are always prohibited on Los Padres National Forest
Los Padres National Forest officials are reminding Fourth of July visitors that the possession or use of fireworks—including the “safe and sane” variety—is always prohibited in the Forest. This year-round prohibition will be strictly enforced throughout the holiday weekend.
A violation of the law could result in a $5,000 fine and/or six months in jail. In addition, anyone causing a wildfire is potentially liable for the full cost of suppressing the fire.
The Forest asks that all visitors take the appropriate precautions to prevent accidental wildfires:
· Under current fire restrictions, campfires are only permitted in developed campgrounds and must always be attended by a responsible person.
· Persons with a valid California Campfire Permit can use portable stoves and lanterns using gas, jellied petroleum or pressurized liquid fuel outside of designated Campfire Use Sites. California Campfire Permits are available for free download from the Ready For Wildfire website. You must clear all flammable material for 10 feet in all directions from your camp stove, have a shovel and water available nearby, and ensure that a responsible person always attends the stove when it is in use.
Smoking is prohibited except within an enclosed vehicle, building, or developed campground.
· Internal or external combustion engines require properly installed, functional spark arresters. This requirement is in effect year-round.
· Avoid parking vehicles on grass, as hot engines can ignite dry vegetation.
· Contact the Ranger Station nearest your destination for the latest conditions.
As of 6:30 pm, the Camino Fire is holding at 200 acres.
WatchDuty.org is your best bet for following recent updates.
As of 2:30 pm (Sorry, the doc dilated my eyes, and I haven’t been able to see to post properly.) From Cal Fire: ”CaminoIC (UPDATE) Fire is now 200 acres with a potential for 1500 acres. A reverse 911 has been issued for an evacuation warning from Huasna Rd x Mary Hall Rd to Huasna Townsite.
CAL FIRE NEWS RELEASE California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection CONTACT: Duty PIO RELEASE DATE: June 27, 2022 CAL FIRE Urges Safety as the Fourth of July Holiday Approaches Don’t Spark a Wildfire this Fourth of July! Sacramento – Tomorrow, Tuesday, June 28th “Safe and Sane” Fireworks will go on sale in many communities across California, but CAL FIRE is reminding everyone to do their part to have a safe holiday and help prevent fires and injuries caused by fireworks. With the 4th of July holiday around the corner, state fire officials are stressing the dangers and consequences of using illegal fireworks. Over the past few months CAL FIRE-Office of the State Fire Marshal’s specialized Arson and Bomb Investigators have been providing intelligence and support to local and federal illegal fireworks enforcement efforts. These operations have seized tens of thousands of pounds of illegal fireworks. It is illegal to sell, transport, or use fireworks that do not carry the “Safe and Sane” seal, as well as possess or use fireworks in a community where they are not permitted. If convicted, a violator could be fined up to $50,000, as well as be sent to jail for up to one year. Parents are liable for any damage or injuries caused by their children using fireworks. Illegal fireworks include: • Skyrockets • Bottle rockets • Roman candles • Aerial shells • Firecrackers • Other fireworks that explode, go into the air, or move on the ground in an uncontrollable manner “Fire conditions are elevated, and the 4th of July, along with the use of fireworks, only increases the risk for wildfires,” said Chief Joe Tyler, CAL FIRE Director and Fire Chief. “It is critical that Californians be vigilant and consider leaving the fireworks to the professionals.” CAL FIRE is offering the public the following fireworks precautions: • If using “Safe and Sane Fireworks, first check they are allowed in the area of use. • Make sure the firework has the State Fire Marshal “Safe and Sane” seal on it. • Have a bucket of water and garden hose available at firing site. During this drought it is recommend you use a bucket of gray/reused water to submerse your firework after its used to fully extinguish it. • Read all instructions before use. • Never alter, modify, or enhance fireworks – use only in the manner intended. • Make sure fireworks have proper clearance from flammable materials including dry grass and brush. To learn more about fireworks safety, visit http://www.ReadyForWildfire.org/more/fireworks-safety/ ### “Already this year our Arson and Bomb Investigators and Law Enforcement Officers have been busy assisting with numerous illegal fireworks enforcement operations,” said Chief Mike Richwine, California State Fire Marshal. “We have a zero-tolerance stance toward the use, possession, and transportation of illegal fireworks. Even ‘Safe and Sane’ fireworks are banned in many communities and bring stiff fines for their illegal use.”
This sign sits at the bottom of Plaskett and cannot be missed, but is too often ignored on both counts. This sign was incredibly hard to photograph as all the letters would not show lit at the same time in a camera, although they were fine to the naked eye.
…include the potential for dry lightning. Confidence in this prediction is low to moderate.
The Central Coast is where the greatest
instability appears to be focused on Wednesday and is where the
greatest potential for high-based showers/thunderstorms to
develop. Given this, there could be a mix of both wet and dry
thunderstorms with the potential for dry lightning which may
create new fire starts. Confidence remains low to moderate at time
yet impacts would be high if dry lightning were to occur given
the dry fuels across the region. Please monitor the latest
forecast information and we try to gain a better handle on this
potential hazard. Also, monitor the Fire Weather Discussion below
for additional details.
