Posts from — August 2009

The fire in the San Rafael Wilderness area has now burned about 87,500 acres and is 75% contained. A significant portion of the rapid increase in the acreage is do to back fires.

Investigators now say that the La Brea Fire was started by a cooking fire at a drug trafficking camp.

InciWeb Notes: “An evacuation order is still in place for the 23 threatened residences on Foothill Road in Cotton Canyon. Two structures have been destroyed by the La Brea Fire one was the non-operational White Oaks Ranger Station and the other a hunter’s cabin.”

There have been 2 minor injuries fighting the fire. The fire has already cost $6.3 million.

Currently there are 126 engines, 56 crews, 30 dozers, 5 air tankers, 12 helicopters, 59 water tenders and 2,078 total personnel assigned to the fire.

The Martin Mars water scoop aircraft is now on station, using Cachuma Lake for refilling its tanks.

Links: The KEYT La Brea Fire article, the Santa Barbara Independent La Brea Fire page, InciWeb La Brea page with a map, KSBY has videos and the Enplan Wildfire Viewer, which used satellite sensors to spot fires.

[For more information go to the CATEGORIES drop-down box below the CALENDAR and select “Fires” for all of the posts related to wildfires on this site.]

The fire in the Santa Cruz Mountains has now burned over 7,000 acres and is 65% contained. The weather has been cooperating, with lighter than expected winds. So far only 5 injuries have been reported and 2 outbuildings have been damaged by the fire. More than 100 residences are threatened and there are mandatory evacuations for Swanton affecting 200 people.

The primary fuels are redwood and pine trees. The area is mountainous with few roads for access.

Currently there are 295 engines, 21 crews, 28 dozers, 21 water tenders, 14 helicopters, 6 air tankers, and 2,165 personnel assigned to the fire. To date cost $9.8 million.

Links: Cal Fire Lockheed Fire page, the Enplan Wildfire Viewer, the Santa Cruz Sentinel local news page, and their map of the Lockheed Fire.

[For more information go to the CATEGORIES drop-down box below the CALENDAR and select “Fires” for all of the posts related to wildfires on this site.]

Position: 15.0 N 48.3 W [10 PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: West-Northwest [285°] near 17 mph [28 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 100 mph [160 kph].
Wind Gusts: 120 mph [190 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 150 miles [240 km].
Hurricane Wind Radius: 30 miles [45 km].
Minimum central pressure: 967 mb ↓.

It is 865 miles [1395 km] East of the Lesser Antilles Islands. Currently on track to be a large powerful annoyer of fish and shipping, but steering currents change.

Here’s the link for NOAA’s latest satellite images.

[For the latest information click on the storm symbol, or go to the CATEGORIES drop-down box below the CALENDAR and select “Hurricanes” for all of the posts related to storms on this site.]

Position: 17.5 N 68.0 W [ 4 PM 2100 UTC].
Movement: West-Northwest [285°] near 24 mph [40 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 35 mph [55 kph].
Wind Gusts: 45 mph [70 kph].
Minimum central pressure: 1011 mb ↑.

It is 140 miles [225 km] West-Southwest of San Juan, Puerto Rico. All tropical storm watches discontinued as Ana has degenerated into a remnant low pressure trough.

This is the final advisory.

Here’s the link for NOAA’s latest satellite images.

[For the latest information click on the storm symbol, or go to the CATEGORIES drop-down box below the CALENDAR and select “Hurricanes” for all of the posts related to storms on this site.]

Position: 31.3 N 87.2 W [ 7 AM CDT 1200 UTC].
Movement: Northwest [320°] near 12 mph [19 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 35 mph [55 kph].
Wind Gusts: 45 mph [70 kph].
Minimum central pressure: 1011 mb ↑.

It came ashore a little after midnight near the Coast Guard station on Okaloosa Island which would have made things exciting on the Destin bridge. It is now in Southern Alabama as a rain event. While the center of the storm was within 5 miles, it passed to the East and didn’t have much of an effect. It mauled the West coast of the bend from from Apalachicola, by Panama City, Freeport, South Walton, etc., but didn’t have much effect on anything West of the center. This is the final report.

Here’s the link for NOAA’s latest satellite images.

[For the latest information click on the storm symbol, or go to the CATEGORIES drop-down box below the CALENDAR and select “Hurricanes” for all of the posts related to storms on this site.]

The fire in the San Rafael Wilderness area has now burned about 86,680 acres and is 60% contained. A significant portion of the rapid increase in the acreage is due to back fires.

Investigators now say that the La Brea Fire was started by a cooking fire at a drug trafficking camp.

There have been 2 minor injuries fighting the fire, and an unused ranger station has been destroyed. The fire has already cost $6.3 million.

Currently there are 141 engines, 59 crews, 29 dozers, 5 air tankers, 14 helicopters, 54 water tenders and 2,152 total personnel assigned to the fire.

The Martin Mars water scoop aircraft is now on station, using Cachuma Lake for refilling its tanks.

Links: The KEYT La Brea Fire article, the Santa Barbara Independent La Brea Fire page, InciWeb La Brea page with a map, KSBY has videos and the Enplan Wildfire Viewer, which used satellite sensors to spot fires.

[For more information go to the CATEGORIES drop-down box below the CALENDAR and select “Fires” for all of the posts related to wildfires on this site.]

