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Wildfire forces evacuations southeast of Julian, CA

Bill GabbertMay 1, 2021May 2, 2021WildfireCalifornia, Southern Fire4 Comments

The “Southern Fire” is near Highway S-2

Updated at 10:09 p.m. PDT May 1, 2021

Southern Fire map, approximately 8 p.m. MDT May 1, 2021.

The FIRIS Intel 12 mapping aircraft overflew the Southern Fire at approximately 8:00 p.m. May 1 and determined that it had burned at least 1,500 acres. At that time the fire was still actively spreading.

Updated at 7:09 p.m. PDT May 1, 2021

CAL FIRE reported at 6:38 p.m. Saturday that the Southern Fire southeast of Julian, CA had grown to approximately 1,200 acres and 3 structures had been destroyed. About 500 residents have evacuated from the Butterfield Ranch Campground. After evacuation, the assembly point is Agua Caliente.

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

The fire is spreading to the east pushed by strong winds measured at 33 mph with gusts to 40 at the Harrison Park weather station at 6:50 p.m.

The weather forecast for the fire area produced by the NWS at 5:31 p.m. Saturday predicts the gusty winds will continue through Sunday. For Saturday night, the wind will be out of the northwest at 15 to 20 with gusts to 25, with 45 percent humidity. On Sunday the wind will be a little stronger in the afternoon with 20 percent humidity and a temperature of 82.

Originally published at 5:35 p.m. PDT May 1, 2021

Saturday afternoon the Southern Fire that was reported at about 4 p.m. in East San Diego County in Southern California spread quickly pushed by strong winds. The fire is in the community of Shelter Valley near Highway S-2 south of the Highway 78 Banner Grade about 11 miles southeast of Julian.

At 5:13 p.m. CAL FIRE said evacuations were in progress for the Butterfield Ranch campground.

At about 4:50 p.m. PDT on Saturday an Air Attack aircraft reported structures were threatened and the fire had burned about 40 acres with a critical rate of spread.

Southern Fire at 5:07 p.m. PDT May 1, 2021 — Southern Fire, looking north from Monument Peak at 5:07 p.m. PDT May 1, 2021. ALERTwildfire image.

At 4:45 p.m. PDT a weather station not far from the blaze recorded 20 mph winds gusting out of the west-northwest at 35 mph. The wind is keeping the smoke close to the ground, rather than rising and creating a large vertical column. The temperature was 82 degrees with 8 percent relative humidity. Under those conditions water or retardant-dropping aircraft would would have reduced effectiveness.

The Markley Fire, set to cover up a murder, killed two other people

Bill GabbertApril 30, 2021May 1, 2021Uncategorizedarson, California, LNU Complex, Markley Fire2 Comments

Northern California in 2020

Victor Serriteno, was arrested for starting the Markely Fire in 2020 that killed two people in their homes. Photo: Vacaville Police Department.

A person accused of starting the Markely fire in Northern California in August of 2020 has been arrested for arson and three counts of murder.

The fire started August 18 near the southeast end of Lake Berryessa and grew large quickly during during hot, dry, windy weather. It merged with the Hennessy, Gamble, Green, Spanish, 5-10, and Morgan Fires which were managed under the LNU Lightning Complex.

Investigators say Victor Serriteno murdered Priscilla Castro, a 32-year-old from Vallejo, who he had arranged to meet after finding her on an online dating app.

“We believe Serriteno deliberately set the Markley fire in an attempt to conceal his crime,” Solano County Sheriff Tom Ferrara said at a news conference Wednesday.

The Markley Fire killed two people in their homes, Douglas Mai, 82, and Leon Bone, 64.

Mr. Serriteno was arrested by Vacaville Police in September and charged with the murder of Ms. Castro. Wednesday the Solano County district attorney’s office added three additional charges, arson and two counts of murder for the two fire victims’ deaths.

Some of the fires that were part of the LNU Lightning Complex in 2020.

Markley Fire August, 2020, showing the locations of the deaths of the two people who were killed in their homes.

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

CAL FIRE Director, “Our hand crew capacity is really dismal”

Bill GabbertApril 16, 2021UncategorizedCalifornia, drought, inmate crew3 Comments

Inmate hand crews are at 30-40 percent capacity

California Drought Monitor, April 13, 2021.

