National Incident Information Center (NIIC)

Saturday, August 4, 2007

National Incident Information Center (NIIC)

National Incident Information Center (NIIC):

NIIC / NIFC Morning Report Condensed for California,

Saturday, August 4, 2007 – 12:00 P.M. EDT

THE PLANNING ISN'T DONE UNTIL SAFETY IS CONSIDERED

PREPAREDNESS LEVEL	5
STATES MOST AFFECTED: mt, id
Print Today's Morning Report (PDF file)

CURRENT SITUATION

Initial attack activity was light yesterday with 169 new fires reported burning 26,722 acres. Currently, there are 36 fires and complexes over 500 acres in size. Yesterday there were four new fires over 500 acres and one was contained.

The National Preparedness Level is 5. Large fire activity is occurring in multiple geographic areas and there is a heavy commitment of crews, aircraft and equipment to these incidents. Hot, dry, windy conditions continue to be in the forecast. Nationally, there are seven Type 1 and sixteen Type 2 Incident Management Teams (IMT) committed.

INCIDENT HEADLINES

Southern California: The Zaca is 44,000 acres and 60 percent contained. Evacuation orders were significantly expanded yesterday and 453 residences are now considered threatened. This is up from 12 residences threatened early yesterday. A large number of additional firefighting resources were ordered yesterday..
Nationally, an estimated 1,201 structures have been lost to date.
There are 15,926 personnel committed to wildland fires nationally, an increase of 1,063 (7.2%) from yesterday.

SUMMARY OF FIRE ACTIVITY ACROSS THE UNITED STATES

Fire Activity	Yesterday	Year-to-Date	2006 Fire Season	2000 Fire Season	10-Year Average
Number of Fires	169	57,786	71,892	62,374	53,081
Acres Burned	26,722	5,250,351	5,687,136	3,854,637	3,729,427

RESOURCES COMMITTED

Crews
(20 persons)

Engines
(5 persons)

Helicopters
(7 persons)

Overhead

(individuals)

Airtankers
Assigned

Total Personnel

Personnel Change

360

762

146

3,784

15,926

+1,063

MAPS OF CURRENT FIRE ACTIVITY

National Interagency Fire Center Fire Danger (www.fs.fed.us/land/wfas/fd_cls_f.gif)
National Incident Information Center Current Fires Over 500 Acres (www.fs.fed.us/news/fire/firemap.shtml)
National Interagency Coordination Center Monthly Fire Outlook (www.nifc.gov/news/OutlookMap.pdf)

REGIONAL FIRES OVER 500 ACRES

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA (website: gacc.nifc.gov/oscc/ )

Incident Name

State

Lead

Agency

Size

(acres)

24-Hour

Change

(Acres)

Percent

Contained

Estimate of

Containment

Personnel

Change

(Personnel)

Structures

Lost

Zaca Fire

44,400

6,000

9/7

1,491

Zaca is burning fifteen miles northeast of Buellton, CA in chaparral and hardwoods. A National Incident Management Organization Team (Gelobter) is assigned. Extreme fire behavior with long-range spotting was observed. Numerous residences and other structures remain threatened. Additional evacuation orders were implemented yesterday.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA (website: gacc.nifc.gov/oncc )

Incident Name

State

Lead

Agency

Size

(acres)

24-Hour

Change

(Acres)

Percent

Contained

Estimate of

Containment

Personnel

24-Hour

Change

(Personnel)

Structures

Lost

Elk Complex

17,584

400

9/15

582

-116

Elk Complex, consisting of five fires, is burning two miles east of Happy Camp, CA in timber snags, litter and brush. An IMT Type 2 (Swartzlander) is assigned; a Type 1 IMT (Molumby) has been ordered. Slow moving surface fire with short runs, isolated torching and creeping was observed.

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

Saturday, August 4, 2007