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The 2017 North Bay and Southern California Fires: a Case Study
fire Article The 2017 North Bay and Southern California Fires: A Case Study Nicholas J. Nauslar 1,2,* ID , John T. Abatzoglou 3 ID and Patrick T. Marsh 2 1 Cooperative Institute for Mesoscale Meteorological Studies, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73072, USA 2 NOAA/NWS/NCEP Storm Prediction Center, Norman, OK 73072, USA; [email protected] 3 Department of Geography, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844, USA; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected] Received: 15 April 2018; Accepted: 5 June 2018; Published: 9 June 2018 Abstract: Two extreme wind-driven wildfire events impacted California in late 2017, leading to 46 fatalities and thousands of structures lost. This study characterizes the meteorological and climatological factors that drove and enabled these wildfire events and quantifies their rarity over the observational record. Both events featured key fire-weather metrics that were unprecedented in the observational record that followed a sequence of climatic conditions that enhanced fine fuel abundance and fuel availability. The North Bay fires of October 2017 occurred coincident with strong downslope winds, with a majority of burned area occurring within the first 12 h of ignition. By contrast, the southern California fires of December 2017 occurred during the longest Santa Ana wind event on record, resulting in the largest wildfire in California’s modern history. Both fire events occurred following an exceptionally wet winter that was preceded by a severe four-year drought. Fuels were further preconditioned by the warmest summer and autumn on record in northern and southern California, respectively. Finally, delayed onset of autumn precipitation allowed for critically low dead fuel moistures leading up to the wind events. -
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. -
Urban Interface (WUI) Fires
NIST Special Publication 1198 Summary of Workshop on Structure Ignition in Wildland- Urban Interface (WUI) Fires Sponsored by ASTM International E05 Committee Samuel L. Manzello Stephen L. Quarles This publication is available free of charge from: http://dx.doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.1198 NIST Special Publication 1198 Summary of Workshop on Structure Ignition in Wildland- Urban Interface (WUI) Fires Sponsored by ASTM International E05 Committee Samuel L. Manzello Fire Research Division Engineering Laboratory Stephen L. Quarles Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety Richburg, SC This publication is available free of charge from: http://dx.doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.1198 September 2015 U.S. Department of Commerce Penny Pritzker, Secretary National Institute of Standards and Technology Willie May, Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and Director Certain commercial entities, equipment, or materials may be identified in this document in order to describe an experimental procedure or concept adequately. Such identification is not intended to imply recommendation or endorsement by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, nor is it intended to imply that the entities, materials, or equipment are necessarily the best available for the purpose. The content of the oral presentations reproduced in this workshop report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent NIST’s perspective. National Institute of Standards and Technology Special Publication 1198 Natl. Inst. Stand. Technol. Spec. Publ. 1198, 82 pages (September 2015) CODEN: NSPUE2 This publication is available free of charge from: http://dx.doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.1198 Table of contents 1. Introduction 1 1.1 Workshop Objectives 1 1.2 Program of Workshop 2 1.3 Participant Listing 5 2. -
Evacuation Plan
APPENDIX J2 Evacuation Plan DRAFT Conceptual Wildland Fire Evacuation Plan for the North River Farms Community Prepared for: Oceanside Fire Department 300 North Coast Hwy Oceanside, California 92054 On behalf of Applicant: Integral Communities 2235 Encinitas Blvd., Suite 216 Encinitas, California 92024 Prepared by: 605 Third Street Encinitas, California 92024 June 2018 Printed on 30% post-consumer recycled material. Draft Conceptual Wildland Fire Evacuation Plan for The North River Farms Community TABLE OF CONTENTS Section Page No. 1 QUICK REFERENCE – CONCEPTUAL WILDLAND FIRE EVACUATION PLAN ...................................................................................................................................1 1.1 Nearest Medical Facilities ....................................................................................... 