North Calif Coord Center Fire Report for Oct 16, 1999
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[Red Flag was in effect for North Calif on this date]
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10/22/99 update - On the death of the firefighter - it seems that 3 people were in the cab of the truck - driver was M69 (founder of Junction City VFD)(retired LA City firefighter) + fiancee of victim M44 + victim F42 - somehow the female was run over by the truck - the fiancee is quoted as saying that the truck lurched when the driver attempted to shift (I may not have the facts or quotes exactly correct - you know how subtle misstatements/changes can creep into reports)
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This initial message came across the norcalscan Email list at 440AM PDT on Oct 16, 1999.
From: garc42969@ibm.net Date: Sat, Oct 16, 1999, 4:40am (EDT-3) To: SCANnorCAL@onelist.com Subject: [SCANnorCAL] huge fire in jones vally Reply�to: SCANnorCAL@onelist.com
From: garc42969@ibm.net this fire started around 420 am - first engine on scene reported an est. 150 acres - rapid rate of spread - the bat. chief ordered 5 structure protection groups + 2 strike teams of type 3 engines + a division chief + 2 staging area managers - staging is at bella vista - their are using tack 11 and command (??) - the western edge is 2.5 (miles) in on back bone ridge from jones valley - every body on the radio says this fire is huge and moving fast
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The Jones Fire is known to have started in an area frequently used for camping. The location of the fires origin has been located however no obvious cause was found. Old campfires were not warm. Shell casings were found in the area. No obvious source of ignition was initially found by investigators. [Info from KQMS Radio in Redding on Oct 16]
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INFO FROM CDF WEBSITE ON 10/17/99 1050EDT
Oct 16 - 4PM - 15,000 acres - 1 dead - 50 homes burnt - 225 E - 54 dozers - 50 crews
Oct 16 - 11PM - 20,000 acres - 1 dead - 100 homes - 225 E - 54 dozers - 50 crews
Oct 17 - 6AM - 25,000 acres - 1 dead - 100 homes - 225 E - 54 dozers - 50 crews
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Shasta-Trinity Unit
Jones Fire (CA-SHU-008604)
Acres: 15,000+
Containment: 0%
Cause: Undetermined
The Jones fire, which started at 03:49am today, is aggressively burning on five fronts. Having started just south of Shasta Lake near Backbone Ridge the fire has burned in a southeasterly direction for about 12 miles. The predominant fuel type is grass, valley & scrub oaks and homes. At least four (4) homes have burned with numerous outbuildings. The fire has jumped Highway 299E and is currently threatening the east side of the City of Redding near Old Alturas and Boyle Roads. Numerous other starts have occurred with the largest resulting in burning 100 acres with a person in custody.
There have been no injuries to firefighters but one person was struck by a vehicle on Highway 299E and perished from her injuries.� Her name was Karen Jane Savage, a Hawkins Bar Volunteer, age 44, of Junction City.
A CDF major incident Command Team (#6-Tarp) has assumed command of the incident.
The winds have subsided somewhat (under 25 mph) but are forecasted to remain through tomorrow.
