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Updated status on two unsuppressed fires in Yosemite National Park

Bill GabbertAugust 28, 2022August 29, 2022WildfireCalifornia, Red Fire, Rogers Fire, Yosemite National Park12 Comments

Red Fire 3-D map 8:52 p.m. Aug. 27, 2022.

Two wildfires in Yosemite National Park are being managed without the intent to stop the spread. They are being allowed to replicate natural processes, restoring fire to the landscape.

It is a little too far out to predict with much certainty, but possibly by the first half of next week around September 4 or 5, temperatures much higher than average for the date could impact large sections of the Western United States. If it is accompanied by low humidity and strong winds there could be a significant increase in the spread of existing wildfires. We won’t get too excited about it now, but the situation bears watching as the forecasts become more certain.

Perhaps with that medium-range forecast in mind, or it could be unrelated, fire managers at Yosemite are taking steps to modify the spread of two fires. Both of them have large swaths of granite out in front, but the rock does not present a 100 percent impenetrable barrier. However under less than extreme conditions the granite would at least greatly slow the spread of the fires.

Red Fire

The Red Fire is in the southern part of Yosemite near Grey Peak and was mapped at 1,833 acres Saturday evening. The spread has been minimal in recent days as it chews through pockets of dead and and down vegetation. The plan is to use crews and hoselays to keep the fire south and east of the trail system and hold the fire from moving further into the Illilouette basin, which would result in increased smoke impacts to Yosemite Valley.

Rogers Fire

The Rogers Fire, 10 miles east of Hetch-Hetchy Reservoir had burned 1,370 acres when it was mapped the morning of August 27. Fire managers intend to use helicopters to drop water in order to slow spread to the northeast. This is intended to enable hand crews to construct fire line between granite slabs. The next step is not specified, but depending on the intensity of the fire, which has been low, the line might stop the fire, or provide an anchor from which to start a backburn or backfire.

California OES and military partner to create an engine strike team

Bill GabbertAugust 26, 2022UncategorizedCalifornia, California Office of Emergency Services4 Comments

Cal OES and California Military Department Type 6 engines — Cal OES and California Military Department’s Type 6 engines. CAL OES photo.

This week the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) and the California Military Department announced the creation of the first all-hazards fire engine strike team operated by a state military department.

Cal OES is deploying a Type 6 strike team of wildland-style fire engines, named Team Blaze, to the State Military Department to enhance California’s Fire and Rescue Mutual Aid fleet.

These four-person engines complement the Military Department’s existing Task Force Rattlesnake hand crew program consisting of Soldiers and Airmen. Since the start of operations in 2019, Task Force Rattlesnake has cut, cleared and treated at-risk wildfire project areas in central and northern of California.

The State’s Military Department maintains a firefighting program at their military bases, with trained personnel providing firefighting prevention, mitigation and protection services to California and military bases and camps.

“We are proud to collaborate with Cal OES to ensure there’s another fleet of fire engines and expert staff at the ready,” said California Military Department Major General Matthew P. Beevers. “This Strike Team builds upon the state’s response efforts during times of need.”

These engines add to the existing California Fire and Rescue Mutual Aid System fleet of more than 270 engines across 60 local partners statewide that can respond to incidents of all types.

Cal OES facilitates the California Fire and Rescue Mutual Aid System, which moves local government resources across the state in support of all-risk emergency response on behalf of local, state, and federal government fire organizations. Cal OES assigns local government fire agencies with fire apparatus to maintain surge capacity during day-to-day duties and major events/emergencies.

Firefighters battle the East Fire northeast of Glendora, California

Bill GabbertAugust 25, 2022August 26, 2022WildfireCalifornia, East Fire4 Comments

East of San Gabriel Reservoir

Updated 5:36 a.m. PDT August 26, 2022

Map of the East Fire 7:18 p.m. August 25, 2022

The East Fire in the Angeles National Forest northeast of Glendora has been relatively quiet since the spread was stopped Thursday evening. It was last mapped at approximately 147 acres.

Updated at 6:18 p.m. PDT August 25, 2022

East Fire, looking northwest from Sunset Peak at 5:45 p.m. Aug 25, 2022.

