Wildfire near Yosemite forces evacuations

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http://news.msn.com/us/wildfire-near-yosemite-forces-evacuations
Wildfire near Yosemite forces evacuations
9/6/14

MARIPOSA, Calif. (AP) — An evacuation order for 300 homes near Yosemite National Park remained in effect Saturday as firefighters battled a wildfire scorching about 300 acres in Central California.

Cal Fire reported that firefighters have contained about 25 percent of the blaze. The fire broke out Friday afternoon.

An additional 400 homes are being advised to evacuate. No damage has been reported. One minor injury was reported, but Cal Fire didn't provide details.

The area is about 15 miles southwest of Yosemite. A portion of state Route 49 that leads into the park has been closed.

There were also no reports on any immediate effects on the park.

Later Friday a second blaze broke out 15 miles to the south in the community of Oakhurst. Nearly 300 alert calls telling residents to evacuate were sent out, the Mariposa County Sheriff's Department said, but they were canceled when the blaze's progress was stopped at 5 acres.

Meanwhile in far northern California, a blaze that broke out nearly four weeks ago grew to nearly 130 square miles.

A red flag warning for dangerous fire conditions near that blaze was extended to Saturday night, but it has yet to damage any homes or buildings. It's 25 percent contained.

Some homes in the Happy Camp area were under evacuation orders, but it wasn't clear how many.

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California fires north and south bring evacuations
http://news.yahoo.com/california-fires-north-south-bring-evacuations-090713668.html
9/14/14

GRASS VALLEY, Calif. (AP) — A wildfire in Northern California destroyed two homes while a much larger blaze proved stubborn amid high temperatures and dry brush in Southern California.

Dozens of homes were evacuated because of the fires Saturday, officials said.

The Northern California blaze broke out shortly after 2 p.m. in the Sierra Nevada foothills about halfway between Sacramento and Reno and grew to 250 acres, destroying two homes and three outbuildings, said Daniel Berlant, spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

By evening all evacuations were called off and the fire was 20 percent contained, Berlant said.

The burned homes were in Alta Sierra, a community of some 6,000 people about five miles south of Grass Valley.

In Southern California, firefighters coping with high temps sought to contain a wildfire that forced people to flee about 30 homes near the Cleveland National Forest.

The fire, which burned through about 2 ½ square miles of dry canyon brush, was only about 10 percent contained, said Deanne Thompson, a spokeswoman for the Orange County Emergency Operations Center.

Both heat and smoke advisories were in effect for the area, with temperatures forecast to reach as high as 105 degrees between Sunday and Tuesday.

More than 700 firefighters, aided by six helicopters and five planes, were battling the blaze.

"The fire is making a couple of uphill runs," Orange County fire Capt. Mike Petro said Saturday.

The flames sent up a towering column of smoke that could be seen for miles.

Three firefighters suffered minor injuries.

About 90 to 100 homes in the area were without power Saturday, and Thompson said authorities had opened several cooling centers for people needed to escape the heat.

The Cleveland National Forest sprawls over the rugged peaks of the Santa Ana Mountains, straddling the Orange and Riverside county line southeast of Los Angeles.

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http://news.msn.com/us/southern-california-fire-20-percent-contained
Southern California fire 20 percent contained
9/14/14

SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — A wildfire in Southern California was 20 percent contained on Sunday but more than 200 homes remained evacuated near the Cleveland National Forest, authorities said.

More than 1,000 firefighters and fire personnel were battling the 2 ½ square mile blaze that broke out Friday in Orange County's Silverado Canyon.

Six firefighters have suffered minor injuries, many of them heat-related as temperatures reach triple-digits, said Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Steve Concialdi.

"It's extremely rugged terrain and another extremely hot day," Concialdi said.

A heat wave is expected to last through Tuesday in Southern California, and a smoke advisory was in effect for parts of Riverside and Orange counties. The Cleveland National Forest sprawls over the rugged peaks of the Santa Ana Mountains, straddling the Orange and Riverside county line southeast of Los Angeles.

In Northern California, a 250-acre wildfire in the Sierra Nevada foothills has destroyed two homes, and three outbuildings, said Daniel Berlant, spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

The fire about halfway between Sacramento and Reno was 20 percent contained late Saturday.

The burned homes were in Alta Sierra, a community of some 6,000 people about five miles south of Grass Valley.

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http://news.yahoo.com/california-fires-north-south-bring-evacuations-090713668.html
Hundreds evacuate from 2 California wildfires
9/14/14

OAKHURST, Calif. (AP) — Two out-of-control wildfires in California forced hundreds of residents to flee from their homes on Sunday, including one near a lakeside resort town that has burned 21 structures, authorities said.

