InciWeb Incidents for California (Prescribed Fires) U.S. Forest Service fire crew vegetation thinning and slash pile burns

InciWeb Incidents for California: Prescribed Fires

Green Canyon Rx (Prescribed Fire)
2N10 Rx (Prescribed Fire)
Pine Cove Rx (Prescribed Fire)


Green Canyon Rx (Prescribed Fire)

Posted: 13 Dec 2018 11:25 AM PST
U.S. Forest Service fire crews will burn slash piles from 260 acres of vegetation thinning to the southeast of Sugarloaf, which sits on the southeastern end of the Big Bear Valley area. The project, which will only occur when conditions are safe for burning, is part of a larger effort to create defensible space between neighborhoods and wildland areas. Smoke and flame may be seen from a distance



2N10 Rx (Prescribed Fire)

Posted: 13 Dec 2018 11:25 AM PST
U.S. Forest Service fire crews will burn slash piles from 181 acres of vegetation thinning to the west of Moonridge, which is adjacent to Bear Mountain Ski Resort and southeast of Big Bear Village. The project, which will only occur when conditions are safe for burning, is part of a larger effort to create defensible space between neighborhoods and wildland areas. Smoke and flame may be seen from a distance



Pine Cove Rx (Prescribed Fire)

Posted: 13 Dec 2018 11:23 AM PST
U.S. Forest Service fire crews will broadcast burn 234 acres to the west of Pine Cove, which is north of Idyllwild. The project, which will occur intermittently over the winter when conditions are safe for burning, is part of a larger effort to create defensible space between neighborhoods and wildland areas in the San Jacinto Mountains. Smoke and flame may be seen from a distance

InciWeb Incidents for California
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State legislation that was just signed into law in September created an opt-out alert system

'Unprecedented' evacuations in Ventura County wildfires prompt new fix to alert system

Photo: Jay Calderon/The Desert Sun

The 911 calls came in one after another as flames reached Ventura County neighborhoods last month.

An injured, elderly man needed help to evacuate his home. A neighbor’s house was on fire, and someone could still be inside. Cars fleeing from flames were trapped by downed power lines.

Hours earlier, the Hill and Woolsey fires had broken out in Ventura County in gusty, dry conditions, barreling toward neighborhoods and prompting evacuation orders for tens of thousand of locals.

The fires broke out Nov. 8, not quite a year after the Thomas Fire exploded in another part of the county.

“It’s overwhelming,” said Division Chief John McNeil with Ventura County Fire Department of fighting those fast-moving brush fires.

“The footprint grows so quick,” he said, talking about the Night 1 on the Woolsey Fire. “Really, the biggest decisions made by the operations position at that point is the timing of when it’s going to impact the communities.”

Authorities count on alert and warning systems to help get people out of harm’s way before that happens. But those systems continue to have gaps.

A flurry of legislative fixes sought to close some over the last year, but even before those new laws take effect, more are being proposed.

On the anniversary of the Thomas Fire, state Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson, D-Santa Barbara, proposed expanding legislation that was just signed into law in September.

The law created an opt-out alert system that counties could use, instead of the current opt-in ones.

This month, she proposed expanding its reach through Senate Bill 46.

“This is critically important as we have a 12-month-a-year fire season,” Jackson said Thursday. “We’ve got to be better prepared. We’ve got to warn people.”


Source: https://www.vcstar.com/story/news/local/2018/12/14/unprecedented-evacuations-prompt-new-fix-statewide-alert-system/2301552002/

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Pacific Gas and Electric Company(PG&E) Catastrophe Bonds “Disaster Capitalism?”

Cal Phoenix Re wildfire cat bond launched at $200m for PG&E Corp.

The cat bond will ultimately provide PG&E with a three-year source of insurance protection against property damages caused by wildfires in the state of California

Credit: Sac Bee

by ARTEMIS on JULY 11, 2018
The first pure wildfire exposed catastrophe bond has come to market, as California focused electrical utility PG&E Corporation (the Pacific Gas and Electric Company) turns to the capital markets and ILS investors as a source of collateralized insurance protection with a $200 million Cal Phoenix Re Ltd. (Series 2018-1) transaction.

Being a corporate beneficiary of a property catastrophe bond exposed solely to California wildfire risks you might have thought that the PG&E cat bond would feature a parametric trigger, but it doesn’t as the risk is being ceded via Energy Insurance Mutual (of which PG&E is a member) as the insured and reinsurance firm Tokio Millennium Re AG.

