Saturday, August 31, 2013

#Centervillefire Butte County Wildland Fire 100+ acres, Heavy Timber #CaFire

 Butte County Wildland Fire  

Update 1915: 100 acres 
Update 1915: 20 acres 
Update 1830: 10 acres, Releasing type-1's no access.

Location: Centerville Road Area, Butte Creek Canyon, west of Magnolia
Reported Date/time: *
IA: 5 acres
ROS: *
ROC: Limited Type-1 access
Structure Threats: *
Concerns: *
Resources: Full wildland response and additional augmented response.
Cooperating Agencies: *
Weather Info: *
Special Conditions: *
Other Comments: *
Radio Frequencies: *
Maps: *
Agency Website: *
Online Scanner: *
Live Video: *
Web Cams: *
---------------------------------------------
Posted by at No comments:

Friday, August 30, 2013

#RimFire Central California ARES-RACES Volunteers Burning Up The Air #CaFire

ARES-RACES Volunteers Remain on Duty for Rim Fire Response
 Spud Hill Fire, Gifford Pinchot N.F., WA 1937
08/30/2013

ARES-RACES volunteers in Central California now have been on duty for more than 10 days as part of the response to the gigantic Rim Fire in and near Yosemite National Park and the Stanislaus National Forest. The initial callout on August 19 responded to a request to assist the Red Cross in setting up an evacuation center at Tioga High School in Groveland, California, for residents leaving the fire zone from Buck Meadows in Mariposa County, said Tuolumne County ARES Emergency Coordinator Carl Groci, NI6Z. He and Grayson, KE6KYI, met Red Cross volunteers and evacuees at the school and established communication with the Red Cross office in Sonora, where ARES has a VHF station. The next day, shelter operations were secured and relocated to the Tuolumne County Fairgrounds in Sonora.

In Harm’s Way

In the meantime, Groci and his wife Melissia, KD6FFX, who live in Groveland, found themselves on a stand-by advisory evacuation notice. “We started making preparations to leave our home,” he said, “gathering up important documents, photos and other irreplaceable items.” By August 22, the smoke generated by the fire was more than the couple could take, so they packed up their two cats and headed to Sonora — some 20 miles to the northwest — where they took shelter with Paul, WA7AWC, and his wife Dean, KG6GBZ. They remained there until August 25.

Several Hats
Also on August 20, the Tuolumne County Office of Emergency Services requested Amateur Radio assistance to staff the Red Cross shelter at the Fairgrounds in Sonora and to the community information telephone system at the Tuolumne County emergency operations center. Groci and Tuolumne County RACES Officer Phil Fish, WB6GGY, handled the callout and soon had volunteers for both locations as well as some on standby.

“Here in Tuolumne County,” Groci explained, “the Amateur Radio community wears several hats — ARES, RACES, VIP and CERT. If needed, we can respond and change affiliations as conditions change.”

Croci said volunteers from Calaveras County ARES also have been pitching in. “We are still staffing the Red Cross Shelter and the community information phone lines with four ARES/RACES operators on the phones and two in the shelters,” Croci said at mid-week. The Red Cross was sheltering approximately 100 evacuees. Eight radio amateurs have been staffing the shelter, while another 12 handle the community information telephones at the EOC.

Fish has described the fire terrain in Tuolumne and Mariposa counties as “very, very, very rugged.”

Fresno County ARES

To the south, Fresno County ARES was put on alert August 19 by the Central Valley Red Cross. “We were asked to relay information from their shelter,” said Fresno County EC Dan Pruitt, AE6SX. “We had our volunteers operating from home, monitoring the Mariposa 146.745 repeater at Mt Bullion.” Mariposa County ARES staffed a shelter at Greeley Hills Community Center, ready to pass traffic to Red Cross Headquarters. “This continued for about 24 hours before the shelter shut down from a lack of clients,” Pruitt said.

A few days later, on August 25, ARES was reactivated, due to more evacuations and the need for a shelter. Volunteers set up the next day at the Red Cross office in Fresno, where they installed a station capable of operating on emergency power. “We made contact with Mariposa County ARES at the Greeley Hill shelter,” Pruit said. “We passed traffic until we were asked to shut down for the night.” Volunteers returned early the next day. They dismantled the station on August 27. Pruitt said eight volunteers turned out for the activation.

Digital Impresses

During the activation, Fresno County ARES used Fldigi and Flmsg — a forms management editor — on PSK125 to pass traffic from the shelter and the Red Cross Headquarters. “We found that the faster speed and wider signal [resulted in] fewer errors.” Pruitt said, adding that the Red Cross “was very impressed” with their ability to send and receive traffic in the Incident Command System general message form (ICS-213), filled out and printed.

Still a Threat

According to the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC), the Rim Fire as of August 29 covers nearly 200,000 acres, with almost 7000 acres burned over in the past 24 hours. The Rim Fire, 32 percent contained, has now has claimed more than 110 structures — including a few houses — and the cost of fighting it is approaching $50 million. The communities of Tuolumne City, Twain Harte, Long Barn, Pinecrest and the Hetch-Hetchy watershed are threatened, as are power lines in the region. Evacuations and road and area closures are in effect. The Rim Fire is not expected to be fully contained for another 10 days or so.

