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- CA-YNP- Cascade #WUF #ForestFire - 109 acres, potentially 1000
- RRU: Fired Cal Fire captain retroactively resigns
- USDA: Prescribed Burning and Mechanical Thinning Pose Little Risk to Forest Ecology
- Quick Look: California Wildfires Today
| CA-YNP- Cascade #WUF #ForestFire - 109 acres, potentially 1000 Posted: 26 Jul 2012 06:29 PM PDT
Cascade: (37 46.173 x 119 40.519; 7800'el. Mariposa Co.) This lightning caused fire has been slowly burning since June 16, in Yosemite's high elevation Wilderness. It started during an afternoon thunderstorm on June 15th.
The fire has grown to 109 acres. It is burning in a short needle red fir forest between two upper forks of the Cascade Creek. The fire has slowly smoldered through sparse surface fuels of duff, forest litter and occasionally creating enough heat to ignite brush. The southern perimeter edge is the most active with occasional 6 to 12 inch flame lengths during the hottest part of the day. Currently, the fire poses no threat to trails, park service buildings, infrastructure or roads, cultural or natural resources. The fire could potentially grow to 1000 acres over the next month due to typical warm and dry weather for this time of year. Firefighters continue to monitor and scout the fire to determine the potential in growth and spread direction. Although the immediate fire area has a history of lightning, there is no recorded recent large fire history. Normally fuels too wet during this time of year to support active fire growth. Due to light winter snowpack this year, fuels at this elevation are now able to support fire spread and allow this natural fire to play a vital role in Yosemite Wilderness. The nearest historic fire to the Cascade Fire suggest that fires at this elevation, in this forest type, creep and smolder for weeks and only make runs during dry windy conditions. Additional information: Red fir forests burn about every 30 years. Cascade Fire is burning in an area that has not burned in at least 60-90 years. Because there are no resources threatened at this time or in the near term future, allowing this fire to burn in this area, this year promotes healthy, resilient ecosystem function. If resources are threatened, and/or smoke impacts threaten human health, fire managers will reassess the objectives of this fire. Though California is hot and dry, which is typical for this time of year and there are few fires burning in our region. Other fires nationally are starting to wind down due to cooler weather and monsoonal flow patterns assisting firefighters in suppression efforts. Resources are available to assist with managing the Cascade Fire. The Cascade Fire meets the park fire management objectives of minimal risk to firefighter and public safety, federal and public property, air quality and Wilderness character. Smoke: Light smoke has been visible mainly in the morning hours near Cascade Falls and the community of Foresta. Smoke may become more visible at high locations within the park. Fire managers are working closely with state and local air pollution regulators concerning potential adverse air quality impacts to nearby smoke sensitive areas. Yosemite's Division of Resources Management and Sciences personnel have installed air quality monitoring equipment within the communities of Lee Vining, Hodgdon Meadow, El Portal and Yosemite Valley. The park's webcam located at Crane Flat Helibase will capture fire images, which can be viewed at: http://ssgic.cr.usgs.gov/dashboards/WebCam.htm? For additional Information:
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| RRU: Fired Cal Fire captain retroactively resigns Posted: 26 Jul 2012 05:33 PM PDT
Who: Cal Fire captain Arthur Gonzalez, who worked at Station 18 on Mission Boulevard, Jurupa Valley has been allowed to retroactively resign after he appealed his dismissal for submitting incorrect time sheets. Why: Gonzalez was fired Feb. 11, 2011, for submitting incorrect time sheets after a battalion chief found inaccuracies with the amount of time Gonzalez claimed to have worked, according to Ginevra K. Chandler, chief counsel for Cal Fire. What: Gonzalez appealed the action, and his attorney and Cal Fire reached a settlement before the scheduled hearing this summer. The terms of the settlement prohibit Gonzalez from ever seeking employment with Cal Fire again. Also, Cal Fire agreed to remove all documents related to this case from Gonzalez's personnel file, and Gonzalez dropped his appeal. Gonzalez was represented by John Bakhit of Upland-based Lackie, Dammeier and McGill, which specializes in representing public safety employees. Gonzalez hired Bakhit after his first attorney was barred from practicing law in California Where: Former Cal Fire captain Arthur Gonzalez, worked at Station 18 on Mission Boulevard, Jurupa Valley John Hawkins, chief of the Riverside unit, said the Gonzalez case prompted him to order a review of 13 months of time sheets of about 1,200 employees in Cal Fire Riverside unit. What Else: A firefighter based in El Cerrito south of Corona received a letter of warning, and a firefighter in Desert Center was demoted. California Fire News 2012  | ||
| USDA: Prescribed Burning and Mechanical Thinning Pose Little Risk to Forest Ecology Posted: 26 Jul 2012 10:20 AM PDT
