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."

One Dead As Water Truck Crashes Near Bradbe - News Story - WLKY Louisville

One Dead As Water Truck Crashes Near Bradbe - News Story - WLKY Louisville:

"LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Louisville Metro Police were called to the scene of a fatal accident Tuesday around 11:30 a.m. near Routt Road, around Bradbe.

Officials said a 70-year-old died when the truck fell off the road. His name had not been released as of 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Dispatchers said it was a single-vehicle accident involving a water truck. It is not yet known what company owned the water truck."

Nashville, Tennessee - Driver killed when water truck overturns

NewsChannel 5.com Nashville, Tennessee - Driver killed when water truck overturns:

Associated Press - June 27, 2007 6:04 AM ET

FISHERVILLE, Ky. (AP) - A 70-year-old Shelby County man is dead after the water truck he was driving overturned as he was delivering water to a farm in the Fisherville area, east of Louisville. But it was not the initial accident that caused the fatality.

Jefferson County Deputy Coroner Jack Arnold says James Glascoe was turning from the farm's driveway on Bradbe Road onto Routt Road late yesterday morning when the rear axle slipped off the side of the road into a ditch. Arnold says Glascoe got out of the truck, apparently to assess the damage, and the vehicle then fell over and crushed him."

Police blotter - water truck stolen

Police blotter: 9:43 a.m. A person on Sloan Court just west of Holly Drive reported that someone stole a 1985 Peterbilt water truck from a construction site."

2 firefighters trapped inside overturned Water Tender

California Fire News-Water tender Flipped On Way to Fight Fire

Water tender Flipped On Way to Fight Fire

2 firefighters trapped inside

By Jessica Peres

06/24/2007 - The accident happened at about 7 pm Saturday, at the intersection of Avenue 21 and Road 26, just north of the City of Madera.

It certainly was a scary situation for two volunteer firefighters and two civilians who got caught in a nasty wreck.

The Madera County Firefighters were on their way to fighting a vegetation fire along the Chowchilla River when their water tender got broadsided by another car.

This was the tangled scene after a Honda crashed into a 4 thousand gallon water tender. As the water tender lay helpless on its side, two volunteer firefighters were trapped inside.

CHP Officer Peter Grotto was one of the first to arrive on the scene. He says the two volunteer firefighters were calm as the jaws of life came to free them.

"We had two volunteer firefighters that were very calm and they had their wits about them they were talking to us and to each other and they were just patiently waiting to be rescued from the vehicle" says Officer Grotto.

Cal fire officials said it was hard to see one of their own in such a critical situation. Tracy Cheek, Cal fire, says "afterwards we think about the families of the PCF's and the people that were involved, but that's what we do that's our job."

The two firefighters had their lights and sirens on as they traveled down road 26 to the Chowchilla River fire. CHP officers say they cleared the intersection and kept going but they were hit by a Honda when the driver didn't stop at the stop sign.

When emergency crews arrived, the water tender was on its side. They say it took 15 minutes to get the firefighters out.

"The H40 helicopter transported the two passengers from the Honda to Regional Medical Center and the two volunteers went via ambulance to the medical center" says Officer Grotto.

Crews helped drain the water tank to make it easier to tow away.

Officials say the accident shows how dangerous firefighters' jobs are, even when responding to an incident.

The fire along the Chowchilla River was fully contained.

The driver of the water tender truck was released from the hospital Saturday evening. The other firefighter spent the night at the hospital, no word on his condition.

CHP is continuing to investigate the accident.

Blaze Destroys Rural Buildings

Blaze Destroys Rural Buildings

BY JOHN BRANTON, Columbian staff writer

Heavy flames sent up a column of black smoke visible from miles away on Wednesday afternoon and destroyed three wooden buildings in a remote rural area east of La Center.

An unidentified volunteer firefighter with Fire District 12 suffered minor burns. No one else was believed injured, officials said.

The blaze at 6103 N.E. 330th St., first reported at 1:15 p.m., spread to trees and brush around the home. Firefighters were able to limit the brush fire to about a quarter-acre, said Battalion Chief Gordon Brooks of Fire District 10.

Halting the spread were about 40 firefighters from districts 10, 11 and 12 and inmates from Larch Corrections Center, working with officials with the state Department of Natural Resources.

Had it occurred during the drier months of August and September, the brush fire might have grown much larger and spread to nearby homes, said Max Konkright, acting battalion chief with District 12.

Konkright was first to arrive, about 15 minutes after someone called 911 to report seeing the smoke column.

