LSWot How...

[lswot]

This is the latest:

Fire and pain
By Patricia Farrell Aidem, Dana Barthlomew and Rick Coca, Staff writers
Long Beach Press Telegram
Article Launched:10/23/2007 09:17:26 PM PDT



Marc Campos / Staff photographer

A home is consumed by flames off Highway 330 in Running Springs on Tuesday. Despite firefighters' best efforts, blazes across Southern California have burned nearly 250,000 acres so far. More than 500,000 San Diego residents have been evacuated. As officials began assessing the toll of Southern California's ferocious firestorms Tuesday, new blazes flared up in Newhall and Acton and threatened more homes, forced evacuations and strained resources already pushed to the brink.

The fires erupted as more than 560,000 residents of San Diego were evacuated and hundreds of homes were destroyed in a pair of wildfires in the mountain resort community of Lake Arrowhead.

While howling Santa Ana winds that had gusted up to 100 mph are expected to calm by this afternoon, forecasters said the monster windstorm's ferocity and duration has been virtually unprecedented.

"This is the Godzilla; this is a 100-hours event," said Bill Patzert, a climatologist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Cañada Flintridge. "The Santa Anas will definitely be waning ... This will definitely give us some relief."

President George W. Bush is scheduled to fly to fire-ravaged Southern California this week as part of an aggressive federal response to blazes that have charred nearly 375,000 acres.

And California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger toured various areas around the Southland on Tuesday, including a stop in Santa Clarita during an evening news conference.

He thanked firefighters for their efforts and praised the coordination between agencies. Then he stressed that now is the time to focus on those whose homes - and a lifetime of savings and hard work - went up in flames.

"The key thing in all of this is that we help people rebuild their homes as quickly as possible," he said. "We all have to work together. It's all one family."

While firefighters are hoping that easing Santa Anas will aid efforts to corral the flames, stubborn hot spots remained. Fires erupted Tuesday afternoon in Newhall, a flare-up from a pre-dawn fire near Sierra Highway and San Fernando Road.

Residents in and around Wildwood Canyon Road were evacuated in the afternoon as flames rose near their homes. As smoke plumes filled the skies above this high-end rustic neighborhood, residents made their way down canyon roads to safer ground.

Mandatory evacuation

After getting her horse Guapo out of harm's way, Lindsey Caneron, 17, of Valencia returned to the Wildwood Equestrian Center, where at least 40 to 50 horses were removed Tuesday.

"I had to evacuate my horse earlier today, and these guys are like my family, so of course I came to help," Caneron said as she and a half-dozen others led the horses quickly down Maple Street toward trailers.

The mandatory evacuation was a first for many long-time residents.

"This is one of the worst wind conditions," said 17-year resident Susan Sabatino, 53, who lives on Cross Street with her husband, Dominick.

About 200 firefighters and several water-dropping aircraft battled the 40-acre blaze and appeared to have it under control late Tuesday.

Meanwhile, in the mountains between the Santa Clarita and Antelope valleys near Acton, about 240 firefighters battled a blaze that broke out about 2:45 p.m. and briefly threatened homes before heading toward forest land.

Evacuations were in progress when the fire changed direction, but it still had blackened about 20 acres by late Tuesday and was just 5 percent contained about 4:30 p.m. A second fire broke out at 4 p.m. alongside the Antelope Valley Freeway north of Crown Valley Road, but was held held to about two acres.

Of bigger concern, however, is the Buckweed Fire that has been burning since Sunday on a destructive path from Agua Dulce through Canyon Country and Saugus.

On Tuesday, the fire was headed into the northern Angeles National Forest and by mid-day was moving toward Lake Hughes.

The 37,812-acre blaze has destroyed 32 structures, including 15 homes, and by Tuesday evening was 80 percent contained.

Firefighters from Alhambra - along with scores of out-of-town forces called into help - went door-to-door in Canyon Country, where the fire destroyed several homes Sunday night.

"The houses that had damage. We're checking them out and we're checking for embers," Fire Engineer Mark Kolb said. "They found burning embers in a gutted house down the road."

Kolb's crew also saved several homes in the area, as well as a Rottweiler tethered in the backyard of a heavily-damaged home.

"It was against the fence just 5 feet or so from flames," Alhambra Capt. Michael Morales said. "Nobody was home."

Five people have been injured in the blaze, among them Jim Tyndell, operations director at a therapeutic equestrian center in Saugus for children with disabilities.

Tyndell had stayed Sunday to save 11 horses at Heads Up Therapy in rustic Bouquet Canyon, said Michael Holt, the organization's president.

He is hospitalized at the Grossman Burn Center at Sherman Oaks Community Hospital and is scheduled to undergo skin grafts for burns to his torso, Holt said.

