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Two firefighters injured on the Gold Fire east of Redding, California

Bill GabbertJuly 21, 2020July 25, 2020WildfireCalifornia, Gold Fire, Hog Fire, injury

Two large fires, the Hog and Gold Fires, are burning east of Redding, California

UPDATED at 4:37 p.m. PDT July 22, 2020

The information Wildfire Today received from CAL FIRE about the injuries to the two firefighters that were entrapped on the Gold Fire was that they had been treated at the Mercy Medical Clinic in Redding and released. It turns out that is not correct concerning at least one of them, according to a post by a family member on Facebook and reporting by ABC7 KRCR News.

Doctors were concerned about Chief Paul Lemke of the Adin Fire District who had second degree burns on his face, neck, and arms and experienced swelling, said his daughter. This convinced the doctors to fly him to the UC Davis Burn Center. The burnover occurred Monday July 20 and Chief Lemke was released from the burn center Tuesday “due to COVID and dad’s insisting”, his daughter wrote on Facebook. He will continue treatment at his home.

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

Below is an excerpt from an article at KRCR:

The other injured firefighter Craig Senseney said they had to deploy their fire shelters to shield themselves from the flames.

“We had to deploy, but what really saved us is, in all honesty, was our engine 47-22,. ” Senseney said. “if it wasn’t for it, we would never have gotten to a point where we were able to deploy safely and survive what happened.”

Chief Lemke is affiliated with a local fire district, but Federal wildland firefighters are required to be treated at a certified Burn Center if one of eight criteria is met. Two of them are, (1)second degree burns to the face, hands, foot, genitalia, perineum, or major joints; or (2) inhalation injury is suspected. More information is in Chapter 7, page 178 of the January, 2020 edition of the “Red Book” (Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations).

During my EMT training I got a tour of the Burn Center at University Hospital in San Diego and saw some of the patients, some of whom had been there for weeks. It made a lasting impression. I vowed that I would never make a decision as a firefighter that could lead to someone being admitted to a Burn Center. It is one of the worst injuries a person can suffer.

Originally published at 5 p.m. PDT July 21, 2020

map Gold Fire Hog Fire east of Redding California wildfires — Map showing the approximate locations of the Gold and Hog Fires in northeast California. Both are about 80 air miles from Redding.

Two firefighters were injured Monday afternoon while fighting the Gold Fire about 80 miles east-northeast of Redding, California. Alisha Herring, a spokesperson for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, said they were flown to Mercy Medical Clinic in Redding where they were treated and released the same day. The type, severity, and mechanism of injury were not identified. “I’m sure more with regards to the injury will come out, I just don’t have much more information than that at this time,” Ms. Herring said.

The Gold Fire and another incident in the area, the Hog Fire, are both about 80 miles east of Redding in Lassen County. Coordination and dispatching were affected Monday by a fiber optic cable that burned in the Gold Fire, creating communication difficulties with the CAL FIRE and interagency command centers in Susanville.

The Hog Fire was mapped Monday night at 8,004 acres. It is on both sides of Highway 44 about five miles west of Susanville and has crossed Highway 36. Resources assigned to the Hog Fire Monday night included 21 hand crews, 19 fire engines, 24 dozers, and 21 water tenders for a total of 664 personnel, which is a decrease of 953 personnel in 24 hours.

The Gold Fire is 40 miles north of the Hog Fire five miles south of the community of Adin. It was reported at 12:26 PDT July 20 near Highway 139 and quickly spread for at least eight miles to the southeast. At 10:15 Tuesday morning CAL FIRE said it is the result of two fires burning together and had blackened 4,600 acres. Evacuations are in effect and the strategy is full suppression. The Gold Fire is burning on the Modoc National Forest and land protected by the state. Monday night the resources assigned included 2 hand crews, 5 helicopters, 17 fire engines, 6 dozers, and 5 water tenders for a total of 152 personnel.

These two large wildfires in one CAL FIRE unit are presenting challenges for the suppression organizations. A report filed by firefighters on the Gold Fire Monday night said, “Statewide shortages of resources and competition with other incidents in the state will continue to hamper suppression efforts. Upcoming predicted lightning in the area may add new initial attack incidents.”

“I have not heard that, no,”Ms. Herring said when asked about a possible shortage of resources. “We’re constantly moving resources up and down the state to fulfill any resource needs, so I haven’t heard that.”

Hog Fire Susanville California wildfire 4-09 p.m. July 21, 2020 — Hog Fire, looking northeast from Hamilton Mountain at 4:09 p.m. July 21, 2020.

Hog Fire burns more than 5,000 acres west of Susanville, CA

Bill GabbertJuly 20, 2020July 20, 2020WildfireCalifornia, Hog Fire1 Comment

Mandatory evacuations are in effect

UPDATED at 4:46 p.m. PDT July 20, 2020

Much of the smoke from the Hog Fire west of Susanville, CA is remaining in the general area.

