Posted on 12/03/2006 2:51:37 PM PST by bd476
Hundreds Of Others Threatened By Flames In Ventura County
(AP) A fire driven by strong Santa Ana winds destroyed two homes Sunday and threatened hundreds of others as residents began to flee while flames raced through canyons and over hillsides.
The blaze burned about 2,000 acres, or three square miles, and destroyed two homes and a storage building with farm equipment, said Capt. Ron Nelson of the Ventura County Sheriff's Department. 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 site of a recycling business he owns. Although Hare's friend soaked his roof with water, "I told him just forget it and get out of there," he said.
The blaze began at 2:30 a.m. and burned through heavy brush, eucalyptus groves and orchards in the northwest section of Moorpark. Several hundred firefighters were hampered by 70 mph winds that were expected to last through the end of Sunday. Water-dropping helicopters also were used.
"We are in a structure protection mode," said Ventura County Fire Capt. Barry Parker. "It's smoky, it's dusty and it's hard to breathe."
Parker added residents were told, "It's time that you leave."
There was no containment figures and no injuries were reported. A fire engine belonging to the California Department of Forestry tipped over during the initial response, but three firefighters aboard were not injured. The driver of the engine apparently got too close to the edge of the road to allow a car to go by when the accident occurred, said T.T. Uhrich, a spokesman with the California Highway Patrol.
Another blaze began about 7 a.m. near Moorpark, but fire officials later classified both fires as a single blaze known as the Sheckell incident, although they were a couple of miles apart, authorities said. A third fire burned south of Camarillo and was expected to be contained at 30 acres, authorities said.
In Riverside County, firefighters gained control of a wildfire that burned 100 acres of hillside brush. The fire, which began late Saturday near a high school in Norco, was fanned by strong winds and caused one minor injury to a firefighter.
The cause of all the fires was under investigation.
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Shekell Complex Fire Update |
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(December 3, 2006, 2:22 p.m.) - A fire started at approximately 2:30 a.m. on December 3, 2006 in the area between Shekell Road, Grimes Canyon Road, Balcom Canyon Road and Stockton Road in Moorpark.
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There currently is another fire burning in the area of 1947 West Potrero Road in Thousand Oaks that started at approximately 8:00 a.m. December 3, 2006. The fire is burning between Road Mountain road and Oxnard Drive. |
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Shekell Complex Fire Update |
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North East winds have been predicted through Wednesday, December 6, 2006. The wind is blowing at 20-25 mph with wind gusts of up to 70 mph. |
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Ventura County Fire Department |
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus
They cancelled the high wind advisories but Ventura County Fire Department reported:
North East winds have been predicted through Wednesday, December 6, 2006. The wind is blowing at 20-25 mph with wind gusts of up to 70 mph.
Prayers for those threatened by the fires in Ventura county - and for those brave fire fighters.
Red Flag Warning remains in effect through Tuesday due to
National Weather Service San Diego CA
130 PM PST Sun DEC 3 2006
A Red Flag Warning remains in effect through Tuesday due to low humidity and locally gusty northeast to east winds across all of the Mountains and Inland Valleys and Orange County...
.offshore Santa Ana winds will slowly decrease and become more localized...however gusty conditions will still persist tonight and Monday in the wind prone areas particularly near the San Diego County Mountains...near Beaumont...and Santa Ana Canyons.
Low humidities will continue for an extended period through at least Tuesday. Only minor improvement by Wednesday and Thursday.
Onshore flow will return on Friday and increase the humidities near the end of this week with a chance of rain by Friday night and Saturday.
Caz242-248-250-255>258-041730- /o.con.ksgx.fw.w.0010.000000t0000z-061206t0100z/
Orange County Coastal Areas- San Bernardino and Riverside County Valleys-the Inland Empire-
San Diego County inland valleys-San Bernardino County Mountains-
including the Mountain Top and Front Country Ranger Districts of the San Bernardino National Forest-Riverside County Mountains-
including the San Jacinto Ranger District of the San Bernardino National Forest-Santa Ana Mountains-
including the Trabuco Ranger District of the Cleveland National Forest-San Diego County Mountains-
including the Palomar and Descanso Ranger Districts of the Cleveland National Forest-
157 PM PST sun DEC 3 2006
...Red Flag Warning remains in effect until 5 PM PST Tuesday...
A Red Flag Warning remains in effect until 5 PM PST Tuesday.
Northeast to East winds will decrease somewhat for tonight and
Monday...however gusty conditions will still persist in the more wind prone locations especially near passes and canyons.
Prolonged periods of low relative humidity will continue through at least Tuesday.