Tyndell's home on the property was destroyed and several Heads Up buildings were damaged. The center's horses were moved from stables to an arena area and survived the fire.

Containing Canyon Fire

In Malibu, blazes have scorched 4,400 acres and nearly a dozen homes and businesses, but by Tuesday the so-called Canyon Fire posed little imminent danger. The fire was 75 percent contained as of Tuesday evening.

"Right now, it's looking good," said Los Angeles County fire Inspector Rick Dominguez. "There's no active fire and no homes threatened."

Among the ruins: the landmark Malibu Presbyterian Church and the Kashan Castle, also known as Hodge Castle, a hilltop landmark built in 1978. Nearly 900 firefighters, including 17 county hand crews, are standing by to douse any recurrent hotspots.

Meanwhile, authorities hoped to reopen Pacific Coast Highway on Tuesday evening, and Pepperdine University - which on Sunday was surrounded by flames - will reopen for classes and programs today.

In sharp contrast, the Ranch Fire in the Castaic area continued to ravage a swath across northern Los Angeles County and into neighboring Ventura County.

More than 47,000 acres have burned, leaving the ruins of three homes, four barns and a boat storage yard in the blaze's wake. It was 10 percent contained as of Tuesday evening.

Residents in Piru and Fillmore along Highway 126 were bracing for the oncoming fire, which started Saturday in Castaic and had destroyed seven structures and 14 stored boats before continuing west.

It jumped from the Angeles National Forest to the Los Padres National Forest, both of which will remain closed as long as prime fire conditions continue.

Residents recovering

Meanwhile, residents of mobile-home park Canyon Breeze Village were recovering after a fire broke out on a nearby hill late Monday and quickly destroyed two homes and the pool house.

Neighbor Ana Espinoza, collecting burned items from her porch Tuesday morning, said her husband, Hector, had awakened others and hosed down embers.

"My husband, he saved our house, our neighbor's houses," she said. "All these people were asleep. He got the hose and he threw buckets of water on things that were burning."

Firefighters still were battling a blaze ignited by a welder's torch Monday afternoon near Six Flags Magic Mountain. Called the Magic Fire, it was 93 percent contained by late Tuesday after burning 1,750 acres of thick brush near Stevenson Ranch. Firefighters hope to have it fully contained by 8 a.m. today.

Fire officials say today should prove pivotal in helping get a handle on the raging wildfires as temperatures also begin to cool.

But weather forecasters are cautious, noting that the region is expected to see less rain than normal this winter - and a greater number of northeast winds.

"The bottom line," Patzert said, "the large lady is not done yodeling `Santa Anas."'



How to Help
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is urging people wanting to help victims to donate cash to nonprofit groups active in disaster relief work, as monetary contributions avoid the expense of ground or air transportation and the labor needed to sort and package items. A list of national organizations can be found at http://www.nvoad.org and at http://www.networkforgood.org. People wanting to volunteer are urged to contact a registered relief group and not show up at a disaster site. A list is at http://www.helpindisaster.org Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's Office has set up a hotline for businesses interested in making bulk donations to people displaced by the fires. The number is (800) 750-2858. It will be staffed from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. by officials from the governor's Office of Emergency Services. Information is available at http://www.oes.ca.gov

The Red Cross is accepting financial contributions through its secure Web site, http://www.redcross.org or by calling (800) HELP-NOW. For Los Angeles chapter fundraising inquiries, call (310) 445-2685. More information is available is at http://www.redcrossla.org

San Pedro resident Rebecca Chambliss is coordinating efforts to assist horses, dogs and cats affected by the San Diego County wildfires. She is looking for volunteers to caravan in covered trucks and trailers to distribute bales of hay and other supplies.

Anyone wanting to help or offer a foster home can call (310) 989-4466. Additional information is at http://www.emergencyanimalrescue.org

Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores, which donated $250,000 to relief efforts, will accept cash donations at 208 locations statewide.

To donate to the Salvation Army, link to http://www.salvationarmy-socal.org

[lswot]

As of today.....Thursday 11-25-07

California wildfires at a glance
California wildfire overall statistics:
By The Associated Press
Long Beach Press Telegram
Article Launched:10/25/2007 09:47:25 AM PDT

Acreage: 482,691

Homes Destroyed: At least 1,400, according to individual county reports.

Deaths: One confirmed fire death, five fire-related deaths. Two charred bodies thought to be killed by fire found Thursday morning.

Injuries: 26 to civilians, 40 to firefighters.


Major wildfires burning in California, by county:


San Diego County:

Witch Fire: About 197,990 acres in northern San Diego County from Witch Creek to Rancho Santa Fe. 20 percent contained. 645 homes, 30 commercial properties destroyed. Two civilians and 12 firefighters injured. Containment expected Sunday.

