July 05, 2008
Basin Complex Fire; Evening July 5
Record temperatures are forecast for the Big Sur coast beginning Monday. Winds to 15 mph from the north and N/W will (generally) prevail as temperatures reach 90 degrees in some spots.Milder weather over the last week has allowed Basin Complex commanders to squeeze the most out of their exhausted troops. In the last 2 days 600 firefighters and support personnel were added to the ranks bringing the total to 2,318.
Thirty nine structures have burned, 22 were homes. No commercial building have been destroyed.
According to the evening fire report the fire has now burned over 71,000 acres and is 5% contained. The fire is burning actively on four fronts. The west front is the evacuated town of Big Sur. It's the least active at the moment but fire command expects this to change sometime in the next 72 hours.
Filed in the ICS-209 report filed tonight:
"72 hours: Strong off shore flow in the evening will push fire west towards the coast."
Remaining residents should take heed. Any significant change of wind speed and direction could certainly push the fire down canyon and into town.
Tomorrow fire crews from the air and ground will work hard in preparation for the changing weather. Commander Deitrich has maintained for over a week the fire will grow to 170,000 acres. Certainly he doesn't want to see that.
Other notes from the July 5 pm fire report;
"Projected incident movement/spread 12, 24, 48, and 72 hour time frames:12 hours:
West Zone: Fire should continue to grow on all flanks. Fire movement to the south and north will continue during periods of active fire behavior. East Zone: Fire movement is expected to the east-northeast into the East Zone and toward Tassajara Rd and southwest towards Rodeo Flats. 24 hours: Fire is expected to spread south towards Dolan Canyon, southeast towards Rodeo Flats Trail and north towards Cachagua. East Zone: Fire movement is expected to the east-northeast into the East Zone and toward Tassajara Rd and southwest towards Rodeo Flats. 48 hours: Fire is expected to spread south towards Dolan Canyon, southeast towards Rodeo Flats Trail, to the east towards Tassajara Road and north towards Cachagua. 72 hours: Strong off shore flow in the evening will push fire west towards the coast.
Major problems and concerns
West Zone: Fire continues to be very active on the northern and southern flanks and is threatening the communities of BIG SUR, CARMEL and LUCIA. Crews are holding the dozer line with limited resources. Structures, heavy fuel loads due to sudden oak death and active fire behavior on the southern end and north of Pfeiffer State Park are challenging containment actions. East Zone: Numerous structures and improvements located in the proximity to Carmel Valley Road and Tassajara Road areas with limited access. Extremely steep and rugged terrain with continuous heavy fuel loading. HEBM is needed for military assets.
Remarks:
The fire has entered into the community of BIG SUR on the east side. The Basin Complex is in unified command with the USFS Dietrich (west), McGowan (east), CalFire R. Hutchinson, Big Sur VFB and Mid-Coast FB and Monterey County Sheriff's Office. Cost breakdown west: $15,111,000. east: $4,500,000. Personnel: West 1207 East: 1111. Additional 16 miles of line to build includes contingency line to the north near Carmel Valley."
(edited 9:50 pm)
Labels: 2008 Fire Season, Basin Complex, Big Sur, Butler 2 Fire, California Firestorm 2008
September 18, 2007
Butler II Fire, Snow Possible Later In Week
I finally found a scanner link to air and ground nets for the Butler 2 Fire. Containment is at 53% and revised acreage is around 14,000. 2,400 firefighters are assigned but the main actors on this show is air attack and their cast.
These experienced pilots worked together to choke out the fire before it could stuff Fawnskin. Make no mistake, Fawnskin would have been barbecued had it not been for the directed attack by air tankers and helicopters.
Listening to the (amazingly addictive) scanner traffic you hear the dozer operators piping in once in awhile, detectable by the clatter of their diesel engine and steel tracks. This is a familiar and welcomed sound if you are a ground slug. They generally work on slopes under 60 degrees. Hand crews cut line on the steeper slopes.
Bulldozer operators don't get a ton of credit by media but they are possibly the smartest guys on the fire line. They cut where necessary relying on intuition, mostly work alone and give the best bang for the buck than any other piece of equipment in the forest. Unsung heroes for sure. Also if a dozer is on a fire they are working! You don't catch them breaking off for a coffee fire.
Watching the evening news from Los Angeles two channels focused on one of the Fawnskin restaurants where the workers have been feeding idle (bored) structure protection engine crews free of charge day and night as a sign of appreciation.
The restaurant profiled is;
These experienced pilots worked together to choke out the fire before it could stuff Fawnskin. Make no mistake, Fawnskin would have been barbecued had it not been for the directed attack by air tankers and helicopters.
Listening to the (amazingly addictive) scanner traffic you hear the dozer operators piping in once in awhile, detectable by the clatter of their diesel engine and steel tracks. This is a familiar and welcomed sound if you are a ground slug. They generally work on slopes under 60 degrees. Hand crews cut line on the steeper slopes.
Bulldozer operators don't get a ton of credit by media but they are possibly the smartest guys on the fire line. They cut where necessary relying on intuition, mostly work alone and give the best bang for the buck than any other piece of equipment in the forest. Unsung heroes for sure. Also if a dozer is on a fire they are working! You don't catch them breaking off for a coffee fire.
Watching the evening news from Los Angeles two channels focused on one of the Fawnskin restaurants where the workers have been feeding idle (bored) structure protection engine crews free of charge day and night as a sign of appreciation.
The restaurant profiled is;
39226 North Shore Dr, Fawnskin, CA
(909) 866-5879
If I am ever in Fawnskin they have my business!
