Fire Incident Update: 2012 Lightning Tnf (CA)

Wednesday July 25 0800 Hours- Some additional smokes have been spotted and crews are headed to these fires. Locations include – Heath Springs, near the North Fork American River; Fordyce Lake, in the central part of the forest; and Big Oak Flat, east of Foresthill.

Tuesday July 24 Afternoon Update – The 25 lightning caused fires on the Tahoe National Forest are all contained, controlled, or out! The Forest Service Air Attack plane will be making a reconnaissance flight this afternoon and, as needed, later in the week to check for “sleepers” as the warm dry weather continues. Most of the fires were under an acre with the largest one being 1.5 acres. Mop up and patrol will continue for a day or two more.

Tuesday July 24 Update – Additional lightning was received yesterday and last night. For the 24 hour period from 6:00 am yesterday through 6:00 am this morning, 345 strikes were recorded in the Tahoe National Forest with over 1,000 strikes on National Forests in California. See the maps enclosed.

New Fires

Some additional fires were spotted last evening and this morning for a total of 25 fires in the TNF. Out of these 22 are contained or controlled with the largest being 1.5 acres and the majority less than an acre. New fires include:

Sierraville District – one near the hotsprings southeast of Sierraville (controlled), one in Russell Valley area, northeast of Truckee (contained), and one near Verdi Peak.

Yuba River District – one near Signal Peak north of Interstate 80.

We expect additional fires to pop up as temperatures warm. No additional lightning is expected today. Forest Service air attack plane will be making an aerial reconnaisance of the forest later this morning.

In addition to TNF crews, assistance is being provided by the Pike Fire Department, Redding Smokejumpers, Salmon River Hotshots from the Klammath National Forest and Calfire.

Monday – July 23 Update

Over 500 lightning strikes early Monday morning ignited over 20 fires. All are small – most under an acre and in remote areas. Forest Service Air Attack plane flew again Monday afternoon and continues to identify additional smokes. Approximately 150 Forest Service firefighters are working to contain these fires. Calfire and Pike Fire Department are also assisting. Additional thunderstorms are predicted for Monday evening. Some heavy but scattered precipitation accompanied the lightning. Crews will continue to work on some of these fires throughout the evening. Additional fires are expected to pop up for the next several days.

11 Fires on the American River District – east of Foresthill – 3 along Deadwood Ridge, northeast of Foresthill (2 controlled); 1 near Sailor Flat; one near Sugarloaf Mt – near Sugar Pine Reservoir; one near Big/Little Oak Flat; three on the north side of the North Fork American River near Devils Peak/Helester Point/Snow Mountain, and one in the Texas Hill area.

8 Fires on the Sierraville and Truckee Districts –

One near Anderson Peak, along the summit, south of I-80; two in Antelope Valley, north east of Sierraville, (both out); 2 near Webber Peak, (one controlled); one in Dark Canyon, east of Sierraville (controlled); one in Merrill Canyon (controlled); and one in the Sagehen Basin, northeast of Truckee (out).

4 Fires on the Yuba River District – one south of Bullards Bar Reservoir Dam (controlled); one north of Pike (expect containment tonight); one near Wild Plum; and one near Tuttle Lake north of Interstate 80.