Poomacha Fire: 35,000 acres on the La Jolla Indian Reservation and in northeastern San Diego County. 20 percent contained. 50 homes destroyed and 2,000 homes threatened. Eight firefighters, four civilians injured.

Horno/Ammo Fire: 17,000 acres on the Camp Pendleton Marine base. 40-50 percent contained.

Harris Fire: 84,000 acres burned 70 miles southeast of San Diego north of the border town of Tecate. 10 percent contained. 155 structures and two commercial buildings destroyed, 2,000 homes and 500 commercial properties threatened. One civilian killed, 21 injured civilians and seven injured firefighters. Containment expected Nov. 4.

Rice Fire: 9,000 acres in Fallbrook in northern San Diego County. 30 percent contained.

206 homes and two commercial properties destroyed. One firefighter injured.


Los Angeles County:

Buckweed Fire: About 38,356 acres south of Agua Dulce in northeastern Los Angeles County. Contained. 15 homes, 17 outbuildings, two bridges and 40 vehicles destroyed.

Three civilians and two firefighters injured. About 15,000 people and 5,500 homes evacuated.

Canyon Fire: About 4,565 acres in coastal community of Malibu. Contained. Six homes, two businesses and a church destroyed and nine homes and five commercial buildings damaged.

Three firefighters suffered minor injuries. Cost estimated at $4.2 million. About 1,500 people, including several celebrities, evacuated.

Magic Fire: About 2,824 acres in northern Los Angeles County, including Stevenson Ranch. Contained. No damages or injuries.


Ventura County:

Ranch Fire: 55,756 acres in the Castaic area near Piru. 70 percent contained. One home, eight outbuildings destroyed, 500 homes and 50 commercial buildings threatened. One injury reported.


Orange County:

Santiago Fire: About 23,000 acres east of Irvine. 30 percent contained. Nine homes destroyed; eight homes and 12 outbuildings damaged. Four minor injuries to firefighters.


San Bernardino County:

Slide Fire: 11,366 acres in Green Valley Lake area of the San Bernardino Mountains, east of Lake Arrowhead. No containment. At least 200 homes destroyed. No injuries reported.

Grass Valley Fire: 1,100 acres in Grass Valley area northwest of Lake Arrowhead in the San Bernardino Mountains. 40 percent contained. At least 113 homes destroyed. No injuries reported.

An estimated 16,000 homes in the mountain resort communities around both fires are threatened. Thousands of residents and a hospital evacuated.


Riverside County:

Rosa Fire: 411 acres near Temecula. 85 percent contained.


Santa Barbara County:

Sedgewick Fire: 710 acres near Los Olivos. Contained. No evacuations. No homes destroyed and no reports of injuries.

[trucker2000]

I'm glad they are getting a handle on the fires. Let's hope the weather continues to cooperate and they can get them put out.

[Xjmt]

Here on this forum is still the only place I've read that downed power lines are starting fires. The news seems to be playing up lightening strikes and the intentional.

Can't do much about the intentional starting of fires but I guess bulldozing portions of the forests could help HOWEVER where's the profit in that? Who'll do it for no profit? The government? Where they gonna get the money from when they spend so much time cutting bills to cut taxes? And we know we ain't got no "tax and spend" government right now because they keep telling us so.

The other thing is to stop real estate developers from developing land that is potentially dangerous. In forests, on the sides of bulldozed hills which were only held together by the trees that used to be there, on the shorelines exposed to hurricanes. But where's the profit in that? There ain't no profit in that. So continue doing it then blame the consumer for being stupid for purchasing the home in the first place.

And, oh yeah, let's then cancel the home owners' insurance too. After all their ain't no profit in paying off all those claims, is there?

[lswot]

Lots of theories beeing banded about......and trying to pin point the the cause or solution is all in the eye of the beholder....politics.....stupidity......short sidedness....what have you. There will probably never be an agreement on how to solve this problem....or any problem, for that matter.
Bottom line.....it's gets HOT, here (we ARE a desert)......we get the Winds.....we have chapparel...scrub brush, beetle infested trees......and we have fires.

[Xjmt]

All I'm saying is people exacerbate the problems usually driven by ignorance and/or profit motives.

[lswot]

All I'm saying is people exacerbate the problems usually driven by ignorance and/or profit motives.

There is that.....

[lswot]

Today......10-29-2007

California wildfires at a glance

California wildfire overall statistics:
By The Associated Press
Article Launched: 10/29/2007 07:11:50 AM PDT

Acreage: 516,356.
Homes destroyed: 2,013.
Deaths: Seven directly due to fire; seven involving evacuees, including infirmity, age, accident.
Injuries: 71 firefighters, 27 civilians.
Current evacuees: at least 1,432 people in 13 shelters.

