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November 18, 2008

Socal Firestorm Losses Tallied

 
Firestorm numbers:

  1. 934 Homes Destroyed
  2. 42,000 Acres Burned,
  3. 21 Firefighters Injured
  4. $25 Mil. Suppression Costs

The Freeway Complex


Location: Orange County communities of Yorba Linda, Anaheim Hills, Anaheim and Corona in Riverside County.

Start Date November 15, 2008 at 9:00 am.
29,000 Acres
155 homes destroyed
104 homes damaged
9 firefighters injured
11 Million dollars in fire suppression costs (to date)
3,700 Firefighters assigned (at peak)

Sayre Fire

Location: Sylmar, Los Angeles County

Start Date November 14, 2008 at 10:30 pm
11,200 Acres
579 Homes destroyed
138 Homes damaged
124 Outbuildings (other) buildings destroyed
2 Firefighters injured
8 Million dollars in fire suppression cost (to date)
1,400 Firefighters assigned (at peak)

Tea Fire

Location Montecito, Santa Barbara County

Start Date November 13, 2008 5:30 pm
1,900 Acres
210 Homes destroyed
9 Homes damaged
10 Firefighters injured
5.7 Million dollars in fire suppression costs
1,900 Firefighter assigned (at peak)

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November 16, 2008

The Battle For Hollydale Mobilehome Estates 11/15/08

 
The Hollydale Mobilehome Estates community was spared destruction by fast moving flames in Carbon Canyon last night. At approximately 2200 hours CBS2 helicopter pilot/reporter Larry Welk showed an overhead shot of a massive flame front racing uphill towards the mobile home park (map below).

Welk, a veteran fire reporter prepped viewers for a potentially tragic meeting of fire and private property.

Against swirling winds Welk held the overhead shot for more than 1/2 hour as flames leaped towards their target. As the fire approached the 50 home park the wind ceased as if on cue. As the first of the now slower flames came within range firefighters braced for the attack training straight streams of water at the approaching flame wall.

Blunting the fire head firefighters forced the fire to the northwest flank of the neighborhood. Firefighters armed with water guarded homes on the perimeter and expertly herded the fire out and away from the park.

This was a textbook structure protection maneuver. CalFire and the USFS should ask for the film from CBS2 and use it in training. Welk painted an accurate picture, this was a David vs Goliath moment, the newsroom anchors saw it that way too. Had the wind not let up this may have had a different ending. As it was no homes burned and no firefighters were injured.

Something that Welk missed and considering the darkness I cannot confirm. When the flames were about 80 yards from the first home what looked like a spot fire erupted between the main fire and the homes. The "spot" was immediately sucked into the main flame front and had the effect of halting the pace. I thought at the time this might have been a flare thrown from a firefighter and I believe now it was. That is what I would have done.

This backfire is what knocked Goliath to one knee.

The LA Times wrote about it. I watched it live and it rated 5 star on the drama-meter.


View Larger Map

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August 06, 2008

Helicopter Down In The Trinity Alps

 
A contract helicopter shuttling fire crews near the Buckhorn Fire near Junction City in Trinity County crashed Tuesday night. According to AP via Fire Rescue 1 nine are feared dead.

WildlandFire.com has a discussion and updates on the tragedy.

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July 25, 2008

Basin Complex Scars 152,000 Acres, End Near

 
Basin Complex command estimates the final total acreage will be 162,818 with a final cost of $78,000,000.
Current containment is estimated is at 79% though a containment line has been around the perimeter for more than a week. Firefighters are burning out any green left inside lines, dropping snags and removing equipment.

Full scale demobilization of the remaining 1,400 fire personnel will begin on July 30.

It turns out the Pico Blanco Boy Scout camp sustained damage. Earlier reports suggested the camp came away undamaged. Firefighters were positioned at the camp as the fire swept through. According to The Californian most of the buildings were saved but some infrastructure and the camp ranger's house burned.

Surely the entire camp would have been destroyed had firefighters pulled out. Kudos to the crews that battled the flames in that canyon.

The combined acreage between the Basin Complex and the adjoining Indians Fire will exceed 240,000. Though the fires merged they will be treated as separate events. It's noteworthy the total area burned between the linked fires place it at number three on the list of largest California wildfires in state history.

While the two fires will keep their own identity they are being managed as one by the Basin ICS team. A reference is mentioned in today's morning report.

