Lots of ash falling at my house in Morgan Hill from the CZU Complex Fire.
Fire
- Thread starter Gologit
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Some pictures of the fires burning in Napa and Solano counties:
https://napavalleyregister.com/news...n_98b6d2ba-518b-5e5b-af4d-1837b6d69058.html#9
https://napavalleyregister.com/news...n_98b6d2ba-518b-5e5b-af4d-1837b6d69058.html#9
TBS
I have chainsaws and chainsaw accessories.
They are talking about the complex fires for LNU and SCU both hitting 700,000 acres before they are contained.
The SCU fire burned 48,000 acres on Saturday alone. Wow.
Our department, Casa Loma Volunteer Fire Association, is going to have rigs stationed around Loma Prieta and Mt Chual tonight. Dry lightning is expected.
TBS
I have chainsaws and chainsaw accessories.
It will be an interesting night for sure, over here in the central Sierra foothills we just had a little spat of lightning about an hour ago. A part of the pyrocumulonimbus from the castle fire moved west and formed a thunderstorm.
The castle fire is in the Sequoia national forest and been growing the last few days but decided to go nuts today.
The castle fire is in the Sequoia national forest and been growing the last few days but decided to go nuts today.
I would have never believed I would see a fire burn the bulk of the land between San Jose and I5, between HWY's 580 and 152. Unreal.
TBS
I have chainsaws and chainsaw accessories.
We've got a new fire near the town of big creek in the creek near camp Sierra. It started at 7pm and was holding at 1 acre with a retardant drop and helo bucket work but access was very different. As firefighters got to the fire on foot they had to turn and run back. Camp Sierra evacuated.
These photos were taken an hour ago by me.
These photos were taken an hour ago by me.
TBS
I have chainsaws and chainsaw accessories.
TBS
I have chainsaws and chainsaw accessories.
SNAFU!!
This is set to be the largest fire the San Joaquin river basin has ever seen well past 2000 acres and reported by boots on the ground spotting 6 plus miles northwest across the river 3-4 miles away!!
My view now.
It has been a rough few weeks here in Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties. You probably know the big picture, dry lightning and strong winds descended on us August 16th. The CZU (Santa Cruz/San Mateo) complex is over 86,000 acres, roughly 20% of our county. The SCU (Santa Clara, etc) is over 396,000 acres.
The real damage was done in the north of Santa Cruz county, the north coast, Bonny Doon, China Grade Rd, around Hwy 236, and other locations. Over 900 residences were lost! NINE HUNDRED! Several of my friends lost everything. I've spoken of my friend Andy here before, there is nothing left of his house. He managed to get both of his trucks out along with most of his work saws and the power head for the Lucas mill. He lost all the framing and rails. His favorite Stihl 064 and an 090 were in the garage when he left. Paul who I have worked with many times (and Nef, another friend) rented on the north coast. They got their dogs and surfboards out. Period. Forest who was born in Last Chance and lived there lost his home. Tad lost his life.
Over the last few years it has been very difficult for the residents to get fire insurance, I don't know how many properties were uninsured. Good luck getting insurance in the future. 900!
Cody and I along with a water tender helped our friend in Bonny Doon save his and his sister's house August 22nd. We were both in greens and yellows so Cal Fire left us alone but they kicked the water tender (who lived just down the road) off the fire. The Strike Team Leader, Type 3, came down to where we were working and said there is ONE type 3 for this road, no water tenders, one dozer down the hill somewhere, no air, you are on your own. Play it safe and leave if you feel threatened. We were in the middle of 200 acres of burning poison oak, why would we feel threatened?
The camp where I have been working these last couple years (on Hwy 9) was sorta threatened but for safety sake Hwy 9 was closed. I had a tracked skid steer I could not get to until last week. The rental company (A Tool Shed) is great to work with so that entire time cost $3k which they will write of as an in kind donation. However our contractor had a rental D4 there also at $3K per DAY! They have already said NO! to any deal. The price will be $75K!
Today September 5 is a hot one. CZU is around 60% contained but several spot fires inside and outside the containment line have popped up. I have worked quite a few disasters here starting in 1974. People can hold their tempers about or sometimes 3 weeks. Now people are angry! There are hundreds of people threatening to sue Cal Fire for various reasons, mostly due to the lack of air craft. A heavy marine layer kept the smoke in and the aircraft on the ground. Many suggestions have been made online on how to proceed in the future from IFR to radar to creating special aircraft that will drop moist topsoil (with redwood seeds in it) to create a berm around the entire fire. Really.
I only have a few pics but I will post the later.
