InciWeb: Antelope Complex Wildland Fire

Saturday, July 7, 2007

InciWeb: Antelope Complex Wildland Fire

InciWeb: Antelope Complex Wildland Fire: 11,500 acres

Picture map of Antelope Complex fires GeoMac Composite
Credit: CAL FIRE News/GEOMAC
Yesterday the fire had a thunderstom over it for several hours causing spread in all directions
as shown in map of fire above.

Picture Antelope Complex from Thompson Peak July 7th
Photo Credit: Jason Flaherty
This picture is nice Wallpaper!

Antelope Complex Wildland Fire

INCIDENT UPDATED 0900

Summary

Acreage figures for the Wheeler Firehave increased as a result of an active burning period on Friday in the late afternoon. Currently, the fire includes approximately 11,500 acres. A Cobra flight mid-morning on Saturday will acurately measure the perimeter.

Active burning on Friday, particularly in the late afternoon,was a result of downdrafts from thunder cells passing through the area. Summer residents on the east side of the lake were evacuated. Structure protection measures were successful and it appears no significant structures have been lost. Dry lightning forecast for Friday did not impact the area measurably and forecasts for Saturday lightning are low. Relatively stable airmass for the next 2 days will assist firefighters in their efforts to contain the fire.

A closure is in effect around the entire area (see "Maps").

The Antelope Complex is approximately 12 air miles northeast of Taylorsville and 5-6 air miles south of Antelope Lake. Type 1 & 2 fire teams are working on the blaze. Over 500 firefighters are on scene with additional fire fighting resources continuing to arrive.

A series of lightning strikes late in the afternoon on Thursday, July 5, are responsible for starting over a dozen fires on the Plumas National Forest in northeastern California. Collectively called the Antelope Complex, the largest of the fires is the Wheeler Fire. All other small fires are contained or staffed.

Basic Information

Incident Type	Wildland Fire
Cause	Lightning
Date of Origin	07/05/2007 at 1600 hrs.
Location	Antelope Lake Recreation Area
Incident Commander	Larry Craggs -

Current Situation

Total Personnel	354
Size	2,400 acres (ED: WHEELER?)
Percent Contained	10%
Estimated Containment Date	07/12/2007 at hrs.
Fuels Involved	10 Timber (litter and understory) Heavy timber, large quantities of dead fuels
Fire Behavior	Overnight there were strong down drafts from thundercells, causing some eratic fire behavior. Low RH and extremely dry fuels
Significant Events	Antelope boat ramp closure. Evacuation of cabins in Franks Valley. Evacuation of campgrouds in the vicinity of Antelope Lake.

Outlook

Planned Actions	Structure and recreation protection. Heavy fire suppression
Projected Movement	12 hours: Anticipate new lightning starts and heavy IA activity
Growth Potential	Extreme
Terrain Difficulty	Extreme
Remarks	Midmorning assessment will be updated this evening.

Weather

Current Wind Conditions	10-15 mph SW
Current Temperature	93-97 degrees
Current Humidity	12 %

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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

Saturday, July 7, 2007