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Tag: Saddle Ridge Fire

USFS firefighters save life of person suffering cardiac event

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories UncategorizedTags , 2 Comments on USFS firefighters save life of person suffering cardiac event

U.S. Forest Service Firefighters on the Saddle Ridge Fire in Southern California saved the life of a man who was experiencing a cardiac event.

Good job, men!

Powerline investigated as possible source of Saddle Ridge Fire

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories WildfireTags , , 6 Comments on Powerline investigated as possible source of Saddle Ridge Fire

Above: 3-D map of the Saddle Ridge Fire at 12:27 a.m. PDT October 13, 2019.

Fire investigators are looking at a power line as a possible ignition point for the Saddle Ridge Fire that burned 7,965 acres and 21 structures on the north side of Los Angeles. (see map above) At least two residents of Sylmar said they first saw the fire at the base of a transmission tower. Los Angeles Fire Chief Ralph Terrazas said Friday night that he was aware of those reports, and, “We believe that witness, and someone else who said something similar.” The Southern California Edison power line had not been shut off during the Santa Ana wind event.

All of the evacuation orders have been lifted that earlier affected about 100,000 residents.

(To see all articles on Wildfire Today about the Saddle Ridge Fire, click here.)

The strong north to northeast Santa Ana wind event that caused the fire to spread seven miles, from Sylmar to Granda Hills and almost to Chatsworth, has come to a close. The area is now experiencing typical on shore flows, bringing higher humidity and lower temperatures.

One person died during the fire. Authorities said Aiman Elsabbagh, 54, suffered a heart attack while trying to protect his home with a garden hose and passed away later in a hospital.

Map Saddle Ridge Fire
Map of the Saddle Ridge Fire at 12:27 a.m. PDT October 13, 2019.

Top Tweets from the Saddle Ridge Fire

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories WildfireTags ,
Helicopter night water drop Saddle ridge Fire
A helicopter drops water near a fire engine during very windy conditions on the Saddle Ridge Fire in Los Angeles. Screenshot from KTLA video.

Below is a collection of some of the more interesting tweets that recorded activity during the Saddle Ridge Fire on the north side of Los Angeles October 10 and 11, 2019. The fire has burned 7,552 acres and damaged or destroyed 31 structures (13 are 100% loss, 3 are 50% loss, 4 are 25% loss and 11 are 10% loss). Most, but not all, mandatory evacuations have been lifted. More information is at the Los Angeles Fire Department website.

(Click here to see all articles on Wildfire Today about the Saddle Ridge Fire, including the most recent)

Continue reading “Top Tweets from the Saddle Ridge Fire”

Saddle Ridge Fire burns over 7,000 acres and dozens of homes in Los Angeles

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories WildfireTags , 2 Comments on Saddle Ridge Fire burns over 7,000 acres and dozens of homes in Los Angeles

The fire is near Sylmar and Granada Hills

UPDATED at 6:16 PDT October 12, 2019

Map of the Saddle Ridge Fire, October 12, 2019
Map of the Saddle Ridge Fire, October 12, 2019. Los Angeles Fire Department.

Map of the Saddle Ridge Fire, October 12, 2019.

MD87 drops on Saddle Ridge Fire
Air tanker 101, an MD87, drops on the Saddle Ridge Fire on the north side of Los Angeles at 2:24 p.m. PDT October 11, 2019. Screenshot from KTLA video.

UPDATED at 7:12 p.m. PDT October 11, 2019

The Los Angeles Fire Department reported Friday afternoon that the Saddle Ridge Fire had burned 7,542 acres and was being fought by 1,000 firefighters. Numerous helicopters and air tankers are assisting firefighters on the ground, including the two Super Scoopers from Quebec under contract with the Los Angeles County Fire Department. The fire started at about 9 p.m. on Thursday in Sylmar and spread across Interstate 5 into the Granada Hills area north of the 118 freeway.

At 5 p.m.  Friday the Los Angeles Fire Department began allowing  Los Angeles city residents who are under mandatory evacuation and whose homes are north of the 118 freeway to be escorted by LAPD personnel to their homes for a 5 minute period to obtain important documents, medication, small pets, etc. The two locations where residents can go to obtain escorts are the Porter Ranch Town center at Porter Ranch & Rinaldi and at the Target located at the northwest corner of Balboa & San Fernando Mission.

Evacuation orders are still in effect in several areas.

Super Scooper Castaic Lake water
A Super Scooper from Quebec on contract with Los Angeles County FD scoops 1,600 gallons of water at Castaic Lake Friday. LA County Parks and Recreation photo.

There has been no update on the number of structures destroyed since the Fire Department said Friday morning that 25 had burned. Assessment teams are working to gather more information.

One firefighter has sustained a minor eye injury and a civilian suffered a cardiac arrest and died at the hospital.

The wind pushing the fire slowed Friday afternoon, but at 6:40 p.m. was still strong, with sustained speeds of 16 to 20 mph gusting at 30 to 40. The relative humidity barely registered, hovering around five percent in the afternoon. The forecast indicates there will be no humidity recovery Friday night, with it maxing out at 9 percent by 7 a.m. Saturday, after which it will sink to five percent Saturday afternoon. The wind will remain out of the northeast Friday night and Saturday, 13 to 17 gusting at 20 to 26 during the night and 7 to 13 mph gusting to 17 Saturday morning. Saturday afternoon, the wind then out of the east, will relax to 7 mph. All this indicates that conditions on Saturday for battling the fire will be more favorable for firefighters.

UPDATED at 12:12 p.m. PDT Oct. 11, 2019

Air tankers and helicopters began hitting the Saddle Ridge Fire early in the morning on Friday, battling the wind in their attempts to drop fire retardant and water in strategic locations to slow the fire and assist firefighters on the ground. At least five large air tankers, two water scooping air tankers, and numerous helicopters worked the fire in the morning. (see map below)

After six a.m. the wind slowed slightly, decreasing at Newhall Pass to 22 mph gusting at 38 to 50 mph out of the north.

Saddle Ridge Fire map
Map showing the perimeter of the Saddle Ridge Fire at 2:30 a.m. PDT Oct. 11, 2019. Derived from a Los Angeles Fire Department product.
Saddle Ridge Fire Los Angeles
Firefighters protect homes on the Saddle Ridge Fire on the north side of Los Angeles. Screenshot from KTLA video at 11:45 a.m. Oct. 1, 2019.

9:35 a.m. PDT October 11, 2019

The Saddle Ridge Fire that was reported at 9 p.m. October 10 on the north side of Los Angeles has burned at least 4,700 acres and 25 homes. The fire started near Sylmar northeast of the interchange of the 210 and 5 freeways, jumped those highways and kept running to the southwest north of the 118 near the densely populated Granada Hills area. All three of those freeways have at times been closed due to the fire.

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