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The television reporters covering the fires have been effusive about the capacities of the converted DC-10 airliner that has been dropping fire retardant on the fires in the vicinity of Lake Arrowhead, and the enthusiasm is warranted. Sometimes called the Tanker 910, and sometimes the 10 Tanker Air Carrier, the plane can carry 12,000 gallons of fire retardant or water in tanks attached under its belly. That's 10 times as much liquid as the other available California air tankers, and four times the capacity of the largest-available tankers operated by the federal government. It can create a fire line three-quarters...

SAN DIEGO – For four years San Diego County Supervisor Ron Roberts has been trying to make sure the red tape didn't keep the military aircraft from jumping into action during the next local disaster. During the 2003 Cedar fire, military aircraft at Miramar Marine Corps airfield sat idle while in full sight of the flames devastating nearby Scripps Ranch. Bureaucratic controversies kept military resources from at first joining the battle against what became the worst fire in state history. Now a full four days after the latest wildfires began, military helicopters will be flying to the rescue, officials announced...

SAN DIEGO - Property damage from this week's devastating Southern California wildfires has reached at least $1 billion in San Diego County alone, officials said Wednesday. "Clearly, this is going to be a $1 billion or more disaster," Ron Lane, San Diego County's director of emergency services, told reporters during a news conference. He said at least 1,200 homes had been destroyed in the county, a number officials believed would rise. That brings to roughly 1,500 the number of homes destroyed in the seven-county region that has been ablaze since Sunday. The announcement of San Diego's staggering losses came as...

Raging Calif. wildfires make 500K flee By GILLIAN FLACCUS, Associated Press Writer 13 minutes ago Faced with unrelenting winds whipping wildfires into a frenzy across Southern California, firefighters conceded defeat on many fronts Tuesday to an unstoppable force that has chased more than 500,000 people away. Unless the shrieking Santa Ana winds subside, and that's not expected for at least another day, fire crews say they can do little more than try to wait it out and react — tamping out spot fires and chasing ribbons of airborne embers to keep new fires from flaring. "If it's this big and...

The fires raging in Southern California have likely caused hundreds of millions of dollars worth of damage to homes and businesses, the state's insurance commissioner said on Tuesday. "This is just a terrible disaster; it's going to be one of the worst ever," California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner told Reuters. He said the total destruction would easily be in the hundreds of millions of dollars, exceeding damages from a fire in Northern California at Lake Tahoe this summer. "In South Lake Tahoe where we just finished working with the victims there over the last several months, you had 254 homes...

<p>Fire officials found three separate “points of origin,� all near the intersection of Silverado Canyon Road and Santiago Canyon Road. Two were on one side of the road, and the third was on the other. “Whoever did this knew what they were doing,” said Kris Concepcion, a fire authority battalion chief. Also, the fire traveled 3 miles in its first 20 minutes when it was ignited about 6 p.m. Sunday, he said.</p>

CNN) -- While the military is lending assistance to battle wildfires in Southern California, it's also keeping an eye on the horizon in case it has to evacuate bases there. According to the Pentagon: About 800 Camp Pendleton Marines, some of them recently back from Iraq, have been volunteered to fight the massive fires. About 1,500 California National Guardsmen already are fighting fires. Aircraft from the Navy, Marine Corps and Air National Guard and Air Force Reserves are dropping water and flame retardants on the flames and providing logistical support. Six C-130 Modular Airborne FireFighting Systems from Air National Guard...

Loads of information on locations of fires in San Diego and resources. Zoom in. http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=114250687465160386813.00043d08ac31fe3357571

Tracey Martinez, a spokeswoman with the San Bernardino County Fire Department, said officials believe the Rim Forest fire is related to a 1.5 acre blaze that firefighters dealt with Sunday. Winds are soaring at 60-to-70 miles per hour late this morning. "Resources are very strained," Martinez said. "We cannot use air attack right now. We have a lot of fires in California." The county cannot bring its entire force to bear in the mountains because firefighters must be stationed around the county in case any more blazes ignite elsewhere, she said. But the county did pull back its firefighters from...

9:03 a.m.: Fires in Lake Arrowhead prompt evacuations By Stacia Glenn LAKE ARROWHEAD - Two fires are raging in the mountains, forcing hundreds of people from their homes. A wildfire started at 5 a.m. in Grass Valley just north of Lake Arrowhead and has burned more than 100 acres. Mandatory evacuations are in place for Deer Lodge Park, north of Aleutian Drive; and all streets north of Brentwood Drive. There are voluntary evacuations for North Lake Arrowhead, along Grass Valley Road, Twin Peaks and Rim Forest. A second fire, dubbed the Slide Fire, broke out in Green Valley Lake,...

