SB Fire, Wind & Incident Coverage

Pendleton Fire 100 percent contained

2009-09-03T16:43:13Z

The Pendleton Fire in Yucaipa has been declared 100 percent contained and the Oak Glen III Fire is not too far behind at 90 percent containment, fire officials said today.

More than 500 firefighters worked through the night dousing hot spots on the Pendleton blaze, but many will be released by this evening, said Cal-Fire spokesman Justin Smith. The fire held at 860 acres.

Fire officials expect to have full containment on the Oak Glen fire by Sept. 7. That blaze was estimated to be 1,159 acres. About 1,750 firefighters remained assigned to that fire.

Community meeting Thursday for Oak Glen and Yucaipa residents affected by fires

2009-09-02T23:57:37Z

This community meeting notice is for residents of Oak Glen and Yucaipa affected by the fires.

WHERE: Yucaipa Community Center (in the gymnasium)
34900 Oak Glen Road
Yucaipa, CA 92399

WHEN: Sept. 3 at 6 p.m.

Members of the Incident Command Team will provide an update on the status of the Oak Glen and Pendleton fires. There will also be a period of questions and answers with written questions only.

New info for Pendleton and Oak Glen fires

2009-09-02T17:42:56Z

Oak Glen Fire:

- 1,012 acres burned

- 75 percent contained, full containment expected Monday

- Firefighting cost is $3.6 million

- 1,744 firefighters assigned

- 2,000 homes threatened

Pendleton Fire

- 860 acres burned

- 70 percent contained, full containment expected Friday

- 816 firefighters assigned

- Firefighting cost is $655, 058

- 400 homes threatened

There are four firefighter injuries on both fires. Two are burns, one is a heat injury and the last is a case of poison oak.

Fire officials are now saying that the historic ranch house that was believed to have been damaged by the Oak Glen Fire was not actually damaged. There are now no reports of any damaged homes.

stacia.glenn@inlandnewspapers.com
andrew.edwards@inlandnewspapers.com

No growth on Oak Glen, Pendleton blazes

2009-09-02T14:37:49Z

Both the Oak Glen III and Pendleton fires remained calm overnight, but firefighters planned to stay alert due to anticipated thunderstorms in the area.

The Pendleton Fire held at 860 acres and was 70 percent contained, said Cal-Fire spokesman Bill Peters. The Oak Glen III Fire was 1,012 acres and 60 percent contained.

Hundreds of residents in evacuation areas were allowed to return home at 8 p.m. Tuesday after firefighters downgraded the neighborhoods from mandatory evacuation areas to recommended evacuation areas, Peters said.

"The area is open to residents only," Peters said. "The roadblocks are still in place."

Firefighters plan to continue cutting fire lines the next few days and dousing hot spots. Today, firefighters are concerned that thunderstorms could bring dry lightning down on the area's dry brush and spark a new blaze.

"We'll be watching and will be ready to respond if we get one," he said.

- melissa.pinion-whitt@inlandnewspapers.com

Mandatory evacuations lifted

2009-09-02T04:03:30Z

From San Bernardino County's Web site:

"All mandatory evacuations for the Oak Glen and Pendleton fires are being reduced to recommended evacuation orders (rather than mandatory). Only residents of those areas are being allowed into the area.

"Evacuees have been provided with informational materials for re-entry including Food Safety advisories and counseling services offered respectively by the County Departments of Public Health and Behavioral Health.

"Residents returning to their homes should be aware of the following:

* Many of the affected areas suffered power outages for some period of time during the fire.
* Use caution before eating food in your refrigerator or freezer.
* Food can be spoiled due to power outages

"If you or a member of your family are having trouble coping due to the wildfires we have been experiencing, remember to ask for help. To consult a counselor or mental health professional please call the County of San Bernardino Department of Behavioral Health at (888) 743-1478 or 2-1-1."

Weak storm over Yucaipa

2009-09-02T00:53:53Z

Steve Vanderburg, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in San Diego, said rain Tuesday in the Yucaipa and Oak Glenn area does not appear to be a large storm system.

