Grand Prix fire update from
http://www.incidentcontrol.com :
Grand Prix Fire updated at 1:12 am 10-29-03
Mandatory Evacuations:
Glen Helen - North Side of I-15
Cajon Canyon towards Blue Cut
Devore and Devore Heights - all the way up
Mt. Baldy Village
Lytle Creek
Evacuations have been lifted: All of Rancho Cucamonga,
Rialto in Los Colinas and County Club, San Antonio Heights,
Cucamonga and Upland Area
For more specific details call (909) 383-5688
Main evacuation site - Jesse Turner Center at 6396 Citrus Ave., Fontana
Evacuation site - Magnolia Recreation Center 651 W 15th St, San Antonio Heights
Evacuation site - Claremont High School, 1601 N. Indian Hill, Claremont
For large animal relocations, residents can contact
the Rancho Cucamonga Emergency Operations Center at (909) 477-2700.
Animal control may be reached at 1-800-472-5609.
San Bernardino National Forest closed to all visitors
Angeles National Forest closed to all visitors
Significant Events:
The Red Flag Warning for the area has been lifted. Evacuation orders have been lifted for areas on the southern perimeter. Evacuations still remain in effect for Lytle Creek and Mt. Baldy Village.
On October 27, 2003, President Bush declared a major disaster for the State of California, triggering the release of federal funds to help people and communities recover from the Wildfires that occurred October 21, 2003, and continuing. Toll-free Teleregistration number for disaster victims: 1-800-621-FEMA, TTD 1-800-462-7585. FEMA Disaster Assistance Click here
This incident will henceforth be divided east/west into two different incidents. The southern dividing line is at the San Bernardino County/Los Angeles County boundary. The northern dividing line is the boundary between the San Bernardino and Angeles National Forests. Studebaker's T1 IMT will continue to manage the Grand Prix Fire. The western portion of the fire is named the Padua Fire. IncidentControl.com will continue to use this Grand Prix page for both fires.
- Wrightwood update: The fire is still on the slope on the West side of Lytle Creek. The fire is creeping across the slope and backing down slope, and has only progressed a few hundred yards since last night. There are now dozers in the bottom of Lytle Creek and they are cutting two fuel breaks, one on each side of the canyon. Dozers have also cut a fuel break extending the Ridge road further East.
In the Eastern end of the canyon the fire has slopped over the ridge (only an acre or two) under the power lines. This area is about 1.5 miles from Blue Cut and down old 66 but still a long way from the road. And it is not active fire. At this time there is not even a hint of a need to evacuate Wrightwood.
The Grand Prix and Old fire have merged with the total fire front along the urban interface of 40 miles. (This does not mean that active burning is taking place on all 40 miles)
Acres: 57,232 acres
American Red Cross
• Residents in Old Fire areas call: Inland Empire Red Cross 909-888-1481
• Residents in Grand Prix Fire areas call: Inland Valley Red Cross 909-986-6651
For any fire Red Cross Toll Free: 1-866-GET-INFO
Blood Need
Due to the fires surrounding San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, there is an urgent need for blood. The Blood Bank has had to cancel a number of scheduled blood drives due to the evacuation of the areas that these blood drives were going to be held. In addition, due to the problems with air travel, they have been unable to fly in blood from other areas. For these reasons, ARMC will be hosting an emergency blood drive tomorrow, October 28, 7:30 - 5 PM, in ARMC's Oak Room. You can also make a blood donation at any of the donor centers located throughout San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. If you would like any additional information, please contact the Blood Bank at 1-800-879-4484.
Cause
Suspected to have been started by an arsonist, the fire investigation team made up of the California Department of Forestry, the USDA Forest Service and Rancho Cucamonga Fire continue their search for the person (s) responsible. Any workers or residents of the Hunter Ridge Home area that saw any suspicious activity (such as cars speeding away or suspicious persons) on October 21 between 1 pm and 2:30 pm, are requested to call (909) 881-6900 or contact their local fire station or arson bureau.
Closures Subject to change at any time.
• San Bernardino National Forest closed to all visitors
• Angeles National Forest closed to all visitors
Concerns
The fire is burning in an area that has heavy brush and timber and is steep, rugged and inaccessible. The work the firefighters are doing is in very difficult and dangerous terrain. Access into this fire is difficult. Even though there is a road across the top of San Sevaine ridge, it is very narrow requiring an extraordinary coordination effort to manage the up and down traffic. The primary and overriding focus is keeping our firefighters safe from harm, while still accomplishing the mission.
Major power transmission lines are a concern on this fire because both the DWP and SCE have lines that run through the fire area. There are about three of these lines and while the utilities could probably handle the loss of one of the circuits, loss or shut down of more than one could mean power outages for a million customers. Including the San Bernardino Air Tanker Base that is needed to fight the current fires.
Containment: 35 % containment. Expected containment date is 10-31-03
Cost To Date: $9,500,000
Damage To date:
2 cars destroyed
Structures Destroyed: 50 Homes, 48 Outbuilding
Structures Damaged: 40 Homes
1 Helicopter on USFS contract sustained significant damage while on the ground and overrun by fire. (no one was injured)
1 boat on trailer
4 cars damaged
All structure damage & loss reports are handled by the police or sheriff authority, where the structure is located. Not the Red Cross.
