The Google Earth map represents a view of the Piute Fire from the town of Bodfish looking south. The fire is advancing towards the town. The GeoMAC image below shows the Piute Fire current hot spots indicated in red.

The direction of the fire is completely dependent on the wind over the next few days. Fire command indicates this morning, as they have maintained since the fire started on June 28 resources are inadequate to fight this fire properly.

The Piute Fire has grown to 30,000 acres and is 22% contained. Indications are the fire will grow to the north for at least the next day.

Here is some of the narrative from the morning fire report. Note the command team expects winds to moderate in the next 48 hours. That is good news for the communities down canyon.

“The fire was active on the northern and western perimeters due to strong southeasterly winds. Control lines on the western perimeter were lost and the fire continues to move west and north. The fire burned through the Red Mountain area. An assessment is being made of structures lost. The community of Havilah was issued an evacuation warning. Crews completed indirect dozer and handline in the Kelso Valley area to prevent the fire from moving on to private land. Type 1 helicopters are very effective in reducing the spread into these communities until ground resources can reach critical areas. Lack of overhead positions continue to hamper suppression efforts. Lack of Division Supervisors is creating span of control issues. One area of the southern perimeter was compromised with active fire over the control lines. Crews continue to attempt to keep the fire north of the Piute Mountain Road. Steep terrain is making control efforts difficult on the western and northern portion of the fire. Work on a contingency line on the northern perimeter was begun with the use of hand crews and dozers. These resources were pulled off control lines due to active fire behavior. Several IHC crews are timing out which will impact the completion of the contingency line. Helicopter bucket drops are crucial in these areas to allow ground resources sufficient time for control actions.

Projected incident movement/spread 12, 24, 48, and 72 hour time frames:

12 hours: Fire will continue to spread North and West.

24 hours: Fire will continue to spread North and West.

48 hours: Due to an expected change in wind speed, the spread to the west should slow down with some growth continuing to the north.

The Piute Fire, burning in Kern County south of Lake Isabella has burned 25,000 acres with 26% containment. Twelve hundred firefighters are tasked with fighting this fire burning in terrain mother nature ignored when the planet was formed.

Only four helicopters and two fixed wing aircraft are assigned to the Piute Fire. It has been considered a lower tier priority playing second cousin to the Gap and Basin Complex fires burning on the coast. That may change if S/E winds don’t abate. Lake Isabella is a thriving town and the range is home to numerous small communities.

GeoMAC shows renewed activity on the west and north heads. I would not be surprised to see Tanker 910 diverted from the Basin Complex to the Piute in the next 24 hours.

Looking at the morning incident report it appears this move to the north and west may have caught them by surprise. Keep in mind they are hamstrung. The resources required to mount a proper fight are not avaliable.

Here is what they are facing:

“……Type 1 helicopters are very effective in reducing the spread into these communities until ground resources can reach critical areas. Lack of overhead positions continue to hamper suppression efforts. Lack of Division Supervisors is creating span of control issues. Resources continue to hold and construct line on the southern perimeter to keep the fire north of the Piute Mountain Road. Steep terrain is making control efforts difficult on the western and northern portion of the fire. Work on a contingency line on the northern perimeter was begun with the use of hand crews and dozers. Several IHC crews are timing out which will impact the completion of the contingency line. Helicopter bucket drops are crucial in these areas to allow ground resources sufficient time for control actions.”

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With headline grabbing fires like the Basin Complex in Big Sur and the Gap Fire in Santa Barbara less “glamorous” fires like the Piute fall off the media radar.

1,261 firefighters are working day and night on the 20,000 acre blaze burning south of Lake Isabella in Kern County.

The Piute Fire commanders have been hampered by the statewide strain on resources since the fire broke out June 28. I’ve watched this one via webcam since the start and it looks like a scene out of the movie Groundhog Day. The Piute Mountains all seem to look the same.

Here is some of the narrative from the ICS-209 filed this morning;

“Fire continues to move actively toward the east threatening the Kelso Valley area. Perimeter slopover occurred on the southeast corner of the fire along the Piute Mountain Road. Crews were able to secure the slopover with the aid of aerial retardant. The fire continues to move down slope on the western perimeter toward residences in the Thompson Canyon and Red Mountain area. Plans for a contingency line in the southwestern corner of the fire are being made. Type 1 helicopters are very effective in reducing the spread into these communities until ground resources can reach critical areas. Lack of overhead positions continue to hamper suppression efforts. Lack of Division Supervisors is creating span of control issues. Resources continue to hold and construct line on the southern perimeter to protect the community of Claraville. Steep terrain is making control efforts difficult on the western and northern portion of the fire. Helicopter bucket drops are crucial in these areas to allow ground resources sufficient time for control actions.”

Values at Risk: include communities, critical infrastructure, natural and cultural resources in 12, 24, 48 and 72 hour time frames:

12 hours: Structures at Liebel Ranch, Valley View subdivision, Rocky Point mining area (heritage values), Red Mountain, Claraville, and Thompson Canyon communities
“24 hours: Structures in Upper Kelso Valley, Upper Jawbone Canyon
48 hours: Structures in Havilah, Bodfish, Lake Isabella, and Squirrel Mountain Valley”

Expected ContainmentDate: 07/15/2008

Chris Hoff, IC

Piute Fire view from Sierra Fire Cam. The fire has burned nearly 12,000 acres in 2 days with minimal containment.

From the incident 209 tonight;
Major problems and concerns (control problems, social/political/economic concerns or impacts, etc.)
“Relate critical resources needs identified above to the Incident Action Plan.
Lack of resources and overhead positions. The fire is situated in an area with difficult access and extended travel times.
The west side of the fire continues to be unsafe for direct attack. Resource priority has been concentrated on protection of structures, historic town sites, archaeological sites and critical habitat areas. The shortage of suppression resources on the north and east sides of the fire are allowing the fire to run towards numerous camping areas and move towards the communities and structures in Lake Isabella, Bodfish, Liebel Ranch, Valley View sub-division, Historic Rocky Point Mining area, Red Mountain, and Claraville. The majority of resources are committed to flanking the eastward progression of the fire along Piute Mountain Rd. The lack of water supplies in the area have required the need for additional Water Tender requests that remain unfilled.
Additional Dozers are needed to open up narrow and unmaintained access roads, along with constructing contingency lines. The inability to fill overhead requests is affecting the support of the incident.”

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Size 2,560 acres, 4 percent contained burning in Kern County. Yesterday the MAFF’s C-130′s and Tanker 910 threw everything they had at it.