VA/MCI San Bernardino County 7 fatalities and 18 injured

At least eight people were killed when an off-road race truck plowed into a crowd in southern California on Saturday night, authorities said.
Six were pronounced dead at the scene around 7:48 p.m. local time, said Tim Franke of the San Bernardino County Fire Department. The California Highway Patrol said Sunday the final death toll was eight.
Four more were transported to hospitals via air ambulance in serious condition. Five others were transported with minor to moderate injuries.
Eight air ambulances and several engine companies responded to the scene.

The race was in the Lucerne Valley area of San Bernardino County, Franke said.

CA-LNU-Palisades - wildland fire - 10 to 12 acres

Overhead and strike teams requested for this morning

IA Sizeup: 1655hrs - Smoke showing from the Valley Floor.
5-7 acres, moderate to rapid rate of spread, IC states potential for a couple hundred acres depending on spotting issues.  
Location: above Calistoga on Hwy 29 milepost 42.1.
#CaFire, #LNU

CA-PNF-Caribou Complex - Wildland Fire - 65 acres(Hot, Woody's, Rock, Belden fires)

CA-PNF-Caribou Complex  (Woody's, Hot, Beldon & Rock fires)
At 5 PM yesterday Plumas National Forest fire crews were dispatched to four separate fires located in the Feather River Canyon. Two (Woody's and Hot) are located near Woody's Hotsprings about 2 miles east of Twain. The other two fires (Belden and Rock) are between Belden and Caribou.
Numerous orders for resources were processed by NOPS at this time. 
Plumas EOC suffered sustained power outage during dispatch of these incidents 
Updates: 1930hrs - From CalTrans 1901hrs Hwy 70 closed from Greenville Wye to Jarbo Gap due to wildland fire.
Rock Incident hold in rocky broken fuel type for last hour. This is the historical pattern for fire near Rock Creek Dam.
Jumpers unable to jump the Rock incident. Will be landing in Chester and ground transport to fire.
Location: Two (Woody's and Hot) are located near Woody's Hotsprings about 2 miles east of Twain. The other two fires (Belden and Rock) are between Belden and Caribou.
Fuels/Terrain: Mixed fuels in very steep, rocky terrain

Resources: 0800 - LPF ST enroute

1930 - PNF Doz-2 committed to HOT fire, PNF Doz-3 committed to WOODY fire,

TNF sending an immediate need s/t 4660C.
1900hrs - Request just went in for A-11 and A-12 for two more tankers. Also, A-10 for a load of Jumpers from Redding. Shasta Trinity sending Strike time 3675c to the Hot fire., S/T 4660 C -Tahoe Engines 42, 31, 34, 73, 61.
1830hrs - Request for 2 additional air tankers for total of 8 and 2 heavy lift helicopters (helitankers).
From west to east on hwy 70 - west to east (down canyon to up canyon), Rock, Belden, Hot and Woody.

Rock Fire - 1830HRS 20 acres at  and no natural barriers to slow spread. Can not take action until power lines de-energized. Located near Rock Creek Dam has wind on it. Heavy fuels 1-2 acres moderate rate of spread, headed to the ridge helicopter drops may slow uphill runs.
Belden Fire - - located between Caribou Road and Belden down canyon.
Hot Fire - 

Woody fire - 1815hrs Estimate at 20 acres.
Communications: Command on 170.5500 and utilizing Tacs NIFC Tacs 1,2,3.
Notes: Request to close HWY 70 Greenville Wye to Jarbo Gap. No confirmation as to exact points. HWY 89/70 (Greenville Wye) and Hwy 70 at Jarbo Gap are traditional locations.

 More info and sources:
InciWeb: Link
WILDLANDFIRE.COM - Link

 #CaFire #PNF

Russia: Wildfires threaten nuclear facilities - Burning in Chernobyl area

Russian wildfires spread to nuclear sites and Chernobyl area

• The area around the Mayak plant – a closed nuclear facility 80 kilometres from Snezhinsk - is under a state of emergency -
  
  Mayak is the biggest nuclear complex in the world, and includes a reprocessing plant, nuclear waste treatment with interim storage, pilot facilities for the production of plutonium-based Mixed Oxide (MOX) fuel, and a facility for the vitrification of liquid radioactive wastes. According to some experts there is 40 tons of plutonium at Mayak. Were that plutonium to burn, the consequences for the region would be catastrophic – the contamination could make the Southern Urals uninhabitable.

