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More information |
Lone Pine Canyon
Fuel Reduction Project
Final Decision
(11 page pdf file) |
Mechanical Fuel treatments
May 2005 |
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Prescribed Burn
begins
April 19, 2006 |
Overview of
Lone Pine
Canyon April 19, 2006 |
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Backing fire thru
the Bigcone
Douglas Fir stand
April 19, 2006 |
Cajon Pass & Lost
Lake
April 19, 2006 |
This dozer was
critical to
operations. It is on-site in
case the project had
problem and they would
not put fire on the ground
without it. |
The test burn takes
place
first thing
April 19, 2006 |
This photo gives
some
perspective on the extent
of the east end of the Rx fire
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Lone Pine
Canyon Fuel Reduction Project
Prescribed Burn Details
Gabe Garcia – Front Country District
Ranger
San Bernardino National Forest
"The greatest lesson for me;
working on a fire is not the best time to
break-in new boots" |
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May 3, 2006
5-3-06
Evening report
The project Rx burn today was text book and luck. We burned ~175 acres today
working on the south side of the Lytle Creek divide, north over the ridge to
1N31.
We delayed the burn for one hour because of the fog, high relative humidity
(Rh). The test burn occurred ~9:30 and went pretty well. The high Rh made it
slow at first. The lowest Rh was 34% and it increased as the day went. The
change occurred about 11am when the fog began to lift. Along with the
increasing Rh lifting fog came increasing upslope winds (7-10mph on the
ridge top). The wind pushed the flames upslope, moderated by the increasing
Rh (up to 55% by 3pm). The high moisture content made for a smoky fire and a
loud, crackling fire. The noise was due to the moisture being pushed out of
the vegetation by heat.
As last week, the chamise and slash from the masticator burned well.
Mazanita and scrub oaks were stubborn. The grasses cured some and would
carry fire when adjacent to heat from the chamise or slash. Mountain leaf
mahogany singed. The vegetation was perfect for this type of operation with
buds beginning to break.
The smoke drifted into Lone Pine Canyon
The crews and equipment on site today was nearly the same mix as our last
burn with a Forest Service hotshot crew, several engines and water tenders.
The County provided a brush engine and the critical dozer on site to cut
fire line, just in case. CDF provided 2 Fener crews. The welcome addition
this week was the San Bernardino, Inland Empire, CCC crew. These kids really
worked hard!
When I left at about 5:30 there was very little heat showing with spots of
smoke. It cooled down nicely.
We left FS Engine 33 out there until 9pm and Patrol 38 plus one fire fighter
out all night. The chatter on the radio tonight from the scene, reported and
Rh of 90% and one active flame.
For Thursday, we will have the same complement of troops and equipment. Our
plan is to work the west end between the Pacific Crest Trail and 1N31. We
will then work down the ridge to clean up and widen the western fuel break
adjacent to unit one. The fog tomorrow is expect to be at 5000’, just a
little higher than today.
There is one picture I hope we can upload onto the web site. I recall one
post on the forum concerning wildlife. I caught a very young bunny escaping
the fire and seeking refuge under Battalion 34’s rig. As soon as the smoke
decreased, it scrambled into the
black.
Good night for now. You will be glad to know my boots are broken in. I
walked around the burn quite a bit and other than some fatigue, I am ready
to roll for another day.
Gabe Garcia – Front Country District Ranger
San Bernardino National Forest
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April 28, 2006
San Bernardino, CA- The Front
Country Ranger District of the San Bernardino National Forest is planning to
resume work on the Lone Pine fuels treatment project next week, utilizing
both hand and helicopter burning operations. Fuels Battalion Chief Ken
Kempter, stated that the project will continue contingent on weather
conditions and resource availability.
The proposed plan is to complete the hand burning of the fuel breaks around
the perimeters of Units 1 & 2 on Wednesday and Thursday, May 3 & 4th, 2006.
After these fuel breaks have been burned, helitorch burning of the interiors
of Units 1 & 2 is planned for Friday and Saturday, May 5 & 6, 2006.
Signs will be posted along the Lone Pine Canyon Road with information
personnel available at the fire kiosk in Wrightwood and on Highway 138.
