LAKE COUNTY — More than a dozen wildfires sparked over the weekend engulfed southern California in smoke and flames, prompting crews from Lake County and surrounding Northern California counties to respond with aid. Powerful, hurricane level desert winds resulted in more than 100,000 acres burned in San Diego County alone, as well as blazes in seven counties that killed at least one person, destroyed hundreds of homes and evacuated thousands.
The Santa Ana winds clocked 108 mph at Whitaker Peak northwest of Los Angeles over the weekend, with winds of 85 mph common throughout the canyons and mountains in the area, according to the National Weather Service in Oxnard, with winds weakening Monday to between 30 and 60 mph. The fires started over the weekend as the gale carried embers from the U.S./Mexico border in a domino effect that sparked fires all the way up to Santa Barbara County. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency for the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara and Ventura, according to a statement on the state Office of Emergency Services” Web site.
Cal Fire from Lake County deployed four strike teams of 45 firefighters and 15 engines at four different intervals: 1 p.m. and 10 p.m. Sunday, and 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday. A strike team of bulldozers and the Lake County Cal Fire helicopter were also sent south.
As part of a mutual aid contract with the state, another strike team led by Rick Bergem of four fire engines and 12 fire fighters from Lake County set off on the road to Southern California at 5 a.m. Monday. Joining the group was an engine with three fire fighters from Mendocino County out of Anderson Valley. In all, the team includes five engines and 15 fire fighters, according to Lake County Fire District Battalion Chief Willie Sapeta.
The team was on the road at press time, and authorities around the county did not have estimates as to how long they would be deployed. “We just don”t know yet. We always plan for a long commitment time for this type of fire,” said Lakeport Fire Chief Ken Wells, who acknowledged being nervous about what Lake County personnel could face in coming days. “They don”t know exactly what they”re up against,” he said. The team was assigned to a staging area near the fires, Wells added. “It”s a distribution area they will send equipment to, and draw fire fighters out of that area as needed.”
Wells said the mood of the firefighters was that of excitement and willingness to help as they geared up to leave before dawn. “They were happy to go because residents down there need help. Hopefully it will never happen but if we need assistance in Lake County, they would help us out too.” Wells recalled spending eight days fighting the last Malibu fire, and how devastating the Santa Ana winds can be as they urge the fire onward. “You can”t out run this fire. You can flank it if it”s possible, do structure protection or firing out operations (fighting fire with fire). With a wind-driven fire it”s really difficult, the tactics are complicated. It”s a whole career teaching how to fight wind fires,” Wells said. Fire fighter Chris Veilleux of Cal Fire at the Clear Lakes Oaks station said the fire reached the point where a defensive attack was necessary. “At the rate it”s going, you”re not going to be able to get in front of it. Instead, you just have to evacuate as many people, protect as many people and save as many homes as you can.”
Colby Nixon, 29, a PhD student at UC Irvine, said he was having difficulty breathing outside and that his classes may be cancelled Tuesday if conditions remain the same. “This morning the sky looked reddish-orange because of the smokiness. The sky is filled with smoke and there are ashes visible on the trees, plants, cars?there were ashes on my bicycle seat. It”s gotten to the point where it actually hurts to breathe the air. I don”t dare go outside for fear I”ll develop black lung,” Nixon said.
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