Local News - TCU - Early Morning Vegetation Fires

MyMotherLode.com:
CAL FIRE NEWS

Tuolumne And Calaveras Early Morning Vegetation Fires

Friday, July 27, 2007 - 06:45 AM

Bill Johnson

MML News Director

San Andreas, CA -- The CAL FIRE Emergency Command Center in San Andreas is reporting two vegetation fires this morning.

The first is under the power lines at Bonds Flat Rd. and J-59. Six engines, a water tender and a dozer have been dispatched. No other details are available at this time.

The second fire is being reported in the area of Hwy 26 and Ponderosa Way and Whiskey Slide Rd. Fire crews are reporting the fire is approximately two-and-a-half acres in size with a slow spread. The fire is reportedly located on a noll.

Written by bill.johnson@mlode.com

Runaway Water Truck Crashes Into Homes - COLORADO

myfox:

Runaway Truck Crashes Into Homes

The accident scene in Thornton. July 26, 2007. BREAKING WATER TRUCK NEWS Related Items: A truck plows into a fence missing a boy playing in the yard but destroying a fence. July 26, 2007. Videos by JOHN ROMERO THORNTON -- A water truck apparently rolled down a hill from a Thornton construction site Thursday, crashing into two homes and narrowly missing an 11-year-old boy. Authorities say the vehicle went across a residential road, and took out a fence before crashing into the homes. The eleven-year-old was standing at the location just moments before the crash. .

CALIFORNIA FIRE NEWS - Interesting Water Tender Picture

CALIFORNIA FIRE NEWS: Inciweb picture : Interesting Water Tender Picture

Interesting Water Tender Picture from Inciweb...Division G Water Tender - Monument Complex
Oregon, Umatilla National Forest
Credit: Robert "Robo" Robustelli photo

Posted by Bob Blogger at 7/25/2007 02:08:00 PM 0 comments Links to this post

Labels: Monument Complex, Oregon, water tender"

Truck Rolls Off Los Gatos Hillside, Killing Driver
Overturned water truck creates river of mud

Los Gatos Observer
By Alastair Dallas 07/22/07 7:49 am
Click here to respondPrint-friendly version

A water truck rolled off a mountain road Saturday morning, killing the driver. Both Los Gatos/Monte Sereno Police and California Highway Patrol responded to the first call, received at 10:42 a.m. The site of the accident, 17541 Santa Cruz Hwy, was on a private road hundreds of feet above Hwy. 17, just south of The Cats restaurant.

The driver was unofficially identified as Ivan Ramirez, aged 26. He was prounced dead by AMR paramedics at 11:06 a.m.
The heavy water truck rolled off the steep dirt road to the right

The truck, a Hertz rental Ford F-750, held 2,000 gallons of non-potable water weighing 16,680 pounds. The truck wsa probably rented from Valew, a construction equipment company in Adelanto, near Palmdale, CA. Apparently, the water shifted on the last turn, rolling the truck off the dirt road onto a freshly-graded ledge some 10 feet below. The truck landed on its roof, sending its water down the hill as a river of mud that hindered access to the site. It is also possible that the driver was attempting to turn around on the dead-end road.

The CHP has jurisdiction over the accident, and used the parking lot at The Cats as a staging area for the medical examiner. Officers and a woman from the coroner's office interviewed five men in jeans and baseball caps as people, likely stunned relatives and friends, continued to arrive. One man clutched a county brochure titled, "What To Do Now."
Contrary to media reports, traffic on Hwy. 17 was not affected by the accident
An unidentified woman from the Coroner's office interviews men outside The Cats restaurant
The truck is a Ford F-750 with a 2,000-gallon tank