SAN DIEGO -- With fire spreading quickly westward, San Diego County officials ordered the evacuation of a huge area east of Interstate 15 between Del Dios Highway and Highway 56 early Mon"This is the worst fire this county has ever seen -- worse than the Cedar Fire [of 2003]," Sheriff Bill Kolender said. At a news conference shortly after 6 a.m., officials said fires had spread dramatically overnight, whipped by fierce Santa Ana winds. They said fire had jumped Interstate 15 at Lake Hodges and was burning in parts of Rancho Bernardo. Because of the explosive and unpredictable nature of...

At least 250,000 residents have been evacuated from their homes as 100,000 acres of Southern California burn in several wildfires, according to the San Diego County Office of Emergency Services. DEVELOPING...

Yet another Southern California wildfire underway, this time in the eastern San Diego County area near Witch Creek on Highway 78 between Ramona and Julian. Wind driven fire, caused by power lines dropping. Over a thousand acres since its start about an hour and a half ago. Chief on scene requesting 7 air tankers, 6 helicopters, 10 strike teams of brush engines, and 6 strike teams of structure engines. Resources in the area are very low, so unknown how much of that order he'll actually get. Fire's blowing south and west, smoke visible 10 miles away. Highway 15 in northern...

I got a call at 6 a.m. saying there was a fire in the canyon and there were santa ana winds," said Pastor Greg Hughes. "That's a bad combination so I came over." Hughes drove from his home near Zuma Beach and reached the church with other staffers about 6:30 a.m. A fire engine was already at the scene. "There was thick smoke. I could hardly see anything," he said. Firefighters told him that the church was not immediately under threat but warned that the unpredictible winds meant that could quickly change. He and his colleagues started removing important items...

.A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE MOVING INLAND THROUGH THE GREAT BASIN WILL BRING STRONG GUSTY WINDS TO THE MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS SATURDAY. THIS WILL BE FOLLOWED BY STRONG SANTA ANA WINDS FOR LATE SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY WITH WEAKER SANTA ANA WINDS CONTINUING AT TIMES MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH EARLY WEDNESDAY. THIS IS EXPECTED TO BE A STRONG SANTA ANA EVENT FOR SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR DAMAGING WINDS IN THE WINDIER LOCATIONS THROUGH AND BELOW PASSES AND CANYONS. THE STRONG WINDS WILL ALSO CAUSE VERY HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES. CAZ055-192200- /O.NEW.KSGX.WI.Y.0026.071020T1800Z-071021T0300Z/ /O.NEW.KSGX.HW.A.0009.071021T0700Z-071023T0100Z/ SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY...

CBS) LOS ANGELES Hurricane-force winds, bone-dry humidity and hazardous fire conditions will buffet Southern California beginning late Saturday, the National Weather Service warns. The approaching Santa Ana winds will have gusts topping 80 miles per hour Sunday, and can be expected to be as strong and long-lasting as the 2003 wind event, when nearly 60,000 acres of San Diego County burned, forecasters said. High pressure over the Rocky Mountains will push warm air across the deserts of Nevada, Arizona and California, and then further heat, compress and dry that as it squeezes through mountain passes, forecasters said. The National Weather...

Wild fires breaking out in So California Malibu fire

Malibu Canyon is on fire. Local news reporting the Malibu Castle, a local landmark, is completely engulfed in flames. Malibu Presbyterian Church is burning. Pepperdine University is threatened with students being told to seek refuge in the auditorium immediately. Hughes think tank on fire.

UPDATE: The city of Malibu is advising residents in Puerco Canyon to begin evacuating due to a wildfire driven by powerful winds. This area is north of Pacific Coast Highway and about 1 mile west of Pepperdine University. Residents along the beach on Malibu Road may soon be evacuated. Pacific Coast Highway is closed between Kanan-Dume Road and Topanga Canyon. Residents are advised to head to the west. Evacuation centers are being set up in the Zuma Beach area. A wildfire driven by powerful winds in the Malibu Hills this morning threatened a university, destroyed at least one home and...

As Southern Californians brace for the most dangerous part of wildfire season, they would do well to make their homes as fireproof as possible, researchers say. Clearing vegetation around houses and upgrading homes with nonflammable materials can not only protect lives and property, but can also help keep a wildfire from growing, according to a new study by researchers from California and Colorado. It sounds strange, said Patrick Bourgeron, a researcher at the University of Colorado and lead author on the study, but "we need to protect the fires from houses."   Bourgeron said that is because unprotected houses...