A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now...or will shortly. A combination of strong winds...low relative humidity...and warm temperatures will create explosive fire growth potential.
$$
EDIS-12-03-06 1402 PST
National Weather Service San Diego CA
130 PM PST Sun DEC 3 2006
A Red Flag Warning remains in effect through Tuesday due to low humidity and locally gusty northeast to east winds across all of the Mountains and Inland Valleys and Orange County...
.offshore Santa Ana winds will slowly decrease and become more localized...however gusty conditions will still persist tonight and Monday in the wind prone areas particularly near the San Diego County Mountains...near Beaumont...and Santa Ana Canyons.
Low humidities will continue for an extended period through at least Tuesday. Only minor improvement by Wednesday and Thursday.
Onshore flow will return on Friday and increase the humidities near the end of this week with a chance of rain by Friday night and Saturday.
Caz242-248-250-255>258-041730- /o.con.ksgx.fw.w.0010.000000t0000z-061206t0100z/ Orange County Coastal Areas-
San Bernardino and Riverside County Valleys-the Inland Empire-
San Diego County inland valleys-San Bernardino County Mountains- including the Mountain Top and Front Country Ranger Districts of the San Bernardino National Forest-Riverside County Mountains- including the San Jacinto Ranger District of the San Bernardino National Forest-Santa Ana Mountains- including the Trabuco Ranger District of the Cleveland National Forest-San Diego County Mountains- including the Palomar and Descanso Ranger Districts of the Cleveland National Forest-
157 PM PST Sun DEC 3 2006
...Red Flag Warning remains in effect until 5 PM PST Tuesday...
A Red Flag Warning remains in effect until 5 PM PST Tuesday.
Northeast to East winds will decrease somewhat for tonight and Monday...however gusty conditions will still persist in the more wind prone locations especially near passes and canyons. Prolonged periods of low relative humidity will continue through at least Tuesday.
A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now...or will shortly. A combination of strong winds...low relative humidity...and warm temperatures will create explosive fire growth potential.
$$
EDIS-12-03-06 1402 PST
e0968 b1bwa00000
u n Urgent-NWS_LOX-RED_FLAG_ 12/03 736
RED FLAG WARNINGS REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM PST TUESDAY...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOS ANGELES/OXNARD CA
08 PM PST SUN DEC 3 2006
...RED FLAG WARNINGS REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM PST TUESDAY FOR
VENTURA COUNTY...THE MOUNTAINS AND VALLEYS OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY AND
THE SANTA BARBARA COUNTY MOUNTAINS FOR GUSTY OFFSHORE WINDS AND VERY
LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...
.OFFSHORE FLOW WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH TUESDAY...
PRODUCING CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ACROSS MANY MOUNTAIN AND
VALLEY AREAS AND EVEN THE VENTURA COUNTY COASTAL PLAIN. THE OFFSHORE
WINDS WILL GRADUALLY DECREASE THROUGH TUESDAY. HOWEVER...RELATIVE
HUMIDITY WILL REMAIN IN THE LOW TEENS AND SINGLE DIGITS. WITH
EXTENDED PERIODS OF SINGLE DIGIT RELATIVE HUMIDITY EXPECTED...THE
RED FLAG WARNING WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING.
PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE OFFICIALS OR FIRE CREWS IN THE
FIELD OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING.
CAZ252>254-041800-
/O.CON.KLOX.FW.W.0015.000000T0000Z-061206T0200Z/
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY MOUNTAINS / LOS PADRES NATIONAL FOREST-
VENTURA COUNTY MOUNTAINS / LOS PADRES NATIONAL FOREST-
LOS ANGELES COUNTY MOUNTAINS / ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST-
08 PM PST SUN DEC 3 2006
...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM PST TUESDAY FOR
VERY LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND GUSTY OFFSHORE WINDS...
A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM PST TUESDAY.
GUSTY NORTH TO NORTHEAST WINDS...CURRENTLY 30 TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS
TO AROUND 60 MPH...WILL GRADUALLY DECREASE THROUGH TUESDAY.
HOWEVER...RELATIVE HUMIDITY WILL REMAIN VERY LOW...IN THE SINGLE
DIGITS AND LOW TEENS...WITH POOR OVERNIGHT RECOVERIES. WITH AN
EXTENDED PERIOD OF SINGLE DIGIT RELATIVE HUMIDITY LIKELY...THE
RED FLAG WARNING WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS OF
SANTA BARBARA...VENTURA AND LOS ANGELES COUNTIES.