water trucks tending street trees

Baltimore Messenger: "Hudson's Corner

Hudson's Corner

07/18/07 Kathy Hudson e-mail hudmud@aol.com Email this story to a friend If the city tends to itself the way it does its trees, we're in trouble Some say the way we care for our houseplants reflects the way we take care of ourselves. Taking that analogy further, I wonder if the way a city takes care of its trees reflects the way a city takes care of itself. If it is, we are not doing a very good job. And when I say "we," I am pointing not only at city government but also at us residential and corporate citizens. Recently, I have lamented the dead saplings on Falls Road by the Poly-Western playing fields. This spring, these evenly spaced, well-staked new plantings seemed emblematic of a renewal of city shade trees and the beautification of two venerable high schools. As I wondered if the city had planted them, or if an enterprising group of environmentally aware students had, those saplings gave me hope. I never discovered the answer, and now many dead saplings seem emblematic of how we do not always care for what is ours. Why would anyone plant a tree and not plan to water it during a dry season? And a dry season is what we have had this year. Dead trees dot the city. When I think of other cities, I have water envy. I envy what I saw in Chicago: water trucks tending street trees and many containers of exquisite ornamental plantings. Then again, Chicago so values its natural resources that it prohibits building right next to the lakefront. You won't find kiosks littering Millennium Park or condos obliterating the view of Lake Michigan. I also envy the water truck my Beechdale Road neighbor reported watering the Boise, Idaho, street plantings early one morning. If Chicago and Boise can do it, why can't we? Granted, we have a huge city and miles of public greenspace. I understand public safety and education might take priority over trees, but after the real estate boom and with high property taxes, why we can't have a few more water trucks and a few more people tending trees and city plantings? Watering these trees could eliminate the waste of time that occurs when saplings throughout the city die each summer. Or could it be that our city is heading in a less "green" direction? The reported comments of city planners at a hearing for the Marianist property on Roland Avenue make me wonder. According to a June 14 Messenger article, city planners "were opposed to the trees and hedges (proposed by the developer) because they want a more urban design in keeping with the neighborhood." Do city planners not know that the greenway through the center of Roland Park and the many Baltimore parks and greenways originally designed by the firm of Frederick Law Olmsted are what have made Roland Park and Baltimore so attractive and livable for generations? Fortunately, the developer and the community are working together to maintain a tree canopy at the Marianist property. But if the developer plants trees, someone must water them. With the current number of dead new trees on grassy medians in front of Roland Park houses, I worry for the future of newly planted trees. Two questions remain: Why plant trees without plans to water them? And is how we care for city trees reflective of how we care for our city?

Marine View Drive reopened after hillside fire | TheNewsTribune.com | Tacoma, WA

Marine View Drive reopened after hillside fire | TheNewsTribune.com | Tacoma, WA: "A hillside brush fire closed the 4800 block of Marine View Drive, near the Cliff House Restaurant, in Tacoma for a short time Friday afternoon. The Tacoma Fire Department received several calls about the blaze, and responded to the scene at about 1:40 p.m. with engines, a fireboat and a water tender, said fire department spokesman Dan Crutty.

The flames were under control by about 3:30 p.m., and the road was reopened. About an acre of brush was involved, Crutty said. There were no injuries or property damage, and the cause of the fire in under investigation. There’s been “discussion about some kids and a campfire that may have gotten away from them, but they don’t know for sure yet,” Crutty said."

Antigua Sun

Antigua Sun:

I read in your Tuesday issue about the large fire on Church Street and your paper mentioned the four tenders that tackled the blaze, also it was mentioned that some tenders had to go for water, I find that hard to believe.

I had mentioned a very long time ago in your paper and the Daily Observer that our Fire Brigade is poorly equipped and does not have enough vehicles.

The vehicles you have now are very good, but what is needed is a water tender that is built on the same make and model that you have now, and its capacity would be well over the 2,500 gallon and should be able to pump into a tender on site. Also there is no aerial ladder tender to handle fires in tall buildings."

Paraffin truck leak in Kent takes nearly a day to clean up

Paraffin truck leak in Kent takes nearly a day to clean up:

A truck leaked 15 to 50 gallons of paraffin, closing a freeway on ramp for nearly a day as road crews failed in one cleanup method after another, state Transportation Department officials said.

The truck driver was alerted by another motorist about 6:35 a.m. Tuesday, stopped on the State Route 167 onramp in this suburb south of Seattle and found a cap was loose, department spokeswoman Meghan N. Soptich said.

Cleanup workers initially tried sanding an 8-foot-wide, 200-foot-long stretch of the ramp that was coated with a quarter-inch of paraffin.

That didn't work, nor did scattering dirt to absorb the wax or applying a degreaser.

Workers began making headway after bringing in a hot-water truck and equipment to vacuum the melted paraffin, but the effort stalled when the truck broke down.

Finally, after a second hot-water truck was summoned, the road was reopened shortly after midnight Wednesday.

UNIFIL tanker truck crashes into car in southern Lebanon, killing four - Haaretz - Israel News

UNIFIL tanker truck Haaretz - Israel News:

UNIFIL tanker truck crashes into car in southern Lebanon, killing four
By News Agencies

Four members of a Lebanese family, including two children, were killed in southern Lebanon on Tuesday when a UN water truck lost control and rammed into their car, police said.

Two Polish soldiers belonging to the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, were slightly injured in the accident on a highway between the villages of Meiss el-Jabal and Houla, near the border with Israel, said a police spokesman on condition of anonymity because he was not allowed to speak to reporters.

A third Polish soldier was unharmed.

The spokesman said a father, mother and their 4-year-old daughter and 6-year-old son were killed in the accident.

UNIFIL said in a statement it had begun an internal inquiry to determine the circumstances of the accident.

'UNIFIL Commander Gen. Claudio Graziano is deeply saddened about this tragic loss of life and conveys his sincere sympathies and condolences to the family of the victims,' the statement said.

