SoCal Fires Live Thread 10/28

10/28/03 | Myself

[spectr17]

SoCal Fires Live Thread 10/28

[Merovingian]

FOX news now reporting a BOLO for 2 white males ...Geraldo.... more to come...

302nd Airlift Wing could arrive today.

Agree, coverage is abysmal on this major catastrophe..following closely from East Coast...

[lainie]

morning, I just rolled out of bed. I've been sick all week so it's nice to sleep a night. The wind must not have shifted yet, as it's still clear up here (slightly hazy but no brown crud).

Half a million acres. wow.

[socal_parrot]

KTLA TV is on scene just below the High School. Firefighters are setting back fires just below SR 18 to keep the fire on the low side of the highway. The school is on the upper side of 18.

[mhking]

Agree, coverage is abysmal on this major catastrophe..following closely from East Coast...

CNN, MSNBC, FNC -- they've all gone limp-wristed in terms of their coverage.

I've got DirecTV with LA locals for affiliate coverage, and they're far, far better than the nationals have been.

I would have expected FNC to take advantage of their LA & SD O&O stations, but they've been so wrapped up in Kobe and everything else that they've all but forgotten the scope of this disaster.

[null and void]

checking on fire from roof. Getting closer, Hope neighbor doesn't call me in to cops for being a peeper

At least you have a plausible excuse today. Enjoy the view...

[Merovingian]

I've got DirecTV with LA locals for affiliate coverage, and they're far, far better than the nationals have been.

I have Direct TV, have a couple locals for around here, can you get locals from other areas?

[justshe]

LOL!

Not me offering to do the rain dance...Chad offered.

Chad....see posts #629 and #630...you have some special requests!

[socal_parrot]

Combined fire stats-

Total acres burned- 500,000 plus

Homes destroyed- 1,500

Lives lost- 15

From today's OC Register to put that in context...

Past wildfires in California

Some of the worst wildfires in California in the past century:
• October 1999: Jones fire, near Redding. One firefighter killed, 176 homes and hundreds of other buildings destroyed, 26,200 acres burned. Believed to be accidental.
• October and November 1993: Over a two-week period, more than 20 fires raced through Southern California, killing four and burning more than 1,000 homes and 193,814 acres. The largest: the Topanga fire around Malibu, three deaths; 323 homes; 18,000 acres. The Laguna Beach fire on Oct. 27, an arson blaze, burned 16,682 acres and destroyed 389 homes.
• August 1992: Fountain fire, Shasta County. 636 buildings; 63,960 acres. Arson.
• October 1991: Tunnel fire in the Oakland hills, 25 dead; 3,276 homes destroyed, 193 damaged; 1,520 acres.
• June 1990: Painted Cave fire, Santa Barbara County. One death; 641 homes and structures; 4,900 acres. Arson.
• November 1980: Panorama fire, San Bernardino foothills. Four dead; 325 homes; 23,600 acres. Arson.x
• September 1970: Laguna fire, San Diego County mountains. Six deaths; 382 structures; 175,425 acres. Power lines.
• November 1966: Loop fire, near Angeles National Forest. 12 firefighters killed; 2,028 acres. Power line.
• November 1961: Bel Air-Brentwood fire. 484 homes, 21 other buildings. Believed accidental.
• July 1953: Rattlesnake fire in Mendocino National Forest. 15 firefighters killed; 1,300 acres. Arson.
• October 1933: Griffith Park fire. 29 workers clearing brush killed. Cause undetermined.
• September 1923: Berkeley fire. 584 buildings. Power lines.
Sources: California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, local fire agencies, newspaper articles, official and scholarly reports

[PhiKapMom]

Just sent an email to Fox to remove the word NEWS from their name! Their morning show team can go jump for all I care. When Brian said there were three fires in SoCal, he named San Diego, Simi Valley, and Ventura county completely leaving out San Bernardino County and fires in the mountains, I gave up on Fox.

CNN and MSNBC were non-existent as well but they all covered the blackout in the east coast 24/7, that nightclub that burned down, or let a car chase happen in LA they cover it completely. Guess this is not tabloid enough for them now -- and that is for all CABLE (Non) news channels! All the cable channels should be ashamed with their lack of coverage while covering diets, hair styles, and that stupid RAT debate Sunday night!

Couldn't wait until KTLA came on at 7:30 cst with their morning news which is still on satellite with news. They are actually showing the San Bernardino area.

My rant off!