The spread of the East Fire northeast of Glendora, California has slowed and is mostly holding at the ridges, thanks to the efforts of the firefighters on the ground and in the air. At about 5 p.m. Air Attack estimated the size at approximately 135 acres with about two-thirds of the fire above Shoemaker Canyon Road and one-third below the road. However that size estimate could change.

East Fire -- August 25, 2022 — East Fire at approximately 3:50 p.m. August 25, 2022.

At 5:45, in addition to helicopters, a lead plane, and air attack, there were two large air tankers over the fire, an MD-87 and an S-2T.

3:53 p.m. PDT August 25, 2022

map East Fire Glendora — The red squares on the map represent heat detected by a satellite at 1:50 p.m. PDT Aug. 25, 2022 on the East Fire northeast of Glendora, CA.

Thursday afternoon the East Fire started eight miles northeast of Glendora, California east of San Gabriel Reservoir near East Fork Road and Shoemaker Canyon Road.

It received a typical Southern California aggressive initial attack with hand crews, engines, helicopters, water tenders, and air tankers, including a DC-10 that was based nearby at San Bernardino.

East Fire at 3:17 p.m. Aug. 25, 2022. ABC7.

At 3:29 p.m. the FIRIS aircraft mapped it at 73 acres.

OES Intel 24, Aug 25th on the #EastFire, ANF. Fire is mapped at 73 acres at 15:29 hours. Video to follow. pic.twitter.com/oRHY3hBgDa

— FIRIS (@FIRIS) August 25, 2022

The video below shows a US Forest Service engine and a hand crew having to be relocated as flames approached the turnout where it was parked.

#BREAKING: Flames get dangerously close to fire crews working the #EastFire in the Angeles National Forest. A Sky Crane quickly drops water behind them. @RoadSageLA reports from #Sky2. #CBSLA pic.twitter.com/l8D5iqwvTH

— Mike Rogers (@MikeRogersTV) August 25, 2022

East Fire, looking northwest from Sunset Peak at 3:14 p.m. Aug. 25, 2022.

We will update this article as more information becomes available.

Firefighters attacking the Valley Fire north of Pine Valley, California

Bill GabbertAugust 22, 2022August 23, 2022WildfireCalifornia, Valley Fire7 Comments

UPDATED at 2:27 p.m. PDT August 23, 2022

Firefighters have stopped the spread of the Valley Fire north of Pine Valley, California. It was not active overnight and is being held at 188 acres. Pine Creek Road is still closed and there never were any evacuations.

On Tuesday crews are working on constructing fire line along the perimeter.

The cause is under investigation.

Updated at 5:45 p.m. PDT August 22 2022

The cameras are showing very little smoke at the Valley Fire north of Pine Valley, CA. The latest size estimate is 127 acres. All air tankers have returned to their bases but a couple of helicopters and Air Attack are still on scene.

There is very little radio traffic, which reminds me of the old saying, “When the radio traffic stops, the fire goes out.”

UPDATED at 3:21 p.m. PDT August 22, 2022

Valley Fire map, 1:33 p.m. PDT Aug. 22, 2022.

The Valley Fire north of Pine Valley, California was mapped by an aircraft at 1:33 p.m. August 22 at 120 acres. About an hour later the size was estimated at 175 to 200 acres.

It is burning on both sides of Pine Creek Road at the intersection of Deer Park Road near Noble Canyon two air miles north of Old Highway 80.

UPDATE at 2:53 p.m. PDT August 22, 2022

At 2:29 p.m. the Incident Commander on the Valley Fire reported that it had grown to 175 to 200 acres, with a moderate to rapid rate of spread.

No evacuations are in effect and it is spreading away from structures in the Pine Valley area.

UPDATE at 1:10 p.m. PDT August 22, 2022

Valley Fire, 1:10 p.m. PDT Aug. 22, 2022. ABC10.

Firefighters from the Cleveland National Forest and CAL FIRE are attacking the Valley Fire which was reported Monday at about 11:37 a.m. a few miles north of Pine Valley, California near Pine Creek Road and Noble Canyon.

At 1:36 p.m. the size was estimated at 120 acres with a moderate rate of spread.

Aircraft over the Valley Fire at 1:27 p.m. PDT Aug. 22, 2022.

In addition to numerous engines, aircraft dispatched include several helicopters plus approximately nine air tankers, one of which is a DC-10.