The blaze, sparked shortly after 1:30 p.m. near Bass Lake in Central California, prompted authorities to evacuate about 1,000 residents out of 400 homes, Madera County Sheriff's spokeswoman Erica Stuart said.

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said flames damaged or destroyed 21 structures. The Fresno Bee reports one neighborhood was hit especially hard, with several homes turned to ash and smoldering embers.

"This is gut-wrenching," CalFire Battalion Chief Chris Christopherson told the newspaper. "It makes you sick."

The fire started off a road outside of Oakhurst, a foothill community south of the entrance to Yosemite National Park, and made a run to the edge of Bass Lake. Stoked by winds, it quickly charred at least 320 acres, CalFire spokesman Daniel Berlant said.

The area is a popular destination throughout the year. There were no reports of the blaze affecting the park.

"We have a lot of full-time residents as well as renters and people with vacation homes here," Stuart said.

The destructive fire led Gov. Jerry Brown to secure a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to cover 75 percent of the cost of fighting the fire, state officials said.

Further north, a wildfire about 60 miles east of Sacramento forced the evacuation of 133 homes. El Dorado County Sheriff's officials said residents of another 406 homes were being told to prepare to flee.

Berlant said the blaze started in a remote area Saturday, but exploded on Sunday when it reached a canyon full of thick, dry brush. It has blackened 4 square miles, and was 10 percent contained.

Meanwhile in Southern California, evacuation orders for 200 homes in Orange County's Silverado Canyon were lifted late Sunday as firefighters contained 50 percent of a wildfire.

The residents were evacuated after the fire broke out Friday. The U.S. Forest Service downgraded the fire's size from 2 ½ square miles to 1 ½ square miles due to better mapping of the blaze.

Six firefighters have suffered minor injuries, many of them heat-related as the region baked under triple-digit temperatures.

A heat wave was expected to last through Tuesday in Southern California, and a smoke advisory was in effect for parts of Riverside and Orange counties.

Berlant said crews were making progress on two wildfires that broke out Saturday in Northern California.

A wildfire in the Sierra Nevada foothills about halfway between Sacramento and Reno burned 250 acres, destroyed two homes and three outbuildings. The burned homes were in Alta Sierra, a community of some 6,000 people about five miles south of Grass Valley.

A 417-acre blaze in Mendocino County destroyed five structures and five outbuildings, according to CalFire. It was 50 percent contained.

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Wildfires rage in California drought, hundreds forced to flee
9/16/14
http://news.yahoo.com/wildfires-rage-california-drought-hundreds-forced-flee-075949533.html

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Crews were battling about a dozen major wildfires across California on Tuesday that have forced thousands of people to flee, damaged or destroyed more than 100 buildings, and charred thousands of acres of drought-stricken forest.

Three years of drought in the most populous U.S. state has forced farmers to let fields lie fallow and left communities reliant on well water, with bone-dry brush fueling wildfires in temperatures of more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 Celsius).

This year's wildfire season, which typically runs from May to October, was on track to be the most destructive on record, according the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).

Authorities gave the following details.

BOLES FIRE

About 350 acres in the north of the state have been burned, more than 100 buildings have been destroyed or damaged and more than 1,000 people have been from their homes in three small communities near Interstate 5 and U.S. 97, Cal Fire said. Both roads were closed. The fire was only 15 percent contained.

KING FIRE

More than 1,000 firefighters were battling the 8,600-acre blaze in dense forest and steep terrain in El Dorado County. Nearly 250 homes were under a mandatory evacuation order, while residents of another 400 houses were advised they could voluntarily leave, the county sheriff's office said.

Cal Fire reported one injury associated with the fire, which was 5 percent contained and more than doubled in size on Monday.

COURTNEY FIRE

Further south, about 320 acres east of Yosemite have burned since wildfires started Sunday and more than 30 homes were burnt to the ground, Cal Fire said.

Some 1,000 residents in and around the foothill community of Oakhurst and near Bass Lake were evacuated. Flames were 35 percent contained by Monday evening.

SILVERADO FIRE

More than 1,000 firefighters backed by nine helicopters had been working to try to contain the roughly 1,000-acre fire, which broke out on Friday in the Cleveland National Forest and spread rapidly the next day.

The fire was largely contained by Monday evening.

Authorities near Los Angeles had lifted an evacuation order on Sunday after the wildfire had forced hundreds of people to flee their homes as it swept through drought-parched woods.

36 PIT FIRE

In Oregon, residents on opposite ends of the state were warned they may need to evacuate as high temperatures fed two growing wildfires on Monday.

Outside Portland, a campground and Recreational Vehicle (RV) park were closed by a fire that grew to 1,200 acres overnight.