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Major Fires - From the North Zone Coord Center website - 10/16/99 Report - Priority Level 3
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Fire Name - JONES
Fire Number - CA-SHU-8604 (SHU indicates that the fire started on lands under the protection of Shasta County CDF)
Type: WF (?wildfire)
Start: 10/16/1999
Cause: H (Human)
Priority:
Overhead Team Name: T. TARP
Type (Overhead Team): 1
Local: (unknown what this data field is for - local priority ranking? versus other local fires)
Size: 15,000+
% ctn: 0 (percent contained)
Est Ctn: (Estimated Containment time)(none given)
Lat: 40o 20'
Long: 122o 16'
GACC: 1
Location: 2 MILES EAST OF REDDING, CA
$$ Losses: NR $$
Costs to Date: NR
Structures Threatened: 100 PRIM , 100 OUTB , 10 COMM
Structures Destroyed: 20 PRIM
Resources Committed : Total Personnel: 940
Report Date: Oct 16, 1999
USFS Resources Assigned/Committed - 2 Crew2 (Type 2 Handcrew) - 20 Engines - 5 Overhead (Overhead are personnel who are not directly suppressing fire - such as mechanics, cooks, planners, commanders, weather men, etc)
State Resources Assigned - 25 Crw 1 - 5 Hel 1 - 3 Hel 2 - 70 E - 50 Ovhd
County Resources Assigned - 80 E - 5 Ovhd
The Jones Fire, which started at 0349 hours this morning, is aggressively burning on five fronts. Having started just south of Shasta Lake near Backbone Ridge the fire has burned in a southerly direction for about 12 miles. The predominate fuel type is grass, valley & scrub oaks and homes. Multiple homes have been reported as being lost along with numerous outbuildings. The fire has jumperd Hiway 299 and is currnetly threatening the east side of the City of Redding near Old Alturas and Boyle Road. One person was struck by a vehicle on Hiway 299 and persihed from his injuries. A CDF major incident Command Team (#6-Tarp) has assumed command of the incdient. The winds have subsided somewhat (under 25mph) but are forecasted to remain through tomorrow. �
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SIXTEEN
CA-LNU-6445
Type: WF
Start: 10/16/1999
Cause: H
Priority:
Overhead Team Name: A. STOVALL
Type: 1
Local:
Size: 4,200
% ctn: 0
Est Ctn:
Lat: 38o 3'
Long: 122o 19'
GACC:
Location: RUMSEY CANYON ON WEST SIDE
$$ Losses: NR
$$ Costs to Date: NR
Structures Threatened: NONE
Structures Destroyed: NONE
Resources Committed:Total Personnel: 429
Report Date: Oct 16, 1999
State Resources Assigned - 14 Crw 1 - 1 Hel 2 - 11 E - 5 Overhead
County Resources Assigned - 4 E
Private Resources Assigned - 2 Hel 2
��� The fire is being pushed by high winds, with low humidities in the 2-10% range. Current threat is to a BLM Wilderness Study Area around Grizzly Peak. A CDF major incident Command Team (#1 Stovall) will be taking commmand of the incident upon their arrival at the ICP.
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�
GEYERS
CA-LNU-6468
Type: WF
Start: 10/16/1999
Cause: H
Priority:Overhead Team Name: ED SHRIVER
Type: NR
Local:
Size: 1,000
% ctn: 40
Est Ctn:
Lat: 38o 4'
Long: 122o 5'
GACC:
Location: GEYERS RD EAST OF GEYERSVILLE
$$ Losses: NR
$$ Costs to Date: NR
Structures Threatened: NONE
Structures Destroyed: NONE
Resources Committed:Total Personnel: 123
Report Date: Oct 16, 1999
State Resources Assigned - 2 Crew 1 - 17 E - 2 Ovhd
County Resources Assigned - 2 Hel 2 - 15 E
Other - 1 Hel 2
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STRUCTURES AND WATERSHED ARE THE PRIMARY THREAT. CONTROL PROBLEMS ARE HIGH WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITIES AND STEEP TERRAIN
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�
BIG BAR COMPLEX
CA-SHF-6588
Type: WF
Start: 08/23/1999
Cause: L (lightning)
Priority:Overhead Team Name: JIM GIACHINO
Type: 1
Local: 1
Size: 117,278
% ctn: 57
Est Ctn:
Lat: 41o 2'
Long: 123o 23'
GACC:
Location: 28 MI NW OF WEAVERVILLE
$$ Losses: $78,230,543
$$ Costs to Date: $47,295,815
Structures Threatened: NONE
Structures Destroyed: NONE
Resources Committed:Total Personnel: 1280
Report Date: Oct 16, 1999
USFS Resources - 9 Crw 1 - 4 Crw 2 - 1 Hel 3 - 20 E - 140 Ovhd
BIA Resources - 2 Crw 1 - 5 Crw 2 - 2E - 15 Ovhd
BLM Resources - 18 Ovhd
