Fire in Moorpark, California

Hello my friends !

I hope that everyone of you is good.

Today I am writing about a drama in California which is happening now ! That is the fire , the fire again in California !

This one is very dangerous too like the last one near Los Angeles. I have a thought for Debbie and her friends because she has friends here so that is dangerous and there is a risk for houses. So please have a thought too for them and for every people who live here ! California is quite dangerous with fire because it is dry and there is a lot of wind.

The Guiberson fire, which has prompted the closures of two elementary schools and a community college, is expected to grow to more than 10,000 acres today and maybe 16000 till the end of the week due to low humidity and strong winds.

The fire and the resultant poor air quality have prompted the evacuation of Moorpark Community College, Walnut Canyon Elementary and Campus Canyon Elementary, Mohler said.

Though the Santa Ana winds haven't picked up yet today, they are expected to blow from 12 mph to 22 mph in about an hour.

"We're preparing for almost an exact repeat of what we saw yesterday," said Steve Kaufman, a public information officer with the Ventura County Fire Department.

Firefighters are expecting temperatures around the 100-degree mark today as they continue to amp up efforts to control the blaze, which is 10% contained, Kaufman said. About 900 firefighters are battling the blaze helped by18 air tankers and 12 helicopters.

A DC-10 jumbo jet converted into an air tanker was put into use Wednesday, dropping retardant on vegetation.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but Ventura County Sheriff's Department officials have said it appeared to have been started by spontaneous combustion of manure from a local ranch.

Voluntary-evacuation warnings have been issued for a few neighborhoods north of Moorpark, including Balcom Canyon, Bradley Road and areas around the college. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency in Ventura County

Example of fire in california and after the map of the place where there is the fire.

Firefighters guarded rural homes, ranches and orchards as the wind-driven blaze grew

Residents run from the fast-moving flames. (KTLA-TV)

The fire has been fanned by hot and dry Santa Ana winds, but wind speeds were lower Wednesday than on the first day of the blaze.

All mandatory evacuation orders in the area have been lifted. But voluntary evacuations are being recommended for the north end of Donlon Road, Coyote Canyon and Serano Verde.

Revers 911 calls recommending evacuations were made to 2,200 phones in unincorporated areas, but officials couldn't say how many people actually left.

The 15,000-student Moorpark College was closed because of its proximity to the fire.

A slow down in the winds allowed fire crews to build up defenses north of Moorpark, but the winds were expected to pick up again.

So that is a resume of the situation which is not good !
Debbie we are with you and your friends and with everyone who is here. We really hope that this situation will be better as soon as possible because fire is terrible !

And a big thanks to all these firefighters who fight always fight against the fire.

Bye bye my friends
arc

EDITOR'S NOTE: This story was assembled from various news sources. The photographs used in this story are copyrighted. The copyright owners fully reserve all rights.

MONDAY MORNING - SANTA BARBARA FIRE UPDATE

By Debbie Bulloch



Here is the latest information on the Jesusita (Santa Barbara) Fire. Information is current as of May 11, 2009, 7:00 a.m. PST (SL Time).

FIRE STATUS:

• 8,733 acres burned
• 65% contained
• Damage assessment in progress – initial estimate of 77 homes destroyed, 22 homes have been damaged, 60 outbuildings destroyed and 69 outbuildings damaged
• Approximately 145 properties evacuated (mandatory evacuation orders); affects approx. 362 people
• More than 3,900 properties under evacuation warning; approx. 9,754 people affected
• Residences threatened – 500; commercial properties threatened – 0
• 4,150 personnel on scene: 428 engines, 110 crews
• 5 air tankers and 15 helicopters
• 28 firefighter injuries to date
• Cause under investigation: Tip line – 805-686-5074
• Air quality warning remains in effect
• Estimated costs to date $9 million
• Expected containment 5/13/09

Every family in California needs to have a FAMILY DISASTER KIT ready at hand. In California we have fires, earthquakes and floods. (If the apocalyptic predictions of the Bible come true, we will also have plagues, locusts, etc.) Being prepared for these emergencies is ESSENTIAL.

The same advice applies to people in other parts of the USA and in the rest of the world as well. Click the link below for information on how to assemble a FAMILY DISASTER KIT.

FAMILY DISASTER KIT

The Red Cross also offers important information and tips. Click the link below for Red Cross information on how to prepare for and what to do in case of disasters.

Red Cross Disaster Information

PLEASE BE SAFE!

Finally, here are more photographs from the Santa Barbara fire. The photographs are courtesy of the L.A. Times website. The L.A. Times, or the individual photographers, are the copyright holders. The owner(s) reserve all rights to the photographs below.

Click on image for a larger view.

HELL ON EARTH!



AIR STRIKE TEAM (Please note, the plane's engines have not stopped; the photographer was using a very fast shutter speed, thus freezing the motion of the propeller's blades)



NOT EVEN BIKES WERE SAFE FROM THE FIRE'S DESTRUCTION.



TOUGH GOING IN BURNT OUT AREAS.



AMEN!!!

MAY 2009 - SANTA BARBARA FIRES

By Debbie Bulloch



Once upon a time California’s “Fire Season” usually lasted from August through December (with the highest incident of fires in September and October). These months coincide with the onset of the Santa Ana winds. That was in the past, however; nowadays “Fire Season” seems to last year round.

Yesterday (May 5), a fire began to burn on the hills above Santa Barbara. Today, the wind-driven fire continues to burn with no immediate end in sight. The “Sundowner” winds are pushing the flames making life miserable for the firefighters who are battling the fires.

As of this writing, over 8000 homes are threatened by the fire and their residents have been ordered to leave. Injuries, so far, include firemen and civilians. I will update this portion of the post as more information becomes available.

UPDATE: As of 10:30 p.m. SLT, more than 20 homes have been destroyed, 8000 evacuated and three firemen, all from Ventura County, are being treated for serious injuries. They are expected to recover, however.

A few weeks ago we worried about news of the spreading swine flu, last Friday night a mild earthquake hit the area, and now we have fires – what's next? Flights of locust? Frogs falling from the sky?

In spite of plagues, fires and earthquakes, life is good in California. We are, after all, the “Golden State.”

At Between Homes our thoughts and prayers (for those of us inclined to pray) are with the brave firefighters risking life and personal safety to fight these destructive fires. Our thoughts and prayers are also with all the fire victims.

The photos below were taken from the L.A. Times and Ventura County Star websites, respectively. The Times and the Star own the copyright to these photographs. All rights are fully reserved.

(Click on individual image for a full view.)

A view of the fire spreading over the hills.



A beachgoer taking a dog for a walk on the beach - the fires burn on the hills above.



A dangerous night drop from a helicopter.



Air tanker making a drop over the hills.



Another view of an air drop. Because of the steep terrain and gusting winds, these drops are very dangerous to the pilots who fly the air tankers.



A firefighting chopper - thick smoke makes these operations dangerous.



Even animals need rescuing - goats being rescued.



Evacuated horses are safely boarded up at the local Fair Grounds.



Fires and palm trees - a typical Southern California combination.



Here is a link to community resources available to those affected by the JESUSITA FIRE (Santa Barbara).

COMMUNITY RESOURCES