A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE
EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF STRONG
WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND WARM TEMPERATURES WILL CREATE
EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL. PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE
OFFICIALS OR FIRE CREWS IN THE FIELD OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING.
$$
CAZ244>247-288-041800-
/O.CON.KLOX.FW.W.0015.000000T0000Z-061206T0200Z/
VENTURA COUNTY INTERIOR VALLEYS-VENTURA COUNTY COASTAL VALLEYS-
SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS RECREATIONAL AREA-LOS ANGELES COUNTY VALLEYS-
SANTA CLARITA VALLEY-
08 PM PST SUN DEC 3 2006
...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM PST TUESDAY FOR
VERY LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND GUSTY OFFSHORE WINDS...
A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM PST TUESDAY.
GUSTY NORTH TO NORTHEAST WINDS...CURRENTLY 25 TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS
TO AROUND 50 MPH...WILL GRADUALLY DECREASE THROUGH TUESDAY.
HOWEVER...RELATIVE HUMIDITY WILL REMAIN VERY LOW...IN THE SINGLE
DIGITS AND LOW TEENS...WITH POOR OVERNIGHT RECOVERIES. WITH AN
EXTENDED PERIOD OF SINGLE DIGIT RELATIVE HUMIDITY LIKELY...THE RED
FLAG WARNING WARNING WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT ACROSS THE VALLEYS OF
VENTURA AND LOS ANGELES COUNTIES.
A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE
EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF STRONG
WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND WARM TEMPERATURES WILL CREATE
EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL. PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE
OFFICIALS OR FIRE CREWS IN THE FIELD OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING.
$$
CAZ240-041800-
/O.CON.KLOX.FW.W.0015.000000T0000Z-061206T0200Z/
VENTURA COUNTY COAST-
08 PM PST SUN DEC 3 2006
...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM PST TUESDAY FOR
VERY LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND GUSTY OFFSHORE WINDS...
A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM PST TUESDAY.
GUSTY NORTH TO NORTHEAST WINDS...CURRENTLY 25 TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS
TO AROUND 50 MPH...WILL GRADUALLY DECREASE THROUGH TUESDAY.
HOWEVER...RELATIVE HUMIDITY WILL REMAIN VERY LOW...IN THE SINGLE
DIGITS AND LOW TEENS...WITH POOR OVERNIGHT RECOVERIES. WITH AN
EXTENDED PERIOD OF SINGLE DIGIT RELATIVE HUMIDITY LIKELY...THE RED
FLAG WARNING WARNING WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT ACROSS THE VALLEYS OF
VENTURA AND LOS ANGELES COUNTIES.
A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE
EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF STRONG
WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND WARM TEMPERATURES WILL CREATE
EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL. PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE
OFFICIALS OR FIRE CREWS IN THE FIELD OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING.
$$
THOMPSON
EDIS-12-03-06 1509 PST
Ping.
California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection
Current Major Incidents
Shekell Fire
Shekell Fire Incident Information:
Location: Grimes Valley area north of Moorpark Acres Burned: 4,100 Containment 0% Threatened: 3,000 + structures threatened Evacuations: Recommended and Precautionary evacuations underway by Law Enforcement in scattered areas as fire operations demand. Cause: Under Investigation Cooperating Agencies: CDF, CHP, Ventura County Fire, Ventura City Fire, Oxnard City Fire, Los Angeles County Fire, Los Angeles City Fire, USFS. Total Fire Personnel: 600+ personnel Conditions: All aircraft (fixed wing and Rotary Wing) are grounded due to high winds. High winds and loss of aircraft are making control efforts difficult. Fire has forced the closure of Hwy 23 and Hwy 118 (between Tierra Rejada in Moorpark, and Somis road in Somis), Grimes Canyon Road, Bradley Road, Champion to Bardsdale Avenue, Princeton at Campus, Balcom Canyon and Evertt Street in Moorpark. The DC-10 has been approved for activation on this incident. Phone Numbers (805) 388-4276 (Shekell Fire Information)
Thanks for posting, I had not heard about this until I saw a quick report on one of the national news channels.
You're welcome, WestCoastGal. The winds are really kicking it up today and it's very dry. Still 0% containment.
first i have heard of this..any news on CNN/MSNBC/FOX?
FYI, 'Moorpark' is located in the vicinity of President Reagan's Library in Simi Valley.
Oh what a horrible photo. Last night it was their home, filled with all the details and possessions of their lives. Now it's just GONE. Prayers UP.
Scary. Very scary. And this wind is coming all the way down to the beach -- it's windy everywhere today.
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