State Resources - 2 crw 2 - 23 Ovhd
County Resources - 1E - 1 Ovhd
FWS Resources - 2 Ovhd
NPS Resources - 2 Crw 2 - 15 Ovhd
Private Resources - 1 Crw 2 - 2 Hel 1 - 2 Hel 2 - 3 Hel 3 - 14 E - 61 Ovhd
Other - 1E
Total Overhead - 167
The Complex consists of 2 fires: ONION/16,602 (100% cont) and MEGRAM/100,676 (now 50% cont). Dry, continuous night time E/NE winds caused the Megram fire to escape containment lines in three separate areas this morning. In Branch 3, Div N the fire is now burning on both sides of Colgrove Cr in 30,9N,6E. The fire has spotted up to 1 mi ahead, and has a well defined convection column. In the Tish Tang area, the fire has crossed what is locally known as Corral Cr. In Branch 2, Div S the fire has crossed containment lines and is now burning in the Bell Cr drainage. Current lines in these areas are untenable. Crews working with T-1 helicopters are attempting containment South of the original lines. Planning for structure protection in the Dailey area has resumed. The 21-day rotation will have a profound effect on reducing suppression forces in the next 96 hours if replacements are not obtained, crew strength will be reduced from 18 to 3.
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PENDOLA
CA-TNF-15208
Type: WF
Start: 10/16/1999
Cause: H
Priority:
Overhead Team Name: STUDEBAKER
Type: 1
Local:
Size: 5,000+
% ctn: 0
Est Ctn: UNKN
Lat: 39o 27'
Long: 121o 5'
GACC:
Location: CAMPTONVILLE
$$ Losses: $0
$$ Costs to Date: $0
Structures Threatened: NONE
Structures Destroyed: NONE
Resources Committed:Total Personnel: 600
Report Date: Oct 16, 1999
USFS Resources Assigned - 17 Crw 1 - 17 Crew 2 - 1 Hel 2 - 1 Hel 3 - 6E - 100 Ovhd
State Resources Assigned - 2 Crew 1 - 18 E - 25 Overhead
County - 12 Overhead
The fire is burning near Bullards Bar Reservoir. Numerous Structures in the vicinity threatened with voluntary and mandatory evacuation in progress. Burning in mixed conifer/manzanita understory. Fire making major runs toward the small communities of Challenge and Laporte.
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Several of these large fires have been burning for several weeks.
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A POST FROM SCANNORCAL@onelist.com
Well, once again flames have found a spot in Shasta County not yet burned. And this spot was huge! At last count - 20-25,000 acres have burned. With that - lots of homes and other buildings as well as a local firefighter's life were taken. The origin of the fire was in Jones Valley near Dry Creek and Backbone Ridge Roads. North winds at 40mph quickly fanned it south towards homes on Dry Creek Rd and Elk Trail. Then winds started to go eratic. Gusts blew dirty north winds even harder pushing flames to the west and east as well as south - towards the town of Bella Vista. To the east, Blue Sky Road and Aloha Rds were directly threatend. To the west, "will it pass Dry Creek Rd?"
Bella Vista - the staging area and thought to be evac center was quickly cleared as the fire roared towards the town. As everybody was leaving to the new evac center (Junction Sch in Palo Cedro - 6 miles south) the flames crossed Hwy 299 and into Bella Vista. Hwy 299 was quickly shutdown and staging moved to Shasta College - where the command center was being setup. Then things became even more chaotic as nobody wanted to admit that the fire would race south for as long as the winds blew. Smoke was hampering the tankers.
Palo Cedro - kinda saved by the fire forking to both sides of the town. By afternoon the fire reached here and Junction School evac center moved to Anderson High School. Boyle Road, Millville Plains, Oak Run Rd and Redding Airport were threatened now by the advancing flames. Hwy 44 was not an option at 4:30 this morning but now it shutdown as flames and dangerous smoke towered over. The flames chose the less populated route behind the airport down Stillwater Creek. Still, people were evacuated all the way down to Sacramento River in Anderson while Anderson residents were being advised of the advancing flames. Personaly - I don't know about the eastern flank of flames that branched towards Oak Run Rd north of Palo Cedro.