• Despite the government's denials, satellite photos show fires burning in forests contaminated by the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.
  
  This could cause the release of radioactive materials into the atmosphere. While the risks are not comparable to the Chernobyl accident itself, the radioactive materials in the smoke will increase the health risks when the smoke is inhaled. Also the materials can be dispersed over a large area, posing extra risks for people that are exposed.

 

Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: More than 7,600 square kilometers have been scorched by the fires

A forest watchdog said Wednesday the Russian wildfires have already raged across areas contaminated by the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Earlier, emergency officials said they were starting to get the fires under control.

Fires: have blazed across hundreds of hectares in areas contaminated by the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster, an official from the Russian forest watchdog Roslesozaschita said Wednesday.

"According to data from August 6, in the Bryansk region alone 28 fires covering an area of 269 hectares (665 acres) were recorded on these radioactive lands," an official from the group told the Interfax news agency.

"There are maps of the [nuclear] contamination, there are maps of the fires. Anyone can put the two together. Why deny this information?" added the official in response to denials earlier this week that the fires had reached the Bryansk region.

There are fears that radioactive soil in contaminated areas could be swirled into the air along with ash.

The environmental group Greenpeace on Tuesday accused Russian authorities of downplaying the radioactive danger, saying that 20 fires could be seen raging in contaminated areas on satellite photos.

Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift:
  Moscow has been blanketed by thick smog from the fires for days

"The elevated radioactive radiation will not lead to new contamination as with Chernobyl," said Greenpeace activist Vladimir Chuprov. "Nevertheless, smaller radioactive quantities should not be underestimated," he said.
There have been signs of improvement on the ground however, with emergency officials saying the total area of the wildfires had halved since early Tuesday. But authorities also said the number of spot fires had increased by 55 to 612.
Government under fire
The fresh concerns come as the Russian government and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin were sharply criticized by the country's press over its reaction to the natural disaster.
"His PR engineers can think of nothing more other than to yet again sit him behind the controls of an aircraft," leading business daily Vedomosti commented, referring to reports Putin had flown a water bombing jet to douse fires in one of the worst-affected regions.
"This is a tunnel vision of the PR makers who believe that a TV picture of Putin behind the wheel of something is an eternal panacea for falling ratings," it continued.
The usually pro-Kremlin daily Moskovsky Komsomolets wrote sarcastically that the "Russian authorities are heroically (if you believe the television reports) fighting the forest fires."
"They are fighting the fires, having allowed these fires right from the start to reach a catastrophic magnitude," it added.

Thousands of firefighters have been deployed to fight the blazes

Firefighters continue the battle
Russian firefighters are continuing to try and control wildfire blazes that have sprung up due to the heat and the drought.
An area 10 times that of New York City, more than 7,600 square kilometers (2,934.4 square miles), has been scorched by the fires, and so far at least 54 people have been killed.
The fires are still threatening key nuclear sites, such as Russia's main nuclear research center in Sarov and the nuclear waste processing plant at Mayak.

Sources: http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/news - Link
http://www.dw-world.de - link

RRU NEWS - CLOSED HAZARDOUS FIRE AREA - WHITEWATER CANYON

Release Date:	08/11/2010	Release Time:	5:20 PM
Contact:	Fernando Herrera Fire Captain - PIO 951-940-6985	Subject:	ACTIVE PATROL OF CLOSED HAZARDOUS FIRE AREA IN WHITEWATER CANYON
Full Text: Due to repeated public trespassing in the closed hazardous fire area of Whitewater Canyon, CAL FIRE peace officers, in cooperation with The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and other law enforcement agencies are patrolling and citing trespassers within the posted closure area. On June 8, 2010, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors approved the closure of Whitewater Canyon and six other hazardous fire areas in the County at the request of Riverside County Fire Chief, John R. Hawkins. The closures, as cited in Riverside County Ordinance 787.4 restrict public access to targeted hazardous fire areas unless private property access is required within those areas. Trespassers caught in the posted closed area of Whitewater Canyon will be cited in violation of Riverside County Ordinance 787.4 and may be subject to a minimum of $100 for first-time offenses. Unauthorized vehicles parked in the closed area may be subject to towing, including additional fines and impound fees. The northern area of Whitewater Canyon near the conservancy remains open to the public for recreational use. Source: Riverside County Fire - link