U.S. Forest Service officials have released a plan to reduce destructive wildfire potential on about 8,100 acres of forest land east of Estes Park. The goal of the Thompson River Fuel Reduction Project is to reduce the spread and intensity of wildfires that could affect private property and municipal water supplies in and around the Big and Little Thompson rivers and to protect the forest’s ecosystem. Historically, small fires thinned forest undergrowth and kept the chances for a large wildfire to a minimum. But through much of the 20th century, people suppressed those fires. That left a more dense undergrowth,...

The evacuation order for residents of the Paradise Road community is downgraded. Paradise Road, the Los Prietos Boys Camp, and the Rancho Oso Guest Ranch are now under an evacuation warning. Firefighters made a critical turn in the direction of the fire. It is no longer headed in the direction of the Paradise Road community. However, the lower Santa Ynez River campgrounds, trails, and day use areas remain closed. Firefighters made significant progress this weekend, thanks in part to a new tool called in today to help battle the Zaca flames. A DC-10 Airtanker, contracted to the state through Cal...

HELENA, Mont. (AP) - Authorities told residents of about 200 homes to evacuate and pulled firefighters off a fast-growing wildfire in western Montana out of concern for their safety.

Wildfires in several western states have stirred embers of the "Sagebrush Rebellion," as ranchers and politicians have criticized federal agencies, the courts and environmentalists over policies they say are contributing to the fires. Nevada's Republican Gov. Jim Gibbons and U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., claimed environmental groups and federal bureaucracy have contributed to fires, including one at Lake Tahoe that burned more than 250 homes. And this week, Idaho Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter, a rancher, and the state's two senators, Larry Craig and Mike Crapo, joined ranchers in blaming federal safety rules for crippling early efforts to douse a 1,000-square-mile...

for losing the battle against 3,000 forest fires

Hot, dry and windy weather helped a wildfire near Glacier National Park grow to roughly 5,000 acres on Sunday and continue to threaten an evacuated lodge. The blaze had grown from 1,000 acres a day earlier and was just 2 percent contained, fire information officer Dale Warriner said. The fire was running into heavy timber. On Sunday, authorities reopened a highway near the park in northwestern Montana, but they warned that U.S. 2 could be closed again if the blaze flared up. Guests and 18 workers at the Summit Station Lodge along the highway remained evacuated as flames burned within...

BOISE, Idaho - International wildfire crews could be called to help fight blazes in the bone-dry West as U.S. officials on Wednesday boosted the nation's wildfire alert to its highest level. "It's driven by a couple of things: The number of large fires we have, and also the fires are occurring in several states and in several geographic areas," Randy Eardley, a spokesman for the National Interagency Fire Center here, told The Associated Press. "The resources we have are being stretched thin." The wildfire preparedness level was raised to five as dry lightning blasted and sparked dozens of new blazes...

The recent loss of more than 200 homes in the Angora fire near Lake Tahoe was another ugly reminder that California hasn't gotten its act together on forest policy. As San Diego County residents know painfully well from fall 2003, when the Cedar and Paradise fires destroyed more than 2,400 homes, much of the state is at risk. But long before 2003, fire experts had zeroed in on the especially destructive possibilities of a wildfire in the Tahoe basin, where thousands of homes are built in forests that are vastly thicker than they were in the days when there were...

Remember when Smokey the Bear was a hero to all of us? He reminded us to be careful with matches and campfires when in the forest, to prevent fires that would cost a lot of money, and often much worse, both for our furry forest friends and the humans trying to protect them. Just like the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny, however, Smokey has become a dim recollection from our naive past while the mega-agency he once proudly represented has become the 900 pound gorilla, in many cases doing more harm than good. Wildland firefighting has become a major...

MEYERS, Calif. - Efforts to tame a raging wildfire that has destroyed some 200 homes near Lake Tahoe suffered a setback Tuesday when a backfire set by firefighters to control the blaze jumped a fireline, forcing a new round of evacuations, authorities said. Firefighters were working to protect a development outside South Lake Tahoe when the blaze expanded, prompting the evacuation of a 300-home subdivision. Authorities also issued a voluntary evacuation order for a pricey waterfront subdivision on the lake, officials said. About 2,000 people evacuated, according to South Lake Tahoe Police Lt. Martin Hale. "It's a fairly populated area,"...