Updated at 4:14 p.m. PDT July 20, 2020

Hog Fire, from Hamilton Mountain Susanville California — Hog Fire west of Susanville, California, as seen from Hamilton Mountain looking northeast at 4:13 p.m. MDT July 20, 2020.

UPDATED at 5:16 p.m. PDT July 20, 2020

pyrocumulus cloud over the Hog Fire Susanville California — A pyrocumulus cloud created by the Hog Fire, as seen from Dyer Mountain looking northeast at 3:25 p.m. MDT July 20, 2020.

Several of the AlertWildfire cameras near the Hog Fire west of Susanville, California have little to no visibility due to smoke, but the Dyer Mountain 1 cam further to the southwest has a good view of the top of a pyrocumulus cloud generated by the fire.

The weather forecast for the next 24 hours indicates conditions favorable to continued fire spread. The prediction for Monday afternoon is for 95 degrees, relative humidity 13 percent, and winds out of the northwest at 9 to 16 mph. Monday night the wind will continue to be out of the northwest at 5 to 9 mph, the temperature will drop to 64 degrees by sunrise, and there will be poor humidity recovery, rising during the night only to 40 percent.

A Red Flag Warning is predicted for Tuesday when the forecast calls for 95 degrees, 13 percent RH, and 3 to 10 mph winds from the southeast in the morning shifting to come from the southwest and west in the afternoon. There is a chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon.

(Originally published at 10:55 a.m. PDT July 20, 2020)

Hog Fire Susanville California — Hog Fire, looking northeast from Hamilton Mountain at 7:36 p.m. PDT July 19, 2020. AlertWildfire photo, via @CAFireScanner.

The Hog Fire has prompted mandatory evacuations in northern California west of Susanville. By Sunday night it had burned 5,800 acres of land protected by the Lassen National Forest and the state of California. At 3:30 a.m. July 20 the fire was about one mile west of a housing development on the west side of the William D. McIntosh Highway (A1) and five miles west of Susanville. It has spread approximately 5 miles to the east since it started and is on both sides of Highway 44. Steep terrain and spot fires ahead of the main fire are complicating efforts of firefighters.

Resources assigned Sunday night included 25 fire engines, 8 hand crews, 15 dozers, 15 water tenders, 4 helicopters, and 6 air tankers.

The Facebook page for the Lassen County Sheriff’s office has details on evacuations. Anyone without internet capabilities can get information by calling (530) 282-5714.

An update from CAL FIRE at 9:30 a.m. Monday stated that no structures had been damaged or destroyed.

Map of the Hog Fire Susanville California — Map of the Hog Fire. The white line was the perimeter determined during a fixed wing mapping flight at 11:54 p.m. PDT July 19. The red dots represent heat detected by a satellite at 3:30 a.m. July 20, 2020.

After the mapping flight at 11:54 p.m. July 19 a shift in the wind pushed a portion of the southern perimeter to the south toward Highway 36.

Badger Fire prompts evacuations north of Yreka, California

Bill GabbertJuly 19, 2020July 19, 2020WildfireBadger Fire, California2 Comments

(Originally published at 8:42 a.m. PDT July 19, 2020)

map Badger Fire Yreka California — Map showing heat detected by satellites on the Badger Fire in northern California at 3:48 a.m. PDT July 19, 2020.

Two wildfires that merged about three miles north of Yreka, California are prompting evacuations in some areas west of Highway 263. The Humbug and Badger Fires, near Badger Mountain Road and Hawkinsville Humbug Road, are now identified as the Badger Fire.

The last size estimate released by CAL FIRE Saturday evening was 350 acres, but growth during the night could have added hundreds more. As you can see on the map above it is about 50/50 on the Klamath National Forest and state protected land.

Badger Fire at 8:47 a.m. July 19, 2020 — Badger Fire at 8:47 a.m. PDT July 19, 2020.

The Badger Fire was reported Saturday July 19 according to the CAL FIRE Siskiyou Unit, but the agency’s fire information page lists it as starting July 18, which may have been the start date of the Humbug Fire which was the first of the two reported.

Badger Fire Yreka California — Badger Fire July 19, 2020. CAL FIRE photo.

Mineral Fire burns thousands of acres west of Coalinga, CA

Bill GabbertJuly 14, 2020July 15, 2020WildfireCalifornia

East of King City

(UPDATED at 8:41 a.m. PDT July 15, 2020)

The Mineral Fire spread incrementally to the north Tuesday and Tuesday night. Most of the additional growth was on the south side adjacent to highway 198 which may be a firing operation by firefighters to tie it in with the highway.

