SNEAKER WAVES POSSIBLE DURING WARM WEATHER

Thursday, January 15, 2009

SNEAKER WAVES POSSIBLE DURING WARM WEATHER

REDWOOD COAST- MENDOCINO COAST- SNEAKER WAVES POSSIBLE DURING WARM WEATHER

Description: WAVE CONDITIONS ON AREA BEACHES ARE EXPECTED TO BE IDEAL FOR SNEAKER WAVES FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. AVERAGE WAVE HEIGHTS ARE NOT FORECAST TO BE EXCEPTIONALLY HIGH...BUT AT TIMES WAVES WILL SUDDENLY BECOME VERY LARGE...AND WASH FAR UP ONTO PREVIOUSLY DRY SAND. THESE WAVES CAN KNOCK PEOPLE DOWN AND PULL THEM INTO THE OCEAN WHERE SURVIVAL IS CHALLENGING BECAUSE OF NUMBINGLY COLD WATER...STRONG CURRENTS...AND TURBULENT SURF. STEEP BEACHES ARE ESPECIALLY VULNERABLE TO THE EFFECTS OF SNEAKER WAVES. SOME BEACHES ALSO HAVE LIMITED ESCAPE OPTIONS BECAUSE OF SHEER CLIFFS OR CUT AWAY DUNES. CHOOSE A BEACH THIS WEEKEND THAT IS FLATTER AND HAS EASY ACCESS TO HIGH GROUND. AVOID ROCKS AND JETTIES. FOR SURF VIEWING... CHOOSE A HIGH BLUFF THAT IS WELL ABOVE AND FAR FROM THE SURF. THESE WAVE CONDITIONS CAN PRODUCE A RELATIVELY QUIET OCEAN SURFACE FOR UP TO TWENTY MINUTES... INTERRUPTED BY VERY LARGE BREAKING WAVES ON THE BEACH. THE LULLS IN WAVE HEIGHTS CAN LURE PEOPLE CLOSE TO THE WATERS EDGE...EXPOSING THEM TO THE HAZARD OF SNEAKER WAVES.

Instructions: STAY FAR BACK FROM THE SURF...EVEN IF THE WAVES SEEM SMALL...AND BE ESPECIALLY CAREFUL TO KEEP CHILDREN AWAY FROM THE WATER. IF YOU DO GO NEAR THE WATER...NEVER TURN YOUR BACK ON THE SURF. FOR ACTIVITIES THAT REQUIRE YOU TO BE CLOSE TO THE WATER SUCH AS SURF FISHING... BIRD WATCHING... AND TIDE POOLING... WEAR A LIFE VEST AND HAVE AN EXTRA PERSON WATCH FOR SUDDEN INCREASES IN SURF HIGHT.

Target Area: REDWOOD COAST-MENDOCINO COAST-

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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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CFN - CALIFORNIA FIRE NEWS - CAL FIRE NEWS

Thursday, January 15, 2009