Poland contributes 200 troops to the 13,000-member UNIFIL. The task of the force, from 30 countries, is to implement a UN Security Council resolution that ended last summer's 34-day war between Israel and Hezbollah guerrillas.

Water Truck delivers water picks up Septic

SitNews - Opinion/Letter: Gravina/Sealaska/Water By Michael Nelson: How fortunate was it that he observed that his water delivery person delivered water to his tank, and then emptied his septic with the same water truck.

Viewpoints Gravina/Sealaska/Water
By Michael Nelson

July 02, 2007
Monday

Greetings from the South Pacific!!

A few days ago, I was standing on a hilltop in Fiji and although it was somewhat warm that day, a cold breeze blew up the hillside and it began lightly raining, and for a moment, I felt like I was back in Southeast Alaska. If nothing else, at least I am back in the Pacific rather than living on the Atlantic seaboard.

I have been reading SitNews daily for news from Southeast Alaska and I have been appreciative of all of the letters people have been writing because SitNews is solidly at the head of the line of allowing readers to be involved in Ketchikan without having to pay a fee to read what the latest headlines are in the First City.

As for the Gravina road issue, I read my friend Jeff Hendrickson's letter and he brings up solid points that I agree with, and I read Laine Chanteloup's letter and it was interesting to read her point of view as somewhat of a newcomer to Alaska. Good writing both of you and solid letters from good people!

As to Sealaska, I agree with Aan Kadax Tseen/Don Hoff. For those Sealaska shareholders who were so anxious to vote for an additional hundred shares of stock for themselves or their family, without working closely with Sealaska to get it right for the Tribal Elders; every time you see one of your Tribal Elders, please personally apologize to them because they are now the true left-outs. It is sad that Sealaska's shareholders have come to this place in history, in which Sealaska's Tribal Elders were symbolically left out in the snow.

Finally, water deliveries. I agree with Amber W-B. Stirring of the tank will cause the water to taste a little brackish, but the water issue reminded me of the days that I lived in Africa. Thankfully, I had a water well with an endless supply of spring water that was tested frequently and had bottled mineral water quality right out of the tap.

However, one of my neighbors in Africa was not as fortunate, as he had to have water deliveries. He was not as lucky as people in Ketchikan are, because one day, one of his children was ill and he had to stay home from work. How fortunate was it that he observed that his water delivery person delivered water to his tank, and then emptied his septic with the same water truck.

Why he never discovered it sooner, and probably his only saving grace that prevented widespread illness to his family was that he had a water distiller running full time at his house. Great things those water distillers, I use one here.

So that is it from Sunny Suva. It is a hot and muggy Sunday afternoon here. All the best.

Michael Nelson
Fiji

Received July 01, 2007 - Published July 02, 2007

About: A former resident of Ketchikan.

EDIS - Red flag warning remains in effect until 6 pm pdt thursday due to gusty winds and low humidities

[EDIS] CAL FIRE NEWS - Red flag warning remains in effect until 6 pm pdt thursday due to gusty winds and low humidities ANTELOPE VALLEY

A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM PDT THURSDAY. GUSTY WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS 20 TO 30 MPH WITH LOCAL GUSTS TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE ANTELOPE VALLEY. WINDS GUSTING TO AS MUCH 40 MPH WERE REPORTED SUNDAY EVENING UNDER SIMILAR CONDITIONS. IN ADDITION TO THE STRONG WINDS...THERE WILL BE HOT AND DRY CONDITIONS THROUGH THE PERIOD. TEMPERATURES HAVE CLIMBED TO BETWEEN 100 AND 108 DEGREES TODAY...WITH SIMILAR CONDITIONS EXPECTED EACH DAY THROUGH THURSDAY. IN ADDITION... THERE WILL BE LONG DURATIONS OF LOW HUMIDITIES IN THE TEENS AND SINGLE DIGITS.

Instruction:
A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF STRONG WINDS... LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY... AND WARM TEMPERATURES WILL CREATE EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL. PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE OFFICIALS OR FIRE CREWS IN THE FIELD OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING.

Area: ANTELOPE VALLEY-

California Fire News

California Fire News: "NEWS - SCU - Livermore grass fire contained

Inside Bay Area - 'Livermore grass fire contained
By Roman Gokhman
Article Launched: 07/02/2007 10:48:36 AM PDT

Eighty acres of grassland were burned Sunday evening on the 7200 block of Collier Canyon Road north of Livermore. No one was hurt and no structures were damaged.

The fire started around 5 p.m. About 70 firefighters from the San Ramon Valley Protection District, Alameda County Fire Department and Cal Fire — 10 engines, a water tender, a helicopter, one air tanker, two bulldozers and two hand crews — responded. It took crews until 6:15 p.m. to have the blaze under control.

San Ramon Battalion Chief John Viera said an investigation has been completed and the cause of the fire was undetermined."