More info 
A series of time-lapse images has been posted that offer a perspective of the Rim Fire's rapid growth
---------------------------------------------
Posted by at No comments:

Smoke Report: The Rim Fire May Burn For Many Months #CaFire #CaAQ #CaSmoke


The Rim Fire started Aug. 17 and quickly exploded becoming one of the 10 largest California wildfires on record. 
Upper level winds can transport chemical matter (combustion products) emitted in a fire long distances, affecting air quality thousands of miles from the source. These model simulations of the transport of carbon monoxide from NASA, offer a clear illustration of the Rim Fire.
#RimFire progression slowed earlier this week when it moved from parts of the forest with thick underbrush that had not burned in nearly a century to areas that had seen fire in the past two decades.
But it will burn for months, possibly until California's dry season ends this fall
"My prediction is it will burn until we see rain," said Hugh Safford, a regional ecologist with the U.S. Forest Service.
That means the smoke could continue to foul air north of Yosemite in the Lake Tahoe basin and neighboring Nevada for many months
The air quality index in the Reno area still had improved only to the "unhealthy" level, and in Douglas County, Nev., school children were kept indoors again when the index registered in the "hazardous" category.
---------------------------------------------
Posted by at No comments:

Rim Fire California National Guard Predator Drone Deployed - Will remain over the burn zone for up to 22 hours at a time #CaFire

Predator drone now part of California wildfire battle

"My prediction is it will burn until we see rain," said Hugh Safford, a regional ecologist with the U.S. Forest Service.
General Atomics MQ-1 Predator
The #RimFire had burned about 301 square miles as of Thursday morning and remained 30 percent contained. It has cost $39 million to fight.

GROVELAND, Calif. (AP) — As crews advanced against a giant wildfire around Yosemite National Park, fire commanders said they would maintain use of a Predator drone to give them early views of any new flare-ups across in the remote and rugged landscape
Officials remained confident on Thursday about their efforts to corral the Rim Fire, which grew by a relatively modest few hundred acres overnight.
The fire had burned about 301 square miles as of Thursday morning and remained 30 percent contained. It has cost $39 million to fight.
"We remain very optimistic that our containment lines are holding, and we'll continue to strengthen lines around communities that are threatened around the fire," said California fire spokesman Daniel Berlant.
Fire officials said they expect to fully surround the blaze in three weeks, although it will burn for much longer than that.
View gallery."
Firefighter Troy Drouin takes a short break before …
Ice Cream: Firefighter Troy Drouin takes a short break before mopping up hot spots near Yosemite National Park
The California National Guard drone deployed Wednesday was being remotely piloted hundreds of miles away, allowing ground commanders to keep an eye out for new fires they otherwise wouldn't have immediately seen.
"The drone is providing data directly back to the incident commander, allowing him to make quick decisions about which resources to deploy and where," Berlant said.
Previously, officials relied on helicopters that needed to refuel every two hours.
While unmanned aircraft have mapped past fires, use of the Predator will be the longest sustained mission by a drone in California to broadcast information to firefighters in real time.
The plane, the size of a small Cessna, will remain over the burn zone for up to 22 hours at a time, allowing fire commanders to monitor fire activity, determine the fire's direction of movement, the extent of containment and confirm new fires ignited by lightning or flying embers
The drone is being flown by the 163rd Wing of the California National Guard at March Air Reserve Base in Riverside and is operating from Victorville Airport, both in Southern California. It generally flew over unpopulated areas on its 300-mile flight to the Rim Fire. Outside the fire area, it will be escorted by a manned aircraft.
"Officials were careful to point out the images are being used only to aid in the effort to contain the fire."
In 2009 a NASA Predator equipped with an infrared imaging sensor helped the U.S. Forest Service assess damage from a fire in Angeles National Forest. In 2008, a drone capable of detecting hot spots helped firefighters assess movement of a series of wildfires stretching from Southern California's Lake Arrowhead to San Diego.
The Rim Fire has destroyed 111 structures, including 11 homes, and posed a threat to ancient giant sequoias.

The fire also has threatened San Francisco's water supply at the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, but Stratton said it was burning itself out as it approached and that crews were lighting back burns to push it back into the wilderness.
The Rim Fire started Aug. 17 and quickly exploded in size, becoming one of the 10 largest California wildfires on record. Its progression slowed earlier this week when it moved from parts of the forest with thick underbrush that had not burned in nearly a century to areas that had seen fire in the past two decades.
But it will burn for months, possibly until California's dry season ends this fall
Information sources: 
http://news.yahoo.com/predator-drone-now-part-calif-wildfire-battle-081639820.html
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/calif-launches-drone-scout-spot-fires-20096065

---------------------------------------------

Posted by at 4 comments:

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

NO #LACSD Press Release Issued As 2 off-duty drunken LA County Cops Draw Guns On Each Other At Campground. #CaLaw

Rival campers who opened fire on each other at campground turns out that the rival gun-toting campers were both Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies

An apparent booze-fueled dispute over loud music between two groups at a Chino campground over the weekend escalated to the point where men from both sides drew guns and opened fire.


No one was hurt, but the two alleged gunmen have plenty to explain.
 Feuding L.A. County deputies, both off duty camping at Prado Regional Park, apparently didn't know they were colleagues.

