Wildfire News and Discussion

[Reader]

EVACUATIONS: The town of South Fork remains under mandatory evacuation. There is a mandatory evacuation from the top of Wolf Creek Pass to the city limits of South Fork. Shelter locations are the Del Norte High School for people, and the Sky High Complex in Monte Vista for RVs and large animals.

http://www.denverpost.com/coloradowildfires2013

Link also has updates on other fires in CO, some getting contained and some not. Be safe out there please!

 

[Reader]

California wildfire burned 7 homes, threatens more

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/07/17/california-wildfire/2523709/

MOUNTAIN CENTER, Calif. — A wildfire in the mountains west of Palm Springs burned seven homes and grew to more than 22 square miles Wednesday.....

"The vegetation is extremely dry because we've gone through two winters with less than normal precipitation," said Bob Poole with the U.S. Forest Service. "Because of that and because of accessibility issues, this fire has just taken off on us." .....more

 

[Reader]

6,000 still evacuated as S. Cal wildfire surges

http://www.centurylink.net/news/rea...p-wildfire_clears_thousands_in_calif_mount-ap

IDYLLWILD, Calif. (AP) — A Southern California wildfire that forced 6,000 people to flee was more than 35 square miles in size Thursday as fingers of flame swept along mountain ridges above Palm Springs, authorities said.

The fire, which has destroyed at least six houses and mobile homes, gained thousands of acres and was only 15 percent contained Thursday morning, U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman Norma Bailey said..........

Roughly 4,100 houses, hotels, condos and cabins in Idyllwild and surrounding communities were threatened. Fire crews struggled to carve fire lines around the town to block the towering flames.

Nearly 3,000 firefighters and more than a dozen aircraft, including a giant DC-10, were assigned to the fire, which was leaping along rocky ridges in the popular summer tourist spot. Temperatures in the area, which rises above desert lands, could top 100 degrees........

More at link....

 

[Reader]

Rain helps firefighters battle Calif. wildfire

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/07/21/calif-wildfire-rain/2573243/

IDYLLWILD, Calif. — Aided by heavy rain in the mountains above Palm Springs, Calif., firefighters in Southern California were starting to turn the tide Sunday on a wildfire that has burned more than 40 square miles, destroyed a handful of homes and forced the evacuation of thousands of people.

The Riverside County Sheriff's Department announced Sunday that evacuation orders for Idyllwild and Fern Valley, Calif., were lifted because increased containment and rainfall have reduced the threat from the Mountain Fire. Only residents and business owners would be allowed back at first, the department announced. .......

Authorities have said the fire was human-caused, but wouldn't say whether it was accidental or intentional. There have been no reports of injuries.

More than 2,600 firefighters were battling the blaze Sunday, using bulldozers, helicopters and other equipment.....more.....

 

[Reader]

Utah fire destroys 13 homes near resort town

http://news.msn.com/us/utah-fire-destroys-13-homes-near-resort-town

WANSHIP, Utah — A small, lightning-sparked wildfire outside the resort town of Park City destroyed more than a dozen homes and threatened hundreds of others, including multi-million dollar vacation homes tucked into the rugged Rocky Mountains.

The blaze near Park City was among several in the West where fires have devoured dry grass and brush and burned to the edges of small communities............

In Idaho, fire crews prepared to capitalize on favorable winds and lower temperatures to continue burnout operations around the small mountain community of Pine, where the Elk Complex remained the nation's No. 1 firefighting priority.

The lightning-caused fire had burned across more than 175 square miles and destroyed structures in the community of Fall Creek, fire spokeswoman Ludie Bond said.

More at link....

 

[Reader]

Idaho wildfire spreads to 92,000 acres as more than a thousand homes evacuated

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/201...-as-more-than-a-thousand-homes-evacuated?lite

........More than 600 state and federal firefighters are attempting to put out the fire with a combination of ground and air support, officials said, but the struggle to quench the blaze has been hampered as they also work to control nine other large wildfires that have sprung up in the area.

The fire was less than six percent contained Saturday.

Governor C.L. "Butch" Otter issued a disaster declaration Friday evening, and assigned the Idaho National Guard to provide support to contain the fire, NBC News affiliate KTVB reported.............

 

[Reader]

Beastly fire disrupts Idaho vacation heaven

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/08/23/idaho-california-wildfires/2691517/

Story Highlights

5 fires have been burned about 18 square miles of Yellowstone National Park

Idaho's Beaver Creek Fire is nearing containment but will continue to smoke for weeks

More than just torching sage, blaze's impact has scorched the local economy.....

The blaze is among about 50 large fires burning nationwide.

More at link.....

 

[Peliman]

The raging Rim Fire that's been burning out of control since Saturday forced California Gov. Jerry Brown to declare a state of emergency for San Francisco late Friday.

The governor said he declared the emergency because the wildfires in Tuolumne County have caused damage to electrical infrastructure serving the City and County of San Francisco.