2 1.2 Register to Receive Emergency Alerts ................................................................... 9 1.3 Get Involved in Community Readiness .................................................................. 9 1.4 Evacuation Plan Purpose and Limitations ............................................................ 11 2 BACKGROUND ..............................................................................................................13 3 SAN DIEGO COUNTY EVACUATION PLANNING SUMMARY ..........................15 3.1 Evacuation Objectives .......................................................................................... 16 3.2 Evacuation Coordination Process ........................................................................ -
The Disaster Center Is Dedicated to the Idea That Disaster Mitigation Is
The Disaster Center is dedicated to the idea that disaster mitigation is cost effective and individuals pursuing their own interest are the greatest potential force for disaster reduction. Please consider making a small donation to the Disaster Center When disaster mitigation is cost effective, we are on the road to bringing disasters to an end. •Daily Operations Briefing •Thursday, May 15, 2014 8:30 a.m. EDT Significant Activity: May 14 – 15 Significant Events: • San Diego County, CA – Fires Significant Weather: • Slight risk of severe thunderstorms – Carolinas & the Mid-Atlantic States • Rain and thunderstorms – Eastern U.S. • Elevated Fire Weather – Southern CA • Red Flag Warnings – CA, & AK • Space Weather: Past 24 hours: none occurred; next 24 hours: none predicted FEMA Readiness: No significant changes Declaration Activity: • Amendment No. 2 to FEMA-4177-DR-FL • FMAGs approved for Poinsettia Fire (FEMA-5054-FM) & Cocos Fire (FEMA-5055-FM) in CA Poinsettia Fire – Carlsbad, California Fire Acres % Structures Lost / Fatalities / Location Est. Full Containment FMAG Name burned Contained Threatened Injuries Carlsbad, CA FEMA-5054-FM-CA Poinsettia Fire 250 50% N/A 11 / 2,600 0 / 0 (San Diego County) Approved May 14 Situation • Fire began May 14 in Carlsbad CA (pop. 105,328) Impacts • Evacuations implemented for 15,000 residents & 4 public schools • As of 10:40 pm PDT: Portions of the evacuations are being lifted • 8 homes, 18-unit apartment complex & 2 commercial structures have been damaged/destroyed • Palomar Airport lost power/on generator • 2,500 homes, 100 businesses, an amusement park and local schools Source: CAL FIRE threatened • Two ARC Shelters opened with 75 occupants (NSS Shelter Report May 15) Response • Reverse 911 implemented to notify approximately 11,627 homes • CA Southern Regional EOC is at Level 1 (Full Activation) • Governor declared State of Emergency for San Diego County, May 14 Cocos Fire – San Marcos, California Fire Acres % Structures Lost / Fatalities / Location Est. -
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. -
Review of California Wildfire Evacuations from 2017 to 2019
REVIEW OF CALIFORNIA WILDFIRE EVACUATIONS FROM 2017 TO 2019 STEPHEN WONG, JACQUELYN BROADER, AND SUSAN SHAHEEN, PH.D. MARCH 2020 DOI: 10.7922/G2WW7FVK DOI: 10.7922/G29G5K2R Wong, Broader, Shaheen 2 Technical Report Documentation Page 1. Report No. 2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipient’s Catalog No. UC-ITS-2019-19-b N/A N/A 4. Title and Subtitle 5. Report Date Review of California Wildfire Evacuations from 2017 to 2019 March 2020 6. Performing Organization Code ITS-Berkeley 7. Author(s) 8. Performing Organization Report Stephen D. Wong (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3638-3651), No. Jacquelyn C. Broader (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3269-955X), N/A Susan A. Shaheen, Ph.D. (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3350-856X) 9. Performing Organization Name and Address 10. Work Unit No. Institute of Transportation Studies, Berkeley N/A 109 McLaughlin Hall, MC1720 11. Contract or Grant No. Berkeley, CA 94720-1720 UC-ITS-2019-19 12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address 13. Type of Report and Period The University of California Institute of Transportation Studies Covered www.ucits.org Final Report 14. Sponsoring Agency Code UC ITS 15. Supplementary Notes DOI: 10.7922/G29G5K2R 16. Abstract Between 2017 and 2019, California experienced a series of devastating wildfires that together led over one million people to be ordered to evacuate. Due to the speed of many of these wildfires, residents across California found themselves in challenging evacuation situations, often at night and with little time to escape. These evacuations placed considerable stress on public resources and infrastructure for both transportation and sheltering. -
