CAL Fire and Six Rivers National Forest Joint News Release

Sunday, June 22, 2008

CAL Fire and Six Rivers National Forest Joint News Release

News Release:
CAL Fire and Six Rivers National Forest Joint News Release On Lightning Fires

US Forest Service
Six Rivers National Forest

Contact:
Julie Ranieri
(707) 441-3673
jranieri@fs.fed.us

Eureka, June 22, 2008

CALFIRE reports that the number of lightning caused fires within state responsibility area has grown to approximately 50. Several fires have increased in size. The largest fire is in the Paradise Ridge area northeast of Shelter Cove. This fire is approximately 120 acres in steep difficult terrain. Smoke from this fire is drifting into the Shelter Cove area. No evacuation orders have been issued at this time.

A 30 acre fire is buring in Humboldt Redwoods State Park near High Rock north of Weott. The forty acre fire in Carson Creek north of Redcrest has not grown in size since late yesterday. A separate 30 acre fire is burning in Bear Creek northwest of Redcrest.Three small fires are in the Headwaters Forest. The 25 acre Williams Fire is in very steep terrain adjacent to the Klamath River. Firefighting efforts are continuing throughout the Humboldt-Del Norte Unit. Extensive mop-up will be required on the larger fires.

PALCO and Green Diamond Resource Company continue to work cooperatively with CALFIRE to locate and contain fires through out their ownerships. Arcata Fire Department and Volunteeer Fire Departments from Briceland, Honeydew, Petrolia, and Shelter Cove are participating in the firefighting efforts.

CALFIRE currrently has 55 engines, 15 handcrews, 2 airtankers, 7 helicopters, 5 water tenders, 2 dozers, and a total of 505 personnel assigned to the fires at this time.

At least 54 fires started on the Six Rivers National Forest from this lightning event. The fires range in size from one-tenth of an acre to 80 acres. According to Kent Swartzlander, Fire Chief, "Crews have contained a number of these fires. We have limited resources available and are planning out a strategy that will have a high potential for success."

Current fire status: Smith River National Recreation Area

Total fires: 2
Goose Fire has been contained
Blue Fire is 25-30 acres and is inaccessible; not staffed
Lower Trinity Ranger District
- Total fires: 10
- 4 fires have been contained
- All fires staffed or patrolled except one
- Half Fire is 5 acres, not staffed
- Sims Fire is 30+ acres
Mad River Ranger District
- Total fires: 34
- 17 fires have been contained
- Travis Fire 80 acres
- Lassic Fire 18 acres
- Swim Fire 15-20 acres
- Van Horn Fire 15 + acres
Orleans Ranger District
- Total fires: 10 - 12
- Mill Fire is 35 acres. The ORCA Type 2 Team will be taking over this fire with fires on the Klamath National Forest.
- 4 fires in the wilderness

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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

Sunday, June 22, 2008