suppression Repair Teams are preparing to work in the areas affected by the fire. The demobilization process continues to release excess resources while maintaining an adequate amount to meet the needs of the incident. In an effort to prevent the spread of non-native weeds and diseases within the forest, a vehicle rinse station has been established using water conservation measures and run off containment.
King Fire Base Camp. Provided by the Incident Management Team, undated, uncredited.
The Silverado Fire in southern California seven miles southwest of Corona has spread very little over the last 24 hours. A spokesperson for the incident management team, Jake Rodriguez, said 1,084 personnel are assigned and they are calling it 20 percent contained, up from yesterday’s 10 percent. The official size of the fire is 1,600 acres, Mr. Rodriguez said. It is listed in some places on InciWeb at 1,500 acres, but a reliable source tells us that it has burned just under 1,100 acres. The Orange County Fire Authority puts it at 1,220 acres, according to the Pasadena Star-News.
For the second night in a row a night-flying helicopter worked the fire to assist firefighters on the ground.
There have been six minor injuries on the fire, some of them heat related. The high temperatures are again in the forecast for Sunday, with a prediction for 102 degrees, 10 percent relative humidity, and a 15 to 18 mph wind.
Map of Silverado Fire at 4 a.m. September 14, 2014. (click to enlarge)
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(UPDATED at 10:15 a.m. PDT, September 13, 2014)
Tanker 912, a DC-10, drops on the Silverado Fire September 12, 2014. Photo by Initial Attack Fire Media. (click to enlarge)
The spread of the Silverado Fire in southern California seven miles southwest of Corona was slowed late in the day on Friday by an aggressive initial attack with firefighters on the ground and in the air. It started in the back yard of a home in Silverado Canyon and a few hours later bumped up against the road at the top of the main ridge, the North Main Divide.
The U.S. Forest Service estimates the fire has burned 1,600 acres and they are calling it 10 percent contained. On Saturday morning there were 738 personnel assigned.
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(UPDATED at 6:48 p.m. PDT, September 12, 2014)
Mandatory evacuations were ordered late Friday afternoon for some areas near the Silverado Fire which has burned 1,300 acres in southern California seven miles southwest of Corona.
While the temperature at the fire area was quite toasty on Friday, reaching 101 degrees at Temescal 8 miles east of the fire, and the relative humidity was low (in the upper teens), the wind was not a huge factor — 3 to 8 mph, except 11 to 12 between 1 and 3 p.m. Friday night the relative humidity will remain low, in the high 20s. The forecast for Saturday calls for more moderate conditions, with a high of 90 degrees, wind out of the north then west at 1 to 11 mph, and a relative humidity in the low 20s.
The night-flying helicopter, H-531, and the night fixed wing air attack platform based on the nearby Angeles National Forest has been ordered for Friday night.
Tanker 911, a DC-10, dropping on the Silverado Fire at 6:08 p.m. PDT 9-12-2014. Screen grab from NBC Los Angeles.
A fire near White Salmon, Washington in the Columbia River Gorge damaged three residences Thursday afternoon. The spread of the Copper Fire was stopped at 10 acres and it was almost contained by 9 p.m. Thursday.
Bears are a problem on the fire in Yosemite
Firefighters on the Meadow Fire in Yosemite National Park in California are having to deal with bears as well as the fire. The critters are described as a “major issue” for the safety of fire crews that are staying overnight in spike camps in remote areas near the fire. Measures are being taken to not attract bears to the food and other supplies. Trash is being backhauled daily.
The Meadow Fire started on July 19 and was monitored but not suppressed until it grew substantially on September 7. It is now 4,906 acres and the incident management team is saying it is 50 percent controlled.
Slow wildfire season saves Montana money
The wildfire season that has been much slower than normal in Montana has led to the lowest spending on firefighting in a decade. The number of acres burned in the state this year has been 12 percent of the five-year average. The $1.7 spent so far leaves about $44 million in the fire suppression fund that will be available to use next year.
New system to determine fire danger during Santa Ana winds
The U.S. Forest Service has worked with San Diego Gas & Electric and UCLA to develop a new system to calculate localized fire danger during the strong Santa Ana wind events that typically blow across southern California during the last months of the year. In addition to considering the typical inputs such as temperature, wind speed, relative humidity, and vegetation moisture, the “Fire Prep” program will also analyze the history of each target area over the previous 30 years. The USFS plans to send alerts designed to help fire agencies, other emergency responders and the public take appropriate action based on the threat level.
The system will be unveiled on September 17.
Nine naturally occurring eternal flames
An article at mnn.com lists and has photos of nine sites around the world that have naturally occurring fires burning almost non-stop – many of them for centuries. Most of the fires are fueled by natural gas or methane. There are dozens or hundreds of underground coal fires burning that are not listed, but those are typically difficult or impossible to see or photograph.
Lava flow less than half a mile from subdivision
The lava flowing from the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii is now less than half a mile from the Kaohe Homestead subdivision boundary.
Target practice banned in some areas of California during drought
Excerpts from the Ramona Home Journal:
Cal Fire recently announced restrictions on recreational shooting of guns on public lands due to the extreme risk of wildfire that can result from discharging weapons during the current dry conditions.
Shooting is restricted by County Code when the California Department of Forestry proclaims a “high fire hazard,” which it did on June 20, 2014, making it unlawful for any person to discharge a firearm within State Responsibility Areas until the proclamation is lifted.
According to Cal Fire, there has been an increase in fires caused by recreational shooting across San Diego County, including the General Fire in 2013, and the Border Fire last month. Fire suppression costs for shooting-related incidents in San Diego County cost taxpayers more than two million dollars a year. The announcement from the agency also cited the Health and Safety Code, which states that persons who are responsible for starting a fire will be liable for the costs resulting from that fire.
The Happy Camp Fire Complex in northwest California posted this video on YouTube, describing it like this:
The Fire Fight at Scott Bar. This was originally shown at a community meeting in Fort Jones, CA for the residents affected by the #HappyCampComplex. Photos by Kari Greer. Additional photos can be found at Flickr.
The fire is listed today at 107,359 acres with 30 percent containment. A Fire Weather Watch is in effect through Friday morning for strong winds and low relative humidity.
