CFN - CALIFORNIA FIRE NEWS - CAL FIRE NEWS : Inciweb: Poomacha Wildland Fire - 25,000 acres

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Inciweb: Poomacha Wildland Fire - 25,000 acres - 0%

Poomacha Wildland Fire

INCIDENT UPDATED 1:01 HRS. AGO

Summary

This fire started October 23 as a structure fire on the Lajolla Indian Reservation. It has burned 25,000 acres and is uncontained. 50 homes have been destroyed and 2,000 homes are threatened. Evacuations are in progress along the Highway 76 cxorridor. The communities of Valley Center, Rincon, Pauma Valley, Hidden Meadows, Deer Springs, Vista and Palomar are threatened. This fire has resulted in 10 firefighter injuries. 659 firefighters are currently assigned to this fire under unified command with CAL FIRE and the Cleveland National Forest. Poomacha Fire Information Line (619) 590-3160.

Basic Information

Incident Type	Wildland Fire
Cause	Under Investigation
Date of Origin	10/23/2007 at 0313 hrs.
Location	Highway 76, Pauma Valley
Incident Commander	Ault / Joseph

Current Situation

Total Personnel	719
Size	35,000 acres
Percent Contained	10%
Fuels Involved	Chaparral (6 Feet)Grass, Brush, Timber
Fire Behavior	Long range spotting, extreme rates of spread and shifting winds.
Significant Events	Expansion of incident in a north easterly direction due to wind shifts. Fire increased in size due to extreme fire behavior, lack of resources and wind shifts. Perimeter control has been initiated and structure protection is still in place. Evacuation centers continue to be staffed and occupied.

Outlook

Planned Actions	Continue structure protection and perimeter control. Account for all resources.
Growth Potential	Extreme
Terrain Difficulty	High
Remarks	CAL FIRE Incident Management Team #4(Ault) CAL FIRE Incident Management Team #4(Ault) is in Unified Command with the Clevelend National Forest(Josepth). Control strategies for the Palomar Wilderness are being developed.

Weather

Current Wind Conditions	8 gusts 20 mph E
Current Temperature	79 degrees
Current Humidity	8 %

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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.

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