National Fire News Report ~ 12/18/08

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

National Fire News Report ~ 12/18/08

(On a scale from 1 to 5)

Current hours for the National Fire Information Center are
(MST) 8:00 am - 4:30 pm, Monday - Friday
208-387-5050
This report will be updated on Fridays
unless significant activity occurs.

November 18, 2008

Firefighters have made good progress toward containment goals on the large fires in California. The Freeway and Sayre fires have burned 40,096 acres. Many residences are threatened and evacuation orders are still in effect for Brea and Chino Hills. The Tea fire was contained yesterday at 1,940 acres.

Weather: Southern California will see cooler temperatures, higher humidity and light winds along the coast today and Wednesday. However, the mountains and inland areas will remain very warm and dry. The Southeast will be dry through Wednesday with gusty winds over Florida today.

Source: National Interagency Coordination Center


Weekly statistics 11/18/08
Number of new large fires	2	States currently reporting large fires:
Number of active large fires	4	California (2) Oklahoma (1) Oregon (1)
Acres from active fires	42,676
Number of Wildland Fire Use (WFU) fires	0
Number of Wildland Fire Use (WFU) acres	0
Fires contained since 11/17/08	1
Year-to-date large fires contained	732
Year-to-date statistics
2008 (1/1/08 - 11/18/08)	Fires: 74,525	Acres: 5,116,332
2007 (1/1/07 - 11/18/07)	Fires: 79,129	Acres: 9,375,530
2006 (1/1/06 - 11/18/06)	Fires: 89,792	Acres: 9,508,251
2005 (1/1/05 - 11/18/05)	Fires: 60,678	Acres: 8,433,600
2004 (1/1/04 - 11/18/04)	Fires: 64,220	Acres: 8,063,941
2003 (1/1/03 - 11/18/03)	Fires: 57,890	Acres: 3,837,102
2002 (1/1/02 - 11/18/02)	Fires: 71,158	Acres: 7,112,731
2001 (1/1/01 - 11/18/01)	Fires: 78,858	Acres: 3,527,898
2000 (1/1/00 - 11/18/00)	Fires: 90,827	Acres: 7,274,291
10-year average
1999 - 2008	Fires: 75,882	Acres: 7,084,186

Current Wildland Fires
California	Fires: 3	Acres: 40,096	New fires: 0	Fires contained: 0
Freeway Complex (Orange County Fire Department): 28,889 acres at 60 percent contained. This incident was included in the Triangle Complex. This fire is four miles east of Aneheim. Evacuations are in place for Brea and Chino Hills. More than 1,000 residences are threatened. Information: Call (714) 628-7085, (714) 573-6210 or visit the web site.
Sayre (Los Angeles City Fire Department): 11,207 acres at 64 percent contained. This fire is three miles northeast of San Fernando. Numerous residences are threatened. Information: Call (800) 439-2909, (323) 267-4800 or visit the web site.
Tea Incident (Montecito Fire Department): This fire was contained at 1,940 acres. Information: Call (805) 681-5197 or visit the website.
Oklahoma	Fires: 1	Acres: 340	New fires: 1	Fires contained: 0
Conifer Road (Okmulgee Field Office): 340 acres at 50 percent contained. This fire is one mile southwest of Schulter. Residences are threatened.
Oregon	Fires: 1	Acres: 300	New fires: 0	Fires contained: 0
Chapman Springs (Prineville District, Bureau of Land Management): 300 acres at 50 percent contained. This fire is 11 miles north of Mitchell. It is being managed as a confine/contain incident. This will be the last report unless significant activity is reported.

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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

Tuesday, November 18, 2008