Because of that layering of risk transfer the new Cal Phoenix Re Ltd. (Series 2018-1) catastrophe bond is an indemnity arrangement, with the sale of the notes issued by Cal Phoenix Re Ltd. set to collateralize the retrocessional reinsurance agreement with Tokio Millennium Re, which in turn provides the reinsurance protection to Energy Insurance Mutual, which then insures the PG&E Corporation risk.

It’s an interesting way to see the corporate risk of PG&E cascade through multiple layers of insurance, reinsurance and retrocession to the capital markets, allowing for an indemnity coverage arrangement to be put in place, backed by the efficiency of ILS capacity.

Bermuda special purpose insurer Cal Phoenix Re Ltd. will aim to sell a $200 million tranche of Series 2018-1 notes to investors, with the proceeds providing the capital to back the risk transfer for PG&E.

The cat bond will ultimately provide PG&E with a three-year source of insurance protection against property damages caused by wildfires in the state of California, but interestingly this appears to be third-party wildfire liability so the damage caused by wildfires for which PG&E is liable.

This seems to be a first in the catastrophe bond market, providing PG&E with a way to transfer a significant risk to its business to the capital markets.

It also appears that under loss adjustment expenses will be included certain litigation risks related to the third-party wildfire related property damages, which again appears to be a first in the cat bond marketplace.

The insured Energy Insurance Mutual Limited, actually its subsidiary Energy Insurance Services, Inc., is a provider of third-party liability insurance coverage to energy utility and related companies.

It appears that this new Cal Phoenix Re cat bond is a direct response to the recent severe California wildfire season, which had seen PG&E threatened with liability cases, according to news reports.

Cal Phoenix Re, as issuer, will issue the notes to be sold to ILS funds and ILS investors, with the proceeds backing a three-year annual aggregate and indemnity reinsurance arrangement with Tokio Millennium Re, the reinsured, although the coverage cascades back to PG&E.

The cover is for California wildfires that are caused by or due to infrastructure owned by the insured PG&E.

We’re told that the currently $200 million tranche of Series 2018-1 notes to be issued by Cal Phoenix Re will have an initial attachment point of $1.25 billion and cover a $500 million layer from there upwards, with a franchise deductible per event.

That equates to a modelled initial attachment probability of 1.35%, an initial expected loss of 1.01% and we understand that the notes are being offered to investors with coupon guidance of 6% to 6.5%.

That’s a significant multiple, which could be to ensure investors feel compensated for taking on potential unknowns with this catastrophe bond, such as the litigation risk that could be included under loss adjustment expenses.

It will be fascinating to see how this new Cal Phoenix Re Ltd. catastrophe bond is received by the ILS investor community, given the novel nature of the risk, the layered risk transfer and the potential for third-party liability to add to losses qualifying under the terms of the deal.

We’ve added the new Cal Phoenix Re Ltd. (Series 2018-1) transaction to our catastrophe bond Deal Directory and will update you as information allows.

Further reading:

‘Bailout in sheep’s clothing’ for PG&E? Advocates slam California wildfire plan

Catastrophe Bonds as “Disaster Capitalism”

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Kern River Ranger District Prescribed RX - Hazardous Fuels Reduction project

Incident Overview

Kernville, Ca….November 20172018: Hazardous Fuels Reduction projects are scheduled this winter/Spring on three mountaintops within the Kern River Ranger District on the Sequoia National Forest, as well as some lower elevation burning near communities around Isabella Lake.

Fire managers work closely with the Eastern Kern Air Pollution Control District to manage smoke production and reduce any local impacts.

Forest Service crews prep fire lines and cut ladder fuels to prepare for burning during winter months. Prep work is necessary to ensure the project work is accomplished safely and to provide control measures.

November 29 and November 30, 2018, fire personnel are burning slash piles in Live Oak Campground North and South.

Thursday, November 29th fire personnel accomplished burning 130 slash piles in Live Oak North - Wofford Heights. Smoke may drift across roads and into the community of Wofford Heights.

Prescribed burn efforts will continue throughout the winter/spring as weather, air quality and available resources permit.

Incident Information
Prescribed burning project - burning slash piles within Live Oak Campground-North & South, Wofford Heights, Ca.

