CALIFORNIA FIRE NEWS: California Wildland Fire News ~ 7/31

Thursday, July 31, 2008

California Wildland Fire News ~ 7/31

Statewide Fire Overview - Lightning Series

Current Situation: On June 20, 2008, a thunderstorm system moved over California striking over two thousand lightning sparked fires. Today over 98 percent of those fires have been contained. California’s firefighters have received assistance from firefighting agencies across the state, nation and several foreign countries. Conditions throughout California remain extremely dry and fire danger remains very high.
(Updated 7/31 at 9 a.m.) Download the latest statewide map.

Statewide Fire Statistics

Total Fires at Peak: 2,096

Total Fires Contained: 2,071

Total Active Fires: 25

Total Acres Burned: 1,118,977

These numbers are total fires and acres that have occurred from state, local and federal firefighting agencies beginning June 20, 2008.

CAL FIRE Statistics

Total Fires at Peak: 1,008

Fires Contained: 1,007

Active Fires: 1

Acres Burned: 375,767

These numbers are total fires and acres that have occurred ONLY in CAL FIRE jurisdiction since June 20, 2008.

Statewide Resources Committed

Personnel Committed: 13,420

Fire Engines: 833

Hand Crews: 307

Dozers: 149

Water Tenders: 211

Helicopters: 71

Highway closures: Firefighters remind everyone to use extreme caution while driving on roads affected by fires. All major roads are now open. There may be some delays on State Highways 70, 140 and 299. Travelers are advised to seek current information on secondary road closures from local law enforcement.

Evacuations: Areas of Mariposa, Plumas and Trinity counties are under evacuation orders and voluntary evacuations at this time. Residents are advised to monitor their local fire situation, check with local law enforcement agencies for information, and be prepared to evacuate when necessary.

Structures:
Threatened : 6,283 residences, 78 commercial, 1,065 outbuildings.
Destroyed : 179 residences, 1 commercial, 173 outbuildings.

CAL FIRE Summary of Fires by County

Mariposa: The Telegraph Fire has burned 33,705 acres and is 40% contained. Click Here for more information.

Butte: The Butte Lightning Complex has burned 59,440 acres and is now 100% contained. Click Here for more information.

Shasta & Trinity: The Shasta and Trinity Lightning burned 86,500 acres and is now 100% contained. Click Here for more information.

Mendocino: The Mendocino Lightning Complex burned 53,300 acres and is now 100% contained. Click Here for more information.

Humboldt: The Humboldt Complex burned 1,325 acres and is now 100% contained.

Lassen, Modoc: The Corral Fire burned 12,434 acres and is now 100% contained. Click Here for more information.

Mariposa: The Oliver Fire burned 2,789 acres and now 100% contained.Click Here for more information.

Lake: The Walker Fire burned 14,500 acres and is now 100% contained. Click Here for more information.

Napa & Solano: The Wild Fire burned 40,000 acres and is now 100% contained. Click Here for more information.

Santa Clara: The Whitehurst and Hummingbird Fires burned a combined 994 acres and are both now 100% contained. Click Here for more information.

Tehama & Glenn: The Tehama-Glenn Lightning Complex burned 22,907 acres and is now 100% contained.

Major Federal and Local Incidents

For information on major federal incidents click here.

Maps and Links

For incident maps, resources available to fire victims or to volunteer, visit our Maps and Links page

California Fire News Blog

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).