BDF - Hill Fire - Oak Hills - 9-2-11

Oak Hills - San Bernardino Sun - Firefighters surrounded part of the 1,100-acre Hill Fire in the Cajon Pass overnight Friday, but have concerns about today's high heat, low humidity and windy conditions.
More than 950 firefighters battled the blaze, getting about 30 percent of the fire contained.
"We're waiting to see what the winds and heat do to it today," said U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman Robin Prince. High temperatures in the pass are expected to be 95 and 98 degrees, with winds at 15 to 20 mph and humidity at 13 to 15 percent.The 15 Freeway has been reopened in both directions, but fire officials warned there may be periodic closures due to smoke. The Hill Fire began in the center divider between the north- and southbound 15 Freeway south of Oak Hill Road at 12:43 p.m. Flames jumped the freeway and began burning west toward homes in the Oak Hills area near Hesperia. It destroyed two mobile homes and damaged three other residences. Firefighters have evacuated 1,500 homes. A mandatory evacuation remains in place south of Mesquite Street, east of Baldy Mesa Avenue and west of Oak Hills Road. Prince said about 11 people stayed at the Victorville Fairgrounds where an evacuation center had been opened Friday. Two firefighters suffered injuries while fighting the blaze.
Firefighters expect the fire to be fully contained by Sunday evening.

More photos can be seen here in the gallery section of FireWXPhoto.com.

Photo by EPN-564

LAFD - 64's - Trailer Fire - 8-26-11

LAFD E64 responded to a travel trailer fire on 113th St. near Towne Ave. Upon arrival they found a well involved travel trailer. The crew from E64 got quick knockdown. More photos can be seen here in the gallery section of FireWXPhoto.com.

Photo by EPN-564

BDC - Raymond Fire - Wonder Valley - 8-6-11

San Bernardino County Fire responded to a reported structure fire in the Wonder Valley area. BP45 was first on scene and had a well involved single family dwelling, multiple vehicles, a boat, a bus and a lot of junk all burning. Multiple units responded from Yucca Valley, Joshua Tree, MCLB Fire, as well as 29 Palms Fire. More photos can be seen here in the gallery section of FireWXPhoto.com.

Photo by EPN-564

BDC - Acoma Fire - 7-9-11

A few photos from the Acoma Fire, a wildland fire in Yucca Valley. More photos can be seen here in the gallery section of FireWXPhoto.com.

Photo by EPN-564

Landers Lightning - 7-8-11

 A good thunderstorm rolled thru Landers on July 8th. I managed to get a couple shots from the apron of Station 19. More photos can be seen here in the gallery section for FireWXPhoto.com.

Photo by EPN-564

Barstow and Baker Lightning - 8-13-11

I was finally around when there were some storms. I was first in Barstow with 560 and then broke off from there to roll out to Baker with 425 and 411. We caught the tail end of the T-storm as it headed north from Baker.More photos can be seen here in the gallery section of FireWXPhoto.com.

Photos by EPN-564

BDC - Plane Crash - 7-5-11

SUMMIT VALLEY • VV Daily Press - The small Cessna airplane that crashed into a parked car and then rolled into a house had just taken off from Hesperia Airport just before the incident, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Hesperia station officials said.
“It appears it went through a field before striking the vehicle, then sheering off the wing which caused fuel to spill and finally coming to rest on the house,” Sgt. Colleen Kuhn said.
Sandy Banberg was at home with her son and his girlfriend when the aircraft crashed. No one in the home was hurt in the incident.
It was first reported the pilot and passenger of the Cessna had been transported to the hospital with minor injuries, but San Bernardino County Fire officials at the scene stated the two refused medical treatment.
For more about the plane crash, read the full story in Thursday's Daily Press.

Photo by EPN-564

BDU - Structure Fire - 6-12-11

Sunday evening San Bernardino CALFIRE units along with T241 responded to a reported structure fire in the 26000 block of Western Ave. in Highland. The first arriving unit was T241 and they found a single story structure with a working attic fire. T241 passed command and went to work doing roof operations.  More photos can be seen here in the gallery section of FireWXPhoto.com.

Photo by EPN-564

LAFD - Auto Fire - 5-7-11

LAFD E65 responded to an Auto Fire located at 84th and Central Ave. The vehicle was well involved when E65 arrived. The vehicle had crashed and was caught on a small cement island in a parking lot. LACoFD E16 also responded. More photos can be seen here in the gallery section of FireWXPhoto.com.

Photo by EPN-564

LACoFD - Structure - 4-16-11

HACIENDA HEIGHTS, Calif. (KABC) -- A fire that engulfed and destroyed a Catholic church in Hacienda Heights early Saturday has been ruled an act of arson.  The blaze broke out at St. John Vianney in the 1300 block of Turnbull Canyon Road shortly after midnight. The priest, who was asleep in the rectory adjacent to the church, realized the building was on fire when he heard loud popping noises. The church was fully engulfed when fire crews and arson investigators arrived on scene. Authorities said the fire was raging hottest in the auditorium of the church. They said the wooden pew inside the auditorium accelerated the blaze. It took firefighters several hours to get the fire under control. Crews were able to stop the fire from spreading to the rectory and also saved precious relics from inside the church. The church was completely destroyed with damage estimates at approximately $9 million. "We were here as original parishioners. We spent hours building this church and having fund raisers," said parishioner Anita Dunbar. "Keeping the faith, we'll build it again," said another parishioner. No injuries were reported. No information was released on the identity of the suspect. The Arson and Explosives Detail of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is leading the investigation. If you have any information regarding the fire, you're urged to contact arson investigators at (323) 881-7500.
(Copyright ©2011 KABC-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)

More photos can be seen here in the gallery section of FireWXPhoto.com.