The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Pacific Southwest Chapter
The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Pacific Southwest Chapter Emmy® Award Nominations May 2018 Newscast - Evening - Larger Markets Noticias Univision Nevada - Masacre en Las Vegas, Gabriel Preciado, Juan Ulises Juarez, Nathaly Alcala, Jasmina Gonzalez, Angel Covarrubias, KINC O.J. Simpson Granted Parole, Christianne Klein, KLAS 10News at 7:00pm: Storm Pounds San Diego, Michael Rozzen, KGTV Chargers Leave San Diego, Louis Weiner, Barbara Richards, Dean Elwood, CBS News 8 Breaking News, One October Mass Shooting, Mark Neerman, Dree De Clamecy, Kenny Ramis, Gerard Ramalho, Latoya Silmon, Reed Abplanalp-Cowan, Nathan O'Neal, Amanda Marie Polito, Robert Guerrero, Julia Romero Minnix, Christy Douglas, Ryan Goodman, Stephanie Wheatley, KSNV 1 October Aftermath, Suzanne Herman, Ryan Dunn, Fox 5 Las Vegas The Now San Diego: Chain Reaction Water Main Break, Malcolm Hoyle, Ariel Wesler, KGTV Tragedy in Las Vegas, Tessie Sanchez, Mike Dello Stritto, Tricia Kean, Bryan Scofield, Carla Wade, KTNV 10News at 11:00pm: Lilac Fire Tears through San Diego, Lori Rosehart, Sarah Cowan, Brian Shlonsky, Bree Steffen, Anthony Pura, Rayan Graham, Kimberly Hunt, KGTV Noticiero Telemundo 20, Cuenta Con Nosotros, Diana Diaz, Judith Equihua, Pablo Zamora, Rigoberto Villalobos, Ana Cristina Sanchez, Victor Rodriguez Tafoya, Guadalupe Venegas, Lizzet Lopez, MJ Acosta, Dita Quinones, Telemundo 20 11pm KSNV One October, Ryan Goodman, Marie Mortera, Gerard Ramalho, Ken Takahashi, KSNV Newscast - Evening - Smaller Markets 17 News at 5pm - A Fallen -
6Th Cycle Regional Housing Needs Assessment Plan Acknowledgments
FINAL July 10, 2020 6th Cycle Regional Housing Needs Assessment Plan Acknowledgments Many individuals aided in the preparation of materials contained in the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) Plan. In particular, the cooperation and involvement of the following San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) committees and working groups are acknowledged: Regional Planning Technical Working Group and Housing Stakeholders Community-Based Organizations Working Group Regional Planning Committee Regional Housing Needs Assessment Subcommittee SANDAG Staff: Hasan Ikhrata, Executive Director Ray Traynor, Chief Planning and Innovation Officer Coleen Clementson, Director of Regional Planning Ray Major, Chief Data Analytics Officer/Chief Economist Julie Wiley, Director of Contracts and Grants Seth Litchney, Project Manager/Senior Regional Planner Daniel Flyte, Senior Programmer Analyst Rachel Cortes, Senior Researcher and Modeler Grace Chung, Senior GIS Analyst Audrey Porcella, Grants Planning Associate Samantha Foulke, Associate Legal Counsel Tom King, Associate Researcher and Modeler Aremy Barrera, Document Processing Specialist III Karyn Thompson, Associate Graphic Designer Ryan Chung, Associate Graphic Designer Samuel Solis, Regional Planning Intern Jose Luis Ayala, Former Regional Planning Intern Contents Executive Summary ......................................................................................................................................... 3 Introduction................................................................................................................................................... -
CAL FIRE Border Impact Statistics
BORDER AGENCY FIRE COUNCIL The Harris Fire Year End Report 2007 1 2 What is BAFC? – The concerned citizens of the United States and Mexico formed the Border Agency Fire Council. It is a consortium of government and private entities, emergency responders, environmental specialists, law enforcement, fire protection, and elected officials. It began under emergency conditions and has proven to be an extremely successful collaboration. People are alive today because of BAFC. Threatened habitat is protected and even improved because of this program. An unprecedented bi-national mutual assistance agreement is in place and working because of this program. The members of BAFC have worked without judgment or malice toward their fellow human being. From the beginning, their motivation has been primarily to save lives and protect the sensitive habitat of the border area. Thirty-four organizations make up BAFC; a list of members is at the end of this report. The members