The All-Purpose Wildfire Thread

Fireplace Fire: Between the Old Coulterville Road and trail to El Cap from Tamarack

But I don't know the criteria for CalFire getting involved vs municipal.

use outdoor power equipment before 10am

Seems to be a trend of smaller fires this year- and, looking back at history i was involved in, the latter drought years of any dry period were typically like this.

It is due to a far lesser amount of small fuels, like grasses and small plants due to dryer winters and less moist springs of drought periods. Less fuel= less spread component..

It is due to a far lesser amount of small fuels, like grasses and small plants due to dryer winters and less moist springs of drought periods. Less fuel= less spread component..

In California fuel moisture is at record lows. In my neck of the woods generally observation will discern NO difference in the amount of grass or ground-level fuels. In fact up here in the foothills near Yosemite we had a couple of late season rains that really boosted growth of these fuels.

PLYMOUTH, Calif. (KCRA) —Firefighters were making progress Friday night containing a grass fire burning along the line that separates Amador and El Dorado counties.

Amador County fire
Amador County fire

Photo snapped at the Shenandoah Vineyards (July 25, 2014)
Photo courtesy Robert Sobon
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Flames from Highway 49 fire engulf home
Flames from Highway 49 fire engulf home

A grass fire in El Dorado and Amador counties burns a home off Highway 49 on Friday.
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The fire, which has forced evacuations for people who live along Sand Ridge Road and Freshwater Lane, was 20 percent contained as of 10:30 p.m., according to Cal Fire officials.

The Sand Fire, as it is called, has burned 1,300 acres and destroyed at least two structures.

View #SandFire photos

Between 200 and 250 people have been evacuated, according to El Dorado County sheriff's officials.

An evacuation center has been setup at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds in Placerville. Evacuated animals are also being sheltered at the fairgrounds.

Sheriff's officials are asking evacuees to enter the fairgrounds from Forni Road on the side of the Denny's Restaurant.

Highway 49 remains open throughout the area.

Watch report: Wildfire burns on border of Amador-El Dorado counties

A massive plume of smoke was visible for at least 50 miles Friday afternoon.

KCRA's Mark Finan said satellite imagery showed smoke drifting into El Dorado, Nevada and Placer counties.

LiveCopter 3 flew over the scene Friday evening, where it appeared the fire was burning on both sides of the Cosumnes River.

Firefighters are battling steep terrain under dry and hot conditions. Temperatures, which were in the triple digits when the fire started in the afternoon, remained in the 80s throughout the evening.

Residents and visitors to the area have been told to be prepared and aware of the unfolding situation, said Lynne Tolmachoff, a spokeswoman for the state's fire department. More evacuation orders are possible.

Story Winery sits to the south of where the fire is burning. An employee at the winery said flames came within 200 yards, but as of Friday evening, the fire was moving away from that area.

The blaze started about 4:30 p.m., just north of Plymouth, in a very remote area.

Access is tough for Cal Fire crews, Tolmachoff said. Also posing a challenge to firefighters is how high the blaze is burning. Many treetops are on fire.

Air tankers and helicopters were flying over the Gold Beach area Friday afternoon.

Overnight, fire crews will use bulldozers to cut fire lines in an effort to stop the blaze from spreading, Cal Fire officials said.

The fire is about 45 miles east of Sacramento. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Dry, thick brush and oak trees are fueling the blaze.

Early reports indicate a vehicle fire may have spread to some nearby vegetation, sparking the massive blaze, officials said.

Ten fire engines and two command officers from Sacramento County headed out to the Amador region Friday evening, including units from Cosumnes, Sac Metro, Folsom and Wilton Fire.

Sand Ridge Road is closed.

Read more: http://www.kcra.com/news/grass-fire-in-amador-co-kicks-up-massive-smoke-plume/27156260#ixzz38bP1FabG

Wildfire Near Yosemite Forces Road Closures, Evacuations
July 26, 2014
Evacuations are in place for the community of Foresta as firefighters battle a wildfire outside Yosemite National Park.
The fire started Saturday around 4:30 p.m. and now covers approximately 500 acres.
It is burning in the Merced Canyon, and has been named the “El Portal Fire.”
The closure of Highway 120, between Crane Flat and the Highway 120/140 junction has been ordered. The community of Foresta has been ordered evacuated.
Many resources have been ordered to attack the fire: ground crews, air craft, and helicopters. More resources will arrive throughout the evening.

Road Closure Information 7/26/2014 18:30
Hwy 140 through Yosemite National Park is Open.
Foresta Rd is closed at Hwy 140
Crane Creek Rd is closed at Hwy 140
Hwy 120 closed at Hwy 140
Hwy 120 closed at Crane Flat

"I've been through four or five of these fires over the last 20 years. It's always a concern, but we've always held up pretty well around here. And the fire crews are pretty amazing around here," said Ken Yaeger who was forced to evacuate.

Yaeger came back to see if he could pick up some items from his home. Even though he has confidence in the skills of fire fighters, the drought, and extremely dry conditions have him worried.

"I'm sure everybody in the foothills is going to be concerned, it's going to be a bad year," Yaeger said.

unreal thunder and lightning in sonora last night. like unreal-- like high in the alps-style thunder and lightning.

Closed from Big Oak Flat Entrance to Crane Flat (Hodgdon Meadow Campground is accessible from the west)

ioga Road
(continuation of Highway 120 through the park)
(Information about Highway 120 outside Yosemite)
No access from Hwy 120 from the west (but is accessible via Hwys 41 and 140 from the west)
Expect delays

decent current smoke map?

All main roads within Yosemite National Park, including the Big Oak Flat Road, are open. Crane Flat, Bridalveil Creek, and Yosemite Creek Campgrounds are temporarily closed. The community of Foresta remains closed.

have probably cleared about 75 feet of it from our side

It's those crap lots that spook us the most - the one due south of me has 20 years of tree fall and understory trash trees that would go up like a bomb if fire hit. Dawny and I have over the years slowly "moved" into that lot - have probably cleared about 75 feet of it from our side - but that still leaves a couple hundred of feet still full of tinder.

Anybody want venison?

The fire continues to burn in heavy timber. Firefighters are challenged by steep, rugged terrain with difficult access. Fire activity increased yesterday as the eastern flank of the fire pushed to the south. The fire crossed the Eel River in two areas and continues to grow to the east. Structure defense preparation continues near populated areas and firefighting personnel continue to make progress constructing fire line across the northern and southern boundaries of the fire.

Eight firefighters were injured as the fire crested a portion of Brush Mountain. All eight firefighters were transported to burn centers and treated for burns; they remain in stable condition. According to CalFire Director Ken Pimlott the injuries are considered serious but not life threatening. Three of the firefighters were from a fire agency on loan to fight the fire and five were members of the California Department of Corrections fire crews assigned to the fire.

CalFire has ordered evacuations for areas of the Lodge Complex Fire for Camp Seabow, Elder Place, Tan Oak Park, Bald Mountain Ranch, Mad Creek and areas of Elk Creek east of Brush Mountain.