The fire started Monday afternoon and is seven miles west of Coalinga, California and 29 miles east of King City.

Mineral Fire map July 15, 2020 — Map of the Mineral Fire. The red line was the perimeter mapped by a fixed wing aircraft at 7:45 p.m. PDT July 14, 2020. The red dots represent heat detected by a satellite at 3:24 a.m. PDT July 15, 2020.

An update from CAL FIRE Wednesday morning said the fire had burned 11,000 acres and evacuations were still in place.

CAL FIRE’s new format for updating citizens about ongoing fires contains much less information than previous versions.

Mineral Fire July 15, 2020 — A very small amount of smoke is visible from the distant ridge where the Mineral Fire is burning. Ground fog is visible in the foreground. Looking NE from Rocky Butte at 7:24 a.m. PDT July 15, 2020 AlertWildfire.

(Originally published at 6:41 p.m. PDT July 14, 2020)

map Mineral Fire Coalinga California — 3-D map of the APPROXIMATE location of the Mineral Fire, based on heat detected by a satellite at 1:24 p.m. PDT July 14, 2020.

The Mineral Fire, reported at about 3:30 p.m. July 13, is burning in a remote area 7 miles west of Coalinga, California east of King City. So far it has remained north of Highway 198 and is on both sides of S. Coalinga-Mineral Springs Road.

Evacuations are in progress.

Our very, very unofficial estimate of the size of the fire, based on heat detected by a satellite at 1:24 p.m. MDT July 14, 2020, puts it at approximately 6,500 acres.

Mineral Fire Coalinga California — Mineral Fire looking west-southwest at 3:42 p.m. PDT July 14, 2020. AlertWildfire.

The video below posted Tuesday morning shows very active fire behavior, including numerous spot fires out ahead of the main fire.

Probably the most extreme fire behavior I’ve seen firsthand in my short career #mineralfire pic.twitter.com/vN9XrapRtd

— CoRo (@RolinCoth1) July 14, 2020

Pay for California state firefighters cut by 7.5%

Bill GabbertJuly 11, 2020UncategorizedCAL FIRE, California23 Comments

CAL FIRE dozer and transport — Dozer and transport for the Nevada Yuba Placer Unit of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. CAL FIRE photo, March, 2019.

Budget problems caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in pay cuts for many employees of the state of California.

In May, 2020 Governor Gavin Newsom said he would seek a 10 percent pay cut for state workers, but the changes in salary had to be negotiated with numerous labor unions. The reductions could be accomplished by modifying various types of special pay, overtime, vacation time, or health insurance. By the July 1 deadline all but one of the smaller unions had agreed to the changes.

The deal worked out by the firefighters union, CAL FIRE Local 2881, was an overall 7.5% cut while receiving two flexible days off each month. That includes a 4.4% reduction in their retirement health care, resulting in a 3.1% cut in take-home pay. The changes take effect this month.

More information is at the Sacramento Bee.

CAL FIRE to hire more than 1,000 additional firefighters

Bill GabbertJuly 10, 2020July 10, 2020UncategorizedCAL FIRE, California, inmate crew, inmates30 Comments

More seasonal and permanent firefighters

(Revised at 11:15 a.m. PDT July 10, 2020)

Inmate crew carrier vehicles — Approximately 19 inmate crew carrier vehicles at the Eagle fire in San Diego County, which burned between Warner Springs and Borrego Springs, California. CAL FIRE photo, July 25, 2011.

With the COVID-19 pandemic reducing the number of inmate firefighters, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection is scrambling to find enough personnel to handle the all important job of cutting fireline and mopping up wildfires.

COVID spreading through inmate crew camps and prisons has cut the number of inmate crews available from 192 to 94. Thursday California Governor Gavin Newsom said 12 inmate camps had to be quarantined last month due to the virus. Compounding the firefighter shortage was the early release of thousands of state inmates to create more space in the facilities during the pandemic, and before that, the state’s initiative to reduce the incarceration of those jailed for lower-level offenses.

The Governor announced the state intends to hire an additional 858 seasonal and 172 permanent firefighters. The agency has also changed the mission of six California Conservation Camp (CCC) crews to exclusively perform fire related tasks, two in the south and four in the north.

Lynnette Round, a CAL FIRE Education and Information Officer, said the $72 million needed to hire the firefighters will come from the already allocated Emergency fund.

CAL FIRE expects to begin hiring the firefighters immediately using current eligibility lists. They anticipate that a recruitment process will occur to increase the number of candidates beyond the current lists.

The increase in the number of employed state firefighters is part of the agency’s effort to keep 95 percent of all fires to 10 acres or less.

(This article was edited July 10 to show that 172 permanent firefighters are being hired, in addition to the 858 seasonals.)