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"Al Gore or Al Qaeda"

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“…. and I don’t like either one”!

This is a quote I heard on the Big Bear scanner, by one of the air attack guys flying over Lake Arrowhead.

The pilot was commenting on the view he had overlooking the Southland and how these fires are sprouting all over.

For a moment we may want to think about that quote.

Many of these fires are obvious arson related. The Santiago Canyon Fire in Orange County is confirmed arson and before it’s over I believe they will find the Slide Fire was a set as well. Overhead views of the fire origin shows al remote location upwind from the Green Valley community.
A new fire in Stevenson Ranch (Magic Fire) is a roadside set. The Devore Fire was set with an intent to see it move up and into Lytle Creek.
A fire without a lot of media attention is the Rainbow Fire taking out homes in Fallbrook.

It’s obvious many of these fires are sets and sleeper cells, working with little to no smarts could work this out.

Something to consider.

As for the global warming argument, extended drought is not unknown to Southern California. The Santa Ana winds are an annual Fall event.

Take a look at the partial list of current fires here.
Read about the San Diego tragedy here.

Update; This blog was picked up by Newsweek.com

Harris Fire Web Cam View

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The Lyons Peak webcam offers a 360′ view that shows the Harris Rife to the south and the Witch Fire to the north.

Take a look at the South view towards the Harris Fire burning on the Mexican border.

The Harris Fire is predicted to burn to Chula Vista, reference Google Maps link for an idea of the geography.

The north view from the Lyons Peak cam shows the origin of the Witch Fire that has forced the evacuation of 10′s of thousands and is predicted to burn to Del Mar.

SignonSanDiego.com is the resource of choice for fire info however the site is down due to server demand. Somehow this blogger is able to log on and is offering fresh information.

Slide Incident, Lake Arrowhead

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The Slide Incident is burning near Green Valley in the Lake Arrowhead area. The fire started at daybreak today and has already grown to over 300 acres.
Rim Of The World .net has continuous coverage via scanner transcription.

This fire is burning in beetle bark affected stands and is being pushed by winds 20 to 50 mph.

Webcam view here.

This will be a tough one as required resources are just not available. This fire is well under the radar of local (Los Angeles and Inland Empire) media are overwhelmed.

In order of magnitude this fire ranks third in line behind the Witch Fire in San Diego County and the Buckweed Fire in Canyon Country. Watch this one!

[googlemaps http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=grass+valley+golf+course+Lake+Arrowhead,+CA&ie=UTF8&ll=34.246717,-117.219486&spn=0.058462,0.11055&t=h&om=1&output=embed&s=AARTsJppVhnz2_frYJuOEj8qqdnfEZdYvQ&w=300&h=300]

Update:
Rim Of The World reports;

“Lake Arrowhead – As of 10 AM, there are reports of structures on fire on Brentwood and Pinehurst in Lake Arrowhead and near Grass Valley Golf Course. At 9:45 AM, a flare up was reported in the Deer Lodge Park area sending up a large smoke plume. At 9:53 AM, a resident reported fire at the rear of residences along the 26000-block of Amador Lane in Lake Arrowhead with no firefighters nearby. Firefighters near Amador and Trinity were driven back by the fire and had to retreat to a safe zone. The fire is crossing Brentwood as of 10:03 AM. The next threat is to Sandalwood.

Evacuations have been ordered for parts of Grass Valley, Trinity Tract, Modoc, Dear Lodge, Black Oaks Drive, and Brentwood in Lake Arrowhead.

The fire is burning in the old wood chipping area along Highway 173 and spreading westward. Structure protection task forces are in the Brentwood, Sanoma, and Trinity areas of Lake Arrowhead.

Grass Valley Road is closed at Five Points. Many roads are blocked in the area due to downed power lines and tree. Downed phone lines are preventing residents from being notified of the evacuations from the automated TENS calling system.”

Witch Fire, "Possibly Worse Than The Cedar Fire"

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“This is the worst fire this county has ever seen — worse than the Cedar Fire [of 2003],” Sheriff Bill Kolender”

This is a dramatic statement not made without considerable thought by the County Sheriff. I read this quote at NBC San Diego;

“The situation has gotten dramatically worse overnight,” said Chief Bill Metcalf, the area fire coordinator for the county. Instead of calming, winds increased overnight, pushing the fire westward with flames shooting up to 200 feet in the air, he said.The Witch Fire spread into Ramona overnight, Metcalf said. It now has two fronts: one in the San Pasqual Valley and a southern front that is threatening the Barona Indian Reservation and Lakeside, he said. In San Pasqual Valley, it has combined with a smaller fire called the Guajito Fire, which is threatening the San Diego Wild Animal Park, he said. The fire crossed Interstate 15 early Monday morning at Lake Hodges and is burning in parts of Rancho Bernardo, he said.”


Local blog with images and local perspective HERE.

Ramona Evacuation Ordered 10,000 Pack Up

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It looks like the Witch Fire is living up to it’s name. According to SignonSanDiego.com fire information blog the following order has been issued;

All residents of Ramona are under a mandatory evacuation. Authorities are notifying more than 10,000 households of the evacuation orders by using the Reverse 911 system.

Evacuees can go to Poway High School at 15500 Espola Road or Escondido High School at 1535 North Broadway.

More than 10,000 people and 3,000 homes make up Ramona.