"Actions planned for next operational period:
Day Operations: In the areas of Paloma Creek, Miller and River Canyons, continue mop up and patrol. Continue interior burnout operations South of the Los Padres Dam as needed and mop up. Complete burning operations and mop up around Arroyo Seco. Provide contingency resources and mop up for the affected area of Tanbark. The Southern perimeter will be patrolled by air. Begin rehab for the East Basin and continue rehab for the Indians Fire. "

Here is an image from GeoMAC captured at 1700hrs today July 25. You can clearly see how the Basin command are blackening all green areas within the burn.

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July 20, 2008

Tale of Two Learning Centers, U.C. Berkeley & San Francisco Zen Center

 
Both maintain learning retreats in the same forest, both share a similar mission of teaching. Both respect the land they occupy. Both strive to do right by nature and society.

The University of California's Hastings Reserve is one of 36 reserves in the Nature Reserve Systems maintained by the University of California. The NRS mission statement;

"The mission of the Natural Reserve System is to contribute to the understanding and wise management of the Earth and its natural systems by supporting university-level teaching, research, and public service at protected natural areas throughout California."

The San Francisco Zen Center maintains a mountain retreat situated in the Ventana Wilderness called the Tassjara Zen Center. The Zen Center mission includes;

"The purpose of Zen Center is to make accessible and embody the wisdom and compassion of the Buddha as expressed in the Soto Zen tradition established by Dogen Zenji in 13th-century Japan and conveyed to us by Suzuki Roshi and other Buddhist teachers...."

I followed the Tassajara story as they prepared for and then met the Basin Fire with no help. We will continue to marvel at the story of the "Tassajara Five" and the brave defense of their Center.
Here are the firefighting monks that saved the Zen Center as the Basin Fire swept in from four fronts on July 10.


Image Mako Voelkel Flickr

Here are the firefighters and equipment situated as a structure protection force at the Hastings Reserve while firing operations are conducted a couple of miles away.


Images: UC Berkeley Hastings Reserve blog

Two learning centers, two responses. The University of California research center deserves this protective force. The Buddhist center deserved help as well but was denied.

The obvious question is why?

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New Basin Complex Commander Establishes Her Presence

 
On her first full day as Basin Complex Fire incident commander Jeanne Pincha-Tulley put her public relations skills to work. I suggested here and still believe her assignment is a move by the Forest Service to repair damage caused by previous command teams on both sides of the fire.

This morning she will submit to an interview that can be heard on KUSP later today. In addition to interviews she has placed herself in front of residents for the past two days while shadowing the outgoing east side commander.

Public availability of near real time satellite mapping combined with local blogging allows a community to observe and (right or wrong) interpret fire activity. The ICS (Incident Command System) has not adjusted to meet the public relations requirements demanded and deserved by communities.

Pincha-Tulley possesses the skills to meet the demands of information hungry citizens. She is the only female running a national incident command team, and a mom. She is approachable, experienced and doesn't put on like she's leading a covert special ops. scheme in the mountains above the communities she's trying to save.

As predicted, the citizens of Lower Carmel Valley, Cachagua and Jamesburg were taken off mandatory evacuation when she took over even though a slight danger still existed. Why? Because the mandatory evacuation was understood by all to be more punitive than necessary. It was an insulting abuse of power and everyone knew it except the Monterey County Sheriff.

Pincha-Tulley obviously sat the old boys down and explained to them there is more to gain by freeing these people up than continuing with such a rigid sequestration. If you have followed the saga of the trapped residents of Cachagua and Jamesburg you know the anger and frustration reached a boiling point. Locals were actually calling for hostage negotiators to act as mediators between the Sheriff's Office and residents.

This combined with the incidents on Parrington Ridge, Apple Pie Ridge and of course the abandonment by fire personnel of Tassajara could end up being the defining legacy of an otherwise brilliant fire campaign.

As it stands the Basin Complex has burned 133,000 acres and sits at number nine all time on the list of largest wildfires in California history. The Basin Complex passed the 91,000 acre Old Fire and will certainly pass the 150k acre McNally Fire.
The combined acreage of the Indians Fire (81k acres) and Basin Complex are projected to overtake the 240k acre Zaca Fire for the number three spot.

The two fires will be likely remain separate. Though they merged before each was fully contained they had a separate genesis. One was lightning caused and the other by an errant campfire. The Indians Fire began three full weeks before the Basin Complex.

