Firefighter killed, hundreds flee as California blazes burn

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By JEFF CHIU and HAVEN DALEY

LOWER LAKE, Calif. (AP) — Blazes raging in forests and woodlands across California have taken the life of a firefighter and forced hundreds of people to flee their homes as an army of firefighters continue to battle them from the air and the ground.

Twenty-three large fires, many sparked by lightning strikes, were burning across Northern California on Saturday, said state Department of Forestry and Fire Protection spokesman Daniel Berlant. Some 8,000 firefighters were attempting to subdue them, something made incredibly difficult by several years of drought that have dried out California.

"The conditions and fire behavior we're seeing at 10 in the morning is typically what we'd see in late afternoon in late August and September," said Nick Schuler, a division chief with the state Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. "But because of the dry conditions, because of the drought-stricken vegetation accompanied by the steep terrain and winds, we're seeing fire activity that's abnormal for this time of year."

In the Modoc National Forest, about a hundred miles south of Oregon, David Ruhl, an engine captain from South Dakota's Black Hills National Forest, was killed fighting a fast-moving blaze. He had vanished Thursday while fighting the 800-acre fire and his body wasn't recovered until Friday.

FULL story at link. Video: http://launch.newsinc.com/share.html?trackingGroup=92351&siteSection=bigstory_hom_non_non_dynamic_wire_ap&videoId=29458685



Fires approach a home near Lower Lake, Calif., Friday, July 31, 2015. A series of wildfires were intensified by dry vegetation, triple-digit temperatures and gusting winds. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/d4d86bb99dde401da9137e383c0f770b/firefighter-killed-hundreds-flee-california-blazes-burn

[CountAllVotes]

1. The smell of smoke is in the air

and hell, I live of the freakin' coast! No fires here but last heard, Hoopa is on fire!

& recommend.

[mike_c]

2. awoke to a layer of ash covering everything this morning....

The light was weirdly beautiful yesterday afternoon and evening, with the distinct orange cast of heavy smoke. I drove past the big Lake County fire a couple times on Thursday while traveling back and forth from Sacramento, before it really blew up on Friday. It's still overcast this morning, so it's hard to tell what the air quality is going to be like. No smoke smell at present (I'm in northern Humboldt county, at the western base of the coast range).

At last count there were over 70 lightning fires burning in northern Humboldt county alone. Ruth Lake is surrounded by fire, all campgrounds evacuated. Route 36 east/west is closed. Fire season has arrived with a vengeance.

http://lostcoastoutpost.com/2015/jul/31/ashes-fall-sky-all-around-humboldt-coun/

View from Ruth Lake:

https://video-sjc2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hvideo-xft1/v/t42.1790-2/11194293_10204634117323424_698880909_n.mp4?efg=eyJybHIiOjQxMCwicmxhIjo1MTJ9&rl=410&vabr=228&oh=a42bf14c5c90635daf6ce76d1598e223&oe=55BD3226

[Comrade Grumpy]

3. We could see a huge cloud of smoke behind Mt. St. Helena Thursday and yesterday.

I'm on the west side of the mountain in Sonoma County.

We've also had a slew of smaller fires here in Sonoma, including a grass fire in the Laguna de Santa Rosa that was only about half a mile from my place. I could see the flames from my backyard. Not exactly reassuring.

[Charles de Gaudless]

4. Just remember THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH GLOBAL WARMING WHICH IS A HOAX!