Active Wildfires:

San Diego County:
Witch Fire: About 197,990 acres from Witch Creek to Rancho Santa Fe. 90 percent contained. 1,040 homes, 30 commercial properties, 414 outbuildings destroyed. Two killed. Two civilians, 38 firefighters injured.
Firefighting cost: $11.3 million.
Harris Fire: 90,750 acres 70 miles southeast of San Diego. 70 percent contained. 206 homes, 247 outbuildings, one commercial building destroyed. Five killed. 21 civilians, 16 firefighters injured.
Firefighting cost: $9.7 million.
Poomacha Fire: 49,150 acres on La Jolla Indian Reservation and northeastern county territory. 50 percent contained. 136 homes, 19 outbuildings destroyed. 14 firefighters injured.
Firefighting cost: $5.2 million.

San Bernardino County:

Slide Fire: 12,789 acres in Green Valley Lake area of the San Bernardino Mountains. 85 percent contained. 201 homes, three outbuildings destroyed. One firefighter injured. Firefighting cost: $8 million.
Grass Valley Fire: 1,247 acres in Grass Valley area of the San Bernardino Mountains. 95 percent contained. 174 homes, two outbuildings destroyed.
Firefighting cost: $4.6 million.

Orange County:

Santiago Fire: 28,012 acres east of Irvine. 65 percent contained. 16 homes destroyed.
Eight structures damaged. Eight firefighters injured.
Firefighting cost: $7.9 million.

Ventura County:

Ranch Fire: 58,401 acres in northern Los Angeles County and eastern Ventura County near Piru. 97 percent contained. One home, nine outbuildings destroyed. One firefighter injured.
Firefighting cost: $9million.

Major Contained Fires:

Los Angeles County:

Buckweed: 38,356 acres near Agua Dulce. 21 homes, 22 outbuildings, two bridges destroyed. Three civilians, two firefighters injured. Firefighting cost: $7.4 million.
Canyon: 4,565 acres in Malibu. Six homes, two businesses, one church destroyed. Three firefighters injured.
Magic: 2,824 acres.
Firefighting cost: $5.8 million.

San Diego County:

Rice Fire: 9,000 acres in Fallbrook. 206 homes, 40 outbuildings, 91 autos, two commercial properties destroyed. 200 homes threatened. Three firefighters injured. .
Horno/Ammo Fire: 21,084 acres on Camp Pendleton Marine base.
Firefighting cost: $3.1 million

Sources: State Office of Emergency Services; county, state, federal fire agencies; county emergency officials.

They are expecting "MILD" Santa Ana winds this weekend and on into next week!

[BevH]

All the while my daughter was in labor, we had Fox News on to watch the reports since my youngest daughter is in the Navy and her ship is ported at Coronado. She sent me some pretty amazing and terrifying pictures, mostly titled "this is not a sunset". She talked about all the evacuations going on and that they had been encouraged to help out as they could if they didn't have duty. She said there was no fire on the island itself, but there was a lot of smoke. They did close the base for a while, which made no sense to me especially if the ship needed to pull out. Oh well, that's the military for you. We heard that one of the fires was intentionally set by some kids and that 2 others may have also been arson. I'm just glad that it looks like they're finally starting to get them under control.

[Henry J]

Sign on door to maternity section: "Push. Push. Push."

Henry

[Ilana]

Goodness, Bev, you can't leave us like this... what did your daughter have????

[lswot]

Goodness, Bev, you can't leave us like this... what did your daughter have????

Yeah!

As for the fires.....it was reported this morning that there are 7 fires still going but, for the most part they are contained or partially contained. I hadn't heard about some kids starting fires but the looking for the arsonist that set the Santiago fire is on going. There were a number of smaller fires set that didn't cause much harm other than the fact that the fire fighters had to take time away from the big fires to put them out. As for the base closure, I'm sure they had a contingency plan for the ships having to leave....and I'm sure they have peronnel aboard in case of such a contingency occurring. I can imagine the smoke was quite heavy, there. Many areas near the water were affected by smoke being blown out to sea.

[BevH]

She had a bouncing baby girl... which we already knew based on the sonagrams... she was not at all shy letting us know her gender She weighed in at 8lbs. 7.2ozs and was 20.5 inches long with lots and lots of dark brown hair and blue eyes.

As for the ship, yes the duty sections were still on board, but as for the rest, it would've taken several hours to get everyone back on board and the penalty for missing ship's movement is pretty harsh.

[lswot]

Congrats.

[Xjmt]

Congrats.

For the baby or the ship??