The State of California Insurance Commissioner has established an information line for the public to use for questions on insurance-related matters. The toll-free number is 1-800-927-HELP. Information is also available on the Internet at www.insurance.ca.gov
Equipment: 225 engines, 210 hand crews, 27 water tenders, 5 helitankers, 10 helicopters, 1 air tanker, 19 dozers [aircraft fly only during daylight hours & when wind conditions permit].
Evacuation Info
Animal control may be reached at 1-800-472-5609.
County Fire Information: 909 355-8800
Flight Restrictions
FAA FAR (Federal Aviation Regulation) 91.137 has been placed around the fire area restricting non-fire related aircraft movement. The restriction will remain in place until all fire activity ceases.
Fuel: Heavy brush, grass with timber component in upper reaches of watershed.
Incident Command
Unified Command - CDF, Rancho Cucamonga Fire, USFS and SB County Fire
As of 7am 10-22-03 Southern California Interagency Incident Management Team III (Mike Dietrich - Incident Commander, Martin Esparza - Information Officer
Incident number CA-BDU-11262
Transfer of command to National Interagency Incident Management Team (Studebaker) took place Sat at 1900.
Injuries: 27 Total. 1 poison oak encounter, 2 bee sting, 3 eye injury, 1 minor burn, 1 heat exhaustion.
Location
Start Latitude:34° 9´ 30"
Longitude:117° 30´ 48"
Fire origin was on Foxborough Drive, Fontana.
10-21-03, 2:22 pm. The Grand Prix Fire is located in the Northern portion of Fontana, California, and into the San Bernardino National Forest. West of Foxborough Drive and San Sevaine Wash, north of Coyote Road, south of Cucamonga Wilderness and south of Duncan Canyon. The fire was named Grand Prix because the initial dispatch was to Grand Prix and Shetland Lane in Fontana.
BDF Chief Darrel Mincey reported that the fire started around 14:30 and was already at 80 acres before the first air assets arrived. This fire burned 2443 acres in the first 12 hours. The first operational period of this fire burned in an area that had burned during the Texas Fire in 1982.
Observed Fire Behavior: Sustained runs and spotting in continuous fuel beds.
Personnel: 2,278
Planned Actions
Provide structure protection. Continue line construction and with dozers and hand crews. Mop-up and secure the fire perimeter in developed areas.
Power Outages
Power outage in Lytle Creek.
3 High Voltage power lines and Transformers which provide 25% of the power to LA basin are in the fire area. They continue to be a concern to fire managers.
School Closure Info
Bear Valley Unified: all schools closed 10/29
Colton Joint Unified: all schools closed 10/29
Mt. Baldy Joint: all schools closed - until further notice
Redlands Unified: all schools closed 10/29 Click Here
Rialto Unified: all schools closed for the rest of the week, will reopen 11/03
Rim of the World Unified: all schools closed - until further notice
San Bernardino City Unified: all schools closed through 10/29
Yucaipa-Calimesa Joint Unified: all schools closed 10/29
Chaffey Community College: main campus and off campus sites in Chino, Fontana, and Ontario closed 10/28, will reopen 10/29
California State University, San Bernardino: closed through 10/28, will reopen 10/29
For regular updates regarding school and districts closures, visit the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools Web site Click Here or call Communications at (909) 386-2413.
Redlands Unified School District - Closed 10-29-03
Special Overview
Southern California Edison has announced that it may take the unprecedented step of shutting down power in bark beetle-infested forests in San Bernardino and Riverside counties under hazardous conditions of high, sustained winds and low humidity. SCE’s new protective outage policy is an extraordinary precautionary measure to reduce the risk to lives and property.
It affects some 31,000 SCE customers in the San Bernardino and San Jacinto mountains, where more than a million trees are dead or dying. When high winds strike the bark beetle-infested forest, weakened tree limbs and other material
are more likely to fall or get blown into SCE facilities. This could result in wildfires. Depending on the duration of these conditions, outages could last from several hours to several days.
Intensive communication efforts are underway to notify affected customers, property owners, public safety agencies, legislators and other parties regarding the need to implement this unprecedented safety measure.
Structures Threatened
3,400 homes, 4,900 out buildings, 100 commercial
Structures are threatened in the communities of Lytle Creek
Agencies Involved
CDF, US Forest Service, California Highway Patrol, San Bernardino County Fire Department, Southern California Edison, Dept of Corrections, San Bernardino Sheriff, Red Cross, Animal Shelter, Flood Control, DWP, Rancho Cucamonga PD, Ontario Police Dept., OES, Caltrans, Southern California Gas Company
Contact (909) 887-8921, Grand Prix Fire Information Desk or (909) 383-5688 for San Bernardino National Forest Incident Information Desk.
San Bernardino County Fire Information Line 909 355-8800(Recording)
Website with updates www.incidentcontrol.com