As California faces a looming fire season with about 90 percent of the state in moderate to exceptional drought, the Director of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, Thom Porter, is concerned about the wildfire readiness of the agency.

Below is an excerpt from the Mendocino Voice, April 9, 2021:

“The operational concerns that I have are really in boots on the ground,” said Porter. “We’re fairly well staffed — on the wildland side of the department — at the engine company level, dozers are pretty good. We’re really good on aircraft and feeling better all the time on our aircraft program — but our hand crew capacity is really dismal.”

In the past, Cal Fire has had 190 prison crews available for the season. This year they have less than 70, according to Porter. Out of “So we’re somewhere between 30% to 40% capacity currently with the inmate program,” said Porter. “Not good.”

The prisoner crews, which Cal Fire usually refers to as the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) crews, have been slashed during COVID, as outbreaks have significantly shrunk training programs. “We’re well over 1000 [firefighters] short now,” said Porter. “That is the biggest vulnerability and as far as me, Thom Porter, director of Cal Fire, I’m concerned.” However, some of this gap in firefighter staffing may be filled with some $80 million that Governor Gavin Newsom has allocated to Cal Fire using emergency funds.

California to authorize $536 million for wildfire mitigation

Bill GabbertApril 10, 2021April 14, 2021Uncategorizedbudget, California6 Comments

About double what has been spent in recent years

Zogg Fire, in Northern California, looking west from West Peak at 3:46 p.m. PDT Sept. 27, 2020. AlertWildfire.

A bill expected to be signed by California’s Governor next week will authorize $536 million for forest management and wildfire mitigation in the state. This is about double what has been spent in recent years.

The final survey of the season found the snowpack at 59 percent of average, and most of the state’s reservoirs are at considerably lower levels than their historical averages. Most of California is in drought, ranging from moderate to exceptional, according to the April 6 Drought Monitor.

After budget cutbacks last year anticipating that the COVID-19 pandemic would reduce incoming funds, California ended up with a significant surplus.

Anticipating a greater need for wildfire mitigation, and now having dollars available, the Governor’s office released a statement that read in part:

“With California facing another extremely dry year, it is critical that we get a head start on reducing our fire risk. We are doing that by investing more than half a billion dollars on projects and programs that provide improved fire prevention for all parts of California.

“Key parts of the Administration’s initial proposal have been supplemented by legislative ideas that will pay dividends over the years, such as greater investments in forest health projects, improvements on defensible space, home hardening against fires, fire prevention grants, and prevention workforce training. The plan includes public and private lands vegetation management, community-focused efforts for prevention and resilience and economic stimulus for the forestry economy.”

About $22 million is being committed to help low-income and disadvantaged homeowners implement structure hardening to make them more resistant to wildfire.

At least $123 million is going toward the Fire Prevention Grants program. The funding will be awarded using criteria that maintains fire risk severity as the primary factor, and then prioritizes projects that protect a larger population base or number of structures relative to the size of the grant.

Democratic Sen. Bill Dodd, a member of the Senate Wildfire Working Group, said the new spending package includes more than $280 million for forest management and $200 million for fuel breaks.

A list of some of the fires attributed to PG&E powerline equipment

Bill GabbertApril 6, 2021May 12, 2021UncategorizedCalifornia, PG&E, power line

Charges were recently filed against the company for their role in starting the Kincade Fire in Northern California

Zogg Fire, Sept. 27, 2020 California — Zogg Fire, Sept. 27, 2020. CAL FIRE photo.

In light of the charges recently filed against Pacific Gas and Electric for the role their equipment played in starting the 2019 Kincade Fire in Northern California, we dug through some records showing the significant part the company has played in starting numerous wildfires over the last decade.

The Wall Street Journal (subscription) reported that investigators attributed more than 1,500 fires to PG&E power lines and hardware between June 2014 and December 2017.

CAL FIRE attributed 12 fires that started in Northern California on October 8 and 9, 2017 to PG&E power equipment.

Below are some of the fires attributed to PG&E between 1999 and 2020. It is not a complete or comprehensive list.