Authorities suspect the off-duty cops learned they were colleagues only after their campground showdown.
Chino police officers were called to Prado Regional Park early Sunday morning. They arrested the deputies — Dejay Barber, 44, and Matthew Rincon, 24 — on suspicion of negligent discharge of a firearm.
Chino police Lt. Wes Simmons, when asked if he'd ever come across a similar scene, couldn't stifle a chuckle: "That's not fair for you to ask me that," he said, before acknowledging that he hadn't.
Sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore said both deputies have been relieved of duty with pay. He said the men brandished their guns in a "threatening manner."
They did not fire at each other, he said, but into the air.
"Alcohol is suspected," Whitmore said. "This is gross negligence."
It's unclear if there were other campers nearby when the off-duty deputies began shooting. Multiple rounds were fired.
"I don't know how many, but more than one," Whitmore said.
Whitmore said the department is taking the latest incident seriously.
One of the deputies works in the county courts, Whitmore said, and the other in the department's transit services division. The criminal investigation will be handled by the Chino police.

 Both were arrested and transported to the Chino Police Department and released to the L.A. County Sheriff's Department.
No press release was issued about the campground gunfire. The Times learned of the incident through a source.

If you have any information about this incident, you're urged to contact the Chino Police Department at (909) 628-1234.
Prado Regional Park is a recreational park facility located in the Chino Valley basin where San Bernardino, Riverside, Orange and Los Angeles Counties connect.  The name Prado is derived from California’s early Spanish days when the countryside was known as a “prado” or meadow.   

Dejay Barber, 44, and Matthew Rincon, 24 did not realize the other was an officer until after the argument.

A spokesman for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said "alcohol is suspected" to have been a factor when two off-duty deputies allegedly fired their guns during a dispute over loud music at a campground this past weekend.
The deputies — Dejay Barber, 44, and Matthew Rincon, 24 — were arrested on suspicion of negligent discharge of a firearm after Chino police officers were called to Prado Regional Park early Sunday morning.
Authorities suspect that the off-duty deputies learned they were colleagues only after their campground showdown.
Both deputies have been relieved of duty with pay.
Sheriff's Department spokesman Steve Whitmore said Monday that the men allegedly brandished their guns in a "threatening manner." They did not fire at each other, he said, but into the air.
"Alcohol is suspected," Whitmore said. "This is gross negligence."
It's unclear if there were other campers nearby when the off-duty deputies began shooting, officials said, but multiple rounds were fired.
"I don't know how many, but more than one," Whitmore said.
One of the deputies works in the county courts, Whitmore said, and the other is in the department's transit services division. The criminal investigation will be handled by Chino police, he said.
---------------------------------------------
Posted by at 3 comments:

Alameda County: #ALCO #EMS #Broken

Emergency calls for shootings, stabbings and penetrating traumas are often given a lower priority status than calls for patients who are simply feeling clammy.

Shooting and Stabbing Response System 'Broken' in Alameda County

County plans to make changes to emergency response system after Investigative Unit exposes system failures

By Tony Kovaleski, Liz Wagner and Mark Villarreal | Wednesday, Aug 28, 2013 | Updated 9:14 AM 

 Firefighters are often the first on scene to an emergency, but for shooting and stabbing calls a paramedic response can mean the difference between life and death. Sources and data reviews by the NBC Bay Area Investigative Unit expose a potentially dangerous flaw in Alameda County’s 911 emergency response system. Chief Investigative Reporter Tony Kovaleski reports in a story that aired August 27, 2013.

 Shooting and Stabbing Response System...

 Alameda County is changing the way dispatchers prioritize 911 calls after the NBC Bay Area Investigative Unit discovered a potentially dangerous flaw in the current emergency medical response system.

 Veteran paramedics and data reviews by the Investigative Unit have exposed that emergency calls for shootings, stabbings and penetrating traumas are often given a lower priority status than calls for patients who are vomiting, intoxicated or simply feeling clammy.

 “I just don’t see how someone who is vomiting is in more dire straits than someone who is shot,” said an experienced paramedic who wishes to remain anonymous for fear of being fired. “I am afraid for anyone who needs help in the 911 system.”

 DOCUMENTS
Clammy Calls
Shooting/Stabbing/Penetrating Trauma Calls
Priority Dispatch Codes
In November 2011 Alameda County hired new paramedic company Paramedics Plus and changed its entire emergency response protocol from a first come, first served system where paramedics respond to whoever calls first, to the widely-used Medical Priority Dispatch System (MPDS) where calls are prioritized based on severity.

The triage process determines the level of a call from the least serious, lowest priority “Alpha” call through the most serious, highest priority “Echo” call. Each county that uses MPDS assigns its own response priorities to the triage results, but paramedics on the front lines say the prioritization system hasn’t been applied properly in Alameda County.

“Shootings are considered a very low priority,” said another veteran emergency responder who also wishes to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation. “What it says to me is we prioritize wrong.”

 On December, 30, 2011—less than two months after the county’s emergency response transition—5-year-old Gabriel Martinez Jr. was struck by a stray bullet when someone opened fire on his father’s taco truck at 55th Avenue and International Boulevard. He died in his father’s hands.

