Fire Season Starting Up In Northern California

Sunday, April 28, 2013

Fire Season Starting Up In Northern California

San Jose: Five-acre blaze on Communications Hill sparked by homeless encampment
SAN JOSE -- A cooking fire at a homeless encampment sparked a grass fire on Communications Hill on Saturday afternoon, but it was corralled before it caused any injury or serious damage, the San Jose Fire Department said.

Firefighters were called at 1:48 p.m., but their response was slowed because their equipment that traverses hilly terrain wasn't fully operational since fire season doesn't start for at least another month, said fire Capt. Reggie Williams.

The blaze consumed five acres before firefighters -- with the help of water drops from a Cal Fire helicopter -- brought it under control at 3:32 p.m. No injuries were reported, and nothing other than vegetation burned.

"It was a difficult fire because it was wind-driven, and because of the terrain," Williams said. "Luckily the grass is still fairly green out there"

And
Firefighters lend a hand with controlled burns

At least two controlled, permitted burns in Sonoma and Mendocino counties got a little bit out of control Saturday afternoon, requiring firefighters’ quick response to extinguish them, officials said.

One of the fires was located on a stretch of Gehricke Road, near a vineyard, according to Cal Fire officials. That fire burned about three acres and was mostly contained by 7 p.m.

The other fire was off Old Toll Road and Adobe Creek Road, near the Mendocino/Lake County border. Cal Fire officials said that fire grew to at least 10 acres, twice the area of the permitted burn.

A Mendocino County resident also reported spot fires near the Hopland Grade, at mile marker 8.2. The resident said he reported the fire to Cal Fire at about 4 p.m. but that they were slow to respond.

He said that 45 minutes after reporting the fire it had grown to six separate fires. A Mendocino Cal Fire representative said Saturday night that the fire was a controlled burn that never got out of hand.

1st story source: http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_23124213/san-jose-encampment-fire-sparks-5-acre-blaze
2nd story source: http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20130427/ARTICLES/130429620/1033/news?Title=Firefighters-lend-a-hand-with-controlled-burns

CFN - California Fire News 2013

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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, April 28, 2013