CFN - CALIFORNIA FIRE NEWS - CAL FIRE NEWS : Inciweb: Moonlight Wildland Fire - 64,271 acres

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Inciweb: Moonlight Wildland Fire - 64,271 acres - 58%

Moonlight Wildland Fire

9/13/07

0640

Update: Moonlight Incident - CA-PNF, 64,997 acres with 77 percent containment. The red flag warning event will test the containment lines today and possible the next few days. If the containment lines hold through the event, large scale fire suppression repair and resource demobilization will be able to begin. Resource advisors are working with Operations to formulate the fire line suppression repair plan.

ANNOUNCEMENT

Evacuation contact information
Large animal evacuations: Plumas-Sierra Co. Fairgrounds, contact Dennis Miller 283-6211 or 394-7762 Domestic animals can be taken to the Animal Shelter in Quincy, contact Lisa McKee 927-7714Red... more

Summary

North Arm Evacuation Partially Lifted: 9-11-2007

Evacuees only are being allowed to return to areas in the Diamond Mountain/North Arm Road area. Diamond Mountain Road from North Valley Road (Deadfall Lane) to Moonlight Valley road intersection is open. The mandatory evacuation order is still in place for the North Arm Road to the Fire Station. Taylor Lake, Franks Valley, and the Antelope Lake areas are still under mandatory evacuation. Voluntary evacuation remains in place for residents of Genesee Valley.

Winds from the southwest will continue today, becoming progressively stronger through the day. Winds will be 4 to 8 mph this morning and increasing 5 to 10 mph with possible gusts to 20 to 25 mph in the afternoon. A low pressure from the coast is moving into the area and will create stronger winds on Thursday. There is a fire weather watch posted for Thursday, with southwest winds 12 to 20 mph with gusts of 30 to 40 mph.

The most active part of the fire today is expected along the northeast and southeast perimeter. Predicted winds over the next few days will be coming out of the southwest. The northern perimeter from Red Rock Lookout area east to Wildcat Ridge will have increased resources. The fire is still active along the south perimeter. Crews were successful at tying in the large portion of line from Kettle Rock area to Hungry Creek. The burned areas from the Stream Fire and the Antelope Fire are helping crews control the fire spread to the east.

Extreme fire behavior is possible given the low fuel moisture levels combined with steep terrain, heavy fuels, and the winds which will challenge firefighting efforts. A northeast wind is predicted this morning and then shifting to a southwest wind which may affect the southern and eastern portions of the fire. Air support will continue to be available and will be critical to slowing the advance of the fire.

Indian Valley residents will see smoke clearing from the area. However, smoke will increase in the Susanville and Janesville area.

Basic Information

Incident Type	Wildland Fire
Cause	Under Investigation
Date of Origin	09/03/2007 at 1424 hrs.
Location	Moonlight Valley T27N R10E Sec 3
Incident Commander	Unified Command

Current Situation

Total Personnel	3,371
Size	64,271 acres
Percent Contained	58%
Fuels Involved	Heavy timber & slash, 80% slopes
Fire Behavior	The fire was actively backing until the morning hours in Division R & N with single tree torching. The fire continued burning towards the Antelope fire burn scar.
Significant Events	Line has been completed and continues to hold in the southwest, west and northwest portions of the fire. Significant progress was made in constructing line on the east portion of the fire. Evacuees only are being allowed to return to areas in the Diamond Mountain/North Arm Road area. Diamond Mountain Road from North Valley Road (Dead fall Lane) to Moonlight Valley road intersection is open. The mandatory evacuation order is still in place for the North Arm Road to the Fire Station. Taylor Lake, Franks Valley, and the Antelope Lake areas are still under mandatory evacuation. A voluntary evacuation order remains in place for the residents Genesee Valley. The Forest closure is in place to ensure safety in the vicinity of the fire. All major highways remain open, however most Forest roads in the area are closed to access.

Outlook

Planned Actions	The W and NW continue to hold and mop up 100 feet from control lines. The SE perimeter construct direct & indirect line, improve and hold established line. Provide structure protection. The SW perimeter construct direct and indirect line, improve and hold established line. Provide structure protection in the Diamond Mountain, North Arm, Indian Valley and Wilcox areas.
Projected Movement	Moderate fire spread is predicted to be towards the northeast due to the southwesterly wind pattern
Growth Potential	Extreme
Terrain Difficulty	80% slopes; extreme
Containment Target	Indirect and direct attack is succeeding, but potential fire behavior and changing weather patterns are preventing establishing a containment date.
Remarks	Low humidity & critical fuel moisture levels are causing the fire to remain very active well into the night. Resource advisor's are working with operations to begin fireline suppression repair. Hwy 36 and all other major routes open.

Weather

Current Wind Conditions	3 mph SW
Current Temperature	76 degrees
Current Humidity	33 %

No comments:

How fires get their names

Every year in California thousands of wildfires start throughout the state. In most cases, the dispatch center sending the initial resources to a wildland fire will designate a name for the fire, but the first on scene engine or fire official can also name the incident. Fires are usually named for the area in which they start – a geographical location, local landmark, street, lake, mountain, peak, etc. Quickly naming the fire provides responding fire resources with an additional locater, and allows fire officials to track and prioritize incidents by name. For example during the Southern California Fire Siege of 2003, the largest wildland fire in California history, the Cedar Fire in San Diego County, was named after the Cedar Creek Falls area where it started. The destructive Old Fire, which burned during the same time period in San Bernardino County, was named after the road along which it started - Old Waterman Canyon Road.

CAL FIRE is the largest fire department in California and the second largest fire department in the United States. CDF - CAL FIRE Firefighters answer the call more than 300,000 times a year. CAL FIRE Firefighters make up the fire department for 30 of our 58 counties in California and more than 100 local communities. We serve as the incident command during many of California’s most serious disasters. CAL FIRE Firefighters respond to many various types and forms of calls ranging from structural fires, to auto accidents, to earthquakes, to floods, to the spilling of hazardous materials, to every conceivable disaster; CAL FIRE answer's the calls. CAL FIRE is the largest fire department in California and the second largest fire department in the United States . CAL FIRE firefighters protect 33 million acres of State Responsibility Area (SRA). We have over 4,000 members within CAL FIRE and CAL FIRE is associated with the California Professional Firefighters (CPF) and the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF).

CFN - CALIFORNIA FIRE NEWS - CAL FIRE NEWS