The Red Cross said about 20 campers and RV residents had sought help at an emergency shelter.

The blaze threatened 168 homes and Governor John Kitzhaber ordered state crews to help local firefighters, his office said.

In southwest Oregon, another fire was threatening 10 homes plus critical communication infrastructure, fire officials said. No evacuations were ordered, but homeowners were put on standby to depart.

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Wildfires rage across drought-hit California
http://news.yahoo.com/wildfires-rage-across-drought-hit-california-030946037.html
9/17/14

Los Angeles (AFP) - As many as 6,000 firefighters were battling a wave of wildfires raging across California, which is gripped by a historic drought and near-record temperatures.

Thousands of residents have been evacuated and buildings ravaged in at least one of the fires in northern California, while southern California has been hit by power blackouts as people turn their air conditioning up to full blast.

There are currently 12 major fires across the vast western US state, including near the town of Weed, where flames damaged or destroyed over 100 buildings including the local church.

"Since last year there are much more fires because of the drought," CalFire spokeswoman Alyssa Smith told AFP, adding that there have been 200 more fires this year compared to the same time last year.

On Sunday, about 1,000 people were evacuated near Yosemite National Park in central California. The blaze that began near Bass Lake burned 330 acres (133 hectares) in a matter of hours.

California, baking in temperatures of over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (nearly 40 degrees Celsius), is in the third year of its worst drought for decades, devastating its largely agricultural Central Valley in particular.

In southern California, near-record temperatures for a sixth straight day led to a surge in electricity use, triggering outages which left some 7,000 people without power.

California often faces fierce fires in the summer and fall, but wildfire season began early this year, with the extreme drought of recent months generating dozens more blazes.

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Over 2,000 homes threatened in California fire
9/17/14
http://news.yahoo.com/fire-damage-mill-another-blow-timber-town-070145740.html

WEED, Calif. (AP) — Teams of firefighters went house-to-house on Wednesday to pin down damage done by a wildfire that officials estimated had destroyed 110 homes and damaged another 90 in the small town of Weed while another Northern California blaze east of Sacramento was threatening more than 2,000 homes as it burned out of control, officials said.

The new figures from Weed brought a marked increase from the initial estimate that a total of 150 structures had been destroyed or damaged in the blaze that began Monday and rapidly swept across the town. Four firefighters lost their homes.

In the fire east of Sacramento, a total of 2,500 firefighters were now taking on the blaze that was threatening 2,003 homes and another 1,505 smaller structures, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said.

"It's been an explosive couple of days," CalFire spokesman Daniel Berlant said.

The fire has burned nearly 44 square miles of trees and brush and is just 5 percent contained.

"We are faced with a large and dangerous fire," Laurence Crabtree, a U.S. Forest Service supervisor for the Eldorado National Forest, told the Sacramento Bee. "We have had significant losses of public timber land, private timberland and watershed."

Most of the threatened homes were in Pollock Pines, 60 miles east of Sacramento. Hundreds of them are under evacuation orders, but it wasn't immediately clear exactly how many.

Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency late Wednesday, freeing up funds for the two fires. Brown had also secured federal grants to fight each of them.

In Weed, two churches, a community center and the library also burned to the ground, while an elementary school and the city's last wood-products mill were damaged by flames that had been pushed by 40 mph winds.

On Wednesday, firefighters braced for more wind as they battled the 375-acre fire, and insurance companies worked to find places to live for the people who lost their homes.

The cause of the blaze was under investigation. It was 60 percent contained.

Burned neighborhoods remained off-limits, but people have been finding ways in since the fire started.

The Rev. Bill Hofer, pastor of Weed Berean Church, said power was back on in his home, which was still standing on the edge of the devastation zone, and he was planning to return Wednesday night — despite the evacuation order — to deter vandalism.

"The more people home with the lights on, the better," he said.

At the Roseburg Forest Products veneer mill, workers looked for structural damage to the main manufacturing facility. A maintenance shed was reduced to twisted sheet-metal.

"We were in the middle of its path," said Kellye Wise, vice president of human resources for the company based in Dillard, Oregon. He said employees also lost homes in the blaze.

The temporary closure of the mill came as another blow to a town still suffering from logging cutbacks in the 1990s intended to protect fish and wildlife, Siskiyou County Supervisor Michael Kobseff said.

With 170 workers, the mill is the second-largest employer in Weed, a blue-collar town of 3,000 people in the shadow of Mount Shasta. He said some residents are anxious to rebuild.

"Then there are others still pretty well devastated," he said. "But I think the community is just trying to pull together and get back on track."

Near Yosemite National Park, a 320-acre fire that damaged or destroyed 71 structures, including 37 homes, around Oakhurst was 70 percent contained and all remaining evacuations were canceled.