Power Companies Want Ratepayers To Cover Uninsured Wildfire Costs

Wildfire News

By Amita Sharma

August 10, 2010

California's power companies want ratepayers to cover all uninsured costs from wildfires. The utilities claim an insurance crisis has made the request necessary.
San Diego Gas & Electric spokeswoman Stephanie Donovan says recent large wildfire claims have prompted insurance companies to offer less coverage at higher costs.
"So it was the intention of all four investor-owned utilities in California to sit down together and put out this application requesting a wildfire expense balancing account," Donovan said.
The account would be used to bill customers for wildfire expenses that are not covered by insurance. SDG&E has already used its $1.1 billion in coverage to settle scores of lawsuits stemming from the 2007 fires and many more claims are pending.
State investigators say SDG&E lines ignited three of the fires.

Source: Link

Russia: Wildfires growing threat to Russian military assests - 52 dead

Russian troops digging canal around Sarov nuclear base as wildfires grow

Emergency action reported to have 'stabilized' situation at Sarov, the closed town where first Soviet nuclear bomb was built

Heavy smog in Kriusha, Ryazan, 155 miles south of Moscow.
Credit: Denis Sinyakov/Reuters

MOSCOW: Russia's Emergencies Minister has warned that wildfires raging in the west of the country could release radioactive nuclides from land contaminated by the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.
Wildfires around Moscow have forced the Defence Ministry to order munitions moved from a military depot near the capital, the Ria Novosti news agency reported. 

• Elsewhere there were reports that a secret communications center of the Russian Army had gone up in flames.
• Russian troops dug a five-mile canal yesterday to protect a nuclear arms site from wildfires caused by a record heatwave.

The forest and peat fires have killed at least 52 people, made more than 4,000 homeless, diverted many flights and pushed air pollution in Moscow to six times its normal level, forcing some residents of the capital to wear surgical masks.

"The fire situation in the Moscow region is still tense, but there is no danger either for residential areas or for economic sites," an emergencies ministry spokesman said.
Weather forecasts said the smoke, which has reached even underground metro stations, would persist until Wednesday.
The canal was dug at Sarov, a closed town 220 miles east of Moscow, whose nuclear site, ringed by forest, produced the first Soviet atomic bomb in 1949 and remains Russia's main nuclear design and production facility.
The emergencies ministry said that the situation in Sarov had "stabilised", and Russia's nuclear chief assured President Dmitry Medvedev that all explosive and radioactive material had been removed from the nuclear site as a precautionary measure.
Russia, one of the world's top grain producers, has also brought in a temporary ban on exports after crops were ravaged by the dry weather. The news sent world wheat prices soaring.
The temperature climbed to 36C yesterday.
 Sources: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/aug/08/russia-nuclear-base-wildfires - Article Link
http://crooksandliars.com/susie-madrak/massive-fires-russia-destroy-crops-an- Link

Russia: Wildfire has destroyed major Russian “strategic military facilities”

 Update: The death toll from Russian wildfires rose to 50, the Emergency Situations Ministry said on its website today, video from RT.com below

The thick blanket of acrid smog caused by raging wildfires which has settled across the Russian capital has shown no sign of dissipating. Russian Wild Fire wipes out military base and threatens nuclear supply depot 

A man herds goats past a line of military vehicles transporting soldiers to fight forest fires in Ryazanovka, Russia on August 1, 2010. (ARTYOM KOROTAYEV/AFP/Getty Images) #

"Russian President Dmitry Medvedev reprimanded Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky, commander of Russia’s naval forces, and his first deputy, Admiral Alexander Tatarinov, for incompetence, and fired a number of senior Defence Ministry officials over the fire at a naval base in Moscow Region’s Kolomna District."