At first, it wasn’t clear exactly where the smoke was coming from, or even which fire district it was in, officials said. It turned out to be in the Lockwood Creek area just inside District 10’s boundary.

“I went up the driveway and saw a wall of flames,” Konkright said. “The grade was way too steep to bring any regular fire engines in.”

There was no hydrant in the area; firefighters had to leave their large engines about half a mile away, Brooks said.

The strategy they used involved attaching a hose to a water tender — a truck with a tank holding about 2,500 gallons of water — and dragging the hose up a gravel road and steep gravel driveway toward the blaze.

Several small brush rigs, which are one-ton trucks holding only about 300 or 400 gallons of water, filled up from the hose. Firefighters then drove the brush rigs back and forth, pouring water on the fire and returning to the tender for refills.

Under the circumstances, there was no hope of saving the three wood-frame buildings.

They included a shed, a building variously described as a house or barn, and a building that may have been used to house birds, said Deputy Fire Marshal Richard Martin. The fire’s cause and dollar damage estimate hadn’t been determined.

The 4-acre property belongs to David Lee Booth, according to county records.

With summer approaching, fire officials warn rural residents to clear brush, firewood, tall grass and other flammable material away from their homes.

Early Morning Fire Destroys Rawhide Rd. Residenc

MyMotherLode.com - Local News:

Early Morning Fire Destroys Rawhide Rd. Residence

Wednesday, June 20, 2007 - 05:00 AM
Bill Johnson
MML News Director

Sonora, CA -- Fire completely destroyed a single family residence at 19639 Rawhide Rd. during the two o'clock hour this morning.

The residents, a father, mother and a two year old son, escaped with no injuries.

Tuolumne County Fire Marshall Kary Hubbard reports the older home, which has been in the family for a number of years, had two bedrooms and one bath. Damage to the structure has been estimated at $200,000 with $50,000 damage to the contents.

Six engines and three water tenders from CAL FIRE and the Tuolumne County Fire Department responded to the blaze along with a chief from the Columbia Fire District.

Cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Assistance was also provided by P.G.& E. and the Sacramento-Sierra Chapter of the American Red Cross."

One killed in Gilbert collision today | EastValleyTribune.com

One killed in Gilbert collision today

One killed in Gilbert collision today

Gary Grado, Tribune
One man died and two others were seriously injured Monday when a car they were in ran a red light at Greenfield and Elliot roads.

Sgt. Scott Girardin of the Gilbert Police Department, said the car with the three men, a green Chevrolet Malibu, was heading north on Greenfield when it was struck by a westbound water-tank truck and knocked into a Ford Focus.

The drivers of the water truck and Focus suffered minor injuries in the 5:26 a.m. crash, Girardin said."

1 killed after car reporteldy runs red light and was hit by a water truck

1 killed after car reporteldy runs red light Phoenix, Arizona:

1 killed after car reporteldy runs red light

07:41 AM Mountain Standard Time on Monday, June 18, 2007

azfamily.com Staff

One person was killed in an early morning wreck in the area of Greenfield and Elliot roads.

Kim Martinez reports

A green car reportedly ran a red light and was hit by a water truck.

Rescuers had to cut three victims from the green car. Two of those people were unconscious at the time, said Capt. Rob Dugan of the Gilbert Fire Department.

A person who was sitting in back passenger seat, which bore the brunt of the impact, was killed.

The other two victims, one of them with life-threatening injuries, were flown to Maricopa County Medical Center.

The driver of the water truck and the driver of a third vehicle were taken by ground ambulance to area hospitals. Neither suffered life-threatening injuries.

The intersection was closed while police conducted their investigations. It was expected to reopen some time after 9 a.m.

News - Fire season declared in Humboldt

The Eureka Reporter - Article:

Fire season declared in Humboldt

The Humboldt-Del Norte Unit of Cal Fire will be on fire season status as of Monday. Cal Fire will complete hiring and training seasonal firefighters, and will begin staffing all facilities 24 hours per day.

“Fire season” means that Cal Fire increases preparedness levels, but it can mean restrictions for citizens as well.

Dooryard burn permits have been required since May 1, but a seasonal burn permit suspension should be expected as ground fuels become increasingly susceptible to fire. Cal Fire encourages community residents to clean up and dispose of their non-fire-safe vegetation early in the season.

Cal Fire firefighters want to remind loggers that all fire tool and clearance requirements are in effect. In addition, homeowners need to create a defensible space around their property so that it can be protected from wildfire.

For guidance on making a home defensible, consult the Cal Fire Web site at www.fire.ca.gov."

A baptism by fire.