More than 4,000 wildfires have burned in California this year.

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New evacuations ordered as California wildfire doubles in size
http://news.msn.com/us/new-evacuations-ordered-as-california-wildfire-doubles-in-size
9/19/14

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - More residents of Northern California mountain communities were told to leave their homes on Thursday after an out-of-control wildfire doubled in size, scorching more than 100 sq m (259 sq km) of drought-parched timber and brush.

More than 3,800 firefighters battled to stop the march of the King Fire, the largest and most dangerous of 11 major wildfires raging across California, but had managed to cut containment lines around just 10 percent of the flames, officials said.

The blaze raced across some 43,000 acres of forest late on Wednesday and had burned more than 73,000 acres of state land in the El Dorado National Forest northeast of Sacramento.

No buildings have been destroyed since the blaze erupted on Saturday, but the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said about 2,800 people had been evacuated from the area and 12,000 homes and 9,000 other structures remained under threat.

Fire officials said a break in the heat wave that has baked much of California for a week, higher humidity and cloud cover helped firefighters make progress.

Officials cautioned, however, that forecasts of high temperatures and low humidity on Friday or Saturday could fan the blaze into a more active state.

Prosecutors in El Dorado county charged a man with arson on Thursday in connection with the King Fire, saying in a criminal complaint that he "willfully and maliciously" set ablaze forest land in the area.

Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency late on Wednesday in response to the King Fire and a blaze farther north, putting all state resources at the disposal of his Office of Emergency Services.

This year's California fire season, which traditionally runs from May to October, is on track to be the most destructive on record, state officials say. The most populous U.S. state is suffering through a devastating three years of drought, which has dried out brush and trees, helping fuel the flames.

In the El Dorado National Forest, a popular destination for outdoors enthusiasts, numerous campgrounds and Highway 50 were closed, and two shelters were opened for residents forced to flee their homes.

Two firefighters suffered injuries that were not life-threatening, said Cal Fire spokeswoman Lannette Rangel.

The fire was burning largely unchecked in steep canyon terrain along the south fork of the American River and Silver Creek, north of the community of Pollock Pines.

Crews halted the advance of another fire hundreds of miles to the north in the Cascade range on Tuesday, but not before 150 buildings were lost in the town of Weed near Mount Shasta and the Oregon border.

Police said two churches and a sawmill were among buildings damaged or destroyed in the historic logging town of 3,000 people.

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Huge Northern California wildfire keeps growing
http://news.yahoo.com/huge-northern-california-wildfire-keeps-growing-082534001.html
9/21/14

POLLOCK PINES, Calif. (AP) — As an expanding wildfire in Northern California kept nearly 3,000 people from their homes, teams sought to find out how many structures had already been lost to the huge blaze, authorities said.

While officials confirmed that several structures have been damaged or destroyed in the King Fire, dangerous conditions have so far prevented them from determining an exact number or how many of them were homes, fire spokesman Mike McMillian said.

The fire some 60 miles east of Sacramento grew to more than 128 square miles Saturday, and gathering thunderstorms could either help or harm the firefight with moisture or wind, authorities said.

The blaze began one week ago, and a man accused of starting the blaze is being held on $10 million bail. It is just 10 percent contained.

More than 5,000 firefighters — from as far as Florida and Alaska — are helping California crews battle the blaze that has not only consumed grass and brush, but swaths of extremely dry tall timber.

"That's what makes it difficult for a direct attack," McMillian said. "The main fuel that is burning is the tall timber. We're making some progress, but it is slow going in some areas as we're trying to construct more contingency and control lines."

About 100 evacuees have been allowed to return home, but some 2,700 remain under evacuation orders, Cal Fire said in a statement.

Also of concern are possible wind gusts of up to 30 mph that could push the fire, which has spread from the north to the south, state fire spokeswoman Lynne Tolmachoff said.

"That would open up a whole new area for it to burn in," Tolmachoff said.

The fire has spread to the Tahoe National Forest northwest of Lake Tahoe, McMillian said. Also, the fire is threatening a key University of California, Berkeley research station that his home to scores of experiments on trees, plants and other wildlife.

Wayne Allen Huntsman, 37, pleaded not guilty to an arson charge Friday in El Dorado County Superior Court.

Authorities have not said what evidence they have linking Huntsman to the fire, by far one of the largest of about a dozen fires burning statewide.

Meanwhile, a wildfire in the town of Weed near the Oregon border was fully contained Saturday after burning 479 acres and destroying 143 homes. Another wildfire that destroyed 37 homes near Yosemite National Park was 93 percent contained.