Vanderburg said a large, impressive thunderstorm system is over the Crestline and Running Springs area today, but he called the storms around Yucaipa and Oak Glen "pretty weak."

The service was forecasting a 20 percent chance of thunderstorms Tuesday afternoon and evening. Vanderburg said the storm could help firefighters by raising humidity levels.

"When it gets cooler and more humid the firefighters can be more
aggressive," Vanderburg said. However, the storms can also bring erratic, gusty winds that could fan the flames and make battling the fire more difficult, he added.

County supervisors proclaim local emergency

2009-09-02T00:47:00Z

The Chairman of the Board of Supervisors Gary Ovitt proclaimed a local emergency today due to the fires - the Oak Glen III Fire and the Pendleton Fire - that have already burned thousands of acres and posed a hazard to the safety of persons and property throughout San Bernardino County.

Board of Supervisors Chairman Gary Ovitt said, "We appreciate the timely help of Governor Schwarzenegger proclaiming a State of Emergency, which opens up a wide range of state resources to help us fight this destructive fire and help individuals and businesses get back on their feet."

The Oak Glen III Fire started at about 1:30 p.m. on Aug. 30, 2009 near the unincorporated community of Oak Glen, causing the evacuation of the entire community, and continues to spread in the San Bernardino National Forest. The Pendleton Fire started at about 3:45 p.m. on Aug. 31, 2009 in the City of Yucaipa and has caused additional evacuations of more than 1,000 homes in that area.

]]> In addition, the County of Los Angeles is fighting a fire in the Angeles National Forest that has already consumed more than 120,000 acres and continues to burn and thrive in the warm temperatures and low humidity. A significant public health threat exists due to the adverse air quality created by the extreme levels of ash, soot and smoke.

Jurisdictions proclaim a local emergency when circumstances of a disaster are, or are likely to be, beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment and facilities of any single county, city and require the combined forces of a mutual aid region or regions to combat. This local proclamation will activate our County's powers and authorities to take any necessary actions to meet the needs of the emergency in a timely manner and to protect lives and property.

In addition, the Governor of the State of California proclaimed a State of Emergency within San Bernardino County. A Gubernatorial proclamation of a State of Emergency in San Bernardino County made available the wide range of statewide resources to San Bernardino County in its continuing response and recovery. The County will also be better able to recoup a portion of any fire suppression costs and other costs related to the disaster proclamation.

Fire officials to discuss Yucaipa evacuees

2009-09-02T00:02:42Z

Fire officials were expected to assess this evening whether evacuees from the Pendleton Fire in Yucaipa could be let back into some areas, they said.

The topic was expected to be discussed during a 6 p.m. briefing for fire officials. Earlier, officials had said they hoped to allow evacuees back in to some areas by this evening.

In other fire news, 1,952 total personel were working both the Pendleton and Oak Glen fires. They used seven fixed wing aircraft and 1 helitanker in firefighting efforts today.

- stacia.glenn@inlandnewspapers.com

Rain and lightning reported in Yucaipa

2009-09-01T23:29:45Z

Heavy rain and lightning were being reported in Yucaipa by Sun reporters who are covering the Pendleton Fire.

Storm clouds were seen overhead at 4:20 p.m. from Avenue E, and large rain drops were falling to the ground. The rain has been in small patches.

Earlier today, fire officials had said rain would be welcome because of the moisture it would bring. But they were worried about possible lightning strikes that could start more fires.

"It's a critical time," said Calfire spokesman Martin Johnson. "We're looking at this really closely and hoping the (fire) lines hold."

Firefighters were unsure how the weather changes might affect the wildfire, Johnson explained. With the small storm cells can come erratics winds and downdrafts.

Firefighters staging along Avenue E to protect homes

2009-09-01T20:19:36Z

About 200 firefighters are staging around homes where flames from the Pendleton Fire are creeping close. The area firefighters are concerned with is along Avenue E from Fremont Street to Wildwood Canyon Road and up north to Oak Glen Road.

The blaze, which began Monday, swept down to Fremont Heights Mobile Home Park, on the other side of a ridge from Avenue E.

