Line Fire in SoCal

[Cor]

Apparently there was a hot single mom with a cat stuck in a tree and she asked if anyone could help....🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

      Good one!
Glad to hear that there are some improvements in the situation, I am holding thumbs for all the people out there that are effected.

Really scary photos.

[Swami805]

God bless mutual aid

[Bill B]

There was a small kitchen fire and they rolled 9 fire engines.  Fire was out by the time the strike team arrived.  They aren't messing around right now. 

[Bill B]

I counted 5 different S-64 Sikorsky AirCranes flying 3 different fires today. This one 8s reloading at Lake Arrowhead and making quick 4 minute trip over the rim to drop.  BTW all these photographs I have been posting were copied from other sources. Hope you don't mind. Bill

[MarkT]

There's now a fire near me in Trabuco Canyon. Started at an RC airplane airstrip in the canyon. They're calling it the Arport fire!

[Keta]

Oh boy, any word on the cause yet? 
1300 acres in 3  hours.  Watch Duty has it at 1800 acres.

[Crab Pot]

There's now a fire near me in Trabuco Canyon. Started at an RC airplane airstrip in the canyon. They're calling it the Arport fire!

We use to have a RC Club at Beale AFB where I work.

That was until an RC plane augured into the ground and burnt half the base down.

No more RC Club....

Glad you haven't lost your sense of humor Bill! Must have been one hot mom! I know you'll post pictures of her soon! 

Steve

[Bill B]

With 3 major fires in SoCal, Line Fire, Bridge Fire, and the Airport Fire, we have our hands full.  On the Line Fire east of me the fire is danger close to Running Springs.  During the late afternoon 9 helos were reloading from Lake Arrowhead and dropping with an approximate 5 minute turnaround.  Haven't heard if any structures were lost but I suspect some may have been lost.  We are at 5% containment.

The Bridge Fire approximately 40 miles west is still outrageous. No containment and heavy tankers, MD87, DC10, and C130 plus numerous helps have been working it all day. 

The Airport Fire, close to Mark T. Blew up.  Consider it explosive!  It appeared to be a wind driven fire burning northwest away from homes, but I did see a communication station in immediate danger.  I counted at least 5 S-2 Trackers and numerous heavies working that fire.

Plus numerous smaller fires, structure, vegetation, etc. fires its been busy.  I would hate to be the incident commander right now.

While I was working, I took a week long training in the National Incident Management System (NIMS) which introduced us to large scale incident management.  It is a great system, which breaks down an incident into compartmentalized bites, operations, tactical, administration, communications, and resources. I have probably butchered it but you get the idea.  It's a great system and we can see it in full operation right now.

Millions of dollars per hour are being spent and well worth it.  The National Guard is being activated and should be fully in place by Thursday. 

I have been glued to the computer monitoring various websites to analyze the available information and had to take a break today.  It was overwhelming. Thanks to the Ohana I have been texting with to let me put out useless information and analysis (at least to those who don't live near here).  I believe Crestline is out of danger, but will be praying for those that are still in harms path.

Bill

[MarkT]

The Airport fire was started by heavy equipment moving boulders. Loader bucket struck some sparks.

[Brewcrafter]

It's gonna be a tough couple of weeks.  We had a late aftrnoon onshore flow (10kts winds, from the west) that really helped clear the smoke and ash out here but I am sure probably exacerbated issues elsewhere.  Tough mix of "air is clear enough that air units can safely operate" vs. "windy conditions make it dangereous to fly close to the ground around mountains".  After tomorrow we are anticipating a cooling trend (out of the 100teens of the weekend down to 80's on Thursday) when this high pressure cell leaves that will hopefully give the troops a break. - john

[Bill B]

Yeah, but Gov. Hairgel has activated the National Guard with an expected ETA of Thursday.  Bringing 4 helos and a bunch of Rent-A-Cops for traffic control and looters prevention. And the fire started, ummmm 5 days ago.  Maybe should have done this when he declared a state of emergency 3 days ago. 

Just remember when seconds count help is just minutes away. 

[Rocket Dog]

I can't seem to post pictures from my phone here, but the Bridge "fire" was visible rumning up the hills from the 57/210 fwys looking north east. 
Otherwise all the smoke has pushed out east.the helps keep me up until about midnight when I finally fell asleep.

I gather most of that vegetation in that area hasn't burned in decades. It going to be buring for a bit.

Be safe everyone

[Bill B]

Don't know where to begin.

Line Fire-  I'm safe here in Crestline the fire is moving northeast towards Big Bear.  Evacuation orders for all in the canyon leading up there.  Report of 2 structures lost, 1 home and Keller Peak Fire Lookout.  Strangely enough the cameras there are still working but all communication lines are toast.  This was a vital link for all emergency communications in the area.  We are at 32,900 acres.  Weather is ripe for a blow up in the canyon.

Bridge Fire- 34,000+ acres buring uphill at an explosive rate.  Communities on the otherside of the mountain, Wrightwood,  Pinion Hill, etc are under Evacuation orders.  We may lose Wrightwood tonight.

Airport Fire- 19,000+ acres and spreading rapidly.  Trabuco Cyn, Robinson RNch, etc are ordered to evacuate.  Fire has burned downhill to the edge of Lake Elsinore.  No word on any structures.

We have the National Guard on the mountain doing looter prevention and traffic control.  Weather is supposed to cool down tomorrow but weather patterns may change with unexpected consequences.

As Tonto once said to the Lone Ranger, " We are in some deep $#!/ this time".  It's an old joke ask me next time you see me😉

[Keta]

The Airport Fire grew fast and is rapidly approaching a lot of homes.

[whalebreath]

I see they arrested some miscreant and charged him with arson in the Line Fire case; as someone who's fought forest  fires in the past I hope they lock him up for decades.