Santa Clara County to declares state of emergency.

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Santa Clara County to declares state of emergency.

Last Updated: June 22, 2008 11:22 am
Two fires in southern Santa Clara County - the Hummingbird fire and the Whitehurst fire - have claimed about 11,00 acres and were now ten percent contained, according to Cal Fire officials, Forward spread of the Hummingbird Fire has slowed and the Whitehurst Fire is actively burning in heavy fuels.

The fires, both caused by lightning strikes, prompted Santa Clara County to declare a state of emergency, and have prompted evacuations.

On Saturday, six fires were reported burning at once in Santa Clara County. The other four have been controlled.

A third fire, the Uvas Fire, is burning near Uvas and Watsonville roads, Rhoten said.

The fourth fire, the Newman Fire, burned 100 acres of vegetation west of Interstate Highway 5 and has been contained.

A fifth fire, called the Tower Fire for its location near the Channel 8 Tower, burned less than an acre.

CA-SCU- Hummingbird fire - 150 acres - 20 percent contained
Evacuations: Evacuations in the area remain in effect until this morning. The American Red Cross has set up a shelter at Live Oak High School, 1505 E. Main St. in Morgan Hill. It is anticipated that some home owners will get to return possibly by this evening or tomorrow. Phone Numbers (408) 779-0930 (Whitehurst / Hummingbird Fire Information Number)
Location: Santa Clara County - Near Hummingbird Road and the ClosLaChance winery in San Martin, near the CordeValle Golf Club, West of Gilroy and Morgan Hill
Cause: Lightning
WUI: Structure threat - 1,200 homes, about 130 houses in the Day Road area remain evacuated.
Fire behavior: Fire officials are concerned that strong winds could cause the nose of the fire to jump Day Road, which would put more houses at risk.

CA-SCU- Whitehurst fire - 175 acres -
Evacuations: Evacuations of the Valley View section of Mount Madonna Park, It is anticipated that some home owners will get to return possibly by this evening or tomorrow. Phone Numbers (408) 779-0930 (Whitehurst / Hummingbird Fire Information Number)
Location: Santa Clara County - East of Mount Madonna County Park near Hecker Pass Road - West of Gilroy and Morgan Hill
Cause: Lightning
WUI: No information is currently available on threatened homes
Terrain: Rural, steep and heavily timbered terrain.

Note: This report is a combination between the Whitehurst and the Humminbird Fires.
Cooperating Agencies: CAL FIRE, Gilroy Fire, Santa Clara County Fire, San Jose Fire, OES, Santa Clara Sheriffs Office, CHP, Santa Clara Co. Parks, Red Cross, Gilroy PD, Morgan Hill PD.
Total Fire Personnel: 118
Fire crews: 2
Engines: 10
Helicopters: 1

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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