Author Topic: Wildfire News 2020 (Read 306934 times)

sagespirit · « **Reply #620 on:** Oct 17, 20, 07:08:23 PM »

The choppers, etc. have been in the air since last night about 10pm and I've been hearing them, and seeing them in the flight app, all day. No news here or at Angeles_NF re; progress on the fire. For the first time since last night, both my neighbor and I are smelling smoke. Is that just a matter of wind shift?

Joe Schmoe · « **Reply #621 on:** Oct 17, 20, 07:52:13 PM »

Quote from: sagespirit on Oct 17, 20, 07:08:23 PM

Is that just a matter of wind shift?

On an average day, the mountains are warmed by the sun and air lifts above them. By way of being taller than their surroundings, that warmed air gets lifted more than the warm air in the valleys and basins that abut them. When the sun sets that warmed air then falls and spills down the mountains somewhat. If you look closely on some of the weather radar imagery available on the internet you can spot this effect (the radar sometimes sees dust in the air as echos). There is still smoke in the air from the Bobcat fire, I believe. It was quite evident as we saw the sun setting from Azusa canyon.

Joe Schmoe · « **Reply #622 on:** Oct 17, 20, 08:02:47 PM »

As I mentioned above, we made our way into Azusa canyon. I expected far more fire damage than I saw. Most of the burned area along Azusa Canyon Rd was from the off highway vehicle area south. Some of that appeared to be part of the previous fire (the Ranch Fire?), since some of the vegetation was already beginning to produce new shoots.

Edison employees and contractors have set up in the OHV parking lot where they helicopter people and supplies (poles, etc) in and out of the burn area. And when I say helicopter people in, we happened to be passing by when a helicopter flew into the yard with a load....and two people....at the end of a line. They hovered and dropped off a pallet of items and took off again, not at all lazily, with the two people remaining dangling at the end of the cable like Mission Impossible. I'd pay money for that kind of ride. They had a second helicopter landing area set up at the lower of the two dams. The parking lot for the trail that leads to the origin of the fire in the west fork was closed entirely, as was an adjacent area of the north fork river that is usually frequented by large numbers of visitors.

sagespirit · « **Reply #623 on:** Oct 17, 20, 09:26:43 PM »

Thanks, Joe. Great explanation, visuals, and you gave me a hearty laugh that dangled like the humans in the story. Be well.

Wrightwood · « **Reply #624 on:** Oct 18, 20, 01:01:01 PM »

Joe Schmoe · « **Reply #625 on:** Oct 18, 20, 03:35:14 PM »

A short, yet inaccessible, walk from Fenner Canyon. A longer, but downhill-ish walk from Vincent Gap on a potential path to Big Pines Hwy. Is ACH open to Vincent Gap?

FS firefighting resources need to be shifted out of already-burned areas and into unburned areas like this.

RennMan · « **Reply #626 on:** Oct 26, 20, 08:10:06 AM »

Reports of a fire in Santiago Canyon between Tustin and Foothill Ranch. Near intersection of CA-133 and CA-241 Toll Road

0-100 acres in an hour.

Scanner reports that evacuations are starting for the Orchard Hills area, between CA-241 and CA-261, off of Portola Parkway (West Irvine).

https://ktla.com/news/local-news/wind-driven-brush-fire-sparks-in-santiago-canyon-area-residents-between-tustin-and-foothill-ranch-urged-to-be-vigilant/

Elk · « **Reply #627 on:** Oct 26, 20, 11:33:05 AM »

Elk · « **Reply #628 on:** Oct 26, 20, 11:37:31 AM »

Wrightwood · « **Reply #629 on:** Oct 26, 20, 04:36:29 PM »

Silverado Fire: 2 firefighters critically injured while battling 4,000-acre blaze near Irvine

https://abc7.com/2-firefighters-critically-injured-while-battling-4000-acre-irvine-fire/7359872/

Elk · « **Reply #630 on:** Oct 27, 20, 06:47:51 AM »

Elk · « **Reply #631 on:** Oct 27, 20, 06:51:39 AM »

OCFA PIO
@OCFA_PIO
10m
Mission Viejo Evacuation Warning Area

El Toro Rd to the north
Marguerite Pkwy to the west
Upper Oso reservoir to the east
Los Alisos Blvd to the south

OCFA PIO
@OCFA_PIO
10m
Replying to
@OCFA_PIO
If you are at Modjeska Canyon exit to the south out El Toro, all other traffic exit out to the north towards Santiago Canyon College. >>>

Elk · « **Reply #632 on:** Oct 28, 20, 07:52:18 AM »

CAL FIRE @CAL_FIRE
7m
#BlueRidgeFire off Blue Ridge Dr and Big Horn Mountain Way in Orange county is 14,334 acres and 16% contained. In Unified Command with @OCFA_PIO
Evacuations in progress. For more info:
@OCSheriff
https://fire.ca.gov/incidents/2020/10/26/blue-ridge-fire/

