Department of Water Resources
California Water News
A daily compilation of significant news articles and comment
August 11, 2009
3. Watersheds –
Wilderness blaze continues to burn
Lompoc Record
North state fires contained or nearing containment
Redding Record Searchlight
Lake may see more options for recreation
San Diego Union-Tribune
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Wilderness blaze continues to burn
Lompoc Record-8/11/09
By Julian J. Ramos and Sam Womack
Hot and dry conditions and nearly century-old brush are continuing to fuel the La Brea Fire, which had charred an estimated 14,778 acres in a remote area of Los Padres National Forest as of Monday night.
Intense fire conditions were expected to continue until early this morning, when higher humidity and lower temperatures were forecast to take hold, according to Juanita Freel, a U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman.
The blaze, burning primarily in the San Rafael Wilderness nearly 20 miles east of Santa Maria, broke out at about 3 p.m. Saturday, and quickly ballooned from a few hundred acres into a major conflagration.
Overnight temperatures between 57 and 64 degrees and humidity between
40 and 54 percent were expected to help firefighters battling the blaze in rugged, mostly roadless terrain, she said.
But humidity in the teens is expected again today, with temperatures between
90 and 100 degrees in low elevations and between 80 and 90 degrees at ridge tops.
Low humidity creates a higher burning potential, Freel said.
The fire is charring its way through a steep area of the forest that has nearly
90-year-old chaparral, conditions that create the potential for intense burning.
On Monday, firefighters were trying to fortify a fire break along Sierra Madre Ridge Road on the east side of the fire, Freel said.
“They’ve definitely been working on that,” Freel said.
A small spotfire broke out ahead of the fire break Monday, she said.
As of Monday night, the fire was 19 miles east of Santa Maria, 15 miles south of New Cuyama and 7 to 8 miles east of Tepesquet Canyon.
No containment has been reported, and the cause of the fire remained under investigation.
The number of fire personnel assigned to the fire was listed Monday night at 580, including 34 crews, 23 engines, 17 bulldozers, seven air tankers and seven helicopters assigned to battle the remote and inaccessible blaze. More crews were expected to arrive later in the week.
No injuries had been reported, although emergency radio traffic indicated at least one firefighter may have been hurt battling the blaze.
The Santa Maria Elks/Unocal Events Center has been set up as a fire camp and the incident-command post. Firefighting crews arrived throughout the day Monday from across the state and from as far away as Utah to battle the blaze.
George Broyles, a Forest Service spokesman, described the nerve center for fire operations as a “military operation,” complete with tents, trailers, showers, catering and a supply cache.
Staff commanders have been meeting to develop strategies and backup plans from information gathered in field, he said. The procedure includes analyzing variables such as fuels and weather while weighing safety and risks to the Sisquoc River watershed.
“We’re still in the process of looking at what our options are on the ground now,” Broyles said.
Fire officials issued an emergency closure order Monday prohibiting access to roads and trails in the vicinity of the fire until the blaze is fully contained.
Violators are subject to a $5,000 fine for an individual or $10,000 for a group and/or six months in jail.
Campgrounds in and around the area of the fire also have been evacuated, but residents closest to the blaze in the Tepesquet area have not been issued an evacuation warning.
Highway 166 remains open, but a portion of the forest from the Highway 166 and Sierra Madre Road intersection southeast to McPherson Peak, south to the Sisquoc River and west to the forest boundary is closed.
The closure includes the entire Colson Canyon area, officials said.
Ash has fallen over a large portion of the Central Coast, stretching from San Luis Obispo to Lompoc.
Due to the large amount of smoke and particulate matter in the air, Santa Barbara County health officials have issued an air-quality watch for the North County.
Residents in the area are urged to “be cautious and use common sense” to protect their families’ health.
In San Luis Obispo County, officials are closely monitoring smoke and ash impacts to air quality, but have yet to issue an advisory.
Officials are asking residents to avoid arduous outdoor activity and stay indoors as much as they can.#
http://www.lompocrecord.com/articles/2009/08/11/news/featurednews/news01.txt
North state fires contained or nearing containment
Redding Record Searchlight-8/11/09
By Amanda Winters
Eleven homes were evacuated Monday night on Skunk Ridge Road near Big Bend as the Chalk Fire burning in the Fox Creek area moved west, threatening the buildings.