Biden, today, on the solstice, signed a hefty pay raise for 16000 federal firefighters. It was about time. These young men and women have been underpaid for a very dangerous job for far to long. Thank you men and women for all that you do to protect the rest of us. Even with the hefty pay raise, you are not paid enough.
June 21, 2022 Welcome to the Solstice. On this day…
the North Pole tips directly to the Sun — 23.5 degrees
the entire Arctic circle never sees sunset
the entire Antarctic circle never sees daylight
the Northern Hemisphere sees max sunlight – first day of Summer
the Southern Hemisphere sees min sunlight – first day of Winter
the World experiences the longest twilight of the year
the Northern Hemisphere days begin to shorten
the Northern Hemisphere days being to lengthen
and…
Along the equator, sitting exactly between two hemispheres that always trend in opposite ways, the duration of sunlight & darkness remains unchanged throughout the year. There are no astronomical seasons, and their twilight is always the shortest iii the world — less than 30 mins.
This is a republishing of a blog post I did in 2010 on the anniversary of the Basin Fire which started on this date in 2008:
Today is the longest day of the year, and also the anniversary of the Basin Fire of 2008, the event that launched this blog. Today, I hope to reflect back on that time, and post a couple of photographs I took that day, if the Internet Goddess allows. The first two photographs are mine, but scroll down for the stories and photographs of others. I have also provided a link where others shared their stories last year, and more are doing so this year. What an amazing gift we have in each other!
6:30 pm, June 21, 2008
9:00 pm, June 21, 2008
To those of you still rebuilding after losing your homes to this monster fire, you are in our hearts this day. And some of you may be interested in reading the stories some readers told about this day when I asked for stories a year ago, for others it may be still too painful. You can read them here.
Ken Harlan, of Lucia Lodge, just sent me this note and the following three photographs.
Here are three photos from the start of the fire. When the lighting started that day, I drove north to watch for strikes. The first photo is about 15 minutes after the strike that lit the fire. I was watching that ridge through binoculars as it was hit in the middle of the “black” knoll just below the active flame front. The grass was burning very slowly for about 5 minutes, and then the back side of the cell came through. The winds nearly knocked me down (I’d guess 50+ MPH) and the flames were in the trees 2-3 minutes later.
The next two photos (which I’ll attach to 2 emails to follow) are taken from the west side of 1 at Coast Gallery. Two guys fought to save that cabin on the rocky point to the right in the helicopter shot. Sadly, it later burned. I don’t know the guys or the owner of the cabin, but I always hope to get these photos to them (and I have some more).
It’s more than a little sad to recall that day.
Basin Fire #1 by Ken Harlan
Basin Fire #2, by Ken Harlan
Basin Fire #3, by Ken Harlan
Ken, thank you so much for sharing your story and images with all of us.
Avis was coming home from a town run in Monterey headed south on June 21, 2008, when she first saw the fire. She has sent the next three photos for us to enjoy, with this explanation about the photos. (her story is posted on the stories post previously mentioned):
“Okay here are 3 shots. The first one is what I saw when I rounded the corner before the gallery and first saw the knoll on fire. This was within 2 hours of the fire starting. The second one I like because of the fire tornado. It’s a little out of focus but I was using a cheap camera and the zoom was all the way in. I just like the power it represent in a fire. [ed. note: firefighters call these fire whirls, and I have posted additional info on them under the photograph.] And the last was how huge it got within the few minutes I sat there watching.”
Basin Fire #1, by Avis Latone
Basin Fire #2, by Avis Latone
“Fire Whirls In California…A Firefighter’s Perspective
Royal Burnett March 15, 2008
Fire whirls are one of the most visual and least understood aspects of extreme fire behavior. Many a good plan has been wrecked and lots of firefighters have been burned over as a result of these events. Fire whirls used to be considered rare occurrences, but with the advent of a multiple year drought, increased communications and digital cameras, fire whirls are reported on a more routine basis.
Fire whirls happen infrequently for a brief duration. There is no recording system. The event happens in terrain that varies from flat to very broken mountains, in conditions of no wind to moderate and perhaps high winds, in fuels that vary from light to heavy, so it is nearly impossible to define the conditions under which fire whirls can appear.
We know that fire whirls can develop from energy release or from wind shear caused by the wind interacting with topographic features. Occasionally the convection column is strong enough to form an obstacle to the prevailing wind and fire whirls will develop in the lee of the column.”
Basin Fire #3, by Avis Latone
Avis, thank you so much for sharing your images and story with all of the rest of us. We are blessed in so many ways in this community.
This was a lightning ignited fire. We are not predicted to have any lightning here on the Central Coast, but lightning is predicted for Northern California this week. Let’s all manifest no fires on this day.