The fire in the Santa Cruz Mountains has now burned over 6,800 acres and is 50% contained. The weather has been cooperating, with lighter than expected winds. So far only 4 injuries have been reported and 2 outbuildings have been damaged by the fire. More than 250 residences are threatened. The evacuation order has been lifted for Bonny Doon, but still in place for Swanton, about 300 people.

The primary fuels are redwood and pine trees. The area is mountainous with few roads for access.

Currently there are 291 engines, 28 crews, 31 dozers, 21 water tenders, 14 helicopters, 6 air tankers, and 2,028 personnel assigned to the fire. To date cost $6.2 million.

Links: Cal Fire Lockheed Fire page, the Enplan Wildfire Viewer, the Santa Cruz Sentinel local news page, and their map of the Lockheed Fire.

[For more information go to the CATEGORIES drop-down box below the CALENDAR and select “Fires” for all of the posts related to wildfires on this site.]

Position: 13.4 N 41.7 W [10 PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: West-Northwest [290°] near 20 mph [32 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 70 mph [110 kph].
Wind Gusts: 85 mph [135 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 140 miles [220 km].
Minimum central pressure: 990 mb ↓.

It is 1320 miles [2120 km] East of the Lesser Antilles Islands. It will probably be a category 1 hurricane shortly.

Here’s the link for NOAA’s latest satellite images.

[For the latest information click on the storm symbol, or go to the CATEGORIES drop-down box below the CALENDAR and select “Hurricanes” for all of the posts related to storms on this site.]

Position: 16.0 N 61.2 W [10 PM 0300 UTC].
Movement: West [285°] near 26 mph [40 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 35 mph [55 kph].
Wind Gusts: 45 mph [70 kph].
Minimum central pressure: 1008.

It is 25 miles [40 km] Southeast of Guadeloupe. A tropical storm watch is in effect for the Dominican Republic, for Puerto Rico, for the US and British Virgin Islands, and for the Dutch Leeward Islands of St. Maarten, Saba, and St. Eustatius, and for the islands of Guadeloupe, St. Martin, and St. Barthelemey.
Here’s the link for NOAA’s latest satellite images.

[For the latest information click on the storm symbol, or go to the CATEGORIES drop-down box below the CALENDAR and select “Hurricanes” for all of the posts related to storms on this site.]

Position: 30.2 N 86.1 W [10 PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: Northwest [315°] near 12 mph [19 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 50 mph [80 kph].
Wind Gusts: 65 mph [105 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 70 miles [110 km].
Minimum central pressure: 1008 mb.

It is 25 miles [40 km] West of Panama City, Florida and 70 miles [110 km] East-Southeast of Pensacola. Tropical Storm Warning issued from the Alabama/Florida border eastward to the Aucilla River.

Here’s the link for NOAA’s latest satellite images.

[For the latest information click on the storm symbol, or go to the CATEGORIES drop-down box below the CALENDAR and select “Hurricanes” for all of the posts related to storms on this site.]

As I posted as an update with the earlier KEYT report, KSBY confirms and adds some additional information – Fire investigators identify cause of the La Brea Fire

In a press release from the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Narcotics Unit and the U.S. Forest Service:

Investigators revealed that the La Brea Fire was started by a cooking fire in a marijuana drug trafficking operation.
…

Although the La Brea Fire started more than one week ago, there is evidence that the unburned marijuana garden area has been occupied within the last several days. The Narcotics Unit has secured the camp area which was located in remote and rugged terrain. It is also believed that the suspects are still within the San Rafael Wilderness trying to leave the area on foot…

Between the actual fire, and the back fires, it is unlikely they will be able to get out. Unless they signal for assistance from an aircraft, their survival chances are between slim and none.

The Local Puppy Trainer noted today that It’s tropical weather information, not fear mongering.

Yesterday we had a couple of areas of interest in the Atlantic. As of 4PM CDT Tropical Storms Ana and Bill are heading West.

Ana looks like the weaker, and is encountering wind shear and dry air, but it’s path could put it in the Gulf which is a good deal more hospitable for development. You don’t know anything for certain this far out, but it is a good deal easier and cheaper [oh, no, stores would never jack up prices in an emergency 😈 ] to fill any gaps now, rather than waiting until the last minute.

People in hurricane areas should start watching the weather and checking supplies. Thanks to a solid El Niño condition things have been quiet, but the last time we waited this long in the season for a named storm was in 1992, and the storm was hurricane Andrew.

Update: KEYT reports – “In a press release from the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Narcotics Unit and the U.S. Forest Service: Investigators revealed that the La Brea Fire was started by a cooking fire in a marijuana drug trafficking operation.”

The fire in the San Rafael Wilderness area has now burned about 84,150 acres and is 25% contained. The major emphasis has been on backfires and bulldozing to create fire lines to stop the fire from spreading outside the National Forest. The jump in the containment from 10 to 25% shows the success of the plan.

Ray Ford, the Santa Barbara Independent‘s back-country and wildfire reporter, has a couple of great pictures, and a quick tutorial on creating them in Pano Provides Perspective.

There have been 2 minor injuries fighting the fire which has already cost $6.3 million.

Currently there are 108 engines, 59 crews, 25 dozers, 5 air tankers, 14 helicopters, 14 water tenders and 1,980 total personnel assigned to the fire.

Links: The KEYT La Brea Fire article, the Santa Barbara Independent La Brea Fire page, InciWeb La Brea page with a map, KSBY has videos and the Enplan Wildfire Viewer, which used satellite sensors to spot fires.

[For more information go to the CATEGORIES drop-down box below the CALENDAR and select “Fires” for all of the posts related to wildfires on this site.]