James Stewart, spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, said firefighters were working to create additional lines to slow down the blaze and protect the homes.
The 4,300-acre Chalk Fire is part of the SHU Lightning Complex of fires that began after a lightning storm on Aug. 2. The complex was 67 percent contained as of Monday evening.
The American Red Cross was working to establish an evacuation center at Word of Life Assembly Church in Burney.
The Cassel Fire, which burned 5,000 acres, was 90 percent contained and roads were scheduled to open at 8 p.m. Monday, Stewart said.
The fire closed a portion of the Pacific Crest Trail from Forest Road 32N12 off Highway 44/89 to Baum Lake and Cassel Road, U.S. Forest Service officials said.
The 6,000-acre Goose Fire was 80 percent contained by fire line and mop-up efforts will be ongoing.
Firefighters continued mop-up efforts Monday on what is left of the Hat Creek Complex fires in the Intermountain area, officials said.
The Hat Creek Complex burned 11,269 acres and was 90 percent contained Monday morning, said Forest Service spokeswoman Jennifer Chapman.
The Sugarloaf Fire, which has burned 9,356 acres, was 90 percent contained, and the Butte and Brown fires are both completely contained.
"It's been going really well," Chapman said. "They've started repair work already on the Butte and Brown fires and are making good progress as well."
As of today, all Lassen National Forest campgrounds throughout the Hat Creek Complex along Highway 89 are open, U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman Heidi Perry-McCourt said in a news release.
Lightning strikes sparked several more small fires at the end of last week in the TRMU complex. Rita Vollmer, spokeswoman with the forest service, said out of a total of 16 fires, 12 are extinguished and four are contained.
None of the fires grew to more than 2 acres, she said.
The forest service will continue to monitor the park by air to watch out for new fires, she said.#
http://www.redding.com/news/2009/aug/11/north-state-fires-contained-or-nearing/?print=1
Lake may see more options for recreation
San Diego Union-Tribune-8/11/09
By Michele Clock
Wakeboarders and water skiers would be able to ride the surface of one of Santee's lakes, pulled by an overhead cable, under a proposal the City Council will consider tomorrow night.
The council will decide whether a portion of the Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve, a 190-acre park on the city's western side, should become home to a cable ski park and restaurant. Users of the cable ski park would be swimming in reclaimed water, which is treated sewage water that meets standards for recreational use.
The proposal includes plans to test the water quality regularly and install a water-cleaning system.
Officials with the Padre Dam Municipal Water District, which oversees the park, say the new use could fulfill demand from residents for more recreational opportunities at the lakes and allow more people to try water sports such as wakeboarding.
“I think it's going to open doors for a lot of people,” said Allen Carlisle, Padre Dam's director of park and recreation.
Some city officials are joining neighbors in expressing concerns about the proposal.
Santee Mayor Randy Voepel said he didn't want to see Santee Lakes become overly commercialized or like an amusement park.
“I have concerns about Santee Lakes becoming Legoland,” Voepel said. “Santee Lakes has always been a recreational area and a place to relax.”
Voepel said he also is concerned about the proposed ski park's proximity to homes.
Santee resident Guadalupe Gillenberg, who has lived near Santee Lakes for 20 years, said she has been handing out information about the ski park to neighbors. Gillenberg fears the ski park will bring noise and traffic to the neighborhood.
“We will have absolutely no peace at all,” Gillenberg said. “This park is a jewel and we don't want it tarnished.”
Padre Dam officials say the portion of Santee Lakes proposed for the cable ski park — the lake farthest south — is already active, with the water district's operations yard and a customer service building nearby.
According to a city staff report, the projected noise levels would not exceed city ordinances. The proposed park and restaurant would attract about an additional 500 cars a day and would not have a significant effect on local roads, the report said.
Murrieta-based Sudweeks Development would pay the Padre Dam district at least $100,000 a year in a lease and estimate the park would generate more than $1 million in annual ticket sales. Carlisle said Sudweeks would pay to build the cable ski park.#
http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/aug/11/lake-may-see-more-options-recreation/?uniontrib
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