Posted on 11/15/2008 2:27:38 AM PST by bd476
Fire Forces Evacuations, Burns Homes in Sylmar Area
Sayre Fire is near the 210 Freeway in Northern Los Angeles.
A dangerous, fast-moving brush fire in the Sylmar section of the San Fernando Valley, spread by gusting 50 mph winds has now burned at least five homes and is threatening several more, City Fire Department spokesperson Melissa Kelly said today.
So far there are no reports of injuries to residents or fire personnel, said Kelly.
The blaze ignited about 10:30 p.m. in the dry, brushy hills above 13000 W. Sayre Street near Shablow Ave, and has so far consumed more than 500 acres.
(Excerpt) Read more at myfoxla.com ...
Someone lit the mobile home park on fire seperately...
New fire near Rose Hills Cemetery
57 freeway still has traffic flowing under smoke clouds.
Someone ask Tony Villar why there are Fire Personnel working the No on 8 March today when there is a State of Emergency!
I was wondering.. because the Sylmar fire started around Veterans Memorial Park cemetery last night, not the mobile home park.
Villar is “in awe” and telling us all to be thankful for our FF. I wish I could slap him.
The above link provides current (as of posting) information about the Sayre fire, as well as Listen Live links to both KFWB and KNX radio in Los Angeles.
Sylmar: 90 F, Erratic Winds @ 16 MPH w/ 50 MPH gusts, Relative Humidity 8%
Nah. It would take an “army of people” only if you’re a Californian.
In Nevada, we cut firebreaks with a Cat D6 with a six-way blade on slopes, and a common road grader down on the flats. Works like a charm. One guy and one machine can do quite a lot of work in a day.
That is, when we can get the permitting from the BLM as a result of the environmentalist agenda. 15 years ago, it wasn’t difficult, but after 1994, when Californian environmentalists started taking a big interest in the Great Basin, well, things started getting much, much tougher and we started having huge fires since 1996. Every time they move to eliminate grazing on an allotment, you can bet even or better money that within three to five years, you’ll have a big fire in those areas due to dry strikes on fine-stemmed fuel.
Regardless of cutting firebreaks, the #1 measure they teach in wildland firefighting (and I’ve taken the BLM course in first-level wildland) is “defensible space” around structures. This means a minimum of 30’ to any combustible material when your residence adjoins large areas of native brush or forest.
Wildland firefighters are taught that unless a dwelling or building has real “defensible space” around the perimeter, to just write the building off before the fire gets there. There’s no point in allocating resources to a lost cause.
When the fuel comes within five feet of the building, there’s literally nothing you can do. With 30’, you might be able to wet down the yard, structure, etc and hold it - because the 30’+ clear space keeps the really high heat that will cook off the moisture far enough away to buy you some time. But within 5’? Feh. You could practically dump a river onto the house and the fire will just cook it off. 30’ is just a recommended starting point. The rule of thumb is that a flame front can be pushed out twice as far as the fuel is high - so if you live next to 50’ trees, you’d better be thinking about 100’ cleared space around structures, minimum.
The other thing that should happen in these areas is to ban shake roofs. That’s like putting out a sign “Light mine first!” in a fire event with spotting and jumping.
Whoever is talking in this presser says they’re going to use the 14 freeway as a must-get fire break so this thing doesn’t head into Placerita Cyn. Am I imagining a shaky voice on that guy or are they really rather uneasy?
You bet, I am very familiar with that fire.
What people don't understand, is the fire can start in brush far beyond homes etc, and as they are driven by fierce winds, where these fires easily spot thousands of feet in front of the fire lines.
Fires like this, driven by the Santa Ana's have been occurring in So. Cal for hundreds of years, long before it was settled like it is today.
Hear in radio freqs the 57 freeway is or may be closed down.
The fire already jumped the 5 freeway further south...the 14 will be no problem!
The only good thing is a lot of that area has already burned in the past 2 years.....and 5 years.
Those trailer parks off Calgrove, then a bunch of old oil wells of Sierra Highway....but it could get ugly once it reaches the housing tracts.
Mayor Villar really is a worthless P.O.S. if you ask me....just standing their grandstanding....Zev is another moron....”This is just like the Bel Air fire!” Idiots.
Tony Villar is the biggest windbag I’ve ever heard.
You’d better hurry, Mr. Mayor, so you can get to your precious “No on 8” rally on time.
In Pasadena, Glendale and Burbank, there are so many units out of area....that each rig remaining in the cities are staffed with 5 FFs. So, any call you are getting one rig with 5 FFs..... Hopefully nothing major starts up here too.
The Brea fire is burning over the 57 right now....so it is closed
Yeah we that a few ago on 145.220
er heard that...
10% containment now. All of LA may be going dark soon.
Great. A dark Los Angeles with a Gay Rally. No potential problems there.
Looks like north bound traffic stopped on the 57 freeway.
No argument from me on Villar. The guy won’t Shut. Up.
Where are the big transmission lines they’re so worried about? in the I-5/SR14 juncture area?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.