Saturday, July 12 ~ 9am Update

Cal Fire has finally put the update for this morning on the website.

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. Additional firefighting resources from Australia, Canada, Mexico and New Zealand have committed to assisting California in the effort. A Red Flag Warning remains in effect through Sunday at 11 a.m. for gusty northeast winds and poor overnight humidity recovery in western Siskiyou County. The priority of firefighting is for the protection of life, property and natural resources.
Download the latest fact sheet. (Updated 7/12 at 9 a.m.)
Download the latest statewide map.

Statewide Fire Statistics

• Total Fires at Peak: 1,781
• Total Fires Contained: 1,459
• Total Active Fires: 322
• Total Acres Burned: 801,726

These numbers are total fires and acres that have occurred from state, local and federal firefighting agencies beginning June 20, 2008.

CAL FIRE Statistics

• Total Fires at Peak: 1,005
• Fires Contained: 814
• Active Fires: 55
• Acres Burned: 247,194

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: 20,443
• Fire Engines: 1,516
• Hand Crews: 447
• Dozers: 294
• Water Tenders: 423
• Helicopters: 117

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 1 (Big Sur Area), 32, 70, and 96. Travelers are advised to seek current information from local law enforcement.

Evacuations: Areas of Butte, 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, Santa Barbara, 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.

Structures:
Threatened : 9,146 residences, 140 commercial, 2,507 outbuildings.
Destroyed : 99 residences, 1 commercial, 127 outbuildings.

CAL FIRE Summary of Fires by County

Butte: The Butte Lightning Complex has burned 49,500 acres and is 55% contained. The Butte Fire Information Number is (530) 538-7826. Click Here for more information.

Mendocino: The Mendocino Lightning Complex has burned 52,700 acres and is 65% contained. The Mendocino Fire Information Number is (707)-467-6426. Click Here for more information.

Shasta & Trinity: The Shasta and Trinity Lightning has burned 72,501 acres and is 45% contained. The Shasta-Trinity Unit Information Number is (530) 225-2510. Click Here for more information.

Humboldt: The Humboldt Complex has burned 1,310 acres and is 90% contained. The fires are burning throughout Humboldt County, with the largest fire, the Paradise Fire, north of Shelter Cove and is 975 acres and 85% 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 35,076 acres and is 44% contained. Click Here for more information.

Another blog I've been following has an alarming post up about the group of fires near Lake Shasta. It's the Firefighter Blog, and the headline of the blog entry is:

SHU-Lightning Complex Potential "Mega" Fire

"A lack of resources is not allowing offensive tactics to be implemented. This Complex has potential to become a mega fire"

The fires the blog is talking about are the ones in the Shasta-Trinity Lightning Complex. Two different fires within the complex are headed for Shasta City from two different directions. As with all of the fires, the main problem is staffing. There just aren't enough people on the ground, nor in the air, to fight all of these fires at once. The fellows at the top are having to shuffle the firefighters around from one fire to another. Throwing as much as they can at the ones that are endangering life and property the most, and waiting until those are handled before moving the firefighters on to the next "hot" spot. Butte County has the top priority at the moment. But a change in the weather elsewhere could make the priorities change. From what I've read in the briefings here and there, it looks like the Shasta-Trinity Complex could be the next "hot spot". Unless we get a drastic change in the weather. Anyone know how to do a rain dance? And please, if you're doing a rain dance, leave the lighting out of the dance?