Fires around the world

[cholas]

Thanks for your coverage of the California fires.

I second that c.a.

We drove through Fairfield/Vacaville on our way home from SF and both sides of the highway were blackened, smoldering. Very low visibility(headlights on at 10am) and traffic just inching along. California is definitely burning atm. Thankfully not in our backyard for once(also atm).

Did make for an amazing sunset over the Bay Wednesday eve though.

Now I guess everyone locally has a real reason to wear their masks.

Stay safe domi.

 

[Ca.]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1296720443248979973

https://twitter.com/x/status/1296711131738697728

 

[Gary]

Latest on the California wildfires. From the Evening Standard, a brief summary:

Lightning-sparked wildfires in California have exploded in size to become some of the largest in state history, forcing thousands to flee and destroying hundreds of homes.

More than 12,000 firefighters assisted by helicopters and air tankers continue to battle wildfires throughout northern California.

Three groups of fires, called complexes, are burning north, east and south of San Francisco and have together scorched 991 square miles, destroyed more than 500 structures and killed five people.

At least 100,000 people are under evacuation orders.

Meanwhile in Colorado:

Pine Gulch Fire burning near Grand Junction is now 2nd largest fire in Colorado history

 

[Voyageur]

NASA has a good tool to get a sense of the scale of these fires: NASA FIRMS

Great map, domi!

 

[PabloAngello]

Syria says pipeline blast was terrorist attack, U.S. suspects IS

The Syrian government said an explosion on a main gas pipeline traversing the Middle East on Monday was the result of a terrorist attack, and the United States said it suspected Islamic State militants of carrying out the sabotage.

www.reuters.com

 

[Voyageur]

This is from kxan news that describes some of the wildfires. This one is from Napa County August 18, 2020. Note the headline:

‘That’s 2020’: Photographer’s California wildfire image ‘a sign of the times’


Flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires burn in unincorporated Napa County, Calif., on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020. The blaze went on to destroy multiple homes near Lake Berryessa. Fire crews across the region scrambled to contain dozens of wildfires sparked by lightning strikes as a statewide heat wave continues. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

“It doesn’t take a lot, you just look at that sign and think, ‘That’s 2020,'” he told AP Media Relations Manager Patrick Maks. “That’s a sign of the times that everybody is so freaked out about this one thing and another crazy thing comes on top of it. It didn’t take me long to make that connection even when I was shooting it.”

 

[cholas]

Good one Voyageur.

Thankfully not in our backyard for once(also atm).

That moment has passed. We now have a 500+ acre fire just over the ridge. Between that and the Red-Salmon Complex, the aerial display(air tankers/helicopters) and smoke have become yet another new normal. Haven't seen a truly blue sky in what seems like months.

I can only imagine the scene if "rocks start falling" during the dry summers here. Another Black Mat Layer perhaps.

 

[Ca.]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1302374860476219392

https://twitter.com/x/status/1302467176327122945

Live updates: Wildfire grows to 36,000 acres; injured patients flown to Fresno on Blackhawks
September 5, 2020
#CreekFire (Sierra NF, Fresno Co) - Article confirms the reports of ~1,000 people trapped @ Mammoth Pools in Madera Co/Fresno Co, cut off by fire. No tankers on the fire at this time, other than that spot fire by Cascadel Woods.

Fast-Moving Wildfire Near Alpine Grows to 1,500 Acres Amid Record Heat

A fast-moving wildfire in the Japatul Valley area southeast of Alpine has spread to 1,500 acres amid triple-digit temperatures and gusty winds.

timesofsandiego.com

Posted by Chris Jennewein on September 5, 2020 Tweets

A fast-moving wildfire in the Japatul Valley area southeast of Alpine has spread to 1,500 acres amid triple-digit temperatures and gusty winds.

Firefighters from the Cleveland National Forest and Cal Fire are battling the blaze, which broke out about 3 p.m. off Japatul and Carveacre roads.

“Update on the #ValleyFire, 300-400 acres, dangerous rate of spread, community of Carveacre is threatened and under evacuation orders. Multiple air and ground resources are on scene and en route,” according to a tweet from the Cleveland National Forest shortly after the blaze started.

San Diego Gas & Electric reported that the giant Skycrane helicopter that it provides for San Diego County protection has already made multiple water drops. The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department also sent resources, including the Type-3 Metro Zone Strike Team.