The Forest Service is mindful of these legacy fires. Ms. Pincha-Tulley is charged with rehabilitating the currently tarnished image assigned to the Basin Complex.
She is well on her way.
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July 18, 2008

A Real Live Smokey Bear Story

 
CalFire Forester Adam Deem happened on an injured black bear cub while patrolling the Moon Fire, part of the Shasta-Trinity Lightning Complex. Redding.com has the story;

"A 15-pound badly dehydrated bear cub was suffering serious burns to all four paws and crying for its missing mother, when it was found late Thursday morning by a California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection firefighter.

The cub, which also had an eye injury, has been taken to a wildlife rescue shelter in Rancho Cordova where it is hoped it will be nursed back to health."


The original Smokey Bear was saved in a similar manner by a game warden on a fire in New Mexico in the 1950.

While the bear cub will be just fine Deem has to submit to a series of rabies shots. The injured bear licked his scratched hand.


*Update: Adam Deem is doing great. "Little Smokey" is recovering under the care of staff at the Lake Tahoe Wildlife Center. Click the link to see pictures of the 8 1/2 pound orphaned cub.

The LTWC could use donations for care and treatment of Little Smokey.
(Thank you reader Tyler Dawn)

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Tassajara: Victims of USFS Bureaucratic Incompetence

 
Details of the heroic fight to save the Tassajara Zen Center are filtering out. Center Director David Zimmerman, one of the five "fire monks" describes the events that led to the final evacuation of the Center here.

From Zimmerman's story we learn Tassajara Center residents prepared for more than two weeks for the arrival of the Basin Fire. During much of that time they enjoyed the expertise of an off duty CalFire captain. Captain Stuart Carlson guiding them on ground preparation and safety issues.

On July 9 as the fire approached Captain Carlson summarized appropriately the changing weather and fire conditions above the mountain retreat. Once he was told by his contacts that no crews would be available for structure protection he advised the residents to evacuate. All but five did.

Basin Complex Fire command knew for weeks the situation at the Tassajara Center. On July 10, the same morning the Basin Fire descended on the compound the following line was included in the morning report;

Values at Risk: include communities, critical infrastructure, natural and cultural resources:
Next 12 hours: "West Zone: Residences south of Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park along Hwy 1 and Palo Colorado Canyon residences. Carmel River watershed supplying CARMEL VALLEY, forest, riparian/steelhead habitat and cultural resources.
East Zone: Tassajara Road structures, cultural resources, watershed."


What happened between the night of July 9 and midday July 10 when the fire struck the Center?
What circumstances led the Forest Service to disregard their own assessment of risks faced by the "Tassajara Road Structures, cultural resources" from the time they drew up structure protection plans to when the fire arrived?

They clearly knew the Center was still occupied as evidenced in the July 10 morning report when they write, "Majority of the residents in the Tassajara community have evacuated".

Zimmerman writes regarding a conversation that took place between one of his people and Forest Service representatives on July 9;

"John Bradford, the District Ranger in King City, called her while Peggy Hernandez, Head of U.S. Forest Service and Deputy Supervisor Ken Heffner were in the room with him to let us know that they are pulling their people out and to once again ask us to leave because they cannot provide any ground crew support."

Clearly someone in the the Forest Service decided to pull the plug on Tassajara.

Even though Basin Fire command placed Tassajara on their "things to do list" on the morning of the 10th this was never read or processed by the (non firefighting) people 20 miles away in King City. Perhaps putting Tassajara on the "to do list" was only lip service, covering bases. They took a pass even though they knew there were still residents on the site and even though the Forest Service already had structure protection plans in hand.

Tassajara's own expert Captain Carlson assumed (according to Zimmerman) all along the Forest Service would send a crew in. I thought so as well when on the morning of July 10 I wrote how surely the "cavalry" would come riding in at the last moment.
I was thinking like Carlson. We both come from the same culture of firefighting.

I was under the impression the fire monks had received air support during the fire assault. That report was false. As hard as it is to believe of the 16 helicopters assigned to the Basin Complex fire not one was sent. Six fixed wing aircraft were at the disposal of Deitrich's command staff but not one was ordered to drop a line over the Zen Center?

Keep in mind the Tassajara Zen Center is the only set of buildings for miles around on that side of the fire.

I was willing to suspend judgment of the Forest Service for not sending ground crews in to aid the monks as long as I believed they supported them by air. I am perplexed by the complete abandonment.
Firefighters like to fight fire. Saving people and battling flames is what they sign on to do. No firefighter on the Basin Fire would have turned down the opportunity to help the monks. Firefighters did not turn their backs on these folks, the suits comfortably situated in offices far away did.

