CFN - CALIFORNIA FIRE NEWS - CAL FIRE NEWS : Inciweb: Grass Valley Wildland Fire - 1,000 acres

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Inciweb: Grass Valley Wildland Fire - 1,000 acres - 30%

Grass Valley Wildland Fire

INCIDENT UPDATED 39 MIN. AGO

Fire Perimeter Oct 22
Credit: US Forest Service

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Summary

Fire is northwest of Lake Arrowhead.

Mandatory Evacuation areas: Crestline to Snow Valley.

Voluntary Evacuations: Cedar Pines Park and Valley of Enchantment

Evacuation Center at the National Orange Show in San Bernardino and Victorville Fairgrounds in Victorville.

State Highway 18 is closed from 40th/Waterman to the Big Bear Dam

State Highway 330 is closed at Highland to Hwy 18

State Highway 138 is Closed at State Highway 173

Residents may leave via these highways (except 330) but cannot go back up into the Mountains.

Access to Big Bear is via Hwy 38 from I-10 in Redlands or from Hwy 18 through the Hi-Desert in Lucerne Valley.

Basic Information

Incident Type	Wildland Fire
Cause	Under Investigation
Date of Origin	10/22/2007 at 0508 hrs.
Location	NW of Lake Arrowhead
Incident Commander	William Kaage

Current Situation

Total Personnel	548
Size	1,000 acres
Percent Contained	30%
Fuels Involved	Timber (grass understory)
Fire Behavior	Over night, light interior burning was observed with minimal movement.
Significant Events	Resources will be shared across the Slide and Grass Valley fires.

Outlook

Planned Actions	Crews will work on accurate perimeter mapping,improving line, and assess damage to structures.
Projected Movement	With winds decreasing expect little movement, still concern regarding the current wind shift and reversal of the fire.
Growth Potential	Extreme
Terrain Difficulty	Medium
Remarks	At least 100 structures have been lost and 6000 homes remain threatened. Mandatory Evaucations for all areas from Crestline to Snow Valley remain in effect. Voluntary Evacuations--Cedar Pines Park and Valley of Enchantment. Road Closures--All highways west of Big Bear Dam: 138, 18 and 330. Hwy 18 to 40th St., 330 bottom (Highland) to top. Residents may leave via the highways (except 330) but cannot go back into these areas.

Weather

Current Wind Conditions	4 G 6 mph SW
Current Temperature	68 degrees
Current Humidity	13 %

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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.

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