 “Right over there,” said Gabriel Martinez Sr. as he fought back tears and motioned toward a gate that is now covered by a large poster of his son’s face.

 When Martinez called 911, dispatchers followed protocol and categorized the shooting as a low priority “Bravo” level call. According to Alameda County records, the ambulance responded in 4 minutes and 8 seconds—well within the 15-minute response time requirement. However, because it was deemed a “Bravo” call it meant the ambulance could have been diverted to so-called higher priority calls. Paramedics say the potential for diversion in low priority shooting calls like Martinez’s is precisely what’s wrong with the current emergency response system.

 “It’s very well broken,” said the first veteran paramedic.

 Martinez said the county made a mistake by categorizing his son’s fatal shooting as a low priority call. When asked whether he thought it was a mistake to code the 5-year-old’s shooting as a “Bravo” call the manager of the county’s emergency response system, Joshua English, said that he “didn’t listen to those tapes.”

 When pressed about why the response wasn’t the highest priority call in the system English said that he doesn’t “like to second guess our paramedics and our EMTs and our dispatchers. They do a very hard job.”

 NBC Bay Area’s research has found other recent high profile shootings in Oakland have also received low priority “Bravo” responses including the death of 34-year-old Santa Clara County paramedic Quinn Boyer, who was shot in the head in April when someone pulled up alongside him at Keller Avenue and Hansom Drive, and the death of 8-year-old Alaysha Carradine who was shot at a sleepover in July at a friend’s apartment in East Oakland. Although response times for both shootings were within the required time limits, both shootings had the potential for dispatchers to divert paramedics to other calls.

 In April the Investigative Unit watched paramedics respond to an Oakland BART station for an intoxicated individual. The call offers a significant contrast to the emergency responses to the high profile shootings. According to system protocol, the call to assist a drunk was a “Charlie” category call—a higher priority than the three fatal shootings.

 “The system is not being run correctly,” said Mike Dutra, another veteran paramedic in Alameda County.

 Dutra and the other two emergency responders describe instances when they have been diverted from shooting and stabbing emergencies to calls for patients who were drunk, vomiting or dizzy.

 According to county records, “Bravo” level shooting, stabbing and penetrating trauma calls were diverted 109 times since the start of the contract in November 2011, which equals more than one diversion a week.

 “Any report of a shooting, if I was making policy,” said Dutra, “would at least come in as a Delta, if not an Echo.”

 “Delta” and “Echo” emergencies receive the highest priorities and the shortest response times to metro areas at 10 minutes and 30 seconds, and 8 minutes and 30 seconds, respectively.

 The Investigative Unit analyzed the first 15 months of emergency calls under the new dispatch system and found that 87 percent of all shootings, stabbings and penetrating traumas in Alameda County were classified as “Bravo” responses and therefore calls that can be diverted for higher priority emergencies. The same records show that 100 percent of the time, calls from people claiming to be clammy, received higher priority “Delta” level responses.

 Continued....

Read more Cal Fire News »
Posted by at No comments:

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Rim Fire Update Stanislaus NF (Yosemite Fire) Tuolumne County - 257,314 (402 square miles), 100% containment. #CaFire

RIM FIRE, CA-STF Rim Fire - CA-STF-002857 - Groveland Range District, Stanislaus NF
Expected containment Sunday October 27th, 2013 approx. 12:00 AM

 Evacuation advisories in Tuolumne City, Soulsbyville, and Willow Springs lifted. 
Evergreen Road was opened to Evergreen Lodge
Aspen Valley opened to residents 9/22/13 at 0800 hours.

 Rim Fire CA-STF-002857 Stanislaus NF (Yosemite Fire) Tuolumne County

Update:
Basic Information
Incident Type Wildfire
Cause Under Investigation
Date of Origin Saturday August 17th, 2013 approx. 03:15 PM
Location Groveland Range District, Stanislaus NF
Current Situation
Total Personnel 42
Size 257,314 acres
Percent Contained 100%
Estimated Containment Date Thursday October 24th, 2013 approx. 04:00 AM
Fuels Involved Brush, Oaks, and Pine, conifer stands
Outlook/Growth Potential Low
Terrain Difficulty Extreme
Incident InformationApproximate Location
37.857 latitude, -120.086 longitude
Incident Overview


Image options: [ Enlarge ] [ Full Size ]

Incident StatisticsAcres Burned: 257 314 (402 square miles) Structures Threatened: 0
Containment: 100% Residences Destroyed: 11
Fire Start Date: August 17 2013 Commercial Property Destroyed: 3
Fire Cause: Under Investigation
Outbuildings Destroyed: 98
Cost to date: $127.350 million
Injuries: 10

Fire Update The Rim fire is now being managed by the Groveland and Mi-Wok Ranger Districts on the Stanislaus National Forest. Minimal fire spread is expected over the next week. There is one 800-1000 acre pocket of vegetation near Kibbie Lake that remains with a potential to burn. Resources will continue to patrol and mop-up while continuing to implement the suppression repair plan. Commercial recreation along the Tuolumne and Clavey Rivers continues to be impacted. The developed areas of Hetch-Hetchy remain evacuated.

