Info/links on 1026 California wildfires-Nat Geo NASA news etc-air is hazardous in Valley

[fed-up]

I have been staying in Durham (12 miles to the south of Chico) since the lightening caused fires began on Sunday as the air in Chico is horrendous-they even cancelled the Thursday Night Farmers Market...advising everyone to stay indoors

The air quality is worst on record for my county, second worst in nation I heard on the radio earlier today

I have been wearing a kerchief to harvest

and this after the 23K acre fire two weeks ago

so glad I moved to town and out of wildfire territory


http://www.capitalpress.info/main.asp?SectionID=94&SubSectionID=801&ArticleID=42511&TM=64219.74
6/25/2008 10:10:00 AM Email this article • Print this article
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Under siege: California's fire season explodes

Elizabeth Larson
Capital Press

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA - For more than a week it has seemed that all of California is on fire.

A rainless lightning storm that sped through the state on June 20 and June 21 left behind it a hellish path of fires that ignited the state from its northern to central regions, the fires feeding off conditions resulting from one of the driest springs on record.

The Associated Press reported that the storm's estimated 8,000 lightning strikes caused more than 800 fires. Cal Fire officials told Capital Press they expect there are more fires yet to be discovered.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger ordered the California National Guard in to aid the more than 4,300 Cal Fire personnel who, along with thousands more local firefighters and hundreds of pieces of equipment, tried to control almost 100,000 acres of burning lands in local and state jurisdictions around California.

On Tuesday, AP reported Oregon was sending in another 2,400 firefighters to join the effort.

The U.S. Forest Service reported another 32 fires in California's National Forest lands, which officials said had both federal and Cal Fire personnel on scene.


..snip

Here are some links with great pictures and info
oh yeah, heard Arnold was in Chico today just down the street from me at the Fairgrounds promising help and other lies. Apparantly Butte County is considered the biggest emergency of all the fires.

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/07/fire-season/thiessen-photography



click link for links to maps and a ton of info (sorry my mouse is not copying too well right now)
http://www.fire.ca.gov/index_incidents.php


Northern California Wildfire Overview

Current Situation: State and Federal firefighters continue to battle hundreds of wildfires throughout Northern California. Priority of firefighting effort is for the protection of life, property and natural resources. Download the latest fact sheet.

Total Fires: 1,026
Acres: 104,821
Contained Fires: 229
Personnel Committed: 11,964


http://www.khsltv.com/mostpopular/story.aspx?content_id=cbc85dea-7af7-4df6-abb4-10112118a200
Butte County Fire Updates

Last Update: 3:55 pm
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Related Links
Cal Fire Map
Current Fire Locations


Slideshow
UPDATED Wednesday 3PM:

Governor Schwarzenegger is in Chico this afternoon, visiting the firefighter staging area at Chico's Silver Dollar Fairgrounds. He is being briefed on the lightning fires across the North State and the status of firefighting efforts.

As of Wednesday morning, it was anticipated that the "Rim" and the "Empire" fires will burn together forming a single fire with a continuing threat to the communities of Concow. The "Smokey Fire" burning along Highway 32 made a run Tuesday afternoon when the inversion layer lifted, and still poses a threat to the communities of Butte Meadows and Jonesville. Weather Changes over the next few days are expected to occur with the increased possiblity of thunderstorms and lightning activity throughout the region. If the inversion layer lifts, fire activity and intensity will increase, prompting possible further evacuations and significant fire spread.

The "Smokey Fire" prompts precautionary evacuation order for Butte Meadows, Jonesville and the Camp Lassen Boy Scout Camp Northwest of Butte Meadows. More than 400 scouts and staff members were taken out by bus around 7pm Tuesday. Some of the scouts had traveled from as far away as Florida before the fire cut the camp short. 76 scouts and 6 staff members spent Tuesday night at the Neighborhood Church in Chico which is now open once again as an evacuation shelter.

There are approximately 150 residences threatened. Evacuees can go to the Neighborhood Church located at:

snip

http://www.orovillemr.com/ci_9690206?source=most_viewed

3 p.m.: Lightning fires briefs

Staff Reports
Article Launched: 06/25/2008 08:30:57 AM PDT

View from space

NASA has posted on its Web site a picture from its Aqua satellite showing smoke billowing from the fires burning in Northern California.

The picture, dated Tuesday, can be viewed at www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/california_fires.html.

,,snip


Worst air quality since 2000

Air quality in Butte County is setting unfortunate records because of the foothill fires.

Tuesday's Air Quality Index was 233. Today is predicted at 250, by the Butte County Air Quality Management District.

Air Quality spokeswoman Gail Williams said this morning that it looked like this area had the worst air in the state, but that wasn't the case. Quincy came in at 300.

"It's hard to imagine, but when people call looking for cleaner air, we're sending them south."

Williams isn't taking a guess at Thursday's index, but said, "My gut tells me we're not going to have any different."

Williams said the district acquired a very sensitive monitor in 2000 and this is the highest setting it's ever reached.

Labeling this air at "very unhealthy," the district recommends avoid using swamp coolers or whole-house fans that would draw outside air into their homes. Air conditioners should be turned to recirculate the air in the house, and minimize outside activity particularly exercise.

edited to add our local paper's coverage-and just read Arnold gave Butte County $20M for Humboldt fire two weeks ago!

http://www.chicoer.com/news/ci_9690131

[XemaSab]

1. Chico's doing WAAAY better than Redding

:crazy:

You could cut the smoke with a knife here.

[diane in sf]

2. The light coming in my windows was gold at 4pm from the smoke. It hasn't

been this noticeable in SF since the Oakland fire in 91.