Fire officials cannot claim the road was too dangerous to bring firefighters in because there was a Forest Service crew on the Center grounds 24 hours before the fire blew through.

The bureaucrats are lucky the "Tassajara Five" came out OK. A rolling rock or burning tree branch could have easily taken any one of them out. Being bureaucrats they probably had an "accident investigation plan" already prepared.

*Read all four Firefighter Blog posts labeled Tassajara.

Here's an article describing how a member of the Big Sur Volunteer Fire Brigade broke ranks to help neighbors save a family home on Parrington Ridge.

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July 17, 2008

Basin Complex Fire East Front Activity July 17

 
According to GeoMAC Basin Fire command has bit off a lot of acreage during their firing operations today. Residents in the Cachagua and Jamesburg.
communities are seeing a lot of smoke overhead. If you believe the scale represented on the software imagery below there is almost 8 miles of open fire line at the moment. At this pace they may get to their predicted 161,000 acres after all. The morning report showed the fire at 123,000 acres with 61% containment.



Significant events today July 17:
"The Evacuation Order will remain in effect for the Carmel Valley Road to Piney Creek Road and for the Lower Cachagua area. The Backfiring operation continued throughout the previous operational period with good progress in Div RR. The firing operation progressed from DP-306 East to the Div RR/NN break and then South towards DP-211. Crews continue to improve and fire out the containment line in Div GG. Crews will continue to hold and mop up on all Divisions."

Update 1800 hrs:

The firing operations may have produced spill over or spot fires outside the dozer containment lines. I'm not willing to say this as a matter of fact because the MODIS software is suspect to some degree.

Click to enlarge image


Update 2000 hrs.

The evening report makes no mention of any problems with the firing operations today. Here are some relevant passages from the report;

Significant events today: The Evacuation Order remains in Effect for the Carmel Valley Road to Piney Creek Road and for the Lower Cachagua area. Approx. four miles of line has been Backfired in Div RR carrying fire down the Dozer line towards DP-207. CIIMT #3 (Pincha-Tulley)arrived at The East Basin ICP and will shadow CIIMT #1 (McGowan)for future transition.

Actions planned for next operational period: Continue to improve control line and Backfire as necessary along Control line from Div NN down to Div PP. Crews will continue to monitor and hold the Backfire operation in Div RR. West Zone: Crews will continue to mop up and patrol all Div. and backhaul all equipment.

Other notes--A forecasted trough of low pressure will approach the west coast on Saturday bringing southerly winds and more seasonable temperatures however this will bring a shift in wind direction over the fire area.

Acreage 128,350 with 65% containment.

No fireline to build which means they have a dozer line around the entire fire.

*The arrival of the Pincha-Tulley team is an interesting development. I suspect it's an attempt on the part of the Forest Service to address the embarrassing public relations mess they created in Big Sur, Tassajara and now Lower Carmel Valley where some residents have been confined to their homes for more than a week now.

Ms. Jeane Pincha Tulley is very good at public relations. Last year her team was assigned to the Castle Rock Fire that threatened the Sun Valley Idaho area. Her team headquartered in town where she held more than one informational town hall meeting. She even organized guided tours of the incident base. (I kid you not).

Pincha-Tulley was is just coming off the Canyon Fire in Plumas County.

She should have timed out, the Basin Complex is on the back side. There is no need for her entire team at this time. I think the Forest Service is trying to make good here.

The residents of Lower Carmel Valley/Cachagua/Jamesburg can look forward to their sequestration from society ending very soon.

Here is a video of the rock star treatment Pincha-Tulley received at one of her "town hall" meetings in Sun Valley. The screaming and yelling is something you never hear at a public fire briefing. After you look at it you will see why they brought her in.


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July 16, 2008

Basin Complex Commander Deitrich Exits Quietly

 
Basin Complex Fire Commander Mike Deitrich slipped out of camp July 14 with no fanfare from what I see. Deitrich was not honored by Big Sur in the same manner commander Molumby of the the Zaca Fire was feted by grateful Santa Barbara residents last year.

Molumby and his staff were toasted by Comedian (and Montecito resident) Jonathan Winters at the toney rooftop restaurant of the Hotel Andalucia.
Deitrich didn't even get a bowl of granola.