Cal Fire reported at 5:15 p.m. that the fire is moving west toward Lawson Valley.

Those under evacuation orders were directed to Steele Canyon High School in Spring Valley or Joan MacQueen Middle School in Alpine.

According to the San Diego County Sheriffs Department, road closures due to the fire include: Japatul Road at Carveacre Road, Sequan Truck Trail and Hidden Glen Road, and Lawson Valley Road at Skyline Truck Trail.

Plumes of smoke could be seen for miles in East County.

Weather readings in Alpine when the fire started were 107 degrees with wind gusts of 29 knots.
Updated at 6 and 9:45 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 5, 2020

https://twitter.com/x/status/1302456223082508288

https://twitter.com/x/status/1302316857748119553

August Fires Leave Vast Burn Scars in California (Before and after)
August 26, 2020

The weather system sparked the LNU Lightning Complex Fire in the North Bay that has charred more than 375,000 acres. It ignited the SCU Lightning Complex fire in Alameda and Santa Clara counties that has burned close to 400,000 acres. It set the blaze that became the CZU Lightning Complex Fire that burned more than 86,000 acres. The interactive photo gallery below shows how those fires changed the landscape. By moving the slider left and right, you can see a before and after of the inferno and get an idea of the scope of the blaze.

 

[domi]

That moment has passed. We now have a 500+ acre fire just over the ridge.

Too close for comfort...are you safe?

 

[domi]

Just to give an idea of the scale and intensity of these fires.
Below is a picture (by a resident of the Santa Cruz mountains) taken approx 70 miles (110km) away of the Dolan Fire (Big Sur area California) in the late evening.
The lights in picture are from around Monterey and the glow in the clouds is from the Dolan fire.

 

[domi]

That moment has passed. We now have a 500+ acre fire just over the ridge. Between that and the Red-Salmon Complex, the aerial display(air tankers/helicopters) and smoke have become yet another new normal. Haven't seen a truly blue sky in what seems like months.

I wanted to give you this website as a resource since it combines fire information and wind direction info.
Might give you a warning as far as anything heading in your direction: California Forest Observatory

 

[Cleo]

Earlier this afternoon a Level 1 Be Ready evacuation notice was issued for the county in Oregon I live in due to the wildfires. Have a ‘go bag’ in the car but getting other stuff together as well. Definitely smoky here since late last night...nearest fire is 20 or so miles away.

An article about the wildfires here in Oregon:

Weiterleitungshinweis

 

[Gwenllian]

Earlier this afternoon a Level 1 Be Ready evacuation notice was issued for the county in Oregon I live in due to the wildfires. Have a ‘go bag’ in the car but getting other stuff together as well. Definitely smoky here since late last night...nearest fire is 20 or so miles away.

That must be terribly stressful. Stay safe, Cleo and keep us posted if you can.

 

[cholas]

Too close for comfort...are you safe?

Fine at the moment. Thanks domi. And for the link. We've been keeping a close watch. The rate at which these fires are spreading is something never seen before. Imagine that. The "over the ridge" fire(very near to us) is nearly contained fortunately but it seems to be the only one.

Winds yesterday were very strong. A new fire has started in Siskiyou County(Slater Fire) and grew to 22,000 acres in 12 hours. Luckily mostly mountain/rural area. Still, many houses lost and not everyone made it out from what I've heard. From 3 years ago, we remember the red sky and a state police car roaring in with a "get out NOW". That fast. It's certainly a very scary situation.

It's been "snowing" here daily(ash) and with that and the electricity black-outs, it's almost like winter. Our gardens are complaining about the raise in Ph too.

Here are some photos(surreal). Pretty sure they were taken during the day:


Also yesterday, a couple of fires started in Southern Oregon near Ashland(very near). There has been plenty of talk concerning arson.

This from the Red-Salmon complex which left us looking a bit like the above photos a couple of days ago(not so red). Needed the headlights on at 3pm. Wind was blowing our direction then.




Another from the Slater Fire(yesterday):

 

[cholas]

Earlier this afternoon a Level 1 Be Ready evacuation notice was issued for the county in Oregon I live in due to the wildfires. Have a ‘go bag’ in the car but getting other stuff together as well. Definitely smoky here since late last night...nearest fire is 20 or so miles away.

An article about the wildfires here in Oregon:

Weiterleitungshinweis

Stay safe Cleo. Seems the whole West Coast is on fire. Which at times seems to parallel our "leader's" actions.