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http://news.yahoo.com/crews-progress-huge-california-wildfire-072510142.html
9/22/14
California wildfire crews brace for weather shift

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Crews scrambled Monday to extend control lines around a massive Northern California wildfire threatening thousands of homes as they braced for strong, erratic winds similar to when the blaze doubled in size a week ago.

The King Fire east of Sacramento had burned through 137 square miles, an increase of about 9 square miles overnight despite crews making some progress in cooler and slightly wet conditions.

But expected warmer temperatures, low humidity and winds of up to 30 mph could increase fire activity, state fire spokesman Capt. Tom Piranio said.

"This could set up some potential fire growth similar to what we experienced when it grew exponentially last week," Piranio said. "We are working very aggressively to maintain the contingency lines."

Last week, the blaze grew to 111 square miles overnight when winds surged to more than 25 mph, the state forestry and fire protection department reported. More than 5,000 firefighters — from as far as Florida and Alaska — have worked around the clock to increase the fire containment from 10 to 18 percent by Monday.

However, a red flag warning has been issued for Tuesday as gusty winds could reach up to 35 mph by Wednesday, said Holly Osbourne, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Sacramento.

"It's definitely going to pose a challenge to the control lines the firefighters have created," said Osbourne, adding that there's also a slight chance for rain Thursday.

The wildfire which started on Sept. 13 continues to threaten about 21,000 structures, more than half of them homes. It has destroyed 10 homes and 22 outbuildings in the White Meadows area of Pollock Pines, according to preliminary figures released Sunday.

About 100 evacuees were allowed to return home, but some 2,700 remain under evacuation orders, state fire spokesman Daniel Berlant said. The fire also continued to threaten a key University of California, Berkeley research station that is home to scores of experiments on trees, plants and other wildlife.

The blaze was spreading smoke beyond California, with the National Weather Service issuing a "dense smoke advisory" in Reno, Nevada and Lake Tahoe on Monday some 100 miles away. Shifting winds later pushed the worst of the smoke back west.

Those winds sent the air quality index into the "very unhealthy" level for general populations in Auburn northeast of Sacramento — where some schools closed, as well as the Roseville and Rockville areas.

For the first time since a smoky haze drifted into western Nevada more than a week ago from a huge California wildfire nearly 100 miles away, the National Weather Service issued a "dense smoke advisory" for Reno and Lake Tahoe on Monday before shifting winds pushed the worst of it back west across the Sierra.

A man charged with starting the fire, Wayne Allen Huntsman, 37, pleaded not guilty to arson Friday. He remains in the El Dorado County jail on $10 million bail.

[Psalm 51:17]

http://news.yahoo.com/huge-northern-california-wildfire-keeps-growing-082534001.html
32 structures destroyed in California wildfire
9/21/14

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Light rain and cooler temperatures helped firefighters makes advances Sunday against a huge Northern California wildfire that has destroyed nearly three-dozen structures.

According to preliminary figures, 10 homes and 22 outbuildings were lost in the White Meadows area of Pollock Pines, said Capt. Tom Piranio, a state fire spokesman.

Assessment teams were headed back in the rugged, steep terrain east of Sacramento to survey more damage, he said.

"It has been very challenging to get access to those burn areas because there's a lot of inaccessible terrain," Piranio said. "We had to make sure it was safe enough to enter."

Smoky conditions from the fire also forced a last-minute cancellation of two popular Ironman events in nearby Lake Tahoe Sunday morning, Ironman operations manager Keats McGonigal said. About 3,000 athletes from around the world were expected to participate, but couldn't due to poor air quality as the fire spread to the Tahoe National Forest northwest of Lake Tahoe over the weekend.

The fast-moving blaze located about 60 miles east of Sacramento started Sept. 13 and grew to more than 128 square miles despite periods of rain overnight. The fire's size held on Sunday, and the weather helped crews increase containment from 10 to 17 percent, Piranio said.

More than 21,000 structures remain threatened. More than 5,000 firefighters — from as far as Florida and Alaska — are helping California crews battle the blaze that has not only consumed grass and brush, but swaths of extremely dry tall timber.

Timber could topple as crews try to construct more contingency and control lines while attacking the blaze from multiple spots, state fire Battalion Chief Scott McLean said Sunday.

"We need to get in there and make sure that all of our hot spots and those hazardous trees are taken care of and don't cross our lines," McLean said. "We cannot become complacent. We have to continue to work as hard as possible to get this under control."

About 100 evacuees have been allowed to return home, but some 2,700 remain under evacuation orders, state fire spokesman Daniel Berlant said. The fire also continues to threaten a key University of California, Berkeley research station that is home to scores of experiments on trees, plants and other wildlife.