Deitrich managed the Basin Complex Fire wonderfully. Tactically it was brilliant, he did his job minimizing injury to firefighters and saving the buildings in Big Sur. While dozens of homes and outbuildings burned, scores more were saved by some very good fire management.

The public relations side of the equation is another story. The community allowed him to slip out the back door without a celebration because while he was good at firefighting he failed at public relations.

He failed to appreciate the character of the community. He only needed to work with them. They stayed, as it was their right. They wanted to help. He could not officially allow that but he didn't offer to help them when they needed it.

Two examples where he blew it was Apple Pie Ridge, where one family member was arrested at gunpoint, and at Tassajara where five resident monks were left alone to save their compound.

The monks worked 6 hours beating back spot fires and spraying down flames that hit them from all sides July 10.

The family and friends on Apple Pie Ridge also fought alone to save their homes and outbuildings. One brother, an ex seasonal firefighter used a backfiring technique to save the property. He was arrested. I'm not making a judgment on that but the situation could easily have been avoided.

For instance the Tassajara Zen Center the Apple Pie residents were known to fire command. In the case of the Zen Center they actually had a structure protection plan drawn up. Deitrich knew better than the residents those properties were doomed if unattended. He knew residents intended to stay yet he committed no firefighters on the ground.

Antipathy is born from such action, or inaction.
All he had to do to have a statue, (or redwood totem) erected in his name was to personally go up to the brothers on the hill with a couple of engines and a water tender in tow. For the monks one experienced blue card crew of 17.

Instead he punted the monks to fate and one of the brothers to faces charges.

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Basin Complex; Carmel Valley Residents Remain Evacuated

 
Those living in Cachagua in Lower Carmel Valley are still under an evacuation order. It's clear fire commanders will keep residents of the Cachagua community out of their homes while they 'fire out" canyons above. Residents are still being kept out even though the firing operations are being conducted 5 miles away, uphill.

Significant events today July 16: (inciweb)
"The Evacuation Order remains in effect for the Carmel Valley Road to Piney Creek Road and for the community of Lower Cachagua. Backfire operations continued today with good progress in Div RR. Crews were able to carry fire from DP 309 up to DP 306 and turn East towards Carmel Valley Road. The King City ICP was closed and move to the Tassajara ICP."

Seems residents should be caravaned or ferried in. One possible reason the Monterey Sheriff's Office is playing hardball with the Cachagua community might be found in the Cachagua Store Blog. The Monterey County Sheriff has managed to insult residents and in this day wronged or angry citizens can sound off about it (and have) big time!

Read down a few posts on Cachagua Store blog and the picture becomes clear quick why the Sheriff will punish the community as long as he can. Sadly for Cachagua he's now in a position to do so. Read the fine print from the ICS-209 dated July 14.

"On July 14 the Basin Complex command team added a member of the Monterey County Sheriff's Department (Oakley) as Unified Commander on the east side of the fire."

I can guess how that appointment was made. Knowing Basin Commander Deitrich was on his way out the Sheriff (or his representative) offered, "ehemm, we'll take that side of the fire".

Poor Cachagua. They have cops with a grudge making decisions that side of the fire. Wow!

...and the public relations mess of the Basin Complex Fire continues.

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High Finances & Wildland Firefighting

 
A Firefighter Blog reader pointed to an informative article on SacBee.com that covers the high costs of fighting wildfires in California. The article describes Governor Schwarzenegger's plan to attach a tax on homeowners insurance premiums for those living in fire prone areas.

The high cost of fighting wildland fires is a pet peeve here. I know I've posted on this before but this was classic Forest Service. I visited a family member working a fire in North Fork California a few years back. I was walking through the incident base and came upon a guy posting an updated fire map for anyone interested.

I asked him where he was from and he said he just flew in overnight from North Carolina. His order was they needed a biologist to the fire pronto. $1,200 one way to San Francisco where he rented a car and drove 4 hours to North Fork. Probably didn't run across any one's mind to fly him into Fresno and grab a cab or have someone from gigantic Forest Service office in Fresno give him a lift. Too logical.

The fire was nearly contained before he came into camp. His uniform never got dirty and since it was his first visit to the Sierra's he probably couldn't offer much in the way of tactics. He told me his job was to help around camp!
This was a perk for him, an overtime lottery win. An open ended trip to the central Sierra Nevada. Fire season is a blank check.