NEWS - LODD - Crews tackle Utah wildfire that killed 3

Crews tackle Utah wildfire that killed 3 - NewsFlash:

The Associated Press

NEOLA, Utah (AP) — A wildfire that has scorched about 46 square miles in northeastern Utah and killed three people has prompted the evacuation of hundreds of people from nearby towns and forced authorities to close a national forest to the public.

The fire started Friday morning north of Neola, about 100 miles east of Salt Lake City, and on Sunday morning crews had it about 5 percent contained. The cause had not been determined.

The fire began spreading into the Ashley National Forest Sunday afternoon, prompting federal authorities to close it to public use.

The small communities of Whiterocks, Farm Creek, Paradise and Tridell were evacuated Saturday. Some residents in Tridell had been allowed to return.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency said about 300 people are under a mandatory evacuation. Another 150 homes in Dryfork Canyon, about 8 miles northeast of the fire, could be threatened by Tuesday, said Derek Jensen, a FEMA spokesman.

"We are seeing extreme fire behavior and the potential for growth is still there. We haven't had a change in weather or change in fuel type or dryness," said Louis Haynes, a spokesman for the national forest.

At nearby Vernal, there was little wind Sunday, the temperatures hit 95 degrees and midday humidity was only 10 percent, according to the National Weather Service.

Edson Gardner, of Fort Duchesne, went to Farm Creek to evacuate his mother, whose home was burned to the ground.

"It came down the canyon like a herd of horses," he said Saturday. "The sheriff told us we had five minutes to get out."

Uintah County Sheriff Jeff Merrell said buildings had been destroyed but he didn't have a count.

water PARTY ho. | Hip Mama

water PARTY ho. | Hip Mama:

Thought I would post this pic from a kids party today. Not only did they have a waterslide, but a frend of the dad's came with a giant water truck. The kid went nuts. Of course with kids...just add water.

California Fire News: News - Tahoe blaze burns moments into memories - sacbee.com

CAL FIRE News - Tahoe blaze

News - Tahoe blaze burns moments into memories - sacbee.com:

Tahoe blaze burns moments into memories

Portraits from the fire

By Chris Bowman - Bee Staff Writer

Last Updated 12:20 am PDT Sunday, July 1, 2007

PAT HENNESSY: For the first time in 30 years, the retired firefighter is seeing destroyed homes, especially his own, in a new way. "It's just full of skeletons of childhood memories," he said. Sacramento Bee/Hector Amezcua

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE -- The sudden losses suffered by hundreds amid the splendor of this alpine resort area are by now known the world over.

What's left behind?

The spirit to rebuild, the will to protect the famously clear lake, the determination to reduce the risk of another catastrophic forest fire.

And the moments frozen in time by journalists from all points to chronicle the Angora fire.

In other words, photographs.

The Bee revisited some of these moments to sketch out the stories and complete the portraits of individuals caught by the camera.

PAT HENNESSY

'We've still got the view'

Pat Hennessy, 54, is a retired firefighter who drafted himself back into the ranks to battle the Angora blaze -- after seeing his own house burn to the foundation.

No sooner did his home of 20 years vanish than he hopped on his water-tender truck and got himself assigned to fire crews.

On Saturday, he returned to his home site off Lake Tahoe Boulevard to search for anything left intact. There was more at stake than just his own family's belongings. His garage had served as a storehouse for many generations of Hennessys, dating back to their arrival from Germany during the California Gold Rush.

His '49er ancestors owned butcher shops in Downieville and Sierra City. They used the income to run the family-owned stamp mill, the Kentucky Mine, now a historic Nevada County park.

"I've seen the aftermath of many house fires," Hennessy said Saturday as he surveyed his own ashen heap. "They're really no longer homes -- they are just rubble."

Now, of course, he's developed a different perspective.

"It's just full of skeletons of childhood memories," Hennessy said as he pointed out a toddler-sized 1950s pedal tractor. He found a heap of twisted, tiny railroad track that went with the 1930s Lionel train set handed down from his father.

What remains of those homes? The outline of very personal property.

"This was the first time in 30 years of firefighting that I don't like the media trampling on ruins. Before, I never thought about it. It was just rubble.

"You start recognizing things, and then you start thinking, hey, maybe I'll find something. I found myself walking around saying, did this make it? Did that make it?"

On Friday, an insurance adjuster had stepped into the garage area to document damage, Hennessy recalled. "I said, 'Hey, you're trampling all over my Life magazine collection.' Not everybody has every issue of Life magazine -- and I mean every issue from 1936 to 1975."

Hennessy continues to talk about his house and things in the present because his family has no doubt about rebuilding.

With arms akimbo, Hennessy stood in what had been his living room and looked out at what had been his picture- window view of a forest service meadow.

"We've still got the view," he said. "It just has a little charcoal."