Found this nice Water Truck story from across the big pond: A baptism by fire. - PerthNorg - Your News, Your Views:

It was the third day of the new year and an entirely new life for a city slicker like me. I soon found out that farming life in the wheat-belt was as far-out as life on the moon. The Christmas period was traditionally my holiday time. This year was quite different, as I was eager to lend a hand in return for Peter and Michelle Brown’s hospitality. At harvest time Peter worked up to eighteen hours a day. He had recently invested in a state-of-the-art harvester, recognising a business opportunity in contract harvesting. He rendered a service to his neighbours that paid for his investment. He asked me to give him a hand moving some gear.

“Gear?” I thought. “Right!” I said

We were driving to where he had left the harvester the night before. The multi-thousand dollar mechanical monster was parked in a paddock on a neighbouring farm. My light duty was to accompany him to the harvester, drop him off and then drive the ‘ute’ back home. I reminded him that I was more than willing to help with the real work. He explained that he had run the farm on his own for so long that he found it difficult to delegate. He waved away an annoying fly and my offer to help in the same motion. A hot uncomfortable wind drafted across the wheat-scape. The harvested paddocks looked crisp and dry, like tinder.

“That’s a bloody fire!” Peter yelled suddenly. He pointed ahead. I looked towards the end of the red dusty road and saw only salmon coloured gum trees. “Struth! That could be the Roberts’ farm.” He said and floored the accelerator. Orange puffs of dust ballooned up beside us as we ripped the gravel. A gang of pink and grey galahs shrieked and scattered skyward. Only then did I see the smoke.

I hadn’t buckled my seat belt until then, but as the vehicle hurtled along the unstable surface I pulled down the oily, dusty strap and punched it home. Rapid exchanges of snaps and crackles sparked on the two-way radio. Key information was traded but it was too curt for me to grasp. I hadn’t yet tuned in to the country accent, but one thing was certain - there was panic in the air. Dark grey billows of smoke violated the bright blue sky.

At first I was relieved to see the harvester. It was in a field of freshly cut stubble. Had we arrived in time? It was silhouetted against a backdrop of the looming fire and smoke. Peter spun the vehicle round, stumbled out and ran off towards the harvester, then left towards the fire and disappeared into the smoke and haze. Why, I wondered.

The fire was real to me then. I could feel the heat of it rise well above that of the thermo-fan day. I could smell it and taste it. Little bits of charred white ash dropped round me like snowflakes. What was I to do? I could have done as he asked and driven the ute back home, but why leave then when I might be needed.

The thought occurred to me to try to move the harvester. I ran towards the beast and in one movement scaled the alloy steps into its lofty cockpit. I knew I was in trouble then. The hi-tech dashboard was no user-friendly workstation. There was no way of knowing where to begin. The clutter of control dials showed up dead as dull granite. There was no clue, no start button and no ignition key.

The elevated view helped me realise that the fire wasn’t actually moving towards the harvester. A diagonal wind was drafting it away to the right. There was nothing I could do about the harvester. Where was Peter? What should I do for the best? I ran back and leapt onto the back of the ute, hoping to get a better view from there. I saw nothing but smoke.

“Do you know what to do, mate?” I spun round to see a man I thought I’d met the day before. The locals had nicknamed him ‘Jorgy.' He must have sensed my helplessness. He invited me aboard his old Bedford water truck and drove us calmly into the heart of the action. Cool as canned beer he showed me how to aim the hose at the base of the flames. They reluctantly succumbed to the piercing jet of water. I looked to left and right and slowly identified several other figures in the haze with wet sacks and fire fighting paraphernalia. We appeared to be in a grove of mallee trees on the edge of a firebreak road. The men were surprisingly calm and seemed almost amused at my fervent attempts at fire fighting.

I should have known that neighbours play a vital support role in farming life. They had rallied round with water trucks to help contain the blaze - well before Jorgy and I arrived. “Goodonya, Mates!” they greeted us dryly. I learned from the good-natured banter that followed that July Roberts had inadvertently driven a tractor across a paddock and that had sparked the dry wheat stubble.

Although the blaze had been contained, there was still a danger of the fire spreading by the underground root system. The volunteers decided to abandon their farming duties for the day to stand vigil. “You never know how them bush fires might spread”, said Jorgy with a wink.

Peter then proposed that my next duty should be to hurry into Dumbleyung, the nearby town. There I was to buy a block of beer. On the way back, I was to pick up the sandwiches that Michelle had prepared.

“No worries.” I thought. The blokes were settling in for an afternoon off.