 Prescribed burn at the Tahoe National Forest. (Photo: Steve McKelvey, U.S. Forest Service There's hot debate over whether or not to conduct prescribed burning and mechanical thinning (the manual removal of trees) in our nation's forests. Supporters of these fuels reduction methods, which remove highly flammable undergrowth, argue that they help lower the severity of wildfires. Meanwhile, opponents say that the treatments can hurt the environment. New research by scientists from the U.S. Forest Service Pacific Southwest Research Station and six universities in the U.S. and Australia has shown that prescribed burning and mechanical thinning can be conducted with few negative consequences. The scientists looked at a broad range of ecological indicators, such as animal and bird diversity and soil chemical composition, which helped to detail the effects of these treatments on vegetation, soils, wildlife, bark beetles and carbon sequestration (trees' ability to capture carbon dioxide).  Prescribed burn at the Tahoe National Forest. (Photo: Steve McKelvey, U.S. Forest Service They found that prescribed burning and mechanical thinning had little or no effect on a forest's vegetation, soils, wildlife, bark beetles and carbon sequestration. In fact, these treatments increased the overall diversity of vegetation and improved tree health, making the trees more resilient to bark beetle attacks. Wildlife appeared unaffected or adapted quickly to the treated areas—some birds and small mammals that prefer shady, dense habitat moved away, while others that prefer more open environments thrived. Some communities, particularly in the western U.S., are opposed to prescribed burning because they are concerned about cost and environmental impacts. As a result, other methods to reduce the potential of wildfires, such as tree removal, have become attractive, especially if forest managers can retain tree stand health. But, in reality, a combination of both prescribed burning and thinning is needed to reduce the severity of wildfires in many forests, according to co-author Dr. Chris Fettig, a research entomologist at the USDA Forest Service's Pacific Southwest Research Station. Source: USDA Blog - http://blogs.usda.gov/2012/07/26/prescribed-burning-and-mechanical-thinning-pose-little-risk-to-forest-ecology/ Posted by Sherri Eng, Public Affairs Specialist, U.S. Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, on July 26, 2012 at 12:42 PM  | ||
| Quick Look: California Wildfires Today Posted: 26 Jul 2012 09:45 AM PDT
---------- Penn Fire: 180 acres - 15% contained Penn Fire Incident Information: Progress made overnight constructing direct and contingency lines Continuing threat to distribution power lines Heavy fuels with continuing threat to Stanislaus River drainage Evacuations lifted, roads open to residents only. A CAL FIRE firefighter sustained a major injury while engaged in firefighting operations off Skunk Ranch Road in the early hours of the fire. The firefighter and a CAL FIRE engine were struck by a civilian motorist on Skunk Ranch Road. The civilian motorist declined treatment at the scene. The CAL FIRE firefighter was transported by helicopter to Memorial Medical Center in Modesto for treatment. He is currently undergoing surgery for his injuries. The CAL FIRE engine sustained moderate damage. An investigation into the accident and subsequent injury is being conducted by the California Highway Patrol. CAL FIRE has activated a serious accident review team as part of standard departmental procedures for injuries and vehicle damage of this nature. Date/Time Started: July 25, 2012 3:24 pmAdministrative Unit: CAL FIRE Tuolume-Calavares Unit County: Calavares County Location: Off Skunk Ranch Road, near Pennsylvania Gulch, East of Murphy Acres Burned: 180 acres Containment 15% contained Structures Destroyed: 1 outbuilding destroyed Threatened: 12 homes threatened Evacuations: Evacuations have been lifted. Injuries: 1 Cause: Under Investigation Cooperating Agencies: CAL FIRE, CHP, US Forest Service, National Park Service, Murphys Fire, NCPA, Calaveras SO, Altaville Melones Fire, Ebbetts Pass Fire, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, PG&E. Total Fire Personnel: 263 Engines: 20 Fire crews: 9 Airtankers: 4 Helicopters: 4 Dozers: 4 Water tenders: 5 Conditions: Both Pennsylvania Gulch and Skunk Ranch Road are anticipated to be ooen to local residential traffic only at 21:00 tonight. ---------- Graham Fire: 100 acres - 5% contained Graham Fire Incident Information: Clements Road / Community of Groveland SRA and FRA within CAL FIRE DPA Potential continues for active fire behavior with slope and wind alignment Very steep slope with creeping, roll out and possible spotting Difficult access to flanks Potential for fire to establish itself in Tuolumne River drainage Continuing threat to Tuolumne river wild and Scenic areaDate/Time Started: July 25, 2012 3:10 pm Administrative Unit: CAL FIRE Tuolume-Calavares Unit County: Tuolume County Location: Off Graham Ranch Road, East of Groveland Acres Burned: 100 acres Containment 5% contained Cause: Under Investigation Cooperating Agencies: CAL FIRE, US Forest Service, Groveland Community Services District, Tuolumne County Sheriff's Office, Tuolumne County Fire, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and PG&E Total Fire Personnel: 264 Engines: 21 Fire crews: 8 Airtankers: 3 Helicopters: 2 Dozers: 3 Water tenders: 3 Conditions: The fire is burning in very steep and difficult terrain. ------------- Paskenta Fire: 300 acres - 100% containment Name: Paskenta Fire County: Tehama County Location: off Round Valley Rd in Paskenta Administrative Unit: CAL FIRE Tehama-Glenn Unit Date Started: July 25, 2012 6:30 pm Last update: July 25, 2012 9:30 pm ----------- In memoriam - East Pierce (WA) Fire Chief Daniel Packer was fatally injured July 26, 2008 during a shelter deployment on the Panther Fire, Klamath National Forest. In order to prepare for assuming responsibility of a division the following day, Chief Packer was scouting the fire with another incoming Division Supervisor when the fire ran up a drainage and cut off their escape route. For more information, visit http://www.wlfalwaysremember.org/incident-lists/88-daniel-packer.html ---------- In memoriam - On July 26, 1978, Six Rivers NF engine crewmembers Richard Montano, Gayle Tsutsumi, and David Perrine were killed, and Mark Evans and Gene Schmoker injured when their engine collided with a logging truck south of Orleans, California. The Orleans engine was responding to fires in Weitchpec when the accident occurred. For more information, visithttp://www.wlfalwaysremember.org/incident-lists/235-orleans-tanker.html  |
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