Mosquito Fire, September 13, 2022
Continue readingActivity increases on Mosquito Fire 35 miles northeast of Sacramento
Spot fire approaches the community of Foresthill
Continue readingLight rain observed on parts of the Mosquito Fire
The fire 35 miles northeast of Sacramento was very active Sunday, spreading east up to a mile
Continue readingHelicopter working on Fairview Fire crashes near Banning, California
The three on board sustained moderate injuries
Continue readingRain from tropical storm Kay slows spread of Southern California fires
Precipitation, vicinity of Fairview Fire, 24 hours ending 5 a.m. Sept. 10, 2022Rain that began falling at about 1 p.m. Friday slowed the spread of the Fairview and Radford Fires in Southern California. By 5 a.m. Saturday weather stations near the fires had recorded amounts ranging from 0.05″ to 0.28″. Much higher amounts were found at a few locations in the mountains east of the Fairview Fire.
The precipitation is expected to continue into Sunday morning.
Precipitation, vicinity of Radford Fire, 24 hours ending 5 a.m. Sept. 10, 2022
Fairview Fire map Sept. 10, 2022There was a concern that very strong winds generated by tropical storm Kay would cause problems at the fires, but those did not materialize, at least not by 5 a.m. Saturday.
Precipitation, Southern California, 24 hours ending 5 a.m. Sept. 10, 2022As of 5 a.m. the rain had occurred as far north as Santa Barbara and Edwards Air Force Base. It did not affect the rapidly growing Mosquito Fire 27 miles west of Lake Tahoe, CA.
Meanwhile, Red Flag Warnings are in effect Saturday for the northwest corner of California and the west sides of Washington and Oregon.
Red Flag Warnings September 10, 2022The forecast for vertically integrated wildfire smoke predicts impacts in most of the Western States Saturday afternoon.
Forecast for smoke at 1 p.m. MDT Sept. 10, 2022. NOAAFirefighters working to save structures in the Mosquito Fire in Northern California
It has burned tens of thousands of acres near the community of Foresthill
Continue readingSpread of the Radford Fire at Big Bear slows in Southern California
Rain is expected to begin Friday afternoon
Continue readingFairview Fire grows to the south and east
In Southern California near Hemet
Continue readingMosquito Fire prompts evacuations near Foresthill, California
Updated 6:50 p.m. PDT September 8, 2022
Mosquito Fire map at about 5 p.m. Sept. 8, 2022.The Mosquito Fire east of Foresthill, California made an impressive run Thursday afternoon, growing from 8,265 acres at 1:30pm to 13,705 acres at 5pm — an increase of 5,440 acres in about 3.5 hours. Most of the growth was on the east half of the fire but the west side spread closer to Foresthill.
At times the rapidly expanding fire was putting up multiple convection columns topped by pyrocumulus clouds.
Mosquito Fire as seen looking ENE from the Auburn camera at 5:32 p.m. Sept. 8, 2022.The number of areas under evacuation orders has increased. The Placer County Sheriff’s Office has produced a map with the details. You can follow the Sheriff on Facebook and Twitter for evacuation updates.
https://www.facebook.com/PlacerSheriff
https://twitter.com/PlacerSheriff
On Thursday structures were being threatened in Volcanoville and Foresthill.
The Goes 17 satellite detected heat and smoke from the Mosquito Fire at 606 p.m. PDT Sept 8, 2022.On Thursday afternoon the temperature topped out at 101 degrees in Foresthill, the relative humidity dropped to 15 percent, and the wind was only 2 to 5 mph mostly out of the west. The forecast for Friday calls for 102 degrees, 15 percent RH, and winds out of the east and northeast around 5 mph shifting to the west/southwest at 6 to 12 mph in the afternoon with gusts up to 20 mph.
Updated 7:43 p.m. PDT September 7, 2022
Mosquito Fire map 4:03 p.m. Sept 7, 2022.Wednesday afternoon the Mosquito Fire east of Foresthill, California spread significantly north and east. On the north side it moved into the Michigan Bluff area, while on the east side it spread beyond Gorman Ranch Road, along Mosquito Ridge Road, and across Blacksmith Fit.
Mosquito Fire as seen from Bald Mtn Eldorado camera looking north at 6:35 p.m. PDT Sept. 7, 2022.At about 4 p.m. the FIRIS aircraft mapped it at 4,223 acres, an increase of approximately 3,000 acres since 11 a.m.
Right on target ✈️ ? @Ten_Tanker @accuweather #MosquitoFire #CAwx pic.twitter.com/WU5HAlzDqM
— Bill Wadell (@BillWadell) September 8, 2022
Evacuation information is below.
3:23 p.m. PDT September 7, 2022
Mosquito Fire map 11:09 a.m. Sept 7, 2022.Evacuations have been ordered for the Mosquito Fire in the Foresthill area of Northern California, 17 miles northeast of Auburn.
Wednesday morning the fire was about a mile east of Foresthill, and was burning very actively during the afternoon. The estimated size at about 11 a.m. was 1,220 acres.
Most of the fire is within the boundaries of the Tahoe National Forest. It was reported at about 6:27 p.m. Tuesday September 6.
The Placer County Sheriff’s Office has ordered evacuations. They produced a map with the details.
You can follow Placer County Sheriff on Facebook and Twitter for evacuation updates.
https://www.facebook.com/PlacerSheriff
https://twitter.com/PlacerSheriff
Mosquito Fire as seen from Bald Mtn Eldorado camera looking NNW at 1:59 p.m. PDT Sept. 7, 2022.CAL FIRE tanker pilot killed in off-duty plane crash
Air tanker 83, an S2-T, drops on the Goose Fire, August, 2016. Photo by Bob Martinez.The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection has confirmed that, Ken Lancaster, the pilot killed in the crash of a privately owned small plane Monday afternoon was an off-duty air tanker pilot.
It occurred near Columbia Airport in Tuolumne County, California in the 23000 block of Seminole Drive, about a half mile north of the runway. Mr. Lancaster was flying the personal aircraft off-duty and was the only occupant.
Ken Lancaster. Photo by John Slot.The personnel who fly and maintain CAL FIRE’s S-2T air tankers and OV-10s work for Amentum. The Modesto Bee reported that the company said Mr. Lancaster began flying for the CAL FIRE program in 2016. He flew OV-10 air attack aircraft and later S-2T air tankers out of Columbia.
During the last four years he worked out of Columbia flying Tanker 83. Previously he was an A-10 Warthog pilot for seven years during his Air Force service, earning the nickname “A-10 Ken,” according to information released by Amentum.
The plane that crashed Monday was a single-engine Barnow Barry Vari EZE, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. It crashed at about 12:10 p.m.
CAL FIRE T-83, an S2T, at McClellan, March 23, 2016. Photo by Bill Gabbert.