Zogg Fire, September, 2020, 56,338 acres, destroyed 204 structures, and caused the deaths of four people.
Kincade Fire, October, 2019, 77,000 acres, and destroyed 374 structures.
Camp Fire, November , 2018, 154,000 acres, destroyed 18,000 structures, and caused the deaths of 84 people. The company pleaded guilty to 84 counts of involuntary manslaughter.
Cascade Fire, October 2017, 9,989 acres, destroyed 250 structures, and caused the deaths of five people, including one firefighter.
Redwood Valley Fire, October, 2017, 36,523 acres, destroyed 543 structures, and caused the deaths of 9 people.
Sulphur Fire, October, 2017, 2,207 acres, destroyed 162 structures.
Cherokee Fire, October, 2017, 8,417 acres, destroyed 6 structures.
37 Fire, October, 2017, 1,660 acres, destroyed 3 structures.
Blue Fire, October, 2017, 20 acres.
Norrbom, Adobe, Partrick, Pythian and Nuns Fires, October, 2017, burned together, 56,556 acres, destroyed 1,255 structures, and caused the deaths of 3 people.
Pocket Fire, October, 2017, 17,357 acres, destroyed 783 structures.
Atlas Fire, October, 2017, 51,624 acres, destroyed 783 structures, and caused the deaths of 6 people.
Butte Fire, September 2015, 70,868 acres, destroyed a total of 921 structures, including 549 homes, 368 outbuildings, and 4 commercial properties, and caused the deaths of two people.
Pendola Fire, October, 1999, 11,725 acres.

Charges filed against PG&E for starting the 2019 Kincade Fire in Northern California

Bill GabbertApril 6, 2021December 10, 2021UncategorizedCalifornia, Kincade Fire, PG&E, power line3 Comments

The fire started October 23, 2019 northeast of Geyserville, burned more than 77,000 acres, and destroyed 374 structures

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.

The District Attorney of Sonoma County has filed criminal charges against Pacific Gas and Electric for the role their equipment played in starting the 2019 Kincade Fire, according to a report in the San Francisco Chronicle. The company was charged with five felonies and 28 misdemeanors, including “unlawfully causing a fire that resulted in great bodily injury, unlawfully causing a fire that resulted in the burning of inhabited structures, and unlawfully causing a fire that resulted in the burning of forest land, as well as various air pollution crimes,” according to the District Attorney’s office.

The fire started October 23, 2019 northeast of Geyserville, California, burned more than 77,000 acres, and destroyed 374 structures.

Investigators with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection sent a report to the District Attorney’s office in July of 2020 which concluded PG&E’s equipment was at fault.

On October 24, 2019 PG&E filed a required preliminary report with the California Public Utilities Commission that stated “at approximately (9:20 p.m.) on Oct. 23, PG&E became aware of a Transmission level outage on the Geysers No. 9 Lakeville 230kV line when the line relayed and did not reclose. At approximately (7:30 a.m.) on Oct. 24, a responding PG&E Troubleman patrolling the Geysers No. 9 Lakeville 230 kV line observed that CalFire had taped off the area around the base of transmission tower 001/006. On site CalFire personnel brought to the Troubleman’s attention what appeared to be a broken jumper on the same tower.”

jumper cable high voltage electrical transmission tower — File photo of a jumper cable on a high voltage electrical transmission tower.

PG&E told a judge on November 29, 2019 that it was investigating whether there was a systemic problem with a piece of hardware on their high voltage electrical transmission towers that can start wildfires, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Investigators with PG&E and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection were looking at the possible failure of jumper cables on towers near the points of origin of two huge recent fires, the 2017 Camp Fire at Paradise, California and the Kincade Fire.

The video below shows the ignition of the Kincade Fire on October 23 as seen in near infrared from a camera at Barham near Geyserville, California. Keep your eye on the bright light on the horizon left of center. It disappears at about 21:19:55 and 15 seconds later the fire can be seen growing rapidly.

Investigators also determined that PG&E equipment started other fires in recent years. The Wall Street Journal (subscription) reported that investigators attributed more than 1,500 fires to PG&E power lines and hardware between June 2014 and December 2017. CAL FIRE attributed 12 large fires that started on October 8 and 9, 2017 to PG&E power equipment.

We constructed a list of 18 of the larger fires linked to PG&E equipment.

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

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