Elk · « **Reply #633 on:** Oct 28, 20, 07:57:24 AM »

CAL FIRE @CAL_FIRE
17m
#SilveradoFire off of Santiago Canyon Road and Silverado Canyon Road, Southwest of Silverado in Orange County is 13,354 acres and 25% contained. In Unified Command @OCFA_PIO
https://fire.ca.gov/incidents/2020/10/26/silverado-fire/

Jim Wilkins · « **Reply #634 on:** Oct 31, 20, 07:28:26 AM »

See You On The Other Side

My thirty year career as a firefighter was something I will never forget. Part of that included being part of an all risk National Fire Incident Management Team for close to twenty years. During that tenure, I participated in helping produce memorials for eighteen Wild Land Firefighters. Recently, for twenty hours, I couldn't confirm or deny that my son, Josh Wilkins, had not been involved in a burn over on the Dolan Fire near Big Sur. It was a difficult time as no one would release specific information...and a relief when he finally got to a cell reception area.

This is a direct account from a Hot Shot with years of experience and shares some valuable insight into the world of these firefighters who do their work far from
the eyes of most of us and with very little recognition. I am proud to have been someone who helped tell their story along the way. It is told with honesty and grit and will make the hair stand up on the back of your neck.

https://wildfirelessons.blog/2020/10/27/see-you-on-the-other-side/

Wrightwood · « **Reply #635 on:** Nov 02, 20, 08:21:55 AM »

Facebook
13 minutes ago
Angeles National Forest

Over the last several weeks, the containment lines of the #BobcatFire, now at 98% contained, have been wind tested by #SantaAnaWinds. Besides some smoldering in the interior, the containment lines have held strong. Daily, our crews are patrolling and extinguishing any hotspots.

Elk · « **Reply #636 on:** Nov 06, 20, 07:29:58 AM »

Angeles_NF @Angeles_NF
1h
Update, Wildfire San Dimas Canyon: ANF firefighters on scene, in unified command w/ LA County Fire. 2nd alarm fire, approx 20 acres, from 4am start. Running uphill, heavy fuels. Winds light. Vic San Dimas Canyon & Golden Hills. No homes threatened.

Angeles_NF
@Angeles_NF
Update, San Dimas Brush Fire: San Dimas Fire
Now est at 65 acres, with10% containment. Numerous ANF, LA County and San Dimas fire crews battling blaze. 10 aircraft assigned from ANF & LA County. Cause is under investigation.

Elk · « **Reply #637 on:** Nov 06, 20, 07:32:32 AM »

Cascadia Fire Season @barkflight
7m
AA + one tanker inbound to the #SanDimasFire.

Elk · « **Reply #638 on:** Nov 06, 20, 07:35:38 AM »

La Verne Police Dept @LaVernePD
26m
UPDATE (7:03am) #SanDimasFire update. 10% containment. Fire heading northwest away from La Verne. #laverne #sandimas #fire #lvpd #lvfd #lacofd

Joe Schmoe · « **Reply #639 on:** Nov 10, 20, 03:03:35 PM »

We were finally able to make it up to Wrightwood Friday, the day before the storm, to get a feel for how much damage the Bobcat fire did. Contrary to what Google Maps says, Angeles Crest Hwy was open to Vincent Gap. From there one would never know the fire ever happened. Without using binoculars nothing looked damaged, and it was nice that we were able to see all of the awesome fall colors on the mountainsides around town. Given that the storm would hit the next day it was nice that we were there on the last, maybe best day this year to see it. As we travelled down Big Pines Hwy I was surprised how far we got before we could see damage - almost all the way to Mile High Cafe, which burned down. From there and into the burn area we were pleasantly surprised with the number of homes that were saved. There were a few that I knew from memory that I thought for sure would be gone, but were still there, standing within burned out trees and bushes. Within the burn area, though, it was pretty unpleasant. With the winds from the approaching storm we saw a number of ash-nados and a lot of ash/sand was blowing around in general. We drove up Big Rock Creek and we were again surprised at the lack of damage. While the fire did come right down to the road on the east side, it was mostly kept there, with only one area where it made it out into the wash. I was really happy to be able to look up into the mountains from there, past the closure at Vincent Gap, to see large areas of forest still completely intact - the north side of Mt. Lewis. So, while the fire perimeter maps paint a very depressing picture, best I can tell it's not total destruction within the perimeter. We wanted to see how close we could get to Devil's Punchbowl, but were stopped at a gate some distance from the parking lot. That portion of Juniper Hills was very much destroyed, but people were coming and going so there must have been undamaged homes within the burned areas.

I'm sure we wont be able to travel the length of Angeles Crest highway for 6 months. I don't really look forward to it, but hopefully there will be areas that were skipped by the fire. I have a feeling we lost many natural gems in all of this.