Calif. governor declares emergency as 50K-acre wildfire grows near LA

[Khafee]

Calif. governor declares emergency as 50K-acre wildfire grows near LA
By Sara Shayanian
Dec. 06, 2017

California Gov. Jerry Brown has declared a state of emergency for a wildfire that's charred more than 50,000 acres near Greater Los Angeles, killed one person and injured a firefighter -- and shows little sign of slowing down.

On Wednesday, several homes in Los Angeles' Bel-Air area were burning as the Skirball fire caused the closure of the 405 Freeway as well as evacuations -- covering 50 acres by 8 a.m.
"It's been years since anything here has burned at all," Los Angeles Fire Department Capt. Cody Weireter said. "You've got heavy, heavy brush, you've got the dryness - obviously, we haven't had any rain at all. A lot of the fire is topography-driven, which already becomes dangerous. The wind is going to increase that twofold."
The Thomas Fire has so far ravaged Ventura County, with the help of strong winds. Officials said the flames have destroyed nearly 200 homes.

Late Tuesday it had reached Solimar Beach near the Pacific Ocean. Brown's emergency declaration covers Ventura County.
As of Tuesday evening, the fire was zero percent contained.
"This fire is very dangerous and spreading rapidly, but we'll continue to attack it with all we've got," Brown said. "It's critical residents stay ready and evacuate immediately if told to do so."

Nearly 200,000 people have been ordered to leave. At least one person has died in the fire and one firefighter was injured.

The strong winds are expected to remain constant through Thursday, peaking at night, before they begin to subside Friday.

The 50-mph winds not only helped spread the fire but they also grounded air tankers. Wind gusts blasting L.A.-area hilltops reached nearly 70 mph, officials said. More than 1,100 firefighters are working to extinguish the blaze.

In the past few years, rain has come before the Santa Ana winds. This year, however, none has fallen in three months -- making firefighters' work even more challenging.
Some say the destructive blaze is unlike anything they have seen before.
"We've lived in Ventura for 19 years," resident Mike Patterson said. "We've had a couple fires, but nothing like this."

Two firefighters were injured battling the Creek Fire, another blaze that has popped up in Los Angeles.

The Thomas Fire has burned more than 50,000 acres and killed one person. Photo courtesy of Ventura County Fire Department/Twitter

A firefighter works as a home burns during the Thomas Fire in Ventura, Calif. Photo by John Cetrino/EPA

Palm trees burn during the Thomas Fire near Los Angeles. Photo by John Cetrino/EPA


https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/201...cre-wildfire-grows-near-LA/9501512560107/ph2/

 

[Khafee]

Hundreds of California National Guard to Mobilize to Fight Wildfires
Stars and Stripes
08 Dec 2017
By Stephen Carlson


Soldiers and equipment from the California National Guard were being mobilized as wildfires spread rapidly by high winds continue to ravage thousands of acres and burn down homes throughout the southern areas of the state, emergency and Guard officials said Thursday.

The four largest fires in southern California have burned more than 116,000 acres, according to the state Office of Emergency Services.
Thousands of residents have been forced to evacuate the flames, which are fueled by wind speeds of more than 30 mph with gusts of up to 60 mph across the region, with the conditions expected to run through Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.

"Fierce Santa Ana winds, combined with dry brush and dead trees fueled multiple fires in Ventura and Los Angeles counties the evening of Dec. 4," according to an emergency services statement on Wednesday. "Thousands of acres burned overnight destroying infrastructure, residences, and prompting mass evacuations. In addition, several major freeways shut down, schools closed, and historical landmarks were threatened."

Capt. William Martin, spokesman for the California National Guard, said several hundred Guard soldiers are being mobilized during the next two days to assist in traffic control and other support roles for the roughly 5,000 firefighters battling the blaze.

In addition, two C-130 Hercules tanker aircraft, four Black Hawk helicopters, two HEMTT refueling trucks and a MQ-9 Reaper drone already have been deployed, Martin said.

C-130 aircraft can be outfitted to drop fire retardant used to extinguish flare ups in difficult to reach areas, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

Modified firefighting versions of the Black Hawk, known as the Firehawk, have already seen use to douse fires and protect structures using water drops on the Skirball Fire near Los Angeles, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department Air Operations Section.

MQ-9 Reapers are an updated version of the famed Predator drone and are designed for strike missions overseas. Martin said the drone is being used for monitoring wildfires and potential flare ups using its sophisticated thermal and night imaging systems, which can detect light and heat far better than the naked eye and from a much higher altitude.

https://www.military.com/daily-news...bilize-fight-wildfires.html?ESRC=eb_171208.nl

 

[Lieutenant]

Cali should call for the rest to chip in. This is huge.

 

[Lieutenant]

Californians started talking about biblical prophecies LMAO.

 

[Khafee]

Californians started talking about biblical prophecies LMAO.

But not enough fear of God, to make the embassy stick in Tel Aviv. Alas!

 

[Lieutenant]

But not enough fear of God, to make the embassy stick in Tel Aviv. Alas!

Im not actually bothered at all. What difference does it make? Both Jerusalem and Tel Aviv are occupied territories.

 

[Khafee]

Crews battling 6 major fires from LA to San Diego; 3 people burned
By Ed Adamczyk
Dec. 08, 2017

The six major wildfires burnng in the Los Angeles area and San Diego have charred more than 140,000 acres of land and burned three people, authorities said Friday.

Thousands of firefighters are working to douse the flames in the face of challenging weather conditions, which includes dry vegetation and strong winds.

The Thomas Fire in Ventura County has destroyed 439 buildings and damaged 85 others, and the three burn victims were injured by San Diego County's Lilac Fire.

The state fire agency ordered mandatory evacuations in Southern California and identified six isolated fires it says are still not under control.

At least 190,000 people in Ventura County have been evacuated, department spokesman Thomas Kruschke said. One person died from the fire this week, although county officials said the cause of her death was unclear.

In Los Angeles County, the Rye Fire has consumed 7,000 acres and is just 20 percent controlled. The Creek Fire is at 15,000 acres and the Skirball Fire at 475 acres. Both are also 20 percent contained.

The Thomas Fire has grown to 115,000 acres, but remains about 5 percent contained, officials said. The Lilac Fire in San Diego County is at 4,100 acres.

Nearly 6,000 firefighters and military personnel are dealing with long hours, exhaustion, smoke inhalation and burning airborne embers. The embers from dry, burning vegetation were fanned Thursday by sustained 50 mph winds, and allowed flames to leap across Highway 101 and other obstacles, causing new fires to break out. Fire crews are working to keep flames from jumping the 405 Freeway and approaching the Getty Museum.

The Liberty Fire in Riverside County is currently burning at 300 acres and is 5 percent controlled.
California Gov. Jerry Brown declared states of emergency in Los Angeles, Ventura and San Diego Counties. On Thursday he requested federal assistance and supplies for shelters.

The Riverside County Fire Department said the Liberty Fire is moving at "moderate to rapid" speed. Area schools were closed, and at least 160,000 people in the county have evacuated. Thus far, 265 schools in Southern California have cancelled classes.

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/201...A-to-San-Diego-3-people-burned/2531512734358/