Brown declared it an "imminent threat to critical infrastructure assets."

The fire threatens both power and water supply to San Francisco.

The Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, which provides water to San Francisco, is east of the fire area. There is fear that ash from the water could impact water quality or the water delivery and supply system.

Linky

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/loca...20809981.html?_osource=SocialFlowTwt_BAYBrand

 

[Reader]

Huge Northern California wildfire gains strength

http://news.yahoo.com/huge-northern-california-wildfire-gains-strength-161710327.html

The Rim Fire started in a remote canyon of the Stanislaus National Forest a week ago and is just 5 percent contained. More than 5,500 homes are threatened, four have been destroyed and voluntary and mandatory evacuations are underway.

The fire has grown so large and is burning dry timber and brush with such ferocity that it has created its own weather pattern, making it difficult to predict in which direction it will move.

The fire is burning toward the Hetch Hetchy reservoir, where San Francisco gets 85 percent of its water and power for municipal buildings, the international airport and San Francisco General Hospital. Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency because of the threats.

 

[Reader]

On the edge of a firestorm, Yosemite hikers escape the flames

http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/29/us/california-yosemite-wildfire/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

Known as the Rim Fire, the historic blaze has charred more than 192,000 acres, cost the state more than $39 million to date and is threatening 4,500 structures, many of them vacation homes. It's the sixth-largest wildfire in California history. On Thursday, it's was in its 12th day and it has only been contained 30%.

Because of the approaching flames, officials have shut down electricity generators, and San Francisco -- more than 120 miles to the west -- temporarily is getting power from elsewhere.

 

[Reader]

Fire grows - smoke obscures Yosemite views

http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Fire-grows-smoke-obscures-Yosemite-views-4778653.php

(08-31) 20:09 PDT Yosemite National Park -- The giant Rim Fire grew by more than 6,000 acres overnight, but firefighters continued to make progress on the giant blaze burning in Tuolumne and Mariposa counties, fire officials said Saturday.

The expansion forced more evacuations in the southeast portion of Mariposa County, said California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection spokesman Daniel Berlant. The combination of dry conditions, the remote location and 20 mph winds continued to fuel the fire's expansion, he said............

 

[Reader]

Yosemite Fire Becomes Third Largest in California History

Read more: http://ktla.com/2013/09/07/yosemite-fire-becomes-third-largest-in-california-history/#ixzz2eGokmxdC

 

[Reader]

Far Northern California fire destroys 30 homes

http://news.yahoo.com/far-northern-california-fire-destroys-30-homes-162052592.html

 

[Reader]

California Wildfire Threat: High Winds Whip Through Southern Cal

LOS ANGELES — The wildfire threat has pushed to a dangerous level in Southern California, as persistent, high winds, better known as Santa Ana winds, rip through the region.

Meteorologists say the conditions create a classic set up for wildfires, and any small fire has the potential to be a nightmare.

"October is notorious for California wildfires," says Weather.com meteorologist Jon Erdman. "The largest wildfires on record in the state was the Cedar Fire in San Diego County in October 2003, charring 273,000 acres, over 2800 structures, and claiming 14 lives."

Read more at http://www.wunderground.com/news/california-wildfire-threat-20131005#2M2Kv6VKAhOMuO6O.99

 

[Reader]

34 homes destroyed in Big Sur fire


http://www.mercurynews.com/california/ci_24787528/34-homes-destroyed-big-sur-fire

BIG SUR, Calif.—Officials now say 34 homes were destroyed in a wildfire in Central California's Big Sur region, 12 more than originally estimated........

U.S. Forest Service spokesman Andrew Madsen said officials were close to determining the cause, but would likely not release it until after Christmas.

 

[Reader]

Wildfire near Los Angeles: Three people arrested, emergency declared

Arson investigators were at the scene of a wildfire near Los Angeles that exploded in size Thursday to more than 1,700 acres and destroyed at least two homes, authorities said.

Three people had been arrested in connection with the fast-moving Colby fire, but Glendora police declined to provide further information.

L.A. County fire Inspector Scott Miller said the cause of the fire, reported shortly before 6 a.m., was still under investigation, but said arson investigators were on hand and working with Glendora police.


http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/...a-wind-20140116,0,5340676.story#ixzz2qazT0v00

 

[PastTense]

The trail leading to the cause of the Black Forest fire has officially gone cold. After more than a year of investigation, the El Paso County Sheriff's Office announced Tuesday that how the state's most destructive fire started remains a mystery. "We don't have any further leads," Sheriff's Office spokesman Sgt. Greg White said. "Until we get additional information, then it is technically considered a cold case."

The Black Forest fire ignited June 11, 2013, and went on to consume nearly 500 homes and burn 14,280 acres in a matter of days. The fire claimed two lives -- those of Marc and Robin Herklotz -- and it became the second county wildfire-turned-homicide investigation involving federal, state and local detectives.

http://www.firehouse.com/news/11777820/black-forest-fire-is-now-a-cold-case