Park and Forest Closures:
Evergreen Road is open only to Evergreen Lodge. Hetch Hetchy and surrounding facilities in Yosemite Park remain closed to public access due to hazardous trees. Aspen Valley is open to residents only. Tuolumne Grove and Hodgdon Meadow Campground remain closed. The Stanislaus National Forest issued an updated Rim Fire Area Closure (dated September 12 2013) for the Groveland and Mi-Wok Ranger Districts. Cherry Lake Road is closed at Hwy 120. Old Yosemite and Harden Flat Roads are closed. Some secondary roads within the fire area remain closed to non-residents. Merced Grove and Tamarack Flat are open.

Additional Information:Stanislaus National Forest Supervisor's Office 209-532-3671; Mi-Wok Ranger Station 209-586-3234; Summit Ranger Station 209-965-3434; and Groveland Ranger Station 209-962-7825; and Yosemite National Park 209-372-0200.
For more information please contact the Veronica Garcia at 209-532-3671 ext 243

 The Tuolumne County Supervisors have extended the local State of Emergency related to the Rim Fire.
RIM FIRE PERIMETER AND HOT SPOT MAP 9-12-13 EVENING
RIM FIRE PERIMETER AND HOT SPOT MAP 9-12-13 EVENING
Rim Fire 08.21.13 Credit: Rose Aguilar
Rim Fire 08.21.13
Credit: Rose Aguilar

The Rim Fire has destroyed 111 structures, including 11 homes, and poses a threat to ancient giant sequoias.
Incident Statistics
Acres Burned: 257 171 (402 square miles) Structures Threatened: 0
Containment: 95% Residences Destroyed: 11
Fire Start Date: August 17 2013 Commercial Property Destroyed: 3
Fire Cause: Under Investigation Outbuildings Destroyed: 98
Cost to date: $127.345 million Injuries: 10
Total Personnel 42
CA-STF Rim Fire Updates
Update 10-19 0900:
The Rim fire is now being managed by the Groveland and Mi-Wok Ranger Districts on the Stanislaus National Forest. Minimal fire spread is expected over the next week. There is one 800-1000 acre pocket of vegetation near Kibbie Lake that remains with a potential to burn. Resources will continue to patrol and mop-up while continuing to implement the suppression repair plan. Commercial recreation along the Tuolumne and Clavey Rivers continues to be impacted. The developed areas of Hetch-Hetchy remain evacuated.
Park and Forest Closures:
Evergreen Road is open only to Evergreen Lodge. Hetch Hetchy and surrounding facilities in Yosemite Park remain closed to public access due to hazardous trees. Aspen Valley is open to residents only. Tuolumne Grove and Hodgdon Meadow Campground remain closed. The Stanislaus National Forest issued an updated Rim Fire Area Closure (dated September 12 2013) for the Groveland and Mi-Wok Ranger Districts. Cherry Lake Road is closed at Hwy 120. Old Yosemite and Harden Flat Roads are closed. Some secondary roads within the fire area remain closed to non-residents. Merced Grove and Tamarack Flat are open.
Additional Information:
Stanislaus National Forest Supervisor's Office 209-532-3671; Mi-Wok Ranger Station 209-586-3234; Summit Ranger Station 209-965-3434; and Groveland Ranger Station 209-962-7825; and Yosemite National Park209-372-0200.
For more information please contact the Veronica Garcia at 209-532-3671 ext 243
Update 9-30 0900: update: 257,135 acres, 95% contained, 139 total personnel assigned to the fire, and expected containment date on Oct. 6.
Update 9-30 0900: 257,135 acres, 92% Type 3 IC Otterson/Singer
Update 9/28 0900: 257,135 acres, 89%, Type 3 IC Otterson/Singer
Log trucks are operating on state highways 108 and 120 and motorists are advised to use caution. Resources continue to monitor the fire in the Yosemite and Emigrant Wilderness areas.
 Update 9/27/13 0900: 257,135 acres, 84% percent, At 0700 a transfer of command went from Cooper’s Type 2 team to two separate type 3 organization to manage portions of the fire. (Otterson and Singer)
Update 9/26/13 0900: 257,135 acres, 84% percent.CS ICT 2, Cooper
Update 9/25/13 0900: 257,135 acres, 84% percent.CS ICT 2, Cooper
Update 9/24/13 0900: 257,134 acres, 84% percent.CS ICT 2, Cooper
Update 9/23/13 0900: 257,126 acres, 84% contained, ICT 2, Cooper
Update 9/22/13 1730: 257,097 acres, 84% percent contained. ICT 2, Cooper
Aspen Valley opened to residents this morning at 0800 hours. Portions of the fire received 0.6” of rain yesterday.  Due to the wetting precipitation, overnight fire behavior was minimal.
Update 9/21/13 1730: 256,895 acres, 84% percent. ICT 2, Cooper
