Cal Fire: Creek Fire Now the Largest Single Wildfire in California History
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For Fire Victims
FIRE VICTIM CLAIM PLAN TREATMENT SUMMARY PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING SUMMARY IF YOU FILED A FIRE VICTIM CLAIM IN THE PG&E CHAPTER 11 CASES. THIS SUMMARY PROVIDES INFORMATION ON HOW YOUR CLAIM WILL BE PROCESSED AFTER PG&E RECEIVES BANKRUPTCY COURT APPROVAL OF ITS PLAN OF REORGANIZATION AND THE PLAN BECOMES EFFECTIVE. STEPS TO REORGANIZATION: PG&E’s and the Shareholder Proponents’ Joint Chapter 11 Plan of Reorganization (the “Plan”) will govern the terms of PG&E’s emergence from chapter 11. Enclosed with this summary is a copy of the Plan and the related Disclosure Statement that describes the Plan and how PG&E proposes to implement it, and a ballot for you to vote to accept or reject the Plan. Your vote is important. The Bankruptcy Court will conduct a hearing after all ballots have been tallied to determine whether it will approve the Plan. IF THE PLAN IS CONFIRMED BY THE BANKRUPTCY COURT, YOUR CLAIM WILL BE PROCESSED AND MAY BE PAID EVEN IF YOU DID NOT CAST A VOTE OR VOTED TO REJECT THE PLAN. IF THE PLAN IS NOT CONFIRMED, YOUR CLAIM WILL NOT BE PAID UNTIL ANOTHER PLAN IS CONFIRMED OR THERE IS ANOTHER RESOLUTION OF PG&E’s CHAPTER 11 CASES. YOUR VOTE COUNTS: You have the right to accept or reject the Plan if you or your attorney filed a claim against the Debtors. Ballots must be RECEIVED by May 15, 2020, in order to be counted. HOW TO VOTE: You have received a ballot with instructions that explain how you can vote. -
Sierra National Forest, Creek Fire Closure Order Dean Gould
Logo Department Name Agency Organization Organization Address Information United States Forest Sierra National Forest 1600 Tollhouse Road Department of Service Clovis, CA 93611 Agriculture 559-297-0706 TDD: 559-322-0425 FAX: 559-294-4809 File Code: 5330 Date: December 9, 2020 Route To: File Subject: Forest Order No. 05-15-00-20-22 – Sierra National Forest, Creek Fire Closure Order From: Dean Gould, Forest Supervisor This document explains my rationale and the regulatory basis for implementing Forest Order 05- 15-00-20-22, hereby closing lands and trails within the Sierra National Forest as a result of the Creek Fire. This Forest Order will be effective from December 10, 2020 through January 6, 2021. This Order supersedes Forest Order No. 05-15-00-20-20. On the evening of September 4, 2020, a wildfire ignited below Camp Sierra on the High Sierra Ranger District, in the Sierra National Forest. By December 7, 2020, the Creek Fire had grown from its original size of 3 acres to more than 379,895 acres and is currently at 96% containment. The Creek Fire grew so quickly one afternoon that it encircled a popular boat launch and lake area. As a result, 224 people were entrapped by the fire and had to be evacuated by helicopters from the Army National Guard. The Fire has burned across both the Bass Lake and High Sierra Ranger Districts, within Madera and Fresno Counties. Popular corridors associated with forest visitor use on both districts were heavily impacted by the fire in areas that include Sky Ranch, Beasore, Central Camp, Mammoth Pool, Huntington Lake and Kaiser Pass roads. -
California Fire Siege 2007 an Overview Cover Photos from Top Clockwise: the Santiago Fire Threatens a Development on October 23, 2007
CALIFORNIA FIRE SIEGE 2007 AN OVERVIEW Cover photos from top clockwise: The Santiago Fire threatens a development on October 23, 2007. (Photo credit: Scott Vickers, istockphoto) Image of Harris Fire taken from Ikhana unmanned aircraft on October 24, 2007. (Photo credit: NASA/U.S. Forest Service) A firefighter tries in vain to cool the flames of a wind-whipped blaze. (Photo credit: Dan Elliot) The American Red Cross acted quickly to establish evacuation centers during the siege. (Photo credit: American Red Cross) Opposite Page: Painting of Harris Fire by Kate Dore, based on photo by Wes Schultz. 2 Introductory Statement In October of 2007, a series of large wildfires ignited and burned hundreds of thousands of acres in Southern California. The fires displaced nearly one million residents, destroyed thousands of homes, and sadly took the lives of 10 people. Shortly after the fire siege began, a team was commissioned by CAL FIRE, the U.S. Forest Service and OES to gather data and measure the response from the numerous fire agencies involved. This report is the result of the team’s efforts and is based upon the best available information and all known facts that have been accumulated. In addition to outlining the fire conditions leading up to the 2007 siege, this report presents statistics —including availability of firefighting resources, acreage engaged, and weather conditions—alongside the strategies that were employed by fire commanders to create a complete day-by-day account of the firefighting effort. The ability to protect the lives, property, and natural resources of the residents of California is contingent upon the strength of cooperation and coordination among federal, state and local firefighting agencies. -
TESTIMONY of RANDY MOORE, REGIONAL FORESTER PACIFIC SOUTHWEST REGION UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT of AGRICULTURE—FOREST SERVICE BE
