CA Fire update: Air battle begins early

Ventura County Star ^ | December 4, 2006

[bd476]

Fire update: Air battle begins early

By Star staff
December 4, 2006

Updated: 8:45 a.m. Fire crews battling the wind-whipped Shekell fire took to the air this morning to try to get control of the blaze that has burned nearly 10,000 acres.

Nine helicopters and six fixed-wing aircraft went up at 7 a.m. to battle the fire that began early Sunday morning in Moorpark. It has destroyed five structures, including a building at the long-abandoned Egg City facility on Grimes Canyon Road, and damaged five others.

Getting the aircraft in the air was a major accomplishment for the crews. Their flying was limited Sunday because of the fierce winds that gusted up to 70 miles per hour. Aircraft must be grounded when winds hit 25 miles per hour.

On Sunday the firefighters were able to use some helicopters but not fixed-wing aircraft because of the winds. A D-10, like the one used on September's Day fire, was on standby in Lancaster and could be used today.

"We are expecting to hit it hard from the air and hit it hard from the ground," said Capt. Barry Parker, spokesman for Ventura County Fire Department.

More than 1,000 firefighters from agencies throughout Southern California are on the lines.

The acreage burned remained just under 10,000 acres and firefighters were looking to protect not only homes and people but the agricultural lands that dot the outskirts of Moorpark and Somis.

Winds were expected to continue to be a factor today but were expected to be sustained at about 25 miles per hour with gusts up to 45, which would be calmer than Sunday.

Parker said with the arrival of more firefighters, crews could begin to think about containment and not just keeping property from being destroyed. Firefighters hope to get some containment today, he said.

Early today, firefighters were still most concerned about the north side of Moorpark where about 75 homes were being threatened. Winds were pushing the fire west limiting the exposure to the Fillmore area, which had been a concern late Sunday.

Firefighters were working to keep the fire east of Balcom Canyon Road, south of Guiberson Road and South Mountain Road, north of Highway 118 and west of Alamos Canyon.

Highway 118 in the Moorpark and Somis area reopened this morning after being closed briefly as firefighters battled the wind-driven fire. The highway was closed between 4 and 5:42 a.m.

Ventura County remains under a high-wind warning until 3 p.m. Tuesday. The schools in the Moorpark Unified School District were closed today and a number of roads in the Moorpark area remained closed to all but residents.

Roads still closed according to the Sheriffs Department were: Highway 23 north of Casey Road; Gabbert Road north from Los Angeles Avenue; Grimes Canyon Road at Los Angeles Avenue; Balcom Canyon Road at Los Angeles Avenue; Bradley Road at Los Angeles Avenue; Walnut Canyon Road at Championship Drive; Highway 23 at Bardsdale Road, and Princeton/Campus Park Drive.

The fire began about 2:30 a.m. Sunday on Shekell Road at Grimes Canyon Road near the old Egg City complex. About 7 a.m. Sunday a second fire began farther east near Happy Camp Road and Broadway. The fires later merged into what has become the Shekell fire.

As the wind propelled the inferno, fire officials estimated about 3,000 residences were threatened.

Many people evacuated their homes with the Red Cross opening shelters at Royal High School in Simi Valley and the Thousand Oaks Community Center in Thousand Oaks.

[bd476]

Shekell Complex Fire Update

(December 4, 2006, 12:33 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.

Approximately 10,000 acres have burned. The Ventura County Fire Protection District and the California Department of Forestry have established a unified command. This unified command also includes mutual aid from various agencies including Ventura City, Oxnard City, Los Angeles County, Los Angeles City and Federal Fire of Ventura County. There are over 1,529 personnel currently on scene.

There is an immediate threat to 75 homes north of Moorpark. Areas still of concern are North Moorpark, Guiberson Road, Happy Camp Canyon Road, Grimes Canyon, Broadway between Stockton and S.R. 23, Poindexter Corridor, Gabbert Road, Charles Street, Campus Park, College Heights, Cambridge and Lafayette.

Three structures have been damaged and five have been destroyed. Five out buildings have also been destroyed. Currently, there is a 35% containment of the fire. It is expected that there will be full containment of the fire by tomorrow at 6 p.m. The estimated cost of the fire at this time is $1,750,000.

Areas that continue to be of conern are as follows: City of Moorpark, Somis and Southern Santa Paula. Some of the resources that are threatened are agriculture, oil production, high tension power lines, high pressure natural gas lines, highway 118 and potential archeological sites.

North East winds have been predicted through Wednesday, December 6, 2006. The wind is blowing at 20-40 mph with wind gusts of up to 70 mph.

There are no recommended evacuations at this time, the Ventura County Sheriff's Department will advise residents of possible evacuations and recommend that everyone be prepared.