This season more or less started with the Indians Fire May 28 between Camp Hunter Liggett and the Ventana Wilderness. I posted on the final costs of the Indians Fire that burned 81,000 acres at a final cost of $400. per acre.
Two homes burned and 17 firefighters were injured, one seriously.

The Indians Fire was racking up costs early on without private dozers and water tenders. When fires to the north started in mid June private dozers and water tenders were summoned by the dozens. These contractors saved lives and homes. One ICS-209 report I read claimed 47 dozers on the fire, only a few were NOT private.

Contract aircraft, dozers, water tenders, and crews are vital resources and the costs are reasonable all considered.
The fat historically is when a national incident team arrives after a fire is running, grab a map and start planning the path and ending date. Padding budgets by calling in biologists from across the country is proof for me.

On the Fed side it's cultural.

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July 15, 2008

Kern County Fire Copter 408 Rescues Baby (video)

 
Flash flooding near Lake Isabella in Kern County stranded people on their roofs as water slammed against homes last Sunday, July 13. In the video below the crew of Kern County Fire Department Helicopter 408 hover over a home where a family of three await rescue. The crew successfully rescues a baby before returning for the mother and father.



It's hard to tell if the flash flooding was exacerbated by the Piute Fire in the Piute Mountains above Lake Isabella.

That same day a mud slide damaged dozens of homes in Independence California. The damage is attributed to a major fire in the hills above the town last year.


View Larger Map

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July 14, 2008

Tassajara's "Fire Monks" Story Remains Untold

 
SF Gate's cartoonist Tom Meyer makes the point that it was the resident monks of the Tassajara Zen Center that fended off flames, not firefighters who watched from a safe distance. Meyers cartoon shows a little boy admiring the monk shouting out, "when I grow up I want to be a Fire Monk".

Firefighters + Monks seem an unlikely combination but in reality they share similar characteristics. Both are inherently humble, both sacrifice for the greater good, give before taking, do for their brothers and sisters and neither get paid a bunch.

It should not be a surprise to find monks, when pitted against fire, disregard self and face the danger. Here they defined bravery and heroism and gave foothold to an urban legend.

For those new to this story, the Tassajara Zen Center was overrun by fire last week. From the beginning of the Indians Fire that started in late May and then the Basin Complex Fire that began in mid June that the compound would be in jeopardy.

July 10 at 1:30 pm the fire worked towards the compound down-slope from all sides. Though the Zen Center had been ordered evacuated, five monks stayed. The day before the five turned their car around at a check point and made their way back, dedicated to saving their home.

The monks, with help from Basin Fire air resources successfully beat back the fire. Curiously fire engines were ordered to stay a safe distance away as the monks stomped out spot fires and squirted water on flames. A few outbuildings burned but the compound was saved.

Fire personnel had helped prep the buildings and grounds days and weeks before. Some buildings were wrapped and vegetation was trimmed back. When the time came they were not around. I posted my thoughts that day that surely fire authorities would divert ground resources to help the remaining residents. They did not.

I can assure you the firefighters being kept a safe distance away were chomping at the bit to get up the road to help. This is a dream situation for wildland firefighters, setting up for the attack, then fending off the beast. This was a ready made set up for an adrenaline rush.

They were denied, the monks were left on their own with helicopters helping from above. Who kept the firefighters out? Understand air attack aircraft watched the scene below unfold. All knew there were residents on the ground. Possibly in their view the residents could handle it?

In any case engines would have had to be positioned at the compound before the fire arrived. Satellite images show the road is narrow and fire engines would have had to use that road to get to them. The fire blew down that road. One road in with no escape.

I read one report that the engines closest to Tassajara had a different mission, they were ordered to keep the advancing flames from breaching established dozer lines. If true it was an important mission. The dozer lines were established to keep the fire from the populated areas of lower Carmel Valley.

Even so it's a hard to rationalize why the only set of buildings for miles around on that side of the fire were ignored by ground crews.

One possible explanation is the Forest Service culture. Unlike Cal Fire the Forest Service approaches fire with a more defensive posture. This is the only rationale I can use to resolve this and other situations on the Basin Complex where residents were left to defend their own homes. In the Cal Fire culture initial attack fire crews arrive on scene and set up around structures (generally), once they guide the fire around one structure they move on to the next one and so on until there are no more (defensible) structures to save.

Forest Service engine crews will do the same as exemplified by the bravery of the Engine 57 crew lost on the Esperanza Fire in October 2006 . Did the tragic death of the crew of Engine 57 affect the way the Forest Service approaches fire today?