A thick haze of acrid and choking smoke from wildfires mixed with car engine emissions blankets Moscow. A record heat wave has engulfed most of European Russia for more than a month with temperatures exceeding 35 degrees celsius. According to official figures, by August 4, wildfires had killed 48 and destroyed 1,267 homes. Some 240,000 have been mobilized to fight the fires, but weather forecasters do not promise rain or any letup in the heat anytime soon. In Moscow, more accustomed to the harsh cold, public transport (including the metro) does not have any air-conditioning equipment or proper ventilation, as well as most homes, many public buildings and hospitals. The choking smoke and toxic gasses from the wildfires, including carbon monoxide, have penetrated the Moscow metro that carries up to 5 million passengers on workdays. The temperatures at some metro stations are approaching 35 degrees celsius. Doctors advise residents in Moscow to close all windows tight and stay at home if possible (Interfax, August 4). Medvedev was forced, on August 4, to cut short his holiday in his summer Black Sea residence in Sochi and return to Moscow in a belligerent mood. At a Security Council meeting in the Kremlin Medvedev promised to immediately oust any officials guilty of allowing the fires to destroy “strategic facilities” and disciplined top naval commanders for negligence ([Kremlin News, August 4). An Internet news site, lifenews.ru, first reported that on July 29, flames tore through a secret naval airbase in Kolomna, 100 kilometers (km) south-east of Moscow, destroying up to 200 aircraft worth 20 billion rubles ($600 million). Initially, the defense ministry tried to cover up the story by first declaring it to be erroneous, and then admitting that it was not an “airbase,” but logistic base office buildings, warehouses with unneeded equipment and vehicles were destroyed without any loss of life (ITAR TASS, August 3). It was later reported that the base in question –Central Air and Technical naval base (also known as base 2512)– has been used for 60 years to supply the entire naval aviation force with avionics, armaments, jet engines and other essential equipment (Interfax, August 3). Medvedev did not elaborate about the equipment lost at base 2512, but implied “the consequences were heavy,” and that it was a result of “criminal negligence.” Medvedev officially reprimanded the Commander of the Russian Navy, Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky, and his First Deputy and Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Alexander Tatarinov. Medvedev fired the Russian navy’s Chief of Logistics, Rear Admiral Sergei Sergeyev, and the Chief of Naval aviation, Major-General Nikolai Kuklev. Medvedev ousted three colonels: the commandant of 2512 base and two of Kuklev’s deputies. Under orders from Medvedev, Defense Minister, Anatoly Serdyukov, ousted five officers that served at base 2512 (Kommersant, August 5). Medvedev declared that further dismissals were possible later, after the entire crisis is finally defused (Kremlin News August 4). The severity of the punishment handed out by Medvedev for a fire at a supply base that did not involve any human casualties surely reflects his overall anger, but also would indicate a large quantity of essential equipment was lost. The replacement of supplies lost at base 2512 could require billions of rubles, years of effort and, in some cases, may be simply impossible as the crisis in Russia’s defense industry has made the production of some essential components virtually impossible. Elements of Russian naval aviation could be grounded for a long time and maybe indefinitely, including the Su-33 jet fighters on Russia’s only aircraft carrier, the Kuznetsov. The Su-33 is no longer produced and reportedly at least four new Su-33 jet engines were destroyed at base 2512 (Vedomosti, August 5). The 2512 base contained 65,000 tons of equipment, which might have been entirely destroyed. An airborne forces supply base (3370) was damaged by fire near the 2512 base, but its losses seem less significant (Kommersant, August 4).

Fires have approached the Machine-building Construction Bureau in Kolomna that makes guided missiles, the Novovoronez nuclear power station near Voronez and the Tryokhgorny nuclear closed city in the Urals (Soviet code name –Zlatoust-36) that specializes in the assembly and dismantling of nuclear warheads.

According to Rosatom’s Chief, Sergei Kiriyenko, the most dangerous situation has developed in the closed nuclear city of Sarov (Arzamas-16) where wildfires have penetrated the perimeter and advanced towards nuclear arms producing facilities. Kiriyenko assured Medvedev that “all explosive and radioactive material has been removed,” and guaranteed that even in a worst case scenario, that the fire is out of control, there will be no nuclear explosions or radioactive contamination (Kremlin News August 4). The first Soviet nuclear weapon was made in 1949, in Sarov at the Institute of Experimental Physics, which continues to be the main nuclear design and production facility in Russia. Sarov is home to the electro-mechanical factory Avangard, specializing in warhead production and dismantling. Kiriyenko, referring to the speedy evacuation of “all explosive and radioactive material” is an apparent reference to the movement of live warheads that combine arms-grade plutonium, uranium, heavy water and high explosives initiating a nuclear blast. The threat of a nuclear explosion may indeed be remote, but removing all dangerous and radioactive materials from Sarov that has a closed territory of 260 square km and a population of 81,000, would be a challenge to accomplish in several hours, as Kiriyenko claims. The emergency movement to safety of possibly hundreds of tons of nuclear arms grade materials (capable of making thousands of bombs) is itself a highly risky endeavor. It is unclear, where today in Russia it is truly safe. Medvedev has also ordered the Interior Minister, Rashid Nurgaliev, to use his forces “not to allow anarchy to develop” (Kremlin News August 4).