There are no anticipated main road closures, but there may be some traffic
delays. There will be closures of the Forest Service roads in that area,
including 3N29, 3N31 and 3N33. The Pacific Crest Trail will also be closed
during the project burn period. The project will be staffed by fire
personnel for 24 hours a day during burning and mop-up.
The Lone Pine Canyon Fuels Reduction project is an ongoing fuels treatment
project that will decrease the threat of wildfire to the communities of
Wrightwood and Lytle Creek. For further information please call Pam Bierce,
Public Affairs Specialist, 909-382-2896.
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April 26, 2006
There are no physical effects to the
PCT trail due to the Rx burn. Visually, we predicted short term affects
common with any fire activity. That is with the black and white ash and
skeletons of vegetation. We can expect some green up of the trail through
spring and early summer. By next year, an untrained eye will only notice a
difference in vegetation density.
We hope to keep the trail closure as short as possible, limited to active
operations. Once we leave the site, I would expect the trail to open up.
During the prescription fire last week, we kept the trail closed only while
we were conducting operations. On day one, closure was because of active
flames. On day two, we closed because our crews above the trail were
displacing rocks as they were mopping up. We did not want rocks rolling down
on a hiker.
As I commented yesterday, the trail closure was limited to the areas of
activities. To accommodate hikers, we will either escort them through or
drive them around.
Gabe Garcia - Front Country District Ranger, San
Bernardino National Forest
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April 21, 2006
Evening report 6:30pm
The wind did finally surface with the marine layer at ~2pm. Our preparation
yesterday Apr. 20, made for a non event today. As I said last night, we had
one hand crew, one water tender and one engine on site all day. They were
all released by 5pm. To be safe, our overnight patrol will again be two
people but, they will have on hand a water tender.
Our spot weather forecast for this evening and tomorrow calls for deep fog
early and cloudy later.
Tomorrow’s shift plan will be the same as today’s, one hand crew, one water
tender and two engines. Their objectives will more of the same, search for
hot spots and mop up.
The long range forecast calls appears to be lining up pressure systems for a
potential Santa Ana event early in the week. For now, our helicopter project
is on hold.
The burn windows in Lone Pine Canyon are very short. The window is between
the rains and green up. When it is raining or high relative humidity in the
air, nothing lights. When the vegetation begins to green up, new growth,
there’s too much moisture in the plant’s to catch fire. Shortly after green
up, our drying trend begins and we do not dare put fire on the ground. We
have to not only evaluate this period between precipitation an green up but
the long term forecast so as to not allow the potential for heat to run into
the drying period.
If we can not pull off the heli-torch Rx burn, we have at least, with this
week’s Rx fire, performed maintenance on the ridge top fuel breaks. I am
satisfied with maintenance as our result, given the finicky pressure
differentials between the coastal side and desert side of the San Gabriel’s.
Pretty cool to be named after a mountain range.
More details on the crews involved:
SB County Fire: dozer
Engines: Grand Terrace, Fontana, Phelan
Water Tender: Summit Valley & San Jacinto Ranger District
CDF crews: Fenner Camp/Wrightwood & Pilot Rock/Lake Arrowhead
USFS: Water Tender, engines, and crews--Front Country Ranger District
Gabriel Garcia – Front Country District Ranger, San Bernardino National
Forest
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April 21, 2006
Your morning repot from the line.
Isn’t technology great! I am submitting this report from Lone Pine Burn
Project.
In brief, the fire went as expected last night but we are changing our plans
to mop-up due to predicted weather for tomorrow.
The fire for a majority of the 100 acres cooled off nicely. In most of the
area, the fire is out. The one area with any heat remaining is around the
Douglas Fir stand, about 1 acre of the 100 acres burned. The fire creeped
and backed down as we wanted. It backed down to the Pacific Crest Trail. The
heat that remains is in scattered slash and piles.
This morning spot weather forecast is for 10-15mph southerly, up-slope wind
with a relative humidity of 52-62% and 0% chance for precep. Friday, we are
expecting about the same with 10-15mph, southerly upslope winds, Rh of 32%
and 0% chance of rain. Our concern is with predicited 35-40mph, southerly
winds on the ridgetops.