The real damage was done in the north of Santa Cruz county, the north coast, Bonny Doon, China Grade Rd, around Hwy 236, and other locations. Over 900 residences were lost! NINE HUNDRED! Several of my friends lost everything. I've spoken of my friend Andy here before, there is nothing left of his house. He managed to get both of his trucks out along with most of his work saws and the power head for the Lucas mill. He lost all the framing and rails. His favorite Stihl 064 and an 090 were in the garage when he left. Paul who I have worked with many times (and Nef, another friend) rented on the north coast. They got their dogs and surfboards out. Period. Forest who was born in Last Chance and lived there lost his home. Tad lost his life.
Over the last few years it has been very difficult for the residents to get fire insurance, I don't know how many properties were uninsured. Good luck getting insurance in the future. 900!
Cody and I along with a water tender helped our friend in Bonny Doon save his and his sister's house August 22nd. We were both in greens and yellows so Cal Fire left us alone but they kicked the water tender (who lived just down the road) off the fire. The Strike Team Leader, Type 3, came down to where we were working and said there is ONE type 3 for this road, no water tenders, one dozer down the hill somewhere, no air, you are on your own. Play it safe and leave if you feel threatened. We were in the middle of 200 acres of burning poison oak, why would we feel threatened?
The camp where I have been working these last couple years (on Hwy 9) was sorta threatened but for safety sake Hwy 9 was closed. I had a tracked skid steer I could not get to until last week. The rental company (A Tool Shed) is great to work with so that entire time cost $3k which they will write of as an in kind donation. However our contractor had a rental D4 there also at $3K per DAY! They have already said NO! to any deal. The price will be $75K!
Today September 5 is a hot one. CZU is around 60% contained but several spot fires inside and outside the containment line have popped up. I have worked quite a few disasters here starting in 1974. People can hold their tempers about or sometimes 3 weeks. Now people are angry! There are hundreds of people threatening to sue Cal Fire for various reasons, mostly due to the lack of air craft. A heavy marine layer kept the smoke in and the aircraft on the ground. Many suggestions have been made online on how to proceed in the future from IFR to radar to creating special aircraft that will drop moist topsoil (with redwood seeds in it) to create a berm around the entire fire. Really.
I only have a few pics but I will post the later.
I know it don't help a lick, but I really feel for you guys down there.
That is nuts that they won't budge on the price of the cat, around here rentals have a weekly and monthly rate and it is usually a pretty good deal. $3k is really high for weekly rate on a D4
That is nuts that they won't budge on the price of the cat, around here rentals have a weekly and monthly rate and it is usually a pretty good deal. $3k is really high for weekly rate on a D4
TBS
I have chainsaws and chainsaw accessories.
Creek fire again.
This was the point where things got scary for 500 people camping at mammoth pool reservoir because they had to shelter in place until things calmed enough for national guard chinooks to come in and rescue 60 people who got injured.
This was the point where things got scary for 500 people camping at mammoth pool reservoir because they had to shelter in place until things calmed enough for national guard chinooks to come in and rescue 60 people who got injured.
TBS
I have chainsaws and chainsaw accessories.
RandyMac
Stiff Member
TBS
I have chainsaws and chainsaw accessories.
Creek fire is 76,000 acres and an unknown number of structures burned.
It's right in my back yard now.
http://www.alertwildfire.org/sierra/index.html?camera=Axis-MeadowLakes&v=81e004f
It's right in my back yard now.
http://www.alertwildfire.org/sierra/index.html?camera=Axis-MeadowLakes&v=81e004f
Dang. I hope it skirts your house, and doesn't burn it down.
Took this from up the street a bit. I saw it smoldering earlier. I'm thinking it erupted after smoldering for weeks. That earlier fire got into an old spot where the old mill used to dump sawdust. You'd see a bit of smoke off and on all summer. This morning, what with 50mph gusts of wind, this is what has happened.
It blocks the view of the column from the Cold Springs Fire, which started not too far away, has burned south and has jumped the Columbia River.
We're OK as long as no fires break out upwind. I did fill up the gas tank this morning and have the trailer semi-ready, but we are buffered by orchards and irrigated land. Most of the houses on my street, including mine, have metal roofs. Winds are supposed to die down tonight.
It blocks the view of the column from the Cold Springs Fire, which started not too far away, has burned south and has jumped the Columbia River.
We're OK as long as no fires break out upwind. I did fill up the gas tank this morning and have the trailer semi-ready, but we are buffered by orchards and irrigated land. Most of the houses on my street, including mine, have metal roofs. Winds are supposed to die down tonight.
