Rain 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, 2022Fairview Fire map Sept. 10, 2022
There 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.
As 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, 2022
The 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. NOAA
Fairview Fire map. The red line was the perimeter at 4:55 a.m. PDT Sept 9, 2022. The white line was the estimated perimeter at 10:23 p.m. Sept. 7.
Thursday night firefighters assisted by night-flying helicopters were dealing with flare ups on the west and northwest side of the Fairview Fire. There was a report of structures burning near Mento Way.
Rain is in the forecast for the Fairview Fire, beginning Friday morning with showers followed by more steady rain in the afternoon and evening. The minimum relative humidity Friday will be 54 percent. East winds at 13 to 25 mph will increase to 26 to 29 mph in the afternoon. Thunderstorms are possible at any time with lightning, gusty erratic winds, and heavy rain. Strong winds are expected to decrease Saturday, with showers continuing.
Erratic fire behavior with extreme fire lengths and spotting on the #FairviewFire early yesterday evening. This was near Reed Valley Rd. pic.twitter.com/KIVmV1u3Qu
The Fairview Fire southeast of Hemet, California was extremely active Wednesday night, exhibiting extreme fire behavior resulting in fire officials requesting an additional 25 engines. It pushed strongly to the south and to the east as it doubled in size in about six hours, growing to 19,377 acres. (see map above)
Fairview Fire 3-D map, looking northeast at 10:23 p.m. Sept 7, 2022.
When the fire was mapped Wednesday at 10:23 p.m. it had spread south across Red Mountain Road, Oak Glen Road, and Timber Trail. At that time it was about three miles northeast of the community of Sage and was still east of Sage Road.
The Fairview Fire was very active September 8 at 3:41 a.m., as seen looking WSW from the Idyllwild camera.
The east side continued growing east across Bautista Road and when last mapped had reached Forest Road 5S15 about a mile from Highway 74.
Three large helicopters from the Quick Reaction Force worked the fire during the night, dropping retardant aided by their intelligence gathering helicopter.
The spot weather forecast issued Wednesday at 5:27 p.m. predicts for the fire area on Thursday 94 to 100 degrees, 21 percent relative humidity, and winds out of the west at 4 mph. There is a small chance for wetting rains Friday afternoon which will increase to about 40 percent by late Saturday morning.
The photos below were taken by Ryan Grothe September 7 at the Fairview Fire.
Fairview Fire, Sept. 7, 2022. By Ryan Grothe.Fairview Fire, Sept. 7, 2022. By Ryan Grothe.Fairview Fire, Sept. 7, 2022. By Ryan Grothe.Fairview Fire, Sept. 7, 2022. By Ryan Grothe.
The fire started at around the same time the power company reported “circuit activity”
Updated 8:23 p.m. PDT Sept. 7, 2022
Fairview Fire map, 3:50 p.m. Sept 7, 2022.
When the Fairview Fire was mapped at 3:50 p.m. Wednesday most of the recent growth was on the east side, on both sides of Baustista Canyon Road. The FIRIS aircraft determined that it was 9,840 acres.
Fairview Fire, as seen from the Idyllwild fire camera looking WSW at 6:16 p.m. Sept 7, 2022.
Updated at 1:52 p.m. PDT Sept. 7, 2022
Fairview Fire south of Hemet, CA, looking west-southwest from the Idyllwild camera at 149 p.m. PDT Sept. 7, 2022.
Updated 12:58 p.m. PDT Sept. 7, 2022
Fairview Fire map 10:07 a.m. Sept. 7, 2022.
Wednesday morning CAL FIRE said the Fairview Fire southeast of Hemet, California has grown to 7,091 acres. Activity on the fire began to increase at around noon on Wednesday as you can see in the photo below.
Fairview Fire, looking west-southwest from the Idyllwild camera at 12:51 p.m. Sept 7, 2022
Much of the spread over the last 24 hours was on the north and east sides. It reached Baustista Canyon Road in several places where the additional spread was stopped by agricultural land. But at Blackburn Canyon there was nothing but brush on both sides and it spotted across the road. When the fire was mapped at 10:07 Wednesday morning it had run east beyond the road for nearly a mile through rugged country. At that time it was about three miles west of Highway 74.
On the west side of Baustista Canyon Road where it burned across, is the fire scar from the 2019 Fairview Fire which blackened 1,740 acres. That three-year old footprint was not a major barrier. Nor was, on the east side of the road, two fires from 2001, the 181-acre Baustista Fire and the 262-acre Canyon Fire.
Following those barriers of little consequence there is no recent fire history to the east of the Fairview Fire until it reaches Highway 74 and the Mountain Center Area where the 2018 Cranston Fire burned 13,229 acres, and further to the north, the 2,410-acre Cottonwood Fire of 2009.
The cameras operated by the Nevada Seismological Laboratory detected and recorded the ignition and spread of a wildfire near Fairview Peak south of U.S. 50 between Fallon and Austin in western Nevada. Below we have the time-lapse videos, each compressing about one hour to one minute.
According to KOLOTV the Fairview Fire burned at least 50 acres of Fallon Naval Air Station land.
Below the descriptions (provided by nvseismolab) are the applicable videos.
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Although the fire starts at 12:50 PM, it begins in earnest around 1 PM … First fire discovery for 2017! Starting to pick up speed by hour’s end.
Although early in the season, the fire still manages to expand and move uphill in plain sight of the Fairview Fire Camera. Time lapse covers from 2 PM to 3 PM.
Fairview Fire continues to grows as air resources begin to drop water on the fire …
4th hour time lapse of the Fairview Fire as more helicopter delivered buckets hit the flames.
This one hour long time lapse video starting at 8 PM shows continued wildfire activity. Near-IR filter is turned on 42 seconds (8:42 PM) …