If I am ever in Fawnskin they have my business!
Labels: 2007 fire season, Butler 2 Fire, Butler II Fire
September 17, 2007
Butler 2 Fire Tanker 492 Down, NO INJURIES
The scanner transcription from Rim Of The World included in the last 30 minutes;
1:12 PM "{pilot} "just had a engine failure, over the lake, going to put it in the field"; {another broadcast} "I think we just had an engine failure in one of the SEATS"
1:21 PM "Tanker 492; no apparent injuries"
SEAT - Single Engine Air Tanker, generally a contract tanker
(pic above is not tanker 492)
1:12 PM "{pilot} "just had a engine failure, over the lake, going to put it in the field"; {another broadcast} "I think we just had an engine failure in one of the SEATS"
1:21 PM "Tanker 492; no apparent injuries"
SEAT - Single Engine Air Tanker, generally a contract tanker(pic above is not tanker 492)
Labels: 2007 fire season, Butler 2 Fire
Butler II Fire Crews Facing Wind Challenges Today
Butler II Fire perimeter map
(From Butler II ICP)
The graph below is from an experimental wind model run by U.C. Santa Barbara in concert with NASA. The model predicts winds at 20 MPH this evening.
Fire Location; Latitude and Longitude Lat: 34° 15´ 18" Long: 116° 59´ 59"
Labels: 2007 fire season, Butler 2 Fire
September 16, 2007
Battle For Fawnskin Underway
Scanner traffic being caught by Big Bear local media outfit Rim Of The World is indicating firefighters are waging hand to hand combat with the Butler II Fire as it tries to invade Fawnskin on the north shore of Big Bear Lake.
Apparently the webmaster picked up the air attack tactical net and is recording the "action" as it happens.
The transcription is riveting.
Entry 4:30 "Punch a line from just west of fire station straight south. (Fawnskin)"
Entry 5:57 "They're doing structure protection in Fawnskin; running tankers in the sse corner, so a little coordination would be great"
The map below shows the location of the of the fire station in Fawnskin.
View Larger Map
To all fire personnel, please be safe!
Apparently the webmaster picked up the air attack tactical net and is recording the "action" as it happens.
The transcription is riveting.
Entry 4:30 "Punch a line from just west of fire station straight south. (Fawnskin)"
Entry 5:57 "They're doing structure protection in Fawnskin; running tankers in the sse corner, so a little coordination would be great"
The map below shows the location of the of the fire station in Fawnskin.
View Larger Map
To all fire personnel, please be safe!
Labels: 2007 fire season, Butler 2 Fire, Fawnskin
Resources Beat A Path To Big Bear
Following this thread on Wildland Fire you get a sense of the urgency surrounding the Butler II Fire near Fawnskin. Last evening Central Valley crews were amassing at Fresno air attack base, as well strike teams were moving down from Shasta. Prado staging ground in Chino was busy with equipment and firefighters arriving before assignment.
It looks like the revised acreage is under 16,000. Wind pushed the fire away from the resort community of Green Valley Lake and the evacuation order has been lifted for residents there. The incident 209 still shows 600 structures in danger but it looks like Fawnskin is OK for now. This is a tribute to the expert ground and air attack crews that hit the fire hard last evening and through the night.
With Inciweb (based in Idaho) down again and I'm wondering if maybe the Forest Service should hit up Google, Yahoo, Microsoft or Amazon for some upgraded server space. Small trade off might be an ad or two?
It's a shame this system is not better administered, flick some switches guys.
Here is a satellite image I received by mail --> (Thanks Risk S.) You can see why the residents of Las Vegas were getting choked out by the smoke.
It looks like the revised acreage is under 16,000. Wind pushed the fire away from the resort community of Green Valley Lake and the evacuation order has been lifted for residents there. The incident 209 still shows 600 structures in danger but it looks like Fawnskin is OK for now. This is a tribute to the expert ground and air attack crews that hit the fire hard last evening and through the night.
With Inciweb (based in Idaho) down again and I'm wondering if maybe the Forest Service should hit up Google, Yahoo, Microsoft or Amazon for some upgraded server space. Small trade off might be an ad or two?
It's a shame this system is not better administered, flick some switches guys.
Here is a satellite image I received by mail --> (Thanks Risk S.) You can see why the residents of Las Vegas were getting choked out by the smoke.
Labels: 2007 fire season, Butler 2 Fire
September 15, 2007
Butler 2 Wildfire, 18,000 Acres In 24 Hours
This one exploded overnight. The fire is threatening more than one community near Big Bear.
Inciweb update:
The fire is currently about 18000 acres. Mandatory evacuations have been called for the Fawnskin area from the Big Bear Dam to The Discovery Center north of Hwy 38. An evacuatiion center has been setup at the Big Bear High School in Sugarloaf.
View Larger Map
Inciweb update:
The fire is currently about 18000 acres. Mandatory evacuations have been called for the Fawnskin area from the Big Bear Dam to The Discovery Center north of Hwy 38. An evacuatiion center has been setup at the Big Bear High School in Sugarloaf.
New Evacuations--Sept. 15, 230 pm--The entire community of Green Valley Lake is under mandatory evacuation orders. An evacuation center is being established at Rim of the World High School.
The fire has destroyed multiple residences so far. ABC Channel 7 in Los Angeles showed overhead video with multiple dark plumes emanating from the fire ground.
Tanker 910 on scene.
MORE as details come clearer.
View Larger Map
Labels: 2007 fire season, Butler 2 Fire