Basic Information
Current as of 11/30/2018, 11:51:31 AM
Incident Type Prescribed Fire
Date of Origin Thursday November 29th, 2018 approx. 07:00 AM
Location Wofford Heights - Live Oak Campgrounds, North and South
Incident Commander Burn Boss Matthew Ball
Incident Description Burning Slash Piles Within Live Oak Campground.
Coordinates 35.701 latitude, -118.461 longitude
Current Situation
Total Personnel 12
Size 5 Acres
Fuels Involved
Limbs, brush

Significant Events
Smoke will be visible in the Wofford Heights area - smoke may even cross a few roads - please drive slowly and keep yourselves and others, safe.

Please use caution when driving through Wofford Heights today - Prescribed burns taking place in Live Oak Campground. Prescribed burns Thursday and Friday are slash piles within the campground. Smoke will be visible in the area- drive slowly, please.

Remarks
Planned projects may be postponed, at times, until conditions become favorable. Conditions can include winds, temperatures and humidity changes.

Related Links

Unit Information
Sequoia National Forest
U.S. Forest Service
1839 South Newcomb Street
Porterville, CA 93257


Incident Contact
Bryan Hellett/Cindy Thill
Email: cthill@fs.fed.us
Phone: 760 376-3781 ext. 625
Hours: M-F 8:00-4:30

Source: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5663/

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The mystery #CampFire ‘second start’: Was it captured on firewatch camera?

The mystery Camp Fire ‘second start’: Was it captured on firewatch camera?
CONCOW — Firefighter radio transmissions indicate that a possible “second start” of the Camp Fire was caught on a firewatch camera near Concow Reservoir, about a half-hour after the first flames were reported about five miles northeast near Poe Dam and Pulga.

Security guards associated with Cal Fire Wednesday blocked off a section of Concow Road betwen Mountain Pine Lane and Rim Road. The closure was related to Cal Fire’s investigation into the Camp Fire. (Dan Reidel — Enterprise-Record)

 At 7:04 a.m. Nov. 8, a fire dispatcher rerouted a couple of fire crews to a “possible second fire” on Rim Road, just east of Concow Reservoir. Satellite images indicate that Rim Road crisscrosses underneath several PG&E high-tension lines in that vicinity. There are no obvious radio discussions indicating what may have sparked that second fire, in a review of archived radio chatter.

Minutes later a firefighter described the initial blaze as having grown to about 300 acres with a rapid rate of spread and heading toward Concow Reservoir. Firefighters responding to the second ignition alerted other crews to “two little kids walking the road” along the lower portion of Rim Road, also called Andy Mountain Road, near Jarbo Gap on Highway 70.

On Thursday, the Chico Enterprise-Record reported that security guards had set up a roadblock the day before outside Concow. Later, Cal Fire-Butte County Chief Darren Read confirmed that investigators have identified a “possible second origin” for the fire. He did not release any additional information regarding the second origin point, saying the fire remained under investigation.



Cal Fire spokesman Scott McLean also declined to elaborate Friday.

“Our investigators, Cal Fire, have identified a possible second origin for the Camp Fire,” he said. “The fire remains under investigation, and no further details will be released at this time.”

No cause has been determined for the Camp Fire, according to Cal Fire. In addition to the first radio reports of a downed power line near Poe Dam where the first ignition began, PG&E reported to state regulators that minutes before the fire was reported, a transmission line had a malfunction in the area of the dam.

It’s unclear which firewatch camera possibly captured the second ignition. However in 2014, PG&E announced it funded $2 million to install 28 remote fire sensing cameras on “some of the most important lookout towers” in four counties, including Butte.

Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey said Wednesday that PG&E is cooperating with fire investigators, but it was not clear whether the utility’s transmission tower caused the fire.

The District Attorney’s Office was involved “in anticipation that if anything is referred to us in terms of a criminal case, that we’re on top of it right now,” Ramsey said.

The Camp Fire has claimed at least 71 lives and has destroyed more than 9,800 homes. It is the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in state history.

Chico Enterprise-Record staff writers Andre Byik and Dan Reidel contributed to this report.

Source: https://www.paradisepost.com/2018/11/16/was-possible-second-camp-fire-ignition-caught-on-firewatch-camera/?

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Firefighters Injured on Early Morning Vegetation Fire #CAfires

Firefighters Injured on Early Morning Vegetation Fire

 Corralitos - Firefighters from throughout Santa Cruz County responded to an early morning vegetation fire in the area of Eureka Canyon in Corralitos near Buzzard Lagoon Road. 
 Over 50 firefighters were able to stop the fire at less than two acres. The fire is currently 50% contained. 
 Two firefighters were injured during the firefight after being struck by a falling tree. Both firefighters were treated at scene by advanced life support paramedics and transported by ambulance to local hospitals for further treatment. 
 The cause of the fire is under investigation. Ground crews and one helicopter will remain at scene throughout the day to reinforce containment lines and patrol.