[Merovingian]

What strikes me about this (lack of) coverage is that it is universal, ALL the major channels have obviously made a DECISION, certainly giving credence to the claims of controlled media..otherwise, you would see maybe ONE channel which DOES cover it full time.

[proud American in Canada]

Wow, what an amazing picture. I just sent an email to a friend of mine in San Diego. What a horrible thing.

[PhiKapMom]

Hope the backfires they have set along 18 hold and winds keep blowing south. The last thing Arrowhead needs now is on-flow air from the ocean -- they need the wind to keep blowing south.

[dogbyte12]

We are over 3/4 the size of Rhode Island now. If this big a chunk of New York State burned near the network headquarters, any wonder how different the coverage would be?

I bet if 9/11 happened in Omaha with 3,000 dead, it would have been dropped days earlier from the media coverage. I just simply can not stand the media. Their priorities are so out of whack. I understand covering Kobe, and Peterson during dead news periods, but when something important happens, and they don't give it the coverage they give to tabloid cases, it makes me wanna scream.

[lainie]

KTTV-11 had the same shot. They didn't say how long it will be until they know whether this tactic was successful.

[PhiKapMom]

I would have expected FNC to take advantage of their LA & SD O&O stations, but they've been so wrapped up in Kobe and everything else that they've all but forgotten the scope of this disaster.

You and me both -- if I didn't have satellite, I would be going nuts!

[null and void]

They didn't charge her? Wow, I had no idea. She was ID'd IMMEDIATELY, IIRC, but this story says little to nothing about the guy.

Must be named "Mohammad"...

[Chad Fairbanks]

Do 'long distance' rain dances work? Or will you get rain in the Puget Sound area instead?

Well, can't hurt to try. Although, it's raining here now, so maybe it DIDN'T work right... I'll try again (Although the people in the smoking area outside will think I've completely flipped)...

[maggief]

Sorry if this is a repost.

Joseph Urbaszewski's Weblog
Tue - October 28, 2003
Updates since 7:04am (PDT).


Worse case scenario is here.
Backfires are being used on 18 higher up.


- "No confirmed information to report, but here is a little UNCONFIRMED information that was passed between dispatchers (other law enforcement dispatchers). SBSO dispatchers heard that at Twin Peaks SO station there was fire around the substation. NO CONFIRMED status on this information CHP dispatchers reported that a water pool is being constructed at RIM in the parking lot for attack helicopter retardant drop operations. NO CONFIRMED status on this information." [reliable source]

- Scanner: Air support transmissions have started, but no further information.

- Watching every TV station; all this looks alarmingly grim. I just do not know what else to say. The footage says it all.

- There has been no reportable information from the scanners.

- Running Springs needs attention as well. Teams are moving in. [6:35am]

- East Highlands update: Major ash fallout, no structures lost for now.

- How is it TV stations can be in the air with THEM asking where the air support was? The TV stations across the board keep asking about air support, yet no answers are coming about.

- The fire is near the high school. Rim Forest, at least with what we see on TV, does not look good. They are fighting the fire at the Bus Barn entrance of Rim High. They are using the "burns" to fight the fire. It is burning in "fingers". [NBC4 -TV]

- KTLA helicopter reporter did not give any clear information; just alarming pictures. Charter Cable and other buildings have perished according to KTLA.

- From a Crestline perspective, things are calmer. The KTLA report was from Top Town.

- 10% contained according to NBC4.

- The winds have shifted into an onshore flow, which is not helping our fire. The next hour will dictate a lot. The winds are flowing south.

- They are trying to save the high school, but the winds are taking the flames over their heads.

- Some small spot fires in Crestline (near Skyland) are being fought. [6:04am]

- "Running Springs is fine, no fire has reached Running Springs. Just saw Dan Teter of Centruy21 on Chanel 7 eyewitness news. He said that everything in running Springs is ok. They have setup a call station at Centruy 21 for Running Springs Residents to call. They didn''t leave a number, but I''m sure that if you search google for C21 running springs you''ll find their website." [John Patrick]

[Chad Fairbanks]

Don't do that! I tried down here and ended up with a flooded yard!

Amateur ;0)

[socal_parrot]

Fire updates...

PIRU FIRE
Ventura County
Size: 29,324 acres.
Homes: None.
Deaths: None.
Containment: 10 percent.
Start: Oct. 23 west of Lake Piru in Ventura County.
Key facts: The fire in Los Padres National Forest damaged small corner of Sespe Wilderness and Sespe Condor sanctuary. There were no condors in the refuge. Voluntary evacuations in Piru and parts of Fillmore.
Personnel: 813 firefighters.
Suppression cost: $1.1 million
Cause: Under investigation.

