It Wasn't a Typo! Yep! Fewer Fires!

The Cal Fire site has the newest stats for today... And yes, there were fewer fires on the Cal Fire section... There's even 1 less fire tonight! The Cal Fire stats said 16 fires this morning and tonight's update says 15!

Statewide Fire Overview - Lightning Series

Current Situation: Over fourteen hundred fires have been contained due to the endless efforts of firefighters from California, as well as from throughout the nation and Canada. Additional firefighting resources from Australia, Greece, Mexico and New Zealand are in transit to assist California. All Red Flag Warnings have been rescinded; however the potential remains for isolated thunderstorm activity throughout the Sierra Nevada range in the afternoon and early evening. The priority of firefighting is for the protection of life, property and natural resources.
Download the latest fact sheet. (Updated 7/13 at 9 p.m.)
Download the latest statewide map.

Statewide Fire Statistics

• Total Fires at Peak: 1,781
• Total Fires Contained: 1,493*
• Total Active Fires: 288*
• Total Acres Burned: 837,176

These numbers are total fires and acres that have occurred from state, local and federal firefighting agencies beginning June 20, 2008.
* Numbers reflect data as of 7/13 at7:30 a.m.

CAL FIRE Statistics

• Total Fires at Peak: 1,005
• Fires Contained: 849
• Active Fires: 15
• Acres Burned: 257,128

These numbers are total fires and acres that have occurred ONLY in CAL FIRE jurisdiction since June 20, 2008.
The number of contained and active fires will not equal the total due to some fires merging together.

Statewide Resources Committed

• Personnel Committed: 21,244
• Fire Engines: 1,520
• Hand Crews: 489
• Dozers: 231
• Water Tenders: 391
• Helicopters: 121

Highway closures: State highways, county and local roads are closed throughout California due to wildfire activities. Closures and delays remain in place for State Highways 32, 70, 199 (delays) and 299 (delays). Travelers are advised to seek current information from local law enforcement. Click here for detailed road closures.

Evacuations: Areas of Butte, Kern, Monterey, Shasta and Trinity counties are under evacuation orders at this time. Precautionary evacuation orders currently exist in areas in Butte, Kern, Mendocino, Monterey, Plumas, Shasta and Trinity counties. Residents are advised to monitor their local fire situation, check with local law enforcement agencies for information, and be prepared to evacuate when necessary. Click here for detailed evacuation information.

Structures:
Threatened : 8,180 residences, 141 commercial, 2,514 outbuildings.
Destroyed : 100 residences, 1 commercial, 127 outbuildings.

CAL FIRE Summary of Fires by County

Butte: The Butte Lightning Complex has burned 53,000 acres and is 70% contained. The Butte Fire Information Number is (530) 538-7826. Click Here for more information.

Mendocino: The Mendocino Lightning Complex has burned 53,300 acres and is 85% contained. The Mendocino Fire Information Number is (707)-467-6426. Click Here for more information.

Shasta & Trinity: The Shasta and Trinity Lightning has burned 77,510 acres and is 55% contained. The Shasta-Trinity Unit Information Number is (530) 225-2510. Click Here for more information.

Humboldt: The Humboldt Complex has burned 1,325 acres and is 90% contained. The fires are burning throughout Humboldt County, with the largest fire, the Paradise Fire, north of Shelter Cove, which is 950 acres and 90% contained. The Humboldt-Del Norte Fire Information Number is (707) 726-1225.

Lassen, Modoc: The Corral Fire burned 12,434 acres and is now 100% contained. Click Here for more information.

Mariposa: The Oliver Fire burned 2,789 acres and now 100% contained. Click Here for more information.

Lake: The Walker Fire burned 14,500 acres and is now 100% contained. Click Here for more information.

Napa & Solano: The Wild Fire burned 40,000 acres and is now 100% contained. Click Here for more information.

Santa Clara: The Whitehurst and Hummingbird Fires burned a combined 994 acres and are both now 100% contained. Click Here for more information.

Tehama & Glenn: The Tehama-Glenn Lightning Complex burned 22,907 acres and is now 100% contained.

Major Federal and Local Incidents
For information on major federal incidents click here.

Kern County: The Piute Fire has burned 37,026 acres and is 64% contained. Click Here for more information.

Maps and Links

For incident maps, resources available to fire victims or to volunteer, visit our Maps and Links page.

With the change in the weather, meaning thunderstorms, and not the dry type, we can most likely look for some relief for the firefighters in the Southern Sierras. The fires that are burning to the North aren't getting the rain from what it looks like on the weather sites. Darn it. The problem with the storms and the rain is the possibility of mud slides in previously burned areas. I read in the Firefighter Blog about a mud slide in the area of the Piute Fire that had firefighters scrambling for high ground. And another reported on by KCRA3 that has "seriously damaged 50 homes, in an area scarred by last year's wildfires, nearly destroyed a historical fish hatchery and reduced Highway 395 to one open lane in this remote city on the east side of the Sierra Nevada."

I've stumbled upon a blog (Thanks to a post on the Firefighter Blog) written by one of the pilots of those helicopters you see in the news dumping buckets of water on the fires. The blog is called The Adventures of Chopper Chick! She is Desiree Horton and she's got some fantastic photos up that she's taken and her posts are very interesting. Check it out... Her blog is in my bookmarks now..