SA Firefighter
General Discussion => SA Firefighter General => Topic started by: bajdas on June 23, 2008, 04:40:20 PM
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Lightning sparks hundreds of fires in California
source: http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/06/22/california.wildfires.ap/index.html
Lightning sparks hundreds of fires in California
Story Highlights
Lightning sparks hundreds of fires around Northern California
Fire spreads across 6 square miles in Solano, Napa counties
Wildfires have destroyed at least 125 homes in Northern California this year
Fire threatened more than 100 buildings 40 miles southwest of Sacramento
SAN FRANCISCO, California (AP) -- Hundreds of wildfires sparked by lightning flared Sunday across the heart of wine country and remote forests in Northern California, the latest batch of destructive blazes in the bone-dry state.
One had spread across nearly 6 square miles (15 1/2 square kilometers) by early Sunday after starting the previous afternoon in Napa County and quickly moving into a mostly rural area of Solano County.
The fire threatened more than 100 buildings as it fed on grassy woodland about 40 miles (64 kilometers) southwest of Sacramento, said Roger Archey, a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire.
It was 35 percent contained Sunday evening and had destroyed one home, officials said. Evacuations were ordered for some residents, said agency spokeswoman Nancy Carniglia.Watch wildfires burn in Napa ยป
Wildfires have destroyed more than 175 homes in Northern California so far this year. Blazes started popping up in the region just as California's unofficial fire season began in mid-May, following the state's driest two-month period on record.
Two small blazes about 25 miles (40 kilometers) south of San Jose forced several residents from their homes Sunday. Both were partially contained, and officials said most residents would be let back into their homes by Monday. Those fires were also blamed on lightning.
Thunderstorms were responsible for as many as 75 fires in Shasta-Trinity National Forest, about 160 miles (257 kilometers) north of Sacramento. None immediately threatened homes, said Forest Service spokesman Michael Odle.
Mendocino County had as many as 90 fires, charring nearly 8 square miles (21 square kilometers), Cal Fire officials said.
South of San Francisco, a fire that started Friday in Santa Cruz County and destroyed homes and closed a stretch of highway was contained after charring just less than a square mile (2.59 sq. kilometer). Evacuation orders were lifted Saturday, a day after roughly 2,000 people fled their homes.
It was the third major blaze to hit Santa Cruz County in the past month. A 520-acre (210-hectare) blaze destroyed 11 buildings in the Santa Cruz Mountains, and a fire near Corralitos covered more than 4,200 acres (1,700 hectares) and destroyed about 100 buildings.
Along the coast in the Los Padres National Forest, a wildfire burning since Saturday forced 75 homes and businesses to be evacuated. And just miles (kilometers) away, firefighters worked to stanch a huge fire that has destroyed two homes since it began two weeks ago. It was nearly 60 percent contained after charring 83 square miles (215 square kilometers).
In southern New Mexico, firefighters burned out vegetation along a forest road to stop a 67-square-mile (173-sq. kilometer) wildfire. The fire was 35 percent contained Sunday, fire information officer Deanna Younger said.
Two other lightning-sparked wildfires also had burned nearly 47 square miles (122 sq. kilometers). One was west of Roswell in southern New Mexico and the other west of Raton in the northern part of the state.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
All AboutCalifornia Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
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They have called for help from with in the USA the first time that LA COUNTY has done this in its history,stange one end of the USA is flooding and the other is on fire...
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Lets hope that the rain which has caused the flooding heads their way....SOON :-o
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Why not donate some refurbished 34s and 24s to the Yankees :-P so they can stop the running fires
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Why not donate some refurbished 34s and 24s to the Yankees :-P so they can stop the running fires
Complete with Strike Teams :-D
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... Because they would laugh..
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The biggest fire they have is 100,000acres and te rest are all small and the hope they will burn themself's out...
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THE CALL HAS GONE OUT FOR HELP
Aussie crews going to battle US blazes
July 12, 2008, 11:54 am
A contingent of Australian and New Zealand firefighters is preparing to head for the United States to help battle devastating forest fires.
More than 60 blazes are ravaging the US, with about 1.2 million hectares falling victim to fire this year - almost the yearly average in just six months.
NSW emergency services minister Nathan Rees on Saturday formally farewelled 10 emergency personnel, including five firefighters and five national parks and forest workers.
They are among a team of 44 Australians and New Zealanders scheduled to leave for California this weekend.
"The US National Interagency Fire Centre formally requested the assistance the Iemma government had no hesitation in agreeing to the request," Mr Rees said.
The team will relieve local fire crews in remote areas, and provide expert advice on tactics and strategy.
Australian firefighters were last deployed to the US in 2006, when they were responsible for coordinating thousands of fire personnel.
NSW heads the contingent with 10 personnel, followed by Victoria's nine, Western Australia's eight, the ACT's four, Tasmania's three, one from South Australia and nine from New Zealand.
California is the worst-hit area, with 24 bushfires, while a further four are raging in the neighbouring desert state of Arizona.
One person was found dead overnight inside a burned-out house after a wind-fuelled wildfire swept through a rural community in California's Sierra Nevada foothills.
Investigators believe the person died in the fire in the town of Concow, but an autopsy will be needed to confirm the cause of death.
all the best to all our firefighter australian and new zealand hope for a safe return for all
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Any idea on the South Aussie?
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Any idea on the South Aussie?
Someone from DEH :wink:
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Any idea on the South Aussie?
Someone from DEH :wink:
And someone very high up in DEH at that!
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I cant believe there sending that DH. :roll:
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I cant believe there sending that DH. :roll:
They asked for an expert in controlled burns.
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I cant believe there sending that DH. :roll:
JC hoping that "DH" was a grammatical error to go along with your other error. The representative from DEH selected, would be one of the most appropriate that we could have been sent, maybe a little envious?
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Ian Tanner from DEH is heading over.
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Far from envious Jaff just know the bloke, and we have seen how well DEH burns have gone recently. :wink:
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Far from envious Jaff just know the bloke, and we have seen how well DEH burns have gone recently. :wink:
JC if you attempted the same amount of controlled burns that DEH did every year, you might just have a few over acheivements yourself, that is unless you've never made a mistake. Still stand by my statement, Tanner is one of the most appropriate person,s we could have sent.
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Yeah fair call.
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Get ya teeth into this site!! http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2008/07/californias_continuing_fires.html
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WOW
strike team + C-17 = lets go
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They are some awesome pics, that pic of the huge as hell 00 bomber dropping retardant before that house is fantastic.