We are being very conservative in our decision making given spot weather
projections. Our operations today will consist of mop up. Our four hand
crews will be lining around the ~1 acre Douglas Fir stand. The engine crews
will be laying hose and wetting down this area to eliminate any heat before
the arrival of tomorrow’s winds.
Firing will be limited to strategic squaring off of the perimeter.
We will access resource needs this afternoon about 5pm. At minimum, we will
leave patrols out all night and an engine or two through night fall.
My projection for today are good. I foresee no issues, we have the crews,
engines and the weather with high Rh, low winds and temperatures.
Gabe - Front Country District Ranger
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April 20, 2006
The evening report:
Operations today went really well, we accomplished our objectives:
• To knock down heat in areas potentially exposed to a south wind
• Cool down the bigcone Douglas fir area
• Line and mop up 100’ in area containing heat
The fire did back down the drainage as we hoped in the Douglas Fir stand. It
crossed the Pacific Crest Trial a 100’ or so. Forest Service crews, engines
and water tenders along with San Bernardino County engines and water tenders
worked this area. These same crews worked the western end of the Rx, mopping
up 100’ in.
CDF crews (Fenner & Pilot Rock) worked the eastern end of the Rx fire,
finding any heat and dry mopping. They also lined these areas.
When I left at about 6pm, the fire was cool with the only smokes showing
deep interior in a rugged area. Water tenders left the site about 5pm, after
filling up porta-tanks left on site. The last engines rolled out about 6pm.
For tonight, Patrol 36 and one fire fighter will remain on site to keep
watch.
For tomorrow, our plans are limited to additional mop up. We are planning on
two engines, one hand crew and one water tender plus overhead.
Overall, I am pleased with our work on the fuel break yesterday and today’s
progress in preparation for tomorrow’s forecasted winds. We really cooled
down those areas potentially exposed to a southerly wind.
Our plans are to keep an eye on the project for the next few days. We are
still planning a helitorch operation with the earliest date now being April
25 and the latest still being May 15th. This decision will be based on
available resources (people and equipment) for the operation and
contingency, and weather.
I would like to thank CDF for their crews, San Bernardino County for their
engines, water tenders, dozer and personnel. The county provided an engine
from Grand Terrace and without the dozer on site, ready to roll as a
contingency, we would have not set fire to the project. I am grateful to our
own fire fighters for their hard work in pulling this off. Lastly, it is
always a pleasure working with the Wrightwood Fire Safe Council.
The greatest lesson for me; working on a fire is not the best time to
break-in new boots.
Although I am not planning to be on-site tomorrow, I’ll post a report and
will continue until this thing wraps up
Gabriel Garcia – Front Country District Range, San Bernardino National
Forest
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April 20, 2006
It is currently 12:15pm. I am on the line with the crews and it looks good.
The Fenner and Pilot Rock crews are mopping up the east end. They are
finding little heat.
The shot crew and engine have a line around the one acre Doug Fir patch and
have plumbed down to the bottom. Water tenders are suttling water to the
engines. We are making great progress and should be ready for tomorrow's
predicted wind event.
gabe
My Morning Report below:
Your morning repot from the line (apr.20, 2006 – 930am). Isn’t technology! I
am submitting this report from Lone Pine Burn Project.
In brief, the fire went as expected last night but we are changing our plans
to mop-up due to predicted weather for tomorrow.
The fire for a majority of the 100 acres cooled off nicely. In most of the
area, the fire is out. The one area with any heat remaining is around the
Douglas Fir stand, about 1 acre of the 100 acres burned. The fire creeped
and backed down as we wanted. It backed down to the Pacific Crest Trail. The
heat that remains is in scattered slash and piles.
This morning spot weather forecast is for 10-15mph southerly, up-slope wind
with a relative humidity of 52-62% and 0% chance for precep. Friday, we are
expecting about the same with 10-15mph, southerly upslope winds, Rh of 32%
and 0% chance of rain. Our concern is with predicited 35-40mph, southerly
winds on the ridgetops.
We are being very conservative in our decision making given spot weather
projections. Our operations today will consist of mop up. Our four hand
crews will be lining around the ~1 acree Douglas Fir stand. The engine crews
will be laying hose and wetting down this area to eliminate any heat before
the arrival of tomorrow’s winds.
Firing will be limited to strategic squaring off of the perimeter.
We will access resource needs this afternoon about 