Stillwater creek behind the Redding Airport burnt and finally the firecrews stopped the progress late Saturday night at Fig Tree Lane just north of Dersch Rd. The last count of family homes that have burnt was around 100 with over 100 outbuildings burnt, and 10 commercial buildings. One firefighter lost her life as a fire appuratus rolled over her. She was supposedly getting equipment at the side of the appuratus and she slipped and rolled under the wheels.
This is the latest news I have myself. Today is much quieter as winds have died down and flames were doused overnight. Now, active flanks are on the north near Jones Valley and Backbone Ridge. Unkown about Xanadu Ln but fire was reported north of there. Shasta ARES was activated on 146.640 - CDF Dispatch 151.160 - Jones Command 151.265 - Tacticals 151.440, 151.190 - 123.075 helicopters - 151.31 airattack - air tactical 122.925
More later if I get significant news.
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Jake Hickok (KF6KDD) 19 year-old � Shasta College Red Bluff High School Tech Services Dept. Red Bluff, (Northern) California
AIM/AOL "NorCalScan" � ICQ#24623277 � kf6kdd@arrl.net http://www.qsl.net/kf6kdd/ "NorCal Scanning and Ham Radio" Ham Radio-Scanning, Macintosh, Percussion and Music,
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The following item will give you some info about the reallocation of airtankers from the Great Basin to California during these major fires.
EASTERN GREAT BASIN DAILY TACTICAL REPORT Updated for 10/18/99 AIRTANKERS
Call** FAA#** Make** Unit ID** Home Base** Location** Status** D/O**(Day off duty) Off Contract
T104 235N P2V ID-BOF Boise Boise CA-OSC-195 Tue 9/29(Extended)
T55 355MA P2V ID-IFD Pocatello Pendola CA-TNF-15208 Thu 9/29(Extended)
T23 923AU P3A ID-PAF McCall McCall Available Sat 9/21(Extended)
T67 531BA C-130� Redmond Boise Available��
T64 466TM C-130 CA-SQF Fresno Pocatello Available Sat�
T131 131HP C-130A CA-LPF Santa Barbara Pocatello D/O Mon�
T183 9002K SEAT(Single Engine Air Tanker-crop duster) ID-SID Twin Falls Twin Falls Available� Daily Extension
LEAD PLANES & AIR ATTACK AIRCRAFT Call** FAA#** Make** Unit ID** Home Base** Location** Status** D/O**
LB3 7148A KA C90 ID-IFD Pocatello Evanston Available Thu
L47 144Z Baron ID-PAF McCall McCall/Ogden Available�
L49 145Z Baron UT-WCF Ogden Ogden O/S Mon
SMOKEJUMPER AIRCRAFT
Call** FAA#** Make** Unit ID** Home Base**Location** Status** Off** J41 141Z Otter ID-PAF McCall McCall Available�
J42 142Z DC3 ID-PAF McCall Ogden Unavailable�
J43 143Z Otter ID-PAF McCall ABC MiscCA-ONC-003�
J49 49SJ Otter ID-FCD Boise Grand Junction Available w/?�
HELICOPTERS
Call** FAA#** Make** Type* Home Base** Unit ID*** Location** Status** Off**
86F 3186F B206L3 III Boise ID-BOD Boise Local IA 10/12
AHC CFAHC B212 II Lucky Peak ID-BOF Lucky Peak Local IA 10/09(Extended)
6AH 206AH B206L3 III Garden Valley ID-BOF Garden Valley Local IA 10/09(Extended)
69H 669H B205+ II Price Valley ID-PAF Price Valley Local IA 10/16
407S 407S B407 III Krassel ID-PAF Krassel Local IA 10/09(Extended)
30F 8530F B212 II Challis ID-SCF Babb CA-KNF-3459�
9EH 189EH AS350 B2 III Challis ID-SCF Challis Local IA 10/09(Extended)
1WM 351WM AS350B1 III Jerome ID-SID Jerome Local IA 10/08(Extended)
310 3310 B206L4 III Hailey ID-STF Sandrock ID-STF-004 10/09(Extended)
43T 6643T B206L3 III Jackson WY-BTF Jackson Local IA�
46N 5746N B206L3 III Jackson WY-BTF Jackson Local IA�
6HE 6HE B407 III Swan Valley ID-TAF Moccasin WY-BTF-056 10/14
2HQ 212HQ B212 II Grand Junction ID-CWN Lambs Canyon UT-WCF-052�
6HP31 6HP Alouette III Greybull ID-CWN Lambs Canyon UT-WCF-052�
TYPE I CREW STATUS Name** Unit ID** Home Base**Location*** Status** D/O Last Day
Boise ID-BOF Boise Boise Unavailable Fri/Sat�
Flame-N-Go UT-UTS Draper Dry Fork WY-BTF-T42450 �� �
TEMPORARY FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS
Date* Notam* VOR* Degrees* Dist.* Top Elev.* Radius* Name* Agency* Frequency
10/12/99 9/8022 JAC 180 26 11500 8NM Wolf Creek FS 122.925
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Close Up and Personal At The Airport
Oct 2, 1999
My 2 cents on heavy aircraft regarding RDD muni. Redding likes to host the Coast Guard and National Guard IFR practice sessions. Sometimes - you can see a HUGE (err, "heavy") plane either taking off or landing at Redding. They aren't really landing but actually using the VOR on the Redding field for practice approach. The fly into the airport - almost land and then powerup again and "takeoff". Then they do a huge turn around to the east of the airport (shakes Shasta College all the time!!) and goes for another approach.
All the time on the radio the tower adivises that a Heavy is on approach and every other plane instantly goes into a holding pattern due to the turbulance. I recall driving to school on Hwy 5 one day and listening to the tower and the Heavy practicing. A CHP plane was on approach to the airport unknown about the Heavy that just took off. Right when he was about to go on final - the tower said "uh - you might want to come around once more to let the heavy's turbulance fade." I saw that plane instantly whip to a sharp bank and they were joking about almost being tree food. I guess it's one of those things that nobody wants to mess with ;)
Also - the tanker base there recently with the large fires has been very active with heavys leaving all the time. I was at the end of the runway taking video and pictures one day when tanker 26 (a HUGE guy) tookoff loaded - right behind tanker 22 - another heavy. Tanker 26 hit the turbulance and the WHOLE tail section just fell almost straight down. I thought we would have a small disaster over north Anderson but he grabbed his tail and took it the opposite direction and advised the tower that he would take the opposite way out. About 3 planes had to be diverted and the tanker barrelled on towards one of the many fires raging. I'm sure the tower will take a longer stopwatch time between the heavys ;) Good day to all! Also - Coast Guard likes to practice at Red Bluff. Great watching and filming ;)
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Firefighters' driver found slain in bus - By Tom Sellers - Bee Correspondent - (Published Nov. 1, 1999)
ANDERSON _ Police here released the name Sunday of a fire crew bus driver found slain in his vehicle at the Shasta District Fair Grounds, which often serves as a major fire camp. Richard Eugene Blood, 64, of Caldwell, Idaho, was found at 5:30 p.m. Friday in the bus in which he ferried firefighters, Lt. Clancy Finmand of the Anderson Police Department said Sunday. Investigators continued to comb the scene with assistance from the state Department of Justice and the Redding Police Department, Finmand said. "The victim suffered from obvious trauma and the death is considered a homicide," Sgt. Glenn Tuschen said in a statement issued late Saturday. An autopsy was scheduled for Tuesday, according to Finmand. The fire command center is often used as a hub by thousands of firefighters from around the nation who eat, sleep and receive other services between shifts in the forests surrounding the area. �
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