Keep Your Fire Guard Up!

With the extreme fire hazard that exists across San Bernardino County and the Inland Empire everyone needs to “keep their guard up”  as the potential for wildfire grows with the arrival of the Santa Ana wind period. The “Devil Winds” as they are known, race through Southern California primarily during the months of October through December.  However, it is not unusual to experience Santa Ana winds as early as September or into the next year. The fire activity that we have witnessed the past few months has been very active and severe without the driving hot, dry Santa Ana winds.

Many of California’s most disastrous fires have been driven by strong, dry Santa Ana winds.  Eleven of the twenty largest California wildland fires by structures destroyed occurred in Southern California between September and November. This includes the Panorama fire of November 1980, that destroyed 345 structures and killed four people, the 2003 Grand Prix and Old fires and the deadly Esparanza fire.

CAL FIRE San Bernardino Acting Unit Chief Rod Bywater says “fire is everyone’s fight. Fire safety and prevention needs to be on the mind of everyone, especially those who live and recreate in the mountains and wildland areas”.  CAL FIRE San Bernardino Unit Fire Prevention Battalion Chief Preston Fouts reminds us that “that one less spark can result in one less fire.  By being fire safe, people really can make a difference in preventing fires from starting in the first place.” It is also a good idea to see if the clearance around your property is still good.  Even if you did your clearance in the spring, you should give the property a once over so that you have good defensible space around your structures.  This defensible space provides firefighters the area they need to mount an effective defense of your home. 

 

According to weather experts, the Santa Ana wind cycle begins when high pressure from the high desert of the Great Basin pushes hot dry winds into Southern California.  These winds initially occur approximately every ten days.  The frequency of the wind events increases as the weeks go by until December when the winds events can happen about every three or four days.  The racing winds, dry weather, and low humidity combine to create a prescription for disaster.

 Another reason that makes the Santa Ana winds so dangerous is their appeal to arsonists.  The hot and dry vegetation beckons to the destructive tendencies of an arsonist.  With this in mind, it is very important for residents everywhere especially in the mountain and wildland areas to pay attention to suspicious actions.  If you see something suspicious report it to CAL FIRE, your local fire agency or law enforcement.

 The arson fires from 1993 were the catalyst for the 1994 “One Strike for Arson” law.  It punishes any person who willfully, maliciously, deliberately, with premeditation and with specific intent, sets fire to, burns, or causes to be burned, any residence, structure, forest land or property.  That person when convicted is guilty of aggravated arson.  According to this law, if any one or more of the specified aggravated factors exists, the person convicted SHALL not be eligible for probation and SHALL be imprisoned in state prison for ten years to life.

 Firefighters need your help to combat arson and wildfire.  The vegetation is tender dry and with low humidity and high winds, very susceptible to ignition.  Almost any type of heat source can start a fire in these conditions.  If you see a fire, no matter what size, report it to the nearest fire department or call “911”.  Please do not assume that another person made the call.  The quicker the public reports a fire, the faster firefighters can respond.  Remember, “fire is everyone’s fight” and if you have information about how a fire started, report it to the fire department or law enforcement.

CAL FIRE  San Bernardino Unit  Fire Prevention Battalion Chief Preston Fouts says “preventing fires is everyone’s business.  If we work together, we can keep our homes and property, recreational areas and most of all our loved ones safe from the ravages of wildfire”.  For more information go to http://www.preventwildfireca.org/

One Less Spark, One Less Wildfire

The One Less Spark, One Less Wildfire campaign has reached southern California and the CAL FIRE San Bernardino Unit is all in.  What is this campaign you might ask, well here's the answer.  The goal of this effort is to reduce property loss and the threat to residents and firefighters by reducing some targeted causes of wildfires.  To aide in that effort, a CAL FIRE cover engine from the Madera, Mariposa, Merced Unit participated in the shooting of campaign Public Service Announcements yesterday.  The video shoot was conducted at the United States Forest Service's Technology and Development Center in San Dimas, California.

Careless equipment use can spark a wildland fire

Waiting for the director

Not exactly what you expect on a cover assignment

 CAL FIRE was one of many agencies there to support this important statewide fire prevention effort.  The PSA's focused in the goals of the campaign which is to reduce wildland fires ignited by equipment usage, vehicle caused wildland fires, and escaped debris fires.  Smokey Bear and Sparky the Fire Dog were there doing their best to help get the message out.  Actress Betty White has also volunteered to appear in the PSA's although the veteran actress was not at the facility.

This is a statewide interagency campaign much like the Ready-Set-Go program.  You will hear the phrase "ALL LANDS, ALL VOICES" throughout this campaign as every agency works to reduce human caused wildfires in California. The campaign has come about through the efforts and support of the U.S. Forest Service Region 5 Fire and Aviation Staff working with the California Wildfire Coordinating Group. For more information about 'One Less Spark, One Less Wildfire" go to; http://www.preventwildfireca.org/

All together..."One Less Spark, One Less Wildfire"

Hill Incident

Wildfire started off I-15 fwy at the top of the Cajon Pass

I-15 fwy is Closed in both directions between Hwy-395 and Hwy-138 at this time but are subject to change.

Unified Command between USFS-BDF, CAL FIRE, and San Bernardino County Fire Dept.

For additional information please contact

BDF Public Information Line:

909-383-5688

California Sends Aerial Firefighting Aircraft to Assist With Arizona Wildfire

One of the nation's only DC-10 Very Large Airtankers is being deployed from California to assist in fighting the raging wildland fire in Arizona. The request was made yesterday, June 8, 2011 by the United States Forest Service. The aircraft, Tanker 911, took off at 7:35 A.M. this morning from its base in Victorville.

The Forest Service is accessing the DC-10 through a call when needed contract CAL FIRE has with 10 Tanker, the company that operates the only two DC-10 Very Large Airtankers in the world. During peak fire season, CAL FIRE has an exclusive use contract with 10 Tanker to enhance its aerial firefighting fleet. The DC-10 aerial firefighting aircraft made its firefighting debut in 2006 on the Sawtooth fire in San Bernardino County.

The DC-10's operate with a flight crew of three, a pilot, co-pilot and a flight engineer. The tanker works with a lead plane and can be an effective tool in combating wildfires when working directly with ground resources. The DC-10 firefighting aircraft are fitted with three external tanks that are mounted along the centerline of the plane. Together, the tanks hold 50 tons of water or retardant. The tanker can drop as much as 12,000 U.S. gallons of retardant in as little as eight seconds through its computerized gravity fed water dump system. It is used primarily to lay down long lines of retardant.

"California is no stranger to wildfires and Arizona was one of many states that sent assistance to help us during the devastating 2008 lightning fire siege," said Chief Ken Pimlott, CAL FIRE acting director. "We are grateful that our relationship with 10 Tanker enables us to assist our neighbors during their time of need".

Aerial firefighting resources are one of many tools available to Incident Commanders to fight wildfires when and where the aircraft can be effective.