A man charged with starting the fire, Wayne Allen Huntsman, 37, pleaded not guilty to arson Friday and remains in the El Dorado County jail on $10 million bail.

[Psalm 51:17]

http://news.yahoo.com/wildfire-larger-las-vegas-rages-california-015324499.html
Wildfire 'larger than Las Vegas' rages in California
9/23/14

Los Angeles (AFP) - California firefighters were battling a wildfire that is larger than Las Vegas, with the US state officially facing one of its worst years for the blazes in recent memory.

Nearly 7,500 firefighters are struggling with the so-called King Fire east of Sacramento, which has forced almost 3,000 people to evacuate.

The wildfire is only 35 percent contained and is threatening thousands of buildings and homes.

California is currently in the third year of its worst drought in decades, with flames fanned by high winds in tinder-dry forests. Some 95 percent of the fires are found to be caused by humans, whether by accident or design.

Five major blazes are currently raging across California, including the King Fire, which was started on September 13, allegedly by an arsonist, in El Dorado County, and has so far burned 362 square kilometers (140 square miles) -- an area bigger than Las Vegas.

The US state recorded 4,974 wildfires between January 1 and September 20, according to a spokeswoman for CalFire.

That compares to an average of 3,951 fires in the same period over the last five years, said spokeswoman Alyssa Smith.

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http://news.yahoo.com/thousands-help-fight-huge-northern-california-fire-070422301.html
Fight against California fire is 2nd most costly
9/24/14

PLACERVILLE, Calif. (AP) — A massive blaze in California that threatens thousands of homes has become the second-most expensive blaze to fight in the state this year.

State fire spokesman Daniel Berlant said Wednesday the King Fire east of Sacramento has cost more than $53 million since it began nearly two weeks ago.

Berlant said that figure ranks behind the $86 million that has been spent to tame a still-burning fire in the Klamath National Forest along the California-Oregon border.

However, those figures are nowhere near the more than $127 million spent to stop the Rim Fire last year in Yosemite National Park.

More than 7,600 firefighters are currently battling the King Fire that has stretched into Nevada and destroyed 12 homes and threatens another 12,000.

The fire is nearly 40 percent contained.

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http://news.yahoo.com/video/strong-winds-fan-flames-ever-122820409.html

Strong winds fan flames of ever-growing King Fire

Videos 0:17 mins

More than 7,000 firefighters are trying to stop the "King Fire" blaze in California, but officials say wind conditions are making it extremely difficult. Rough Cut (no reporter narration).

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http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-north-south-fire-20140925-story.html
Northern California fires may offer a grim preview for Southland
9/24/14

Northern California is bearing the brunt of wildfires that have destroyed scores of homes and consumed huge swaths of land. The state has seen 1,000 more wildfires so far this year compared to the average, many of them in northern forest areas left bone-dry by the drought.

But Southern California is about to enter its traditional fire season, and officials worry that the destruction to the north offers a grim preview of what's ahead.

"Conditions are ripe, and it only takes one day of hot, dry weather with Santa Ana winds for a large wildfire to cause destruction," said Daniel Berlant of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

It's a race we run every fall: What comes first, the rains or the Santa Anas. The dice are loaded this year for Santa Anas ... and who knows how intense or benign it will be. - William Patzert, a climatologist for NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

The latest forecast from the National Weather Service released Wednesday only added to the concern. Northern California typically gets 30% to 40% of its rain in the next three months, but meteorologists said they see largely dry conditions ahead. The drought outlook is similar for the south.

Much of California is susceptible to wildfires, but fire behavior differs by region.

In Northern California, many of the big fires have occurred in remote forest and wildland areas, ignited by summer lightning storms.

Typically, these forests get plenty of rain in the winter and fall, giving them a defense against the lightning fires. But the drought has left the areas unusually dry, allowing fires to spread much more quickly into rugged terrain that is difficult for firefighters to reach.

"Once they get started, it's a matter of what has to burn," U.S. Forest Service fire ecologist Neil Sugihara said.

Many of these forests have not burned in decades, leaving thick stands of dry foliage. The Happy Camp Complex fire in Klamath National Forest, the largest on record this year in the state, has been burning dense forestland since lightning struck more than a month ago.

Fires have consumed 366,285 acres of national forest in Northern California this year, compared to 84,109 acres during the same period in 2013. Those fires have already surpassed the five-year average for lost forest acreage in the entire state, which is 214,391 acres.

In the last two weeks, nearly 200 structures have been burned from the Oregon border to the outskirts of Yosemite.

So far this summer, Southern California has been fortunate. In contrast to the northern part of the state, the vast majority of fires are started by humans and spread by dry, hot Santa Ana winds.

Fire officials said they have seen fewer fire starts than normal, and moderate wind conditions. Some heat waves have even come with a little humidity.