"Once it came over the top, that's when it went squirrely on us," said East Bay Regional Parks Fire Department Battalion Chief Tim August.

Firefighters say the flare-up began as a little puff of smoke on a hill about 6:30 a.m. and spread from there. Firefighters were able to get control of the flare-up about five hours later.

So far, firefighters have been able to save homes from any damage, but one shed was destroyed along Avenue E.

- stacia.glenn@inlandnewspapers.com
- melissa.pinion-whitt@inlandnewspapers.com

Cal-Fire strike teams fighting to save homes

2009-09-01T19:31:24Z

A strike team surrounded homes in the Wildlife Corridor area of Yucaipa this morning, lighting back fires to save the structures from damage in the Pendleton Fire.

The 22-person Cal-Fire strike team called the Fresno-Kings Unit, staged at the end of Avenue E, where flames came within about 100 feet of several homes.

"The heavy winds this morning played havoc with us," said Cal-Fire Battalion Chief Billy See.

He said the winds easily carried the fire a half mile toward houses, where flames grew as large as 40 to 50 feet tall.

- stacia.glenn@inlandnewspapers.com
- melissa.pinion-whitt@inlandnewspapers.com

Resident: Firefighters doing a "hell of a job"

2009-09-01T19:25:42Z

Resident John Vanderelst evacuated his home after the City of Yucaipa called and asked him to leave because of the Pendleton Fire, he said. He later returned when he believed the fire didn't look that bad.

"We were ready to go," Vanderelst said. "We're probably going to stay until it gets real bad."

Vanderelst, who lives in the foothills on Poplar Street, complimented firefighters' efforts.

"These guys are doing a hell of a job," he said.

]]> The Pendleton Fire in Yucaipa has burned about 640 acres and is 25 percent contained as of this morning.

Authorities have evacuated about 1,100 homes in the Wildwood Canyon area. Law enforcement officers have been knocking on doors and asking people to leave. A piece of yellow caution tape has been tied to fixtures at homes where families have left.

Fire officials warn residents who do not leave, after being ordered to evacuate, that they will not receive fire services if they later call 9-1-1.

Cost to fight wildfires adds up quickly for Calif.

2009-09-01T19:06:33Z

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- The costs to fight the wildfires raging through California are
adding up quickly for the cash-strapped state.

The state has spent $106.5 million of its $182 million emergency firefighting fund -- just two months into the fiscal year, Department of Finance spokesman H.D. Palmer said. The budget was increased this year from $69 million in 2008-09 to more accurately reflect annual firefighting costs, he said.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Tuesday that the unpredictable costs are also the reason he wanted to ensure California had a $500 million reseve fund this year.

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The Republican governor used his line-item veto authority to cut $489 million from social service programs in the budget the state Legislature sent him in July to restore the reserve fund.

"This is why this reserve is so important, when you get into situations like this when there's unexpected fires coming up," Schwarzenegger said. "It's important for everyone to know that we have the money available to fight these fires no matter how many fires we have."

California has also applied for six grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help fight fires.

If they are approved, the federal government would reimburse California for 75 percent of the costs to contain and put out those fires, said Kelly Huston, assistant secretary of the California Emergency Management Agency.

The grants only apply to extraordinary wildfires that force local and state governments to incur large costs, "because of the magnitude of the fire and the threat to life and property," Huston said.

President Barack Obama has said he would do what he could to help state and local governments.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Tuesday that White House is receiving regular updates on the wildfires, and will continue to monitor the situation.

Gibbs said President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama send their condolences to the familes of two Los Angeles County firefighters who died battling the Station fire over the weekend.

Heavy traffic out of Wildwood Canyon

2009-09-01T18:58:09Z

There is a long line of traffic heading south out of Wildwood Canyon as local residents evacuate the Yucaipa area due to the Pendleton Fire, according to Sun reporters on the scene.

U of R cancels afternoon football practice

2009-09-01T18:54:22Z

The University of Redlands football team has canceled its 3 p.m. practice today because of smoke from the wildfires burning in Yucaipa and the community of Oak Glen.

The Bulldogs football team was also forced to practice inside the gym this morning because of the smoke.