Photos by EPN564

LAFD - Traffic - 4-1-11

In the early morning hours of April 1st, 2011, a traffic collision sent one vehicle crashing into a building. The accident occurred at the intersection of La Brea and Adams in South Los Angeles. One patient was extricated and transported to a local hospital. More photos can be seen here in the gallery section of FireWXPhoto.com.

Photo by EPN-564

San Bernardino County - Air Ambulance - Landers - 3-27-11

On Sunday, the San Bernardino County Fire Department responded to an off road traffic collision in the community of Landers. On arrival, BE19 found that a rider on a ATC had rolled and crashed. The patients condition required air transport so an air ambulance was requested. Mercy Air 18 responded and transported the patient to an area trauma center. More photos can be seen here in the gallery section of FireWXPhoto.com.


Photo by EPN-564

 

LAFD Firefighter Glenn Allen Services 2-24/25-11

I attended both the Candlelight Vigil at Station 78 and the funeral services downtown. Below is the official LAFD statement.

(LAFD) Glenn Allen, 61, had been with LAFD for 36 years, having joined in July of 1974, according to the mayor’s office. He was one year away from retirement.

Allen was part of the team that battling a blaze at 1546 N. Viewsite Drive in the Hollywood Hills just before midnight on the 16th. In addition to Allen, three other Los Angeles firefighters and two Los Angeles County firefighters were injured.

Per LAFD policy, a formal investigation is underway to determine the cause of Allen’s injuries and the circumstances surrounding his death.

“He was doing what he wanted to do. He was doing what he loved. He was serving the City of Los Angeles,” said LAFD Chief Millage Peaks. “Glenn Allen spent 36 and a half years of his life serving the City that he loves, serving the City that he lives in and serving a City that he was very proud of.”

A statement from the fire department reads:

“The men and women of the Los Angeles Fire Department thank you for your kind words and sentiment at this time of overwhelming sorrow and immense loss. The Allen Family and the Los Angeles Fire Department has received a tremendous outpouring of support during this difficult time. Your firefighters wish to thank you and express our deepest appreciation for all the kind words and gestures that have been provided.”

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa ordered all city flags to be lowered to half-staff in Allen’s honor.

In a statement, the mayor said, “Today, I join all Angelenos in mourning the loss of Firefighter Glenn Allen, a fearlessly committed firefighter who dedicated 36 years of his life to protecting the people of Los Angeles. Glenn was a valiant hero whose selfless sacrifice will forever be honored. This tragedy serves as a somber, yet powerful reminder that the brave men and women of the Los Angeles Fire Department put their lives on the line each and every day to keep us safe from harm. My thoughts and prayers are with the family of Firefighter Allen and his extended family of Firefighters at LAFD.”

In a statement, Los Angeles City Councilman Paul Krekorian said, “I was deeply saddened today to learn of the passing of Glenn Allen, a brave Los Angeles city firefighter who died in the line of duty this week. This was a tragic reminder of the daily risks the heroic men and women of our Los Angeles Fire Department face and the inspiring courage they constantly exhibit. I extend my deepest sympathies to his family during their period of grief, and to all the men and women of the Los Angeles Fire Department. The entire city family shares in their grief and stands in solidarity with them.”

In a statement, the Los Angeles Police Protective League said, “Los Angeles police officers join our brethren firefighters in mourning the death of Los Angeles firefighter Glenn Allen, who died from injuries he suffered while fighting a fire on Wednesday. The death of Glenn Allen is a tragic and sad reminder of how much gratitude we owe to first responders, who routinely put their lives on the line for the public’s safety. We must remember the ultimate sacrifice Glenn selflessly gave after more than 38 years dedicated to protecting and saving the lives of Los Angeles residents. Our thoughts are with the Allen family, whose lives will be changed forever, but we hope they can take solace in knowing that Glenn was a hero and that as his extended public safety family, we will always be there to support them.”

More photos can be seen here in the gallery section of FireWXPhoto.com.

Photos by EPN-564

San Bernardino County - Air Ambulance - Means Dry Lake - 2-12-11

On Saturday evening, the San Bernardino County Fire Department was dispatched to a off road vehicle rollover on Means Dry Lake in Johnson Valley. Over the past week the largest off road race in the US had been taking place and even though the event was now over, there were still thousands of people camping on the lake bed. The rollover occurred at another location but the patient was brought back to his camp to meet up with the fire dept. While enroute to the incident, information provided to us by dispatch prompted us to launch an air ambulance. Mercy Air 22 was dispatched and arrived about 20 minutes after we were onscene. The patient was flown to a local trauma center. More photos can be seen here in the gallery section of FireWXPhoto.com.