"And even though we've had red-flag warnings this summer, you still need that igniter," said Stuart Seto of the National Weather Service in Oxnard. "Basically, we've had less igniters in our area."

Los Angeles County Fire Inspector Rick Flores said the county "has been pretty lucky.... We've had little starts here and there, but we've put them out pretty quickly."

But strong Santa Ana winds generally begin developing in October and can last through December. In wet years, the hot, dry conditions are tempered by fall and winter rainstorms. But forecasters don't expect much of that this year.

"It's a race we run every fall: What comes first, the rains or the Santa Anas," said William Patzert, a climatologist for NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. "The dice are loaded this year for Santa Anas … and who knows how intense or benign it will be."

Officials cited the Silverado Canyon fire in Orange County two weeks ago as an example of how a small fire can get out of hand. It was started by metal sheeting that a homeowner put up to protect a backyard vegetable garden from small animals. The sheeting essentially acted as a magnifying glass during the intense heat, sparking a fire that ran up the hill and grew to almost 1,000 acres.

Moisture levels in Southern California's brush and leaves are at critically low levels and that fueled the fire's spread, said George Ewan, a wildland fire defense planner for the Orange County Fire Authority.

"Even though the vegetation is alive, it'll burn like it's dead. All those hillsides would burn like it's covered with dead vegetation," he said.

Firefighters got some breaks that slowed the spread of the Silverado Canyon fire and prevented widespread destruction. The fire occurred during extremely hot temperatures, but the winds were relatively calm. The fire also moved away from homes and into the Cleveland National Forest.

A fire in the hills of Orange County has room to spread fast. The last major blaze was in 2008, when the Freeway Complex fire in Santa Ana Canyon burned more than 30,000 acres.

"So we've had plenty of chance for the vegetation to grow back and burn," Ewan said. "The first thing that grows back is grass and weeds ... you have what we call 'flashy fuels.' It grows fast, dries fast and burns fast."

It's already been an unprecedented year for fire officials across the state. Last week, more than 66,000 firefighters were battling 10 major California fires. Officials knew the year was going to be stressful when a major fire erupted in January in Humboldt County, one of the wettest regions in the state. Earlier this spring, a number of brush fires swept through San Diego County when a surprise wave of strong winds hit half a year earlier than expected.

"That peak period of time is now, and is still ahead of us," Berlant said. "The largest of the fires, the most destructive of the fires, typically occur in Southern California."

[Psalm 51:17]

http://news.yahoo.com/price-tag-exceeds-53m-california-wildfire-071211547.html
9/25/14
Rain helps efforts to control huge California fire

PLACERVILLE, Calif. (AP) — Wet weather was helping firefighters gain control of a massive wildfire threatening thousands of homes in the Sierra Nevada foothills of California, authorities said Thursday.

The King Fire, burning east of Sacramento, grew slightly overnight to nearly 150 square miles. But containment also increased and now tops 40 percent, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention.

The rain will "will bring up the humidity, bring the flames down a little, and give the firefighters more opportunity to do more direct fire lines," CalFire spokesman Jerry Rohnert said.

The rainy weather, which is much needed in drought-stricken California, was expected to continue through Saturday. It should help contain the fire but could also lead to mudslides that could make firefighting more dangerous, Rohnert said.

More than 8,000 firefighters, some coming from as far away as Alaska and Florida, were battling the blaze, which has destroyed 12 homes and threatens another 12,000 near the town of Pollock Pines.

Evacuees from Swansboro, a mountain community of about 400 homes, were allowed to return Wednesday night. Some 2,800 people overall had been evacuated, but it wasn't immediately clear how many remained.

Wayne Allen Huntsman, 37, has been charged with starting the King Fire. He has pleaded not guilty to arson and remains in jail on $10 million bail

The King Fire has become the second priciest blaze in California this year, costing more than $50 million to fight since it began nearly two weeks ago. The state spent more than $85 million fighting a fire in Klamath National Forest along the California-Oregon border.

The blaze is one of nearly 5,000 wildfires in California this year, a 26 percent increase compared to an average year of about 3,900.

[Psalm 51:17]

http://news.yahoo.com/crews-yosemite-fire-lose-contact-tanker-005332509.html
Air tanker crashes while fighting California fire
10/7/14

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, Calif. (AP) — An air tanker fighting a wildfire near Yosemite National Park in Northern California crashed Tuesday, but there was no immediate word on the state of the plane or the pilot, who was the only person aboard, officials said.

The plane went down at about 4:30 p.m. within a mile of the park's west entrance, Yosemite spokesman Scott Gediman said. Rescue crews were working their way through difficult terrain to reach the downed plane.