At 2:02 p.m. the weather at Cuyamaca Peak northwest of the fire was wind out of the west at 12 mph, 70 degrees, with 44 percent relative humidity. The fire is in the large valley that runs north from the community of Pine Valley, so until the fire spreads up onto higher slopes it may be partially sheltered from the 12 mph wind measured at the top of Cuyamaca Peak. Brush fires rarely spread rapidly when the humidity is above 40 percent, but the fuel moisture, depending on what it is during this drought, may also be a major factor.

The Valley Fire is about 36 air miles east of San Diego, north of Interstate 8.

Red Fire burns hundreds of acres in south part of Yosemite National Park

Bill GabbertAugust 15, 2022August 15, 2022WildfireCalifornia, Red Fire, Yosemite National Park15 Comments

In Southern California

Red Fire 3-D map, 12:35 p.m. Aug. 15, 2022 — Red Fire 3-D map, looking south at 12:35 p.m. Aug. 14, 2022.

The Red Fire in Yosemite National Park in California has burned 416 acres since it started from a lightning strike on August 4, according to a mapping flight Monday morning. It is in a remote and rugged section of the park about 12 miles northeast of Wawona and the Washburn Fire which burned nearly 5,000 acres very close to the Mariposa grove of giant sequoias in July.

The national Situation Report Monday morning showed a small group of resources assigned — five people with one fire engine. They are being led by Jenn Anderson, a Type 4 Incident Commander.

The crew is assessing natural barriers, such as granite, to confine and contain the fire, rather than fully suppress the blaze. There are no trail closures or threats to infrastructure.

Red Fire map 12:35 p.m. Aug. 15, 2022 Yosemite National Park — Red Fire map, 12:35 p.m. Aug. 14 2022.

It is very close to the Mariposa/Madera County line and about five miles from the park boundary. So far the fire has been burning at about 8,300 feet above sea level, mostly in the footprint of the 2001 Hoover Fire. If it spreads further to the east it will leave that fire scar and move into an area with no fire history within the last 30 years, but there is a great deal of granite in that direction. (see the 3-D map at the top of the article) There are no giant sequoia groves within several miles of the fire, which was a major concern during last month’s Washburn Fire.

Red Fire 8:53 a.m. PDT Aug. 15, 2022 — Red Fire, image by FIRIS mapping aircraft. Looking west at 8:53 a.m. PDT Aug. 15, 2022.

A satellite flyover at 1:38 p.m. PDT Monday detected only a few large heat sources, all on the east half of the fire. There are no doubt many smaller burning areas that could not be detected by the sensors orbiting hundreds of miles above the Earth.

Red Fire August 13, 2022 Yosemite National Park — Red Fire, posted August 13, 2022 by Yosemite National Park.

Red Fire August 14, 2022 Yosemite National Park — Red Fire, posted August 14, 2022 by Yosemite National Park.

Impressive fire whirl on the Sam Fire in LA County

Bill GabbertAugust 11, 2022August 11, 2022WildfireCalifornia, fire whirl1 Comment

Fire whirl on the Sam Fire in LA County, Aug. 10, 2022. KTLA-2

On Wednesday afternoon the Sam Fire burned nearly 150 acres of grass and brush in northwestern Los Angeles County. No structures were damaged and there were no reports of injuries.

The KTLA Channel 5 helicopter captured some interesting video of an impressive fire whirl. It’s hard to appreciate it from seeing still photos since it did not appear to be very tall like many large fire whirls, but the indrafts it created are fascinating. At the end of the video below, an Air-Crane helicopter dropped water that at least for a while took most of the energy out of it.

Maybe a helicopter pilot can tell us how ballsy it was, or was not, to fly close enough to drop water on the fire whirl.

Fire whirls, much like dust devils, are not uncommon on a fire when the atmosphere is unstable, and are much smaller than fire tornados. In 1978 a researcher for the National Weather Service in Missoula, David W. Goens, established parameters for the two.

He said the average size of a fire whirl is usually 33 to 100 feet, with rotational velocities of 22 to 67 MPH.

But a fire tornado dominates the large scale fire dynamics. They lead to extreme hazard and control problems. In size, they average 100 to 1,000 feet in diameter and have rotational velocities up to 90 MPH.

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

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