There are geographic differences between the Tassajara site and the site of the tragic Engine 57 burnover. The Tassajara Center is in a canyon, the Engine 57 crew was at a hilltop home site above a drainage with Santa Ana winds pushing. Tassajara expected a backing or downhill fire. Absent wind a fire burning downhill will move slower by a factor of 16 (+ or -) than a fire burning uphill.

No matter, a decision had been sent down, no engines were going to be committed.

Until fire officials open up about it, (and I have no reason to believe they will) the residents and "Fire Monks" of Tassajara will have to wonder why they were left on their own.

A lesson to take away from this is one taught in Ketchum Idaho last year. Several multi-million dollar homes were actually defended by private firefighting companies. It wasn't the homeowners who hired the private firefighters, it was the insurance companies who insured those homes.

Perhaps the next time fire threatens Tassajara the Center administrators should secure the services of private industry. Same goes for the residents of Apple Pie Ridge and other remote homesteads.

*UPDATE: From the San Francisco Zen Center. An initial account of the fire from the five (still) inside.
(Thanks to reader MB in Port Angeles)
*UPDATE: Readers were kind enough to send a link to a photo of the five monks who single handedly saved the Tassajara Mountain Center from the Basin Fire.

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July 13, 2008

Desiree Horton Flying Fires Again

 
"Chopper Chick" Desiree Horton is fighting fire from the air again and blogging about it too. Desiree has a special talent for writing about what she sees from the air.

In this artfully written post she tells us about flying above the hundreds of fires burning in Mendocino County, dipping into a hilltop pond between towering pines.

Last summer Desiree blogged about her fire season. She was based in Independence on the east side of the Sierra's but actually spent little time there. Her summer was dominated by the Zaca Fire. If you visit her site check the archives and images of that campaign.

Desiree is the only firefighter I've read that discusses the effects of fire on wildlife.

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Tide Turning, Rain in Sierras Punctuates Theme

 
The Southern Sierras are getting some rain today. The image below was captured from one of the Sierra webcam links.

Firefighters on the Piute Fire burning in Kern County were temporarily trapped by flash floods as they retreated from the fire lines. Firefighters were being moved off the mountain to escape lightning.

From a personal observation I was at Shaver Lake fishing with family yesterday. Everything I saw above the 5,000 ft. is green. Green grass dominates mountain meadows at 5,500 ft elevation at the moment. This reminded me the season is still early.

It also made me wonder how the Trinity Alps are so receptive to burning this early. Reading the morning report from the Hell's Half Fire in Trinity County this morning helps explain.

Incident Commander Jess Secrest offers:

"Fuels/Materials Involved:
10 Timber (litter and understory)
Fuel types varied; fuel model 9 leaf/needle litter under full canopy and fuel model 1 short grass/scattered brush. Runs in young conifer/hardwoods and brush. Similar fuels available in front of the fires."

Commander Kerschen of the SHU Lightning Complex writes:

"Fire behavior potential is extreme. Fuel moistures are at record low levels with fuel beds being very receptive to ignition."

Drought causes low fuel moisture. The green grass is an illusion, the pastoral scene belies the truth. Peel away the grass and you find kindling.

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July 12, 2008

Quick Notes On California Fires July 12

 
The Basin Complex Fire added only 860 acres today. The five Zen Center residents who successfully defended their compound the other day did so with some aid from air support. Numerous Forest Service engines were ordered to stay some distance away as the monks actively fought smaller spot fires that erupted throughout the afternoon.

Call this one getting cold in a hurry, however this note appears in the July 12 evening report:

Significant events today:
West Zone: "An Evacuation Advisory from the intersection of Highway 1 and Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park south to Lucia is in effect. East Zone: Mandatory Evacuations of Upper Cachagua. Voluntary Evacuations of Upper Cachagua, Paloma Creek, Lower Carmel Valley Road and Arroyo Seco."

GeoMAC no longer shows the perimeter of the 83,000 acre Indians Fire. This means to me these two fires will likely be treated separately for historical purposes by the Forest Service.


The BTU Lightning Complex that burned through Concow and parts of Paradise earlier in the week has cooled to a great extent as well.

The SHU Lighting Complex is still very active as the Motion and Moon Fires have open flame fronts. Tired ground and air crews are still working with limited re enforcement. National Guard and crews from foreign soil are being dispatched to some fires so some help is coming.