"What we're trying to do right now with the remaining light is to get some of our rangers to the scene," Gediman said.

The airplane is an S-2T air tanker, which is flown by a single pilot and has no other crew members. The tanker uses twin turbine engines and is capable of carrying 1,200 gallons of fire retardant, said Daniel Berlant, a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

"Please keep our pilot in your thoughts and prayers," Berlant said in a statement.

He did not know the age of the aircraft or details on the pilot and the pilot's experience in flying the aircraft.

"We're still trying to determine all the vital details," Berlant told The Associated Press by phone. "We have not been able to confirm anything via the radio with the pilot."

It was unclear if the pilot was flying to or from the fire or was in the process of dropping retardant, Berlant said.

The fire began Tuesday afternoon near state Highway 140, which leads into the heart of the park. It had grown to about 130 acres by Tuesday evening and forced the evacuation of several dozen homes near the community of Foresta.

[Psalm 51:17]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/09/wildfires-california-interstate-80_n_5957014.html
10/9/14
Wildfires Burn Along California's Interstate 80 As Investigators Search For Cause

APPLEGATE, Calif. (AP) — A series of small wildfires that broke out along Interstate 80 in Northern California destroyed five homes but was showing little growth, fire officials said Thursday.

The fires broke out Wednesday, the same day that California's fleet of 22 air tankers was grounded after one of the planes crashed while battling a separate wildfire in Yosemite National Park, killing the pilot.

The small fires along Interstate 80 about 40 miles northeast of Sacramento had burned through 420 acres, a slight increase from the previous day, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said. Containment went from 10 to 20 percent.

State fire officials previously reported only one home had been destroyed around the small community of Applegate in Placer County.

It was not immediately clear what caused the fires, but officials said they were looking into the possibility that human activity was to blame.

"We don't know the cause, but any time we have multiple fires that started in the same area along the roadside, that tells us we probably have human activity," said Daniel Berlant, a CalFire spokesman.

At least two callers reported seeing several car tires burning along the eastbound shoulder of the interstate, California Highway Patrol officer Mike Martis said.

I-80's eastbound lanes were closed for several hours. A single lane was opened when the blaze was 10 percent contained, and the two remaining eastbound lanes remained closed.

The fire was threatening other homes, at least some of which were under mandatory evacuation orders.

Meanwhile, the wildfire in Yosemite had grown to 252 acres and was 10 percent contained. Some 60 homes in the community of Foresta were under evacuation orders.

Fire officials said the air tanker crash on Tuesday occurred as four CalFire aircraft were fighting the blaze as it climbed a steep canyon wall north of the Merced River.

The body of pilot Geoffrey "Craig" Hunt was recovered Wednesday.

The department had helicopters, guide planes and aircraft from other agencies to take on the blaze and others in the state, but the S-2T tankers that were grounded indefinitely are considered an essential resource for dealing with wildfires before they spiral out of control.

[Psalm 51:17]

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-northern-california-new-wildfire-20141009-story.html
10/9/14
Latest Northern California wildfire destroys homes; residents flee

A fast-moving wildfire in Northern California has destroyed at least two homes after moving across Interstate 80 and into dense wilderness.

The Applegate fire in Placer County started about 1:30 p.m. Wednesday and has so far scorched about 380 acres. Hundreds of residents in Applegate, Weimer, Twin Pines and Heather Glen have been forced to evacuate, with at least 80 homes threatened by the fire, officials said. It was just 10% contained overnight.

The wildfire started as five to seven smaller spot fires along I-80 and, fanned by winds, quickly pushed into tinder-dry wilderness, said Daniel Berlant, a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Gov. Jerry Brown secured a Federal Emergency Management Agency grant Wednesday to help cover the cost of fighting the blaze and rebuilding damaged communities.

Photos and video posted on Twitter, YouTube and local media outlets showed that at least two homes have already been destroyed. Berlant told reporters that the fire’s point of origin along the highway led officials to believe that it was human-caused, though it’s unclear if it was intentional.

“When you have a fire alongside the roadway, human activity of some type is typically the cause,” Berlant told KCRA-TV.

With Cal Fire’s fleet of S-2t air tankers grounded because of a crash on Tuesday in Yosemite National Park, the agency relied on federal aircraft to battle the blaze.

“What we’re seeing right now is this fire is spotting ahead of itself,” Berlant said. “Once firefighters start attacking one area, the fire spots in another direction and firefighters have to race and chase to that area to slow it down.”

The fire is one of two out-of-control blazes that Cal Fire has had to battle this week. The second, with the U.S. Forest Service as the lead agency, is on the edge of Yosemite National Park.

The rest of the state’s fires are either extinguished or nearly 100% contained, officials said.