Witch Fire & Harris Fire Updates

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UPDATE; Massive Evacuations, Poway, Rancho Bernardo, more

Seventeen injuries on the two fires. Great local media coverage here;

“Cal Fire reports the number of injured in the Harris Fire has risen to 17 – that includes four firefighters and 13 civilians, said Cal Fire spokewoman Audrey Hagen.

The number of acres burned has been updated to 5,000, Hagen said.”

Buckweed Fire Burning in Canyon Country

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This looks like the monster incident of this season’s Santa Ana Wind fueled fires so far. The Buckweed Fire began in Agua Dulce, north of Santa Clarita.

The fire has already burned 10,000 acres and early reports indicate 3,800 homes are threatened.

This one has ugly written all over it. This one could burn to Interstate 5 by morning.

Streaming video of the incident via MyFoxLA.com.

View Larger Map

From Santa-Clarita.com

October 21st – 5:45 p.m Update
Buckweed Fire Update:
A total of 10 structures have been lost at this time due to the fire;
A total of more than 10,000 acres have burned thus far;
MANDATORY evacuations of upper Bouquet Canyon and Vasquez Canyon have been announced, as well as the San Francisquito Canyon and Copperhill areas, up to Spunky Canyon.
A total of 3,800 residences are threatened as a result of the fire and further evacuations may be announced this evening;
Animal evacuations are being coordinated by the L.A. County Sheriff and Animal Control.
Only residents are being allowed into the evacuation areas;
Both the Saugus Union School District and the Castaic School District have announced that there will be no school tomorrow, Monday, Oct. 22, 2007.
The following road closures are in affect:
Sierra Highway and David Way
Bouquet Canyon and David Way
Bouquet and Vasquez Canyon
Aqua Dulce and Sierra Highway
Sierra Highway and Vasquez Canyon
Whites Canyon and Steinway

Riverside County, Roca Fire

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From Riverside County Fire Department;

Supplemental
CAL FIRE and Riverside County Firefighters arrived on scene
with 5 acres heavy fuel,
40 mile hour winds. Immediate Structure threat. 415
Update 50 Acres,
fire burning on both sides of Highway 79,
rapid rate of spread.
Field PIO Captain Fernando Herrera is on scene
The fire is burning on both sides of Highway
79 and both side of Highway 371
Voluntary evacuations to the SKP Resorts.
Seasonal residents of the Outdoor Resorts Recreationa
l park are
sheltering in place, approx. 200 seasonal residents.
Aircraft was intially grounded due to extreme winds.
Aircraft is currently flying the fire with 30 mph winds.
Fire is burning in a SW direction.

San Diego County, Witch Fire, Harris Fire

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Both fires have consumed over 2,500 acres each.
Smoke from CDF Ramona Air Attack Base. Reports from local news coverage of the Harris Fire that four firefighters were seriously injured with one possible civilian fatality on the Harris Fire.

The significance of this image is the aircraft are grounded due to high winds.

For a preliminary list of ongoing wildfires I suggest viewing this thread on WildlandFire.com.

Malibu Fire Named "Canyon Fire"

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One confirmed loss of the Canyon Fire is the Malibu Castle.

Malibu Burning, Pepperdine University Threatened

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California’s second fire season begins as Santa Ana winds are fanning 3 fires in Southern California. The fire with the most potential for property loss is in Malibu.

Pepperdine University students are sheltering in place as the fire is literally beating at the doors.

As I’m watching coverage from My13 News/ Fox L.A. I’m reminded of a term coined by another firefighter while watching overhead coverage of fire companies spread out attacking spots. Firefighters are fighting multiple micro-battles, separate fights taking place as crews pick their spot and try to make stands.

With chaos like this there is nothing more that can be done.

Currently I see numerous structures involved fanned by winds exceeding 60 mph.

More as this breaks!

Best Australian Firefighter Blog

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Killer Ameoba, Are First Responders At Risk?

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Via TV5 News Phoenix a very sad story of a boy who died from a killer ameoba found in the warm waters of Lake Havasu.

From the article:
“According to the CDC, the amoeba called Naegleria fowleri (nuh-GLEER-ee-uh FOWL’-erh-eye) killed 23 people in the United States, from 1995 to 2004. This year health officials noticed a spike with six cases — three in Florida, two in Texas and one in Arizona. The CDC knows of only several hundred cases worldwide since its discovery in Australia in the 1960s. In Arizona, David Evans said nobody knew his son, Aaron, was infected with the amoeba until after the 14-year-old died on Sept. 17. At first, the teen seemed to be suffering from nothing more than a headache. “We didn’t know,” Evans said. “And here I am: I come home and I’m burying him.” After doing more tests, doctors said Aaron probably picked up the amoeba a week before while swimming in the balmy shallows of Lake Havasu, a popular man-made lake on the Colorado River between Arizona and California….”

The article goes on describing the tragedy the befell the Evans family. I have a 14 year old myself and I cannot imagine how the Evans family is coping.

Are Responders, rescuers alerted to the dangers presented by this ameoba? Are municipalities advising, training, providing nose plugs etc. for water rescue. I have little doubt deep and swift water rescue teams are aware and take protective measures but what about engine companies, volunteers and responding police?

If nothing else everyone should be aware when entering warm murky waters in the course of duty.

Official CDC Definition of Naegleria Fowleri

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Australia Fire Season Begins

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I’ll post more as I can and will focus on the Southern Hemisphere, particularly Australia’s notorious bushfire season.
I’m attempting to place a new video player on the side panel but there may be compatibility issues with Blogger. We’ll see. Here is a direct link to the video player featuring the clip of the fire North of Sydney.

As always this is a work in progress!