The Lime Complex, Hell's Half Complex, and the Iron & Alps Complex in the Trinity Alps show active fire fronts. Many of these fires will burn until it rains.


Click here for the NIFC Fire Summary report for July 12

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July 11, 2008

SHU-Lightning Complex Potential "Mega" Fire

 
"A lack of resources is not allowing offensive tactics to be implemented. This Complex has potential to become a mega fire"

That is a direct quote from the fire command describing the Moon and Motion Fires within the SHU-Lightning Complex burning in the foothills west of Redding. The SHU-Lightning Complex has burned 75,000 acres and is 45% contained.

The fires are under staffed, in some cases divisions are not staffed at all. 1,950 firefighters are assigned to the combined fires within the SHU Complex. The fire ground has experienced 100 degree plus temperatures for days with very little relative humidity recovery in the early morning hours.

The Motion and Moon Fires are bearing down on Shasta City on two fronts. The evening report places the community of Shasta on the watch list in the next 24 hour operational period.


Projected movements and spread for the next 12 hours:
The Motion fire is experiencing long range spotting and has escaped initial control lines. The fire’s progress continues west
The Moon fire continues to move to the west-northwest as well as some slop over on the northeast flanks. The Zogg Mine Road and Muletown Road areas are under mandatory and precautionary evacuations respectively.

Projected movements and spread for the next 24 hours:
Town of Igo, Rainbow Lake resort area. French Gulch, Whiskey Creek campground and Day Use area, Whiskeytown National Recreation Area and Community of Shasta.

Strong north and variable winds have aided in fire movement during this reporting period..... .....This fire has the potential for major structure loss and large growth. The Motion fire is threatening the Whisky Creek Campground and Day Use areas along with structures scattered through the area. Highway 299 is closed in both directions due to the Motion fire. The Moon fire continues to move to the south and east.
The town of Ono and surrounding communities remains a structure threat with evacuations in place. Structures in the Zogg Mine Road and Rainbow Lake resort area are being protected as well as under a mandatory evacuation. A lack of resources is not allowing offensive tactics to be implemented. This Complex has potential to become a mega fire and exceed $50 million dollars.

More:
Fire behavior is considered extreme. Significant fire growth is taking place on both the Motion and Moon fires. A Red Flag Warning is in place for this incident with an updated time of 1800 hrs. on Friday 7/11. Fuel moistures are at record low levels with fuel beds being very receptive to ignition. Both fires are exhibiting both long range and short range spotting. Significant amount of open fireline still exists, fires are crossing control lines due to strong winds, high temperatures, single digit RH values and roll out on steep terrain.

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Basin Complex Fire Takes a Breather

 
The GeoMAC mapping image of the Basin Complex fire reveals no active burning at 6:00 pm July 11. It's hard to believe there has been no advancement on any front since noon today. Commander Deitrich reports the fire has grown to 113,000 acres, an increase of 4,000 acres since this morning.

The Basin incident command maintains their conservative tone in this evening's report. They still expect the fire to grow to 170,000 acres and do not expect containment until July 30.
Eighteen helicopters and six fixed wing aircraft remain assigned but the total number of firefighters assigned to the incident has dropped by nearly 100 to a total of 2,050.

Thirteen engines were released today while 53 overhead positions were added. These are most likely division and branch supervisors rotating in to take over for guys timing out.
One reason the fire slowed today is the red flag warning expired before sunrise this morning.


Fire command has to be very happy with the fire behavior today. Residents in lower Carmel Valley may have caught a break.
It was a good day but it's not over yet. Here is the five day weather forecast for the Carmel Valley.
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Basin Complex Fire; Midday Look July 11

 
From the Tassajara Zen Center complex the fire has moved rapidly east running towards the Arroyo Seco drainage. It met up with the N/W edge of the Indians Fire burn and continues marching east and N/E towards the dozer lines (indicated by white lines in the graphic below) beyond. I believe these are hard lines and are intended to define the eastern perimeter of the Basin Complex.


The above image is a view up canyon east looking west. The image below is presented from the south looking north. The Google Earth KML overlay is a fair (but not perfect) representation of fire activity. Red dots indicate the most recent fire movement.


Consider downloading Google Earth. Once downloaded refer to the Forest Service Active Fire Mapping Program page for the files. One click and the overlays appear.

The finest interpretation of the Basin Complex Fire using Google Earth overlays is Xasauan Today.

Here is another look with another overlay from NASA funded FIRMS, a University of Maryland project.


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