Update 9/20/13 1730: 256,895 acres, 84% percent. ICT 2, Cooper
Update 9/19/13 1730: 256,895 acres, 84% percent. ICT 2, Cooper
Update 9/18/13 1730: 256,895 acres, 84% percent. ICT 2, Cooper
Update 9/17/13 1730: 256,895 acres, 84% percent. Cooper, CS ICT 2 will in-brief and start transition today on the Rim fire. 
He will be taking over for CIIMT1 (McGowan).
Update 9/16/13 1730: 256,169 acres, 84% contained. CIIMT1 McGowan remains in Command.
Update 9/14/13 1730: 255,858 acres, 81% contained, CIIMT1 McGowan remains in Command.
Update 9/14/13 0730: 255,858 acres, 80% contained
Resources will continue to patrol, mop-up, and monitor all areas of the fire perimeter. Implementation of the Suppression Repair Plan will continue.
Update 9/13/13 1730: 255,858 acres, 80% contained
Update 9/13/13 0730: 255,585 acres, 80% contained
Resources will continue to patrol, mop-up, and monitor all areas of the fire perimeter. Implementation of the Suppression Repair Plan will continue.
Damage assessments of destroyed or damaged structures, infrastructure, and developments interior of the containment lines continues as interior fire activity subsides.
Update 9/12/13 1730: 255,858 acres, 80%, CIIMT1 McGowan remains in Command.
Update 9/12/13 0730: 255,560 acres, 80% contained, CIIMT1 McGowan
Update 9/11/13 1730: 255,146 acres, 80%
Update 9/10/13 1730: 255,146 acres, 80% contained, CIIMT1 McGowan remains in Command. Evergreen Road was opened to Evergreen Lodge at noon today. 
Update 9/9/13 1700: 254,685 acres, 80% contained. Resources will continue to monitor and take action on any newly detected spot fires.
Update 9/9/13 1700: 253,332 acres, 80% contained, CIIMT1 McGowan remains in Command. The Incident Command Post at Drew Meadow relocated to Tuolumne. Drew Meadow is now a Spike Camp. Day shift resources detected one new spot fire across Tioga Road outside the containment line. Resources have successfully contained that spot. Resources will continue to patrol, mop-up, and monitor all areas of the fire in addition to the developed areas interior of the fire perimeter and those adjacent to the fire area. Resources will continue to monitor and take action on any newly detected spot fires.
Update 9/9/13 0700: 253,332 acres, 80% contained. Implementation of the Suppression Damage Repair Plan will continue. Resources will continue to patrol, mop-up, and monitor all areas of the fire in addition to the developed areas interior of the fire perimeter and those adjacent to the fire area. Resources will continue to monitor for possible spot fires and mop-up yesterday’s new initial attack fires that were reported during day shift.
Update 9/8/13 0700: 253,332 acres, 80% contained. CIIMT1 McGowan remains in Command.
Update 9/7/13 1700: 252,521 acres, 80% contained, Hotter and drier weather, coupled with lower than seasonal average live and dead fuel moistures present opportunities for continued burning of interior unburned islands and re-burning of partially consumed interior islands. This activity continues to threaten containment due to short and long range spotting exterior of the existing containment lines.Air quality continues to be defined as unhealthy in the vicinity of the fire area and as far north as Bear Valley in Calaveras County.
Update 9/7/13 0700: 252,156 acres, 80% contained. CIIMT1 McGowan remains in command.
Resources will continue to patrol, mop-up, and monitor all contained areas of the fire and developed areas near and adjacent to the fire area. Resources will implement firing operations in the interior of the existing containment lines in order to further consume unburned fuels and strengthen containment of the northwestern portion of the fire perimeter. Burnout operations will continue along the Tioga Road and along handline north of Tioga Road in if conditions are favorable.
Fire suppression damage repair will occur in the western and southern areas of the fire.
Update 9/6/13 1700:  246,350 acres, 80% contained, As of 9/6  no longer in Unified Command with the forest.
Update 9/6/13 0700: 246,350 acres, 80% contained, McGowan CIIMT1; continued Unified Command with CALFIRE (Smith). The has replaced the 2007 Zaca fire in Santa Barbara Co. as California’s third largest ever at 246,350 acres Increase in reported acres due to more thorough mapping, fire backing into existing containment lines, and minor acreage increase associated with new spot fires.

