LA Times reports on the latest wildfire in the area, it started this morning:

A Ventura County wildfire fueled by powerful winds and extreme heat has burned more than 6,000 acres and was bearing down on populated areas in Moorpark and surrounding communities.

More than 400 residents have been evacuated and that number is expected to rise as the fire continues to move south toward the 118 Freeway. Pets and livestock are being moved to the Ventura County fairgrounds.

The Ventura County Sheriff’s Department said the fire started through “manure spontaneous combustion from a local ranch.”

The fire start at approximately 10:33 AM PDT South of Guiberson Road in Ventura County. There are more than 500 firefighters currently on the lines, but additional personnel, and equipment, including aerial resources have been requested. Two firefighters have had minor injuries.

The weather is a major factor and there were temperatures over 100° and single digit humidity with 50 mph wind gusts. Santa Ana winds are expected tonight.

Currently there are 84 engines, 18 crews, 8 dozers, 4 water tenders, 12 helicopters, 8 air tankers, and 540 personnel assigned to the fire.

Links: Cal Fire Guiberson Fire page, the Enplan Wildfire Viewer, the LA Times Wildfires Page, and their Guiberson Fire Map.

[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 US Southeast is bailing out from what looks like a 100-year flooding event in Northern Alabama and Georgia. Dr. Masters has the accumulated precipitation radar image showing more that 15 inches of rain around Atlanta.

This takes the pressure off Alabama, Florida, and Georgia to come to an agreement over water use in the Chattahoochee/Apalachicola river system.

Fallenmonk is high and mostly dry, but his garden is probably drowned.

On this first day of Spring in Australia, they are dealing with: 2 minor earthquakes near Melbourne, 10 major bushfires in Queensland, hail in New South Wales, and a major dust storm across South Australia. Many of these problems can be traced to the current El Niño event in the Pacific, which is reducing the Atlantic hurricane season while pushing sea surface temperatures into record territories.

You can watch the arrival of the equinox at Archæoastronomy. It takes place at 4:18 PM CDT this afternoon.

It’s time to man the rakes in northern climes.