CAL FIRE San Mateo - Santa Cruz Unit
Contact: Jonathan Cox, Division Chief
(650) 861-4084
Release Date: November 18, 2018

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747 Global Supertanker Day 6 UPDATE McClellan Load and Return on the '#Campfire

747 Global Supertanker 'Camp' fire Day 6 UPDATE McClellan Load and Return

747 Global Supertanker, McClellan Reload Base, Sacramento Ca.

Take a behind the scenes look at how these huge Supertankers are turned so quickly during the 'Camp' fire at McClellan Reload Base, Sacramento Ca. LINKS: http://globalsupertanker.com/ https://www.10tanker.com/

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Butte County #CampFire wildland fire becomes most destructive fire in California history, destroys town of Paradise

Camp Fire
Credit: KCRA 3

Camp Fire burns over 6,700 structures, becomes most destructive fire in California history

Chico Fire Department‏ Evacuation Map

November 08, 2018

A wind-driven wildfire continues to threaten communities and prompt evacuations after consuming nearly the entire town of Paradise.

The Camp Fire ignited around 6:30 a.m. local time Thursday and has burned over 89,000 acres and is 5 percent contained.

As of Friday evening, 6,713 structures have been destroyed, making it the most destructive individual fire in California history. Previously, the most destructive fire was the Tubbs fire which destroyed 5,636 structures in October of 2017.

Nine fatalities have been confirmed by officials, according to the Associated Press (AP). Three firefighters have also been injured during containment efforts.

On Thursday afternoon, a state of emergency was declared in Butte County in response to the growing Camp Fire. On Friday, President Donald Trump approved California's Emergency Declaration, allowing federal assistance to be open to the state due to the wildfires.

The cause of the fire is still unknown. However, on Friday afternoon, Pacific Gas & Electric Co. said that it experienced a problem with an electric line near the location where the Camp Fire started, according to the AP. It is unclear if this contributed to the start of the wildfire.

An evacuation order was issued for all of Paradise, home to over 27,000 people, where many had only minutes to flee the rapidly spreading blaze.

"Pretty much the community of Paradise is destroyed, it's that kind of devastation," Cal Fire Capt. Scott McLean said via the AP. "The wind that was predicted came and just wiped it out."

McLean said Friday morning that the blaze had nearly quadrupled in size overnight.

As the Camp Fire continues to grow, evacuation orders have expanded into the city of Chico, California, where over 93,000 people live. An evacuation warning is in effect for areas south of Highway 32 and east of Bruce Road inside the city limits, according to the Chico Police Department.

The Chico Fire Department said there have been multiple traffic collisions, vehicle fires and medical emergencies.

The California State University campus in Chico remains safe, according to a post on Twitter.

Several shelters have opened for evacuees, but many are quickly filling up, including the Nazarene Church in Oroville, California.

Source: https://m.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/5-fatalities-confirmed-after-massive-camp-fire-pretty-much-destroyed-paradise-california/70006585?

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Critical Fire Weather: PG&E May Proactively Turn Off Power for Safety in Portions of 12 California Counties

PG&E May Proactively Turn Off Power for Safety in Portions of 12 Counties

Pacific Gas and Electric Company announced Saturday night it may turn off power in parts of 12 counties within the next 24 hours due to expected extreme fire danger conditions.

A press release from the company cites a red flag warning from the National Weather Service and other factors as reason for turning off power late Saturday night into Sunday morning.

The company said it will likely turn off power for safety reasons ahead of Sunday evening, where wind conditions are forecasted to last into Monday morning.

The counties that would be affected are:

• Lake County (Clearlake, Clearlake Oaks, Clearlake Park, Cobb, Finley, Hidden Valley Lake, Kelseyville, Lakeport, Lower Lake, Middletown)
• Napa County (Angwin, Calistoga, Deer Park, Lake Berryessa, Napa, Pope Valley, Saint Helena)
• Sonoma County (Cloverdale, Geyserville, Healdsburg, Santa Rosa)
• Yuba County (Brownsville, Camptonville, Challenge, Dobbins, Marysville, Oregon House, Strawberry Valley)
• Butte County (Berry Creek, Brush Creek, Clipper Mills, Feather Falls, Forbestown, Oroville)
• Sierra County (Alleghany, Downieville, Goodyears Bar, Pike City, Sierra City),
• Placer County (Alta, Applegate, Auburn, Baxter, Colfax, Dutch Flat, Emigrant Gap, Foresthill, Gold Run, Loomis, Meadow Vista, Weimar)
• Nevada County (Chicago Park, Grass Valley, Nevada City, North San Juan, Penn Valley, Rough and Ready, Soda Springs, Washington)
• El Dorado County (Aukum, Camino, Coloma, Cool, Diamond Springs, El Dorado, Fair Play, Garden Valley, Georgetown, Greenwood, Grizzly Flats, Kelsey, Kyburz, Mount Aukum, Omo Ranch, Pacific House, Placerville, Pollock Pines, Shingle Springs, Silver Fork, Somerset, Strawberry, Twin Bridges)
• Amador County (Fiddletown, Jackson, Pine Grove, Pioneer, Plymouth, Sutter Creek, Volcano)
• Plumas County (La Porte)
• Calaveras (Glencoe, Mokelumne Hill, Mountain Ranch, Rail Road Flat, West Point, Wilseyville)

We are working directly with first responders and state and local agencies to help prepare for this potential safety event. We are conducting outreach to customers in potentially affected areas and also doing special outreach to PG&E customers who are on Medical Baseline.

“The safety of our customers and the communities we serve is PG&E’s top priority. We know how much our customers rely on electric service and would only consider temporarily turning off power in the interest of safety, and as a last resort during extreme weather conditions. PG&E has a plan. We want our customers to have plans, too.” said Kevin Dasso, vice president of electric asset management.

When and where possible, PG&E will provide early warning notification as well as updates until power is restored. Extreme weather threats can change quickly. Out of an abundance of caution, PG&E is providing notice to customers in advance of this safety event through automated phone calls, texts, social media and emails effective immediately.

PG&E May Proactively Turn Off Power for Safety in Portions of 12 Counties

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Critical Fire Weather : CAL OES Pre-positioned Fire Resources and Emergency Personnel Dispatched to North SF Bay Area

With Strong Winds and Red Flag Conditions, Cal OES Pre-Positions Critical Firefighting Resources and Personnel in North Bay Area

In preparation for dangerous fire weather conditions, including high winds, anticipated to impact Northern California Counties, the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) has strategically pre-positioned critical fire response resources to include strike teams of fire engines, firefighters, water tenders and emergency dispatchers in the designated impacted areas.

These resources and personnel are staffing up into position as early as this evening and into tomorrow. The pre-positioned fire resources and emergency personnel include:

• Sonoma County Operational Area – one Type-3 engine strike team, one water tender, one emergency dispatcher
• Marin County Operational Area – one task force of Type-3 fire engines and one water tender, one additional water tender, one emergency dispatcher
• Solano County Operational Area – one Type-3 engine strike team
• Alameda County Operational Area – one Type-3 engine strike team, one water tender, one emergency dispatcher
• Contra Costa Operational Area – one task force of Type-3 fire engines and one water tender, one emergency dispatcher
• Napa County Operational Area – one Type-3 engine strike team, one emergency dispatcher
• Santa Clara County Operational Area – one Type-3 engine strike team
• Lake County Operational Area – one task force of Type-3 engines, a water tender and a leader, one additional water tender

All pre-positioned resources are expected to remain in place until fire weather conditions improve in the region. Additional resources could be staffed up as well, depending on the weather conditions across the state.

A strike team includes five fire engines with 15 firefighters and a strike team leader. A task force is five fire resources of different types/vehicles, such as four fire engines and one water tender make up a single task force.

The National Weather Service is forecasting unusually low relative humidity and winds gusting up to 35 miles per hour, creating Red Flag weather conditions over parts of Northern California through Monday.

A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or will soon. A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire potential and erratic fire behavior.

Click here to see the National Weather Service’s Red Flag warnings.

The public is urged is remain aware of their surrounding conditions and to avoid outdoor activities that can cause a spark near dry vegetation, such as yard work, target shooting, or campfires and follow local fire restrictions. Also, remember to have an emergency plan in place, emergency preparedness kits at home and vehicles full of fuel; sign-up for emergency alerts; listen to authorities and warnings and be prepared to evacuate if necessary.

The Cal OES Warning Center and State Operations Center will monitor conditions and be ready for further resource requests as necessary throughout the Red Flag period.

For more from Cal OES, visit CalOES.ca.gov and follow us on Twitter @Cal_OES.For more information on Cal OES Fire Regions, click here.
Original article CAL OES http://www.oesnews.com/prepo101318/

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