TESTIMONY of RANDY MOORE, REGIONAL FORESTER PACIFIC SOUTHWEST REGION UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE—FOREST SERVICE BEFORE THE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES COMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT AND REFORM—SUBCOMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT August 20, 2019 Concerning WILDFIRE RESPONSE AND RECOVERY EFFORTS IN CALIFORNIA Chairman Rouda, Ranking Member and Members of the Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today to discuss wildfire response and recovery efforts in California. My testimony today will focus on the 2017-2018 fire seasons, as well as the forecasted 2019 wildfire activity this summer and fall. I will also provide an overview of the Forest Service’s wildfire mitigation strategies, including ways the Forest Service is working with its many partners to improve forest conditions and help communities prepare for wildfire. 2017 AND 2018 WILDIRES AND RELATED RECOVERY EFFORTS In the past two years, California has experienced the deadliest and most destructive wildfires in its recorded history. More than 17,000 wildfires burned over three million acres across all land ownerships, which is almost three percent of California’s land mass. These fires tragically killed 146 people, burned down tens of thousands of homes and businesses and destroyed billions of dollars of property and infrastructure. In California alone, the Forest Service spent $860 million on fire suppression in 2017 and 2018. In 2017, wind-driven fires in Napa and neighboring counties in Northern California tragically claimed more than 40 lives, burned over 245,000 acres, destroyed approximately 8,900 structures and had over 11,000 firefighters assigned. In Southern California, the Thomas Fire burned over 280,000 acres, destroying over 1,000 structures and forced approximately 100,000 people to evacuate. -
Post-Fire Treatment Effectiveness for Hillslope Stabilization
United States Department of Agriculture Post-Fire Treatment Forest Service Rocky Mountain Effectiveness for Research Station General Technical Hillslope Stabilization Report RMRS-GTR-240 August 2010 Peter R. Robichaud, Louise E. Ashmun, and Bruce D. Sims A SUMMARY OF KNOWLEDGE FROM THE Robichaud, Peter R.; Ashmun, Louise E.; Sims, Bruce D. 2010. Post-fire treatment effectiveness for hill- slope stabilization. Gen. Tech. Rep. RMRS-GTR-240. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 62 p. Abstract This synthesis of post-fire treatment effectiveness reviews the past decade of research, monitoring, and product development related to post-fire hillslope emergency stabilization treatments, including erosion barri- ers, mulching, chemical soil treatments, and combinations of these treatments. In the past ten years, erosion barrier treatments (contour-felled logs and straw wattles) have declined in use and are now rarely applied as a post-fire hillslope treatment. In contrast, dry mulch treatments (agricultural straw, wood strands, wood shreds, etc.) have quickly gained acceptance as effective, though somewhat expensive, post-fire hillslope stabilization treatments and are frequently recommended when values-at-risk warrant protection. This change has been motivated by research that shows the proportion of exposed mineral soil (or conversely, the propor- tion of ground cover) to be the primary treatment factor controlling post-fire hillslope erosion. Erosion barrier treatments provide little ground cover and have been shown to be less effective than mulch, especially during short-duration, high intensity rainfall events. In addition, innovative options for producing and applying mulch materials have adapted these materials for use on large burned areas that are inaccessible by road. -
Brief Communication: Meteorological and Climatological Conditions
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 18, 3037–3043, 2018 https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-18-3037-2018 © Author(s) 2018. This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. Brief communication: Meteorological and climatological conditions associated with the 9 January 2018 post-fire debris flows in Montecito and Carpinteria, California, USA Nina S. Oakley1,2, Forest Cannon2, Robert Munroe3, Jeremy T. Lancaster4, David Gomberg3, and F. Martin Ralph2 1Western Regional Climate Center, Desert Research Institute, 2215 Raggio Parkway, Reno, Nevada 89512, USA 2Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA 92093, USA 3National Weather Service, Oxnard/Los Angeles, 520 N. Elevar St., Oxnard, CA 93030, USA 4California Geological Survey, 801 K St., Sacramento, CA 95814, USA Correspondence: Nina S. Oakley ([email protected]) Received: 20 June 2018 – Discussion started: 26 June 2018 Revised: 8 October 2018 – Accepted: 25 October 2018 – Published: 19 November 2018 Abstract. The Thomas Fire burned 114 078 ha in Santa rainfall intensity of 24 mm h−1 (USGS, 2018a; Fig. S1 in the Barbara and Ventura counties, southern California, during Supplement). December 2017–January 2018. On 9 January 2018, high- In the first significant rainfall event of the wet season on 9 intensity rainfall occurred over the Thomas Fire burn area January 2018, high-intensity rainfall occurred over the west- in the mountains above the communities of Montecito and ernmost portion of the Thomas Fire burn area between 11:30 Carpinteria, initiating multiple devastating debris flows. The and 12:00 UTC (03:30–04:00 LST). -
CREEK FIRE INCIDENT UPDATE Date
CREEK FIRE INCIDENT UPDATE Date: 10/08/2020 Time: 9:00 AM Fire Information: 844-668-3473 South Zone Media Line: 559-790-6374 @SierraNF @NRWMT North Zone Media Line: 844-668-3473 Incident Email: [email protected] @MaderaSheriff @FresnoSheriff Incident Website: www.fire.ca.gov @FresnoCoFire @CALFIREFresnoCoFire https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7147/ @CALFIREMMU @CALFIREMMU @CAL_FIRE @CALFIRE INCIDENT FACTS Incident Start Date: 09/04 /2020 Incident Start Time: 6:33 p.m. Incident Type: Wildland Fire Cause: Under Investigation Incident Location: Both sides of the San Joaquin River near Mammoth Pool, Shaver Lake, Big Creek and Huntington Lake. Forest/CAL FIRE Units: Sierra National Forest, CAL FIRE Units Fresno-Kings and Madera-Mariposa-Merced Unified Command Agencies: Northern Rockies Team 4, CAL FIRE, California Team 5, Fresno and Madera County Sheriffs Size: 330,899 Containment: 49% Firefighter Injuries/Fatalities: 15 injuries/0 fatalities Expected Full Containment: 10/31/2020 Structures Threatened: 119 Structures Destroyed: 856* Structures Damaged: 71* CURRENT SITUATION Current Weather Information: Situation: Seasonally mild temperatures will remain present through the end of the week. A change in weather system will bring higher humidity which will influence fuels to gain moisture also. While measurable rainfall is not expected, the higher relative humidity will begin to slow the fire’s progress. Smoke will remain present overnight and in morning with general air quality improving in the afternoons as winds develop. Critical fire weather conditions are not expected through Saturday. Fresno County-SOUTH ZONE: The Sierra National Forest will allow individuals who were evacuated from campgrounds, camping areas and cabins in the South Zone of the fire an opportunity to return and collect their belongings again this weekend, October 10 and 11. -
Wildfires City of Newport Beach, California SECTION 8: WILDFIRES
Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan Section 8 – Wildfires City of Newport Beach, California SECTION 8: WILDFIRES Table of Contents Why Are Wildfires a Threat to Newport Beach? ............................................ 8-1 Historic Fires in Newport Beach and Vicinity ......................................................................... 8-1 Historic Fires in California ............................................................................................................ 8-2 Wildfire Characteristics ..................................................................................... 8-6 The Interface ................................................................................................................................... 8-6 Fuel ..................................................................................................................................................... 8-7 Topography ...................................................................................................................................... 8-7 Weather ............................................................................................................................................ 8-8 Urban Development ....................................................................................................................... 8-8 Wildfire Hazard Identification and Regulatory Context................................. 8-9 HUD Study System ....................................................................................................................... -
South Coast AQMD Continues Smoke Advisory Due to Bobcat Fire and El Dorado Fire
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 16, 2020 MEDIA CONTACT: Bradley Whitaker, (909) 396-3456, Cell: (909) 323-9516 Nahal Mogharabi, (909) 396-3773, Cell: (909) 837-2431 [email protected] South Coast AQMD Continues Smoke Advisory Due to Bobcat Fire and El Dorado Fire Valid: Wednesday, September 16, through Thursday, September 17, 2020 This advisory is in effect through Thursday evening. South Coast AQMD will issue an update if additional information becomes available. Two major local wildfires as well as wildfires in Northern and Central California are affecting air quality in the region. A wildfire named the Bobcat Fire is burning north of Azusa and Monrovia in the Angeles National Forest. As of 6:50 a.m. on Wednesday, the burn area was approximately 44,393 acres with 3% containment. Current information on the Bobcat Fire can be found on the Incident Information System (InciWeb) at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7152. A wildfire named the El Dorado Fire is burning in the San Bernardino Mountains near Yucaipa in San Bernardino County. As of 6:51 a.m. on Wednesday, the burn area was reported at 18,092 acres with 60% containment. Current information on the El Dorado Fire can be found on the Incident Information System at: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7148/. In addition, smoke from fires in Central California, Northern California, Oregon, and Washington are also being transported south and may impact air quality in the South Coast Air Basin and Coachella Valley. Past and Current Smoke and Ash Impacts Both the Bobcat Fire and the El Dorado fires are producing substantial amounts of smoke on Wednesday morning. -
The 2007 Southern California Wildfires: Lessons in Complexity
fire The 2007 Southern California Wildfires: Lessons in Complexity s is evidenced year after year, the na- ture of the “fire problem” in south- Jon E. Keeley, Hugh Safford, C.J. Fotheringham, A ern California differs from most of Janet Franklin, and Max Moritz the rest of the United States, both by nature and degree. Nationally, the highest losses in ϳ The 2007 wildfire season in southern California burned over 1,000,000 ac ( 400,000 ha) and property and life caused by wildfire occur in included several megafires. We use the 2007 fires as a case study to draw three major lessons about southern California, but, at the same time, wildfires and wildfire complexity in southern California. First, the great majority of large fires in expansion of housing into these fire-prone southern California occur in the autumn under the influence of Santa Ana windstorms. These fires also wildlands continues at an enormous pace cost the most to contain and cause the most damage to life and property, and the October 2007 fires (Safford 2007). Although modest areas of were no exception because thousands of homes were lost and seven people were killed. Being pushed conifer forest in the southern California by wind gusts over 100 kph, young fuels presented little barrier to their spread as the 2007 fires mountains experience the same negative ef- reburned considerable portions of the area burned in the historic 2003 fire season. Adding to the size fects of long-term fire suppression that are of these fires was the historic 2006–2007 drought that contributed to high dead fuel loads and long evident in other western forests (e.g., high distance spotting. -
Major Fires in San Diego County History
Major fires in San Diego County history September 1913: Barona fire burned 65,470 acres. September 1928: Witch Creek fire near Santa Ysabel charred 33,240 acres. September 1928: Beauty Peak fire near the Riverside County border in the North County blackened 67,000 acres. October 1943: Hauser Creek fire in the Cleveland National Forest, at least 9 firefighters dead (including 7 marines), 72 injuries and 10,000 acres burned. August 1944: Laguna Junction fire burned 60,000 acres August 1950: Conejos Fire charred 64,000 acres. [Month unknown] 1952: Cuyamaca fire burned 64,000 acres November 1956: Inaja fire killed 11 firefighters and burned 43,904 acres near Julian. September 26-Oct. 3 1970: The Laguna fire, the county's largest fire in modern times, burned 175,425 acres, killed eight people and destroyed 382 homes. In 24 hours the fire burned from near Mount Laguna into the outskirts of El Cajon and Spring Valley. September 1978: PSA Crash in North Park June 1985: Normal Heights fire destroyed or damaged 116 houses, causing $8.6 million in damage. October 1993: Guejito fire east of Escondido charred 20,000 acres and destroyed 18 houses. Estimated $1.25 million damage. October 1996: Harmony Grove fire burned 8,600 acres, from Harmony Grove west of Escondido to La Costa, destroying nearly 110 homes and killing one man. August 1997: Lake Wohlford fire northeast of Escondido - an arson blaze - destroyed seven houses and burned 500 acres. October 1999: La Jolla Fire (La Jolla Indian Reservation) burned approximately 7,800 acres and 1 firefighter died. -
Evergreen Fire Protection District Jefferson and Clear Creek Counties, Colorado
2020 Evergreen Fire Protection District Jefferson and Clear Creek Counties, Colorado F Community Wildfire Protection Plan EVERGREEN FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLAN 2020 UPDATE Prepared for Evergreen Fire/Rescue 1802 Bergen Pkwy, Evergreen, Colorado 80439 Prepared by Forest Stewards Guild 170 2nd Street SW Loveland, CO 80537 1 CONTENTS Evergreen Fire Protection District ............................................................................................................................1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................5 Evergreen’s Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) .......................................................................................................6 Fire History ..................................................................................................................................................................8 Catastrophic Wildfire – Common Factors .........................................................................................................9 Ignition Prevention ................................................................................................................................................. 10 Evergreen’s Preparedness for Wildfire ................................................................................................................. 11 Community Accomplishments since first CWPP .........................................................................................