Source: http://www.arrse.co.uk/ Link Related story: (Reuters) - A forest fire destroyed at least 13 hangars containing aircraft and equipment at a navy base outside Moscow last Thursday, Russia's Prosecutor General's office disclosed on Tuesday.Russia's beleaguered defense ministry had initially denied reports of the blaze. It described a story that 200 planes had been destroyed as "fiction" and said the base concerned did not even exist. The Prosecutor-General's statement was the first official confirmation of the fire at the base near Kolonna, 100 km (60 miles) southeast of Moscow. It gave few details of the damage and a spokesman declined further comment. - Link

Fremont Fire closes brand new fire station

• Station closures have reduced the number of engine and truck companies serving the city from the recommended 14 to 12 on weekdays and now 11 on weekends.

 Calif. city's new $3.9 million fire station to remain empty
Rather than rotate fire station closures to balance its budget, the Fire Department will leave the station un-staffed

By Matthew Artz
The Oakland Tribune via The Contra Costa Times  -Original article Link


FREMONT, Calif. — Construction is just about complete on the city's newest fire station, but don't expect to see Fremont's bravest inside the $3.9 million structure anytime soon.
Rather than rotate fire station closures to balance its budget, the Fire Department has decided not to staff the new Fire Station 11 in Fremont's industrial area, west of Interstate 880.
The station, at 4720 Lakeview Blvd., is surrounded largely by commercial buildings with sprinkler systems, which generate fewer service calls than other areas of the city.
"From a risk perspective, browning out Fire Station 11 makes the most sense," Deputy Fire Chief Geoff LaTendresse said.
The Fire Department has been keeping at least one station closed for most of the past seven years to help cut down on firefighter overtime and balance its budget. This month, the department will decrease service further by closing a second station on weekends, LaTendresse said.
Station closures have reduced the number of engine and truck companies serving the city from the recommended 14 to 12 on weekdays and now 11 on weekends.
That has contributed to the department's failure to achieve its goal of responding to 90 percent of service calls within six minutes and 40 seconds, LaTendresse said. The department is meeting that goal about 70 percent of the time.
Fire Station 11 was built to replace an already dismantled temporary station near the Fremont Marriott. The city determined in 2003 that it needed 11 stations to provide adequate fire response times, and that the development of the Pacific Commons shopping center demanded another station in south Fremont.
But when city officials learned that much of the original Pacific Commons proposal wouldn't be developed, they decided to locate Station 11 farther south, in the industrial area, LaTendresse said.
With Station 11 out of service, Fremont's industrial area will be served by Fire Station 5 in the Warm Springs District and Fire Station 7 at Auto Mall Parkway and Grimmer Boulevard.
Response from those stations has been "fairly quick," especially with the newly improved freeway interchange at Warren Avenue, LaTendresse said.
Station 11, which is two stories and has bays for three firetrucks, was built with funds from a $51 million, 2002 voter-approved bond. The bond has allowed the Fire Department to either replace or seismically upgrade and expand all of the city's existing stations.
The renovation of Fire Station 3 in the Irvington district is scheduled for completion later this year, as is a new training center. All of the projects have been completed on time and under budget, LaTendresse said.

Vallejo Fire Department: Suspects arrested for courthouse 3 alarm arson fire

Pair Arrested In Vallejo Courthouse Arson Fire

VALLEJO -- The Solano County Sheriff's Department, with support from the district attorney and the Vallejo Fire Department, executed a search warrant in the city Thursday morning that led to the arrest of a suspect in connection with an arson fire at the Vallejo courthouse in June, authorities said. Vallejo resident Octavia Walton, 40, was arrested Thursday when authorities executed a search warrant in the 2700 block of Webb Street, police said. A second suspect, 31-year-old Vallejo resident Benjamin Stickel, was also arrested in connection to the arson. Stickel was already in custody at the Solano County Jail on unrelated charges when he was arrested, police said. The three-alarm June 30 fire at the Solano Justice Center caused extensive damage to the court's criminal division offices, burning files, furniture, computers, and wiring in addition to causing smoke damage in the courtrooms. At the time of the arson, Vallejo Fire Department spokesman Bill Tweedy gave an initial damage estimate as being between $100,000 and $300,000. Bail was set at $106,000 for both Walton and Stickel.
Source article: ktvu.com Link