Update 9/5/13 0900: The Forest Service released the following statement this morning:
Investigators from the U.S. Forest Service Law Enforcement & Investigations and Tuolumne County District Attorney's Office have determined the Rim Fire began when a hunter allowed an illegal fire to escape. There is no indication the hunter was involved with illegal marijuana cultivation on public lands and no marijuana cultivation sites were located near the origin of the fire. No arrests have been made at this time and the hunter's name is being withheld pending further investigation.
Update 9/5/13 0900:  237,341 acres, 80% contained. Hwy 120 from Ferretti Road to Buck Meadows is open to residents and businesses only. Hwy 120 will remain closed at Buck Meadows and beyond. Cherry Creek Road also remains closed at the junction of Highway 120. Evergreen Road and Old Yosemite road continues to be closed. Community of Evergreen continues to be evacuated. Tioga Road west of Yosemite Creek Picnic Area remains closed.
Update 9/4/13 1900: 237,341 acres, 80% contained Transition from IMT1 (Wilkins) to IMT1 (McGowan/Smith) occurred today at 0600.
Update 9/4/13 0900:  McGowan IMT1; continued Unified Command with CALFIRE (Lawshe). 237,341 acres, 80% contained Transition from IMT1 (Wilkins) to IMT1 (McGowan) occurred today at 0600.
Update 9/3/13 1900: Wilkins NC IMT1; continued Unified Command with CALFIRE (Lawshe) 235,841 acres, 80% contained. Team 1 (McGowan) will shadow Wilkins NC IMT1 and transfer command September 4th.
Update 9/3/13 0900: 235,841 acres, 70% contained
Update 9/2/13 1900: 235,841 acres, 70% contained
Update 9/1/13 0900: 228,670 acres, 60% contained
Wilkins NC IMT1; continued Unified Command with CALFIRE (Lawshe)
Update 9/1/13 1900: Wilkins NC IMT1; continued Unified Command with CALFIRE (Lawshe)
224,777 acres, 45% contained
Update 9/1/13 0900: 222,777 acres, 40% contained
California Interagency Incident management team 1 (McGowan) will tentatively in brief September 2 1000 hrs. Team 1 will shadow Wilkins NC IMT1 and transfer command September 4th
Update 8/30/13 1900:  222,777 acres, 40% contained  Wilkins NC IMT1, continued unified command with CAL FIRE (Lawshe), now fourth largest wildfire in California History.
Update 8/30/13 0900:  219,277 acres, 35% contained, Wilkins NC IMT1, continued unified command with CAL FIRE (Lawshe)
Upper level winds can transport chemical matter (combustion products) emitted in a fire long distances, affecting air quality thousands of miles from the source. These model simulations of the transport of carbon monoxide from NASA, offer a clear illustration of the Rim Fire.
Fire Behavior 8-29-13: Very active fire behavior into the late evening and continued active fire behavior overnight. Torching and passive crowning with considerable amounts of spotting. Moderate fire behavior with backing fire observed where fire was burning from ridgetops downslope. Access and difficult terrain remain concerns for crews and equipment. Burnout operations were initiated South of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir inside Yosemite National Park. Burnout operations were completed between Big Oak Station to Hazel Green Ranch. Burnout operations were initiated between Hells Mountain to Clavey Meadow.
Outlook/Planned Actions - Contingency planning, indirect line construction and preparation to the east of Highway 108. Burnout operations will continue South of HWY 120 on the southeastern edge of the fire from Pilot Ridge to Big Oak Flat Entrance Station. Continued direct and indirect line construction will take place, accompanied by burnout operations where accessibility and safety allow along the northern and eastern edges of the fire. There will be continued contingency line construction in advance of the communities of Tuolumne City, Twain Harte, and Long Barn. Mop Up and and contingency line construction will take place on the western and southern edges of the fire. Continued construction and improvement of contingency lines along Dodge Ridge will happen. A burnout operation is planned for the eastern edge of the fire in Yosemite National Park between Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and Harden Lake when conditions become favorable. There will also be burnout operations on the northern edge of the fire between Hells Mountain and Clavey Meadows.
Growth Potential - Extreme
Terrain Difficulty - Extreme
Remarks: Rapid fire growth and extreme fire behavior continue to hamper suppression efforts. A significant utilization and reliance upon aerial resources with heavy air tankers including the VLAT DC-10 and MAFFS is occurring with reinforcement of control lines in advance of the fire's spread, control of spot fires, and slowing the fire's advancement through terrain inaccessible to ground resources to allow time for indirect line construction to be completed. Type 1 helicopters are providing point protection and cooling areas where direct line construction can be achieved safely. Approximately 4,500 structures remain threatened in advance of the fire on both the east and west sides. Fire is expected to continue its eastward spread farther into the west side of Yosemite National Park, east of Aspen Valley. Several residents remain under mandatory evacuation in the Scotts Ridge area south of HWY 120.