Road closures are as follows:

• Grimes Canyon Road at Bardsdale
• Bradley Road at Balcom Canyon Road
• Upper Balcom Canyon Road
• Highway 23 - Walnut Canyon Road at Charles Street
• Upper Grimes Canyon Road

American Red Cross shelters have been opened at Royal High School at 1402 Royal Avenue in Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks Community Center at 2525 North Moorpark Road in Thousand Oaks.

There was an accident with one California Department of Forestry (CDF) Rig that tipped over. One minor injury was reported. All personnel are back and working at the fireline.

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Shekell Complex Incident taken by Robert Navarro from the Ventura County Fire Protection District

[bd476]

Shekell Complex Fire
Ventura County Fire Department

[bd476]

California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection

Shekell Fire

Shekell Fire Incident Information:

Last Updated: December 4, 2006 11:30 am
Date/Time Started: December 3, 2006 2:30 am
Administrative Unit: Ventura County Fire
County: Ventura
Location: Grimes Valley area north of Moorpark.
Acres Burned: 9,686
Containment 0% contained - 9,686 acres
Structures Destroyed: Five structures and five outbuildings have been destroyed. Three structures have been damaged.

Threatened: There is an immediate threat to 75 homes north of Moorpark.

Evacuations: There are no recommended evacuations at this time.
Injuries: 1
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: 800+ personnel
Fire crews: 38
Engines: 107
Airtankers: 9
Helicopters: 11
Conditions:
There are no recommended evacuations at this time, the Ventura County Sheriff's Department will advise residents of possible evacuations and recommends that everyone be prepared.

Road closures are as follows: Grimes Canyon Road at Bardsdale, Bradley Road at Balcom Canyon Road, Upper Balcom Canyon Road, Highway 23 - Walnut Canyon Road at Charles Street and Upper Grimes Canyon Road.

The DC-10 has been activated on this incident.

California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection

[Strzelec]

bd747 writes "That is a lot of water. Could a 747 navigate through all the canyon passes down here?"

Wouldn't want to be on one if it tries. [GRIN]

For the DC10, current CDF doctrine is to use it to lay a buffer zone of retardant between the fire and a populated area to allow time for ground crews and traditional air to build a fire line. CDF uses their rotary & fixed wing (S-2T tankers) assets for the pinpoint stuff. Under current doctrine, don't think the DC10 would have to do any Luke Skywalker-like gyrations. Dittos for the 747, when we get one.

I worked a small fire (230 acres) last week east of Ramona in San Diego county. Winds gusting to 40 mph - not good. CDF and the local fire departments were all over that fire like a cheap suit. The S-2Ts were a pleasure to watch - even in the gusty winds they were making drops with pinpoint accuracy. 1200 gallons on the right place works, too.

[bd476]

Strzelec wrote: " 'bd747 writes "That is a lot of water. Could a 747 navigate through all the canyon passes down here?'

Wouldn't want to be on one if it tries. [GRIN]"

LOL!

"For the DC10, current CDF doctrine is to use it to lay a buffer zone of retardant between the fire and a populated area to allow time for ground crews and traditional air to build a fire line. CDF uses their rotary & fixed wing (S-2T tankers) assets for the pinpoint stuff. Under current doctrine, don't think the DC10 would have to do any Luke Skywalker-like gyrations. Dittos for the 747, when we get one."

Thanks Strzelec, that's very interesting and it makes sense to use a big water drop to make a protective buffer zone.

Those helicopter pilots and smaller plane pilots though look like they must be fighting some pretty tough conditions navigating through the heavy smoke and the fire-generated winds in the middle of Santa Ana conditions.

"I worked a small fire (230 acres) last week east of Ramona in San Diego county. Winds gusting to 40 mph - not good. CDF and the local fire departments were all over that fire like a cheap suit. The S-2Ts were a pleasure to watch - even in the gusty winds they were making drops with pinpoint accuracy. 1200 gallons on the right place works, too."

That's interesting and it's good to hear that Free Republic has a resident firefighter. :-)

Depending upon conditions, aren't the smaller fires sometimes just as deadly as the larger fires?

[Strzelec]

Not a firefighter, although I've had a fair amount of such training in the Navy and the natural gas industry. I'm basically a volunteer radio operator for some of the emergency response groups in the area. Wildfires are our number one problem, especially in eastern San Diego county.

Sometimes I get called out early in an incident when the situation is best described as being fluid. If you don't know something about wildland fires and how they are fought (and they are vastly different than structure fires), you could find yourself in some "No Man's Land" between the flames and the retardant drops.

All fires are dangerous. Whether large or small, what causes problems is lack of good information (definitely impacted by the quality of communications) and/or complacency. Firefighters that are too complacent either forget their training, or take short cuts. That leads to mistakes that can be fatal.