VERDALE FIRE
Los Angeles County
Size: 9,000 acres.
Homes: None.
Deaths: None.
Containment: 85 percent.
Start: Oct. 24 west of Santa Clarita in northern Los Angeles County.
Key facts: Voluntary evacuations have been lifted for community of Val Verde Park and parts of Piru.
Personnel: 500 firefighters.
Suppression cost: $1.7 million.
Cause: Under investigation.

SIMI VALLEY
Ventura County
Size: 90,000 acres.
Homes: 13 destroyed, eight damaged.
Deaths: None.
Containment: 5 percent.
Start: Oct. 25.
Key facts: Mandatory evacuations in two parts of Chatsworth area in Los Angeles County. Voluntary evacuations for Box Canyon and other areas of Simi Valley. Blaze has moved past Ronald Reagan Library without causing damage.
Personnel: 902 firefighters.
Suppression cost: $1.1 million
Cause: Under investigation.

GRAND PRIX FIRE
San Bernardino County
Size: 56,474 acres.
Homes: 77 destroyed.
Deaths: None.
Containment: 25 percent.
Start: Oct. 21 near San Bernardino National Forest.
Key facts: Mandatory evacuations in Lytle Creek, Mount Baldy and parts of Claremont, Upland and other foothill communities of the San Gabriel Mountains. Residents are being allowed back in several areas, including parts of Muscoy, Claremont and Upland.
Personnel: 2,506 firefighters.
Suppression cost: $7.2 million.
Cause: Arson.

OLD FIRE
San Bernardino County
Size: 26,000 acres.
Homes: 450 homes, 10 commercial buildings destroyed.
Deaths: Two.
Containment: 10 percent.
Start: Oct. 25 near San Bernardino National Forest.
Key facts: Evacuations in foothill areas of San Bernardino and mountain communities, including Crestline and Lake Arrowhead.
Personnel: 1,632 firefighters.
Suppression cost: $2.1 million.
Cause: Arson.

CAMP PENDLETON
San Diego County
Size: 8,500 acres.
Homes: None.
Deaths: None.
Containment: Fully contained.
Start: Oct. 21 on the base north of San Diego.
Key facts: Authorities are playing down early reports that fire was ignited by live ammunition exercises on the base.
Personnel: 100 firefighters.
Suppression cost: Not available.
Cause: Under investigation.

PARADISE FIRE
San Diego County
Size: 30,000 acres.
Homes: 57 destroyed.
Deaths: Two.
Containment: 15 percent.
Start: Oct. 26 in Valley Center area near Interstate 15.
Key facts: Valley View Casino evacuated.
Personnel: 862 firefighters.
Suppression cost: Not available.
Cause: Under investigation.

CEDAR FIRE
San Diego County
Size: 206,664 acres.
Homes: 150 destroyed in Scripps Ranch, 10 in Tierrasanta, 368 spread across Ramona, Lakeside and surrounding communities of eastern San Diego County.
Deaths: Nine.
Containment: 0 percent.
Start: Oct. 25 in eastern San Diego County.
Key facts: Extends to Scripps Ranch, Poway, Miramar Marine Corps Air Station, Ramona and portions of Santee, Lakeside and Blossom Valley. Air traffic nationwide was disrupted when this fire forced evacuation of a Federal Aviation Administration control center.
Personnel: 2,150 firefighters.
Suppression cost: Not available.
Cause: Authorities believe a hunter set a signal fire when he got lost.

DULZURA FIRE
San Diego County
Size: 45,291 acres.
Homes: None.
Deaths: None.
Containment: 17 percent.
Start: Sunday, Oct. 26 in southern San Diego County.
Key facts: Mandatory evacuations in parts of Jamul, a rural area east of San Diego. The fire prompted voluntary evacuations of parts of eastern Chula Vista and flames skipped over the border into eastern Tijuana but turned back to the U.S. side.
Personnel: 147 firefighters.
Suppression cost: $200,000
Cause: Under investigation.

MOUNTAIN FIRE
Riverside County
Size: 10,000 acres.
Homes: 9 destroyed.
Deaths: None.
Containment: 55 percent.
Start: Oct. 26 in southern Riverside County.
Key facts: Evacuations ordered for 300 homes near Lake Skinner. Two civilian injuries. Four minor firefighter injuries.
Personnel: 500 firefighters.
Suppression cost: $300,000.
Cause: Under investigation.

Sources: The Associated Press, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and local fire officials.