A DC-10 firetanker that was fighting the White Fire near Tehachapi hit the treeline and recovered from severe turbulence, then made an emergency landing at its home base of Southern California Logistics Airport on Monday evening. The wide-body jet, the first of its kind built to fight fires and the only one in operation, performed two drops where it did an “awesome job” on the fire, which was 9,100 acres Monday night, said Sean Dakin, fire information officer for state agency CAL FIRE. With a 12,000-gallon capacity, it carries 10 times the amount of water or fire retardant as a...

A wildfire is raging out of control near South Lake Tahoe. The Angora Fire is burning near North Upper Truckee Road. That is near the Tahoe Paradise Subdivision. So far, the fire has burned more than 500 acres and is spreading rapidly due to strong winds. 50 homes have been burned by the fire so far and more are threatened. An evacuation center has been set up at the South Lake Tahoe Recreation Center. That's near the ice arena. The whole area along Upper Truckee Road is evacuated. Highway 50 is closed at Lake Tahoe Boulevard. Firefighters are attacking this...

Weather Key Variable To Containing South Jersey Wildfire Wednesday, May 16, 2007 Firefighters were keeping an anxious eye on the weather Wednesday as they fought to contain a massive wildfire that has consumed more than 12,000 acres, almost 20 square miles, of brush and pine forest in southern New Jersey. Dry conditions and strong winds helped fan the blaze, which began Tuesday afternoon on a military aerial bombing range about 25 miles north of Atlantic City. No deaths or injuries have been attributed to the fire, but it has forced the evacuation of about 2,500 homes in the area along...

The money for fighting forest fires is coming from the very program needed to thin the fuels that increase the size and cost of fires. The Bush administration's decision to force the U.S. Forest Service to pay to fight forest fires out of its budget has created a funding crisis. It has brought back attention to how to pay for the agency that manages 193 million acres of national forest, including 20 million in Idaho. In the past decade, Congress has cut more than 5,000 employees from the Forest Service, more than half. This year, the Bush administration has proposed...

Wildfire Erupts On Catalina Island AVALON, Calif. Wind is driving a wildfire across 40 acres of brush on Santa Catalina Island. L.A. County Fire Captain Mike Brown says no structures have been immediately threatened and there are no evacuations. The fire was first reported at 12:30 p.m. five miles east of the airport on the island, which lies more than 20 miles offshore. Sixty firefighters are en route. Brown says resources are getting there by boat and helicopter, and the Coast Guard may get involved. Much of the island is wilderness. Its major community is the city of Avalon.

Wildland Fire News, 2007 Updates, news stories, weather, and other information about wildland fire news in the US for 2007 If you would like to be on this pinglist, click here or ping Knitting a Conundrum

TWIN FALLS - The Bureau of Land Management plans to deploy fewer but more experienced firefighters in southern Idaho this fire season, an official said. One-truck teams led by veterans of previous fire seasons will replace three-truck teams. That way crew chiefs will oversee only one truck and a five-member team, rather than three trucks and 15-member teams. The new arrangement will mean about 30 fewer BLM firefighters in southern Idaho this season. "I'm convinced we can do more with less," Chris Simonson, BLM fire management officer in the Shoshone Field Office, told The Times-News. "The changes we are making...

A wind-driven wildfire erupted in hills above Los Angeles and destroyed or damaged three homes in Beverly Hills as dangerous gusts swept dry Southern California, knocking out power to more than 100,000 utility customers and triggering a fatal highway pileup in a sandstorm. Other fires erupted elsewhere. About 200 firefighters attacked the flames from the ground as five helicopters repeatedly swooped out of the sky on water-dropping runs that contained the fire to 50 acres, but not before embers ignited expensive homes. Interim Los Angeles Fire Chief Douglas Barry said there was severe damage to two homes and roof damage...

LOS ANGELES, Apr. 12, 2007 - Fires erupted in the hills above Los Angeles, damaging or destroying several homes, and in high desert brush Thursday as dangerous north winds swept dry Southern California, knocking out power to thousands and triggering a fatal highway pileup in a blinding sandstorm. About 150 firefighters and water-dropping helicopters battled a 15-acre blaze in grass in the hilly Beverly Glen area above the city of Beverly Hills, said Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Ron Myers. With windspeeds upward of 50 mph, fires erupted on the roofs of homes and several were damaged or destroyed but...

HESPERIA, Calif. A wildfire is burning out of control in the Southern California community of Hesperia (heh-SPAYR'-ee-uh). Authorities say the blaze has consumed about 200 acres of brush. But no structures are immediately threatened. A fire spokeswoman says the fire is burning through hills and canyons within the city limits, but far from populated areas. More than 100 firefighters and a pair of water-dropping helicopters are battling the blaze. Hesperia is about 80 miles northeast of Los Angeles.