Due to inaccessible steep terrain and extreme fire behavior suppression efforts on active portions of the fire are being significantly challenged. Heavy reliance on aviation resources has been critical in an effort to slow the fire's progress to allow suppression resources to establish indirect control lines in areas where accessibility and safety can be achieved. The availability of heavy aircraft is pertinent to the success of suppression efforts.

Continued warmer and drier weather is forecasted for the next several days, which will elevate control concerns and slow burnout progress. Remotely piloted aircraft is providing real time visual and infrared intelligence on the fire. Continued unified command with CAL FIRE.
RIM FIRE PERIMETER AND HOT SPOT MAP 8-30-13 LATE MORNING
Update 8/29/13 1900: 213,414 acres, 35% contained
Update 8/29/13 1900: California Interagency Team 1 (McGowan) will be committed to the Rim Fire. Forest Falls is closed at SR38, open to residents only. Burnout operations continued overnight in the southeastern area of the fire. Fire crews continued construction of fire line along 3N01 Road to stop fire spread to the north. Structure defense continues in Pinecrest, Mi-Wuk Vilalge, Confidence, Cold Springs, and Hodgdon Meadow, and Big Oak Flat in Yosemite National Park. Today's plans are to continue the burnout in the Yosemite National Park south of Hetch Hetchy. If conditions allow, the Duckwall Mountain north of Fahey Meadow burnout will start. Air operations will support all firefighting efforts as needed.
Update 8/29/13 1900: 199,237 acres, 32% contained
Update 8/29/13 0900: 192,737 acres, 30% contained, Wilkins NC IMT1; Lawshe CA IMT1 Unified Command
Update 8/28/13 1900: 192,466 acres 30% contained. Structure defense around Aspen Valley by ground and aerial resources was occurring in the afternoon. An evacuation advisory continues for areas on the Highway 108 corridor from Tuolumne City to Pinecrest. A Forest Closure is in effect for locations near and in advance of the fire. Several locations on the west side of Yosemite National Park have had closures implemented as a result of the fires spread. Contingency planning, indirect line construction and preparation to the east of Highway 108. Access and difficult terrain remain concerns for crews and equipment. Burnout operations were completed along the northwest edge of the fire near Paper Cabin Ridge.
Update 8/2813 0900:  187,466 acres, & is 23% contained,
RIM FIRE PERIMETER AND HOT SPOT MAP 8-27-13 MORNING
Update 8/29/13 1900: 199,237 acres, 32% contained
Update 8/29/13 0900: 192,737 acres, 30% contained, Wilkins NC IMT1; Lawshe CA IMT1 Unified Command
Update 8/28/13 1900: 192,466 acres 30% contained. Structure defense around Aspen Valley by ground and aerial resources was occurring in the afternoon. An evacuation advisory continues for areas on the Highway 108 corridor from Tuolumne City to Pinecrest. A Forest Closure is in effect for locations near and in advance of the fire. Several locations on the west side of Yosemite National Park have had closures implemented as a result of the fires spread. Contingency planning, indirect line construction and preparation to the east of Highway 108. Access and difficult terrain remain concerns for crews and equipment. Burnout operations were completed along the northwest edge of the fire near Paper Cabin Ridge.
Update 8/2813 0900:  187,466 acres, & is 23% contained,
Update 8/27/13 1900: 187,466 acres, & is 23% contained, No expected containment date. Wilkins NC IMT1, Lawshe CA IMT1 #CaFire
Update 8/27/13 1800: CAL FIRE 1800: 184,481 acres, 20% contained. 
Update 8/27/13 0900: 179,481 acres, 20% contained, No expected containment date.
Last night’s winds minimized opportunities for planned burnout operations on the West and North sides of the fire. 
 The fire is expected to become very active by mid-morning with significant spread to the East farther into Yosemite National Park. Growth will continue as fire backs down to control lines between Pilot Ridge and Crocker Ridge. Moderate fire growth is anticipated to the North.  
 Structure defense South of HWY 120 in Division R by ground and aerial resources was occurred in the afternoon. Evacuation Advisory issued for areas form Long Barn North to Pinecrest. 
 Several locations on the West side of Yosemite National Park have had closures implemented as a result of the fires spread. Evacuation Advisories are still in effect for Tuolumne City and nearby areas along the HWY 108 corridor. Access and difficult terrain remain concerns for crews and equipment. Good progress is being achieved with construction of contingency control lines.

Incident Overview
Fire Update as of August 27, 2013
Firefighters worked overnight on yesterday’s spot fires and continued with line construction throughout the fire. Crews were successful in getting a dozer line around spot fires at Duckwall Mountain. Firefighters were able to get line in, and successfully burn out the adjacent to Yosemite National Park south of Highway 120 to slow the spread of the fire. Today, fire crews will continue working the spot fires and structure defense north and south of Highway 120 from pilot Ridge to Yosemite National Park. Fire fighters will also continue with contingency line construction in advance of the communities in the Highway 108 corridor.
Basic Information
Incident Type Wildfire
Cause Under Investigation
Date of Origin Saturday August 17th, 2013 approx. 03:15 PM
Location Groveland Range District, Stanislaus NF
Incident Commander Wilkins/lawsheCurrent Situation
Total Personnel 3,752
Size 179,481 acres
Percent Contained 20%
Fuels Involved - Brush, Oaks, and Pine
Fire Behavior - Fire activity remained fairly active overnight with active surface fire and torching and spotting.Significant Events 
Contingency planning, indirect line construction and preparation to the east of Highway 108. Access and difficult terrain remain concerns for crews and equipment. Good progress was made with constructing and securing lines along the southwestern edge of the fire. Good progress is being achieved with construction of contingency control lines along the northeastern edge of the fire.
Outlook/Planned Actions - Continued line construction where accessibility and safety allows.
Growth Potential - Extreme
Terrain Difficulty - Extreme
Remarks: Damage assessments from the Berkeley Tuolumne Camp revealed extensive losses of infrastructure. Rapid fire growth and extreme fire behavior are hampering suppression efforts. A significant utilization and reliance upon aerial resources with heavy air tankers including DC-10s and MAFFS (C-130's) is occurring with structure defense prep of locations in advance of the fires spread, control of spot fires and slowing the fires advancement through terrain inaccessible to ground resources.Current Weather
Wind Conditions 15 mph SW
Temperature 89 degree
Posted by at 2 comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

Twitter Buttons

****REMINDER**** Every fire has the ability to be catastrophic. The wildland fire management environment has profoundly changed. Growing numbers of communities, across the nation, are experiencing longer fire seasons; more frequent, bigger, and more severe, fires are a real threat. Be careful with all campfires and equipment.

"I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts, and beer." --Abraham Lincoln

View blog top tags
---------------------
CLICK HERE TO GO BACK TO TOP OF CALIFORNIA FIRE NEWS HOME PAGE

Subscribe via email to California Fire News - Keep track of Cal Fire News

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner