California Lightning series 2009 - 5000+ Strikes

California 2009 Lightning series - 5000+ Strikes - 100+ Wildland Fires - 11 straight days of thunderstorms in California and Oregon and the thunderstorms storms will continue. Welcome to the 2009 Northern California fire season.

Thankfully most of theses storms have brought some associated precipitation and along with moderate fuel moisture levels are keeping the fires in check and aiding in the fire suppression.

2008 Lightning fires: Forest Service analysts noted today that while the number of lightning strikes recorded this past week is very high, the fuel conditions are different than they were for last June's Lightning Event. This lightning is coming with much more precipitation and the fuels are not quite ready to burn actively. On June 20, 2008 in Northern California, a 33 hour-long lightning event produced over 5,100 lightning strikes resulting over 1,000 fires in the area.

California - 5,000 lightning strikes in Northern California resulting in nearly 90 fires in the northern region. "On Sunday alone, roughly 1200 lightning strikes occurred in the area," according to Basil Newmerzhycky, a Forest Service meteorologist in Redding.

GACC News and Notes -0715 6-02-09 - Thunderstorm activity has been present in much of NOPS for more than a week. Over 5,000 lightning strikes have been recored. Yesterday's lightning resulted in less than 20 fires in the GACC, all were contained at 5 acres or less in size. Look for more thunderstorms the rest of this week.

GACC News and Notes -0700 6-01-09 - Lightning struck the NOPS area again yesterday and throughout the night. About 15 fires were reported as a result of yesterday's lightning. From May 25 through May 31 144 fires were reported in the NOPS area. 86 of these were caused by lightning and burned less than 40 acres.

While the number of lightning strikes recorded is very high for this past week, we must remember fuel conditions are different than they were for last June's Lightning Event. This lightning is coming with much more precipitation and fuels at higher elevations and on northern aspects are not quite ready to burn real actively.

This doesn't mean we won't see active fire behavior, it merely means we must maintain our situational awareness at all times and be heads up!

Yosemite National Park - At least 4 new Fires note: Other Fires may be found.- Measurable rain accompanied most T-cells, Thunderstorms predicted to continue through Friday morning.

Shasta-Trinity National Forest - 17 fires with 50+ acres burned on the Forest. Current Fire danger conditions are moderate.
The majority of these fires were successfully kept to less than half an acre in size. "Engine, hand, smokejumper and helirappell crews responded to the fires. Lookouts and aerial reconnaissance aircraft have been deployed to search for fires. Identifying fires as early as possible provides the best opportunity to safely suppress the fires. Our intent is to hit the fires hard and keep them small without injury to firefighters or others," stated Shasta-Trinity Fire Chief Arlen Cravens. "As of late Monday, 13 of the fires on the Forest have been extinguished or are controlled and in patrol status - the remaining four fires are actively being suppressed by our firefighters," Cravens continued.

Oregon - 20 fires have been reported since Friday.
Five fires found on ODF-protected lands in Jackson County as a result of Saturday's thunderstorms. All known fires are staffed and stabilized.
The largest fire in Oregon, the Green Grass fire, burned 1,000 acres south of the John Day River before it was contained. Aircraft will fly over Josephine County today to search for fires from Monday's thunderstorms. One smoke reported on ODF-protected lands.

Lightning Fire updates will be provided as new information becomes available.