Brush Fire Burns In Hollywood Hills Near Barham Boulevard

RENO, Nev. - An early season wildfire in Reno burned at least two homes and temporarily shut down Interstate 80's westbound lanes, officials said. An undetermined number of people were evacuated from homes and businesses after the brush fire broke out at Saturday afternoon. The fast-moving fire burned near a shopping center, the Reno Gazette-Journal reported. No injuries were reported. The extent of damage to the homes could not be immediately confirmed by officials, but KOLO-TV in Reno reported one home was destroyed and another was severely damaged. The flames were fanned by wind gusts of up to 20 mph...

Two structures in Anaheim Hills are ablaze as about 500 firefighters are battling a 300-acre brush fire, and scores of homes in that area and Orange Park Acres are being evacuated...

Rats chewing on electrical wire inside a mobile home likely caused a wildfire near the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant, authorities said. "The most probable cause of the fire is related to rodents and the electrical system," Andy Anderson of the California Department of Fire and Forestry said in a statement. The 332-acre blaze, which burned within two miles of the nuclear plant, was surrounded Wednesday, forestry spokeswoman Laura Brown said. It is expected to be fully extinguished Saturday. The blaze began Sunday on land owned by Pacific Gas & Electric Co. when a mobile home ignited and flames spread to...

MALIBU, Calif. - A wildfire fanned by Santa Ana winds destroyed eight seaside mansions and damaged five others Monday as it spread over more than 10 acres in this celebrity enclave, authorities said. Flames boiled furiously out of the skeletons of million-dollar beach homes as palm trees bent in winds blowing at 21 mph. More than 300 firefighters battled the blaze, which began about 5 p.m., said Los Angeles County fire Inspector Ron Haralson. The blaze erupted near West Pacific Coast Highway and Malibu Canyon Road. Residents were being evacuated on the west end of the canyon road, Sheriff's Sgt....

Last Updated: Monday, 4 December 2006, 17:37 GMT E-mail this to a friend Printable version Huge blaze threatens LA outskirts By David Willis BBC News, Los Angeles More than 1,000 firefighters have been brought in to tackle a large blaze which is threatening hundreds of homes on the outskirts of Los Angeles. Some residents are preparing to evacuate and schools in the area have been closed. The fire broke out on Sunday and spread swiftly casting a haze over LA. It has already devoured about 10,000 acres (4,000 hectares) of land and destroyed a warehouse along with at least...

MOORPARK, California (AP) -- A fire driven by strong Santa Ana winds Sunday destroyed five homes and a storage building and endangered hundreds of others in canyons and hillsides, authorities said. The blaze burned about 4,100 acres, or six square miles, destroying five homes and damaging five others, Ventura County Fire Capt. Barry Parker said. Fire officials called for voluntary evacuations as hundreds of residents packed up valuables while dozens of trailers used to transport livestock were lined up on a road. "The sheriff's said if you see flames, leave," said Dave Hare, who was at a home on the...

<p>CABAZON, Calif. — Investigators swooped down Monday on a home only one-quarter mile from where a deadly arson wildfire was started last week and took the two residents into custody for questioning.</p> <p>The investigators, including the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, the Cabazon Fire Department’) and the California Department of Forestry, entered the house around 5 p.m. ET (2 p.m. PT).</p>

CABAZON, Calif. -- A fast-moving fire killed at least three firefighters, prompted mandatory evacuations and burned more than 4,000 acres in Riverside County this morning, officials said. The Esperanza fire in Cabazon, some 90 miles east of Los Angeles and about 20 miles northwest of Palm Springs, was reported at 1:12 a.m., Becky Luther, a spokeswoman for the Riverside County Fire Department, said in a telephone interview. "It's a very serious fire," Luther said. "There are Santa Ana conditions and the fire is fast moving." Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger told reporters that three firefighters were killed fighting the blaze. The U.S....

BEAUMONT, Calif. (AP) -- As flames roared through the canyons of Southern California, authorities increased the reward to $500,000 Friday for the arrest of the arsonist responsible for the deaths of four firefighters in the nation's worst such tragedy in five years. A fifth firefighter lay in grave condition with burns over 90 percent of his body. Firefighters labored through thick smoke as curtains of wind-whipped orange flame pushed through uninhabited brushland about 90 miles east of Los Angeles. The blaze that broke out Thursday destroyed about 10 structures, including homes, forced 700 people to flee, and flushed coyotes and...