Photo by EPN-564

Means Dry Lake Event - King of the Hammers Race - 2-12-11

Over the past week, Means Dry Lake in Johnson Valley saw the King of the Hammers off road race. An estimated crowd of 20,000 people were packed into the lake bed. There was a sea of motorhomes, toy haulers and every kind of off road vehicle imaginable. The San Bernardino County Fire Department was on hand keeping a close eye on things. Thank goodness for GPS units, for when you have a dispatch that says, 'the incident is located near a white toy hauler near the middle of the lake bed...' We did have one incident that required air transport for one person and that will get its own post.

Photos by EPN-564

On Sunday evening the San Bernardino County Fire Department responded to a reported off road accident on Means Dry Lake. Upon arrival we found a single vehicle roll over with multiple patients. One patient's injuries required air transport and a second patient was transported by ground to a local hospital. More photos can be seen here in the gallery section of FireWXPhoto.com.

Photo by EPN-564

Weather and Lightning from 2010

I finally got around to editing a few trips worth of photos from the summer of 2010. The photos are from many areas of California, Nevada and Arizona including Johnson Valley, Barstow, Landers, Joshua Tree, Kern County, and Palmdale. There is also a set from the Lake Sutherland and Anza Borrego areas of San Diego County. Some others include Searchlight NV, Kingman AZ, Seligman AZ, Grand Canyon AZ, and Lake Havasu AZ

The rest of the photos can be seen here in the gallery section of FireWXPhoto.com.

Photo by EPN-564

BDC - Structure - 1-7-11 Lucerne Valley

The San Bernardino County Fire Department responded to a reported structure fire on Custer Ave in Lucerne Valley. BDC E8 was the first engine on scene and reported a working fire to the rear of the structure. The crew from E8 got a quick knockdown and did a good save to the structure. Engine 331 from the Apple Valley FPD assisted the county.

More photos can be seen here in the gallery section of FireWXPhoto.com.

Photo by EPN-564

APP 331 doing roof operations

BDC - Structure - 12-25-10 - Mohawk Incident

YUCCA VALLEY — (Hi Desert Star) A Christmas Day apartment fire destroyed two apartments, damaged two more and left seven people homeless.

San Bernardino County units from Yucca Valley, Yucca Mesa and Joshua Tree, assisted by Cal Fire Yucca Valley and the Morongo Valley Fire Department, responded at 1:09 p.m. to the 6900 block of Mohawk Trail, where they learned that victims might be trapped in a two-story apartment complex.

On arrival, the crew from Yucca Valley Medic Engine 41 reported flame and smoke were showing from the first and second floors of the complex. They began fire control and rescue operations.

A woman in a wheelchair was found inside her apartment and was helped out of the burning building by county firefighters and sheriff’s deputies.

The woman told firefighters she was sleeping in bed and woke up to find the “whole side of the window on fire.” She got up and alerted two other residents, including her 4-year-old grandson, of the fire, Battalion Chief Dan Munsey reported.

With help from a friend, the woman initially tried to extinguish the fire by pouring water from pots and pans on the flames. “Quickly they realized the extent of the fire and exited the structure,” Munsey said.

Five engines and one truck were needed to control the fire, which completely destroyed two apartment units and caused minor damage to two others.

Shirley Peters, representing the local American Red Cross chapter, was called to the scene and provided immediate shelter, food and clothing for seven affected people in the apartment complex.

No one was hurt in the fire, which was caused by a faulty electrical outlet in an apartment’s back bedroom.

Dale Adams was visiting his mother at the apartment complex at the time of the fire. Adams tried to fight the blaze and helped evacuate people in the four-plex apartment complex of the fire.

“I smelled something like plastic, like a chemical smell,” Adams said by phone Monday afternoon. “The next building down had smoke coming out the window.

“I went running out the front. We could see fire up to the window sill,” Adams continued.

He went to the front door and found a woman and her grandson on the porch; they told him her cat was inside.

“Smoke was rolling out the front door pretty thick,” Adams said. “She took off running back into the apartment. The little boy followed her. The place was already so full of smoke you couldn’t get a breath of air.

“I went in and drug the boy back outside and told him to go to the parking lot. I found the occupant near where the fire was, on her hands and knees calling for the cat. I grabbed her by the arm and dragged her to the front door.”

The cat did not survive.

After ensuring there were no other people in the apartment, Adams returned to size up the situation.

“It was so thick with smoke I couldn’t breathe, so I had to come back out and get a breath of fresh air. My mom was there with the fire extinguisher so I went in with it, then came back out for more air. I made it to the bedroom, pointed it blindly at the orange glow and pulled it for about five seconds.

Adams saw the fire crawling across the ceiling, “Like in a movie or something. It was really trippy. When I saw the flames above my head I decided it was time to pull out of there.”

BE19 was put on the ticket as part of the second alarm. By the time we got there from Landers most of the action was over. I did manage to get a few shots....

More photos can be seen here in the gallery section of FireWXPhoto.com. 


Photo by EPN-564