meet quarterly during the winter and every six to eight weeks during fire season. They meet at the San Diego headquarters of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) in El Cajon, California. Through collaborative effort, they have altered the environment to allow better access into the wildland for emergency responders, while respecting the natural values of the area. They have enhanced communication among emergency responders on both sides of the U.S. - Mexico border. They have reached out to people in both countries with safety messages in Spanish and English. This report provides a brief description of the many projects the Council and agencies have accomplished this year and ongoing projects started in other years yet still active today. -
Fire Protection Plan
FIRE PROTECTION PLAN Ocean Breeze Ranch PDS2015-TM-5615 North County Fire Protection District San Diego County May 17, 2019 (revised July 11, 2019) Prepared for: Ocean Breeze Ranch, LLC Jim Conrad 1550 S. Coast Highway, Suite 201 Laguna Beach, CA 92651 Revision Prepared by: Mel Johnson Senior Wildland Fire Associate, FIREWISE 2000, Inc. Reviewed and Certified by: David C. Bacon, Certified Fire Consultant President Emeritus, FIREWISE 2000, Inc. 1320 Scenic Drive, Escondido, CA 92029 760-745-3947 [email protected] TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1 Project Location 2 Project Description 2 Environmental Setting 3 2.0 GUIDELINES FOR THE DETERMINATION OF SIGNIFICANCE 4 3.0 ANTICIPATED FIRE BEHAVIOR IN THE VICINITY 5 On-Site Vegetation 6 Off-Site Vegetation 7 4.0 ANALYSIS OF PROJECT EFFECTS 7 Adequate Emergency Services 7 Fire Apparatus Access 7 Water Supply 8 4.4 Resistant Construction and Fire Protection Systems -Residential 9 Fire Fuel Assessment 9 4.6 Fire Behavior Modeling 10 Defensible Space and Vegetation Management 13 Cumulative Impact Analysis 14 5.0 EVACUATION PLAN 15 6.0 MITIGATION MEASURES AND DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS 15 7.0 CONCLUSION 15 8.0 LIST OF PREPARERS, PERSONS, AND ORGANIZATIONS CONTACTED 16 TECHNICAL APPENDICES 17-40 APPENDIX A – SITE PLAN & PROJECT BOUNDARY FOR OCEAN BREEZE RANCH APPENDIX B – VEGETATION MAP EXHIBIT APPENDIX C - FIRE BEHAVIOR PROJECTIONS/CALCULATIONS & 2017 LILAC FIRE MAP APPENDIX D – EVACUATION PLAN APPENDIX E – INTERIM EVACUATION ROUTE (IER) APPENDIX F – OBR PHASING PLAN APPENDIX G – WATER SERVICE AVAILABILITY FORM 399W APPENDIX H – FIRE SERVICE AVAILABILITY FORM 399F APPENDIX I – SAN DIEGO COUNTY UNDESIRABLE PLANT LIST APPENDIX J – LITERATURE REFERENCES APPENDIX K – PROJECT PHOTOS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Ocean Breeze Ranch (OBR) development is a planned residential community located in north San Diego County, in the unincorporated community of Bonsall. -
Evaluating the Ability of FARSITE to Simulate Wildfires Influenced by Extreme, Downslope Winds in Santa Barbara, California
fire Article Evaluating the Ability of FARSITE to Simulate Wildfires Influenced by Extreme, Downslope Winds in Santa Barbara, California Katelyn Zigner 1,* , Leila M. V. Carvalho 1,2 , Seth Peterson 1, Francis Fujioka 3, Gert-Jan Duine 2 , Charles Jones 1,2, Dar Roberts 1,2 and Max Moritz 1,2,4 1 Department of Geography, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA; [email protected] (L.M.V.C.); [email protected] (S.P.); [email protected] (C.J.); [email protected] (D.R.); [email protected] (M.M.) 2 Earth Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA; [email protected] 3 CEESMO, Chapman University, Orange, CA 92866, USA; [email protected] 4 University of California Cooperative Extension, Agriculture and Natural Resources Division, Oakland, CA 94607, USA * Correspondence: [email protected] Received: 12 June 2020; Accepted: 7 July 2020; Published: 10 July 2020 Abstract: Extreme, downslope mountain winds often generate dangerous wildfire conditions. We used the wildfire spread model Fire Area Simulator (FARSITE) to simulate two wildfires influenced by strong wind events in Santa Barbara, CA. High spatial-resolution imagery for fuel maps and hourly wind downscaled to 100 m were used as model inputs, and sensitivity tests were performed to evaluate the effects of ignition timing and location on fire spread. Additionally, burn area rasters from FARSITE simulations were compared to minimum travel time rasters from FlamMap simulations, a wildfire model similar to FARSITE that holds environmental variables constant. Utilization of two case studies during strong winds revealed that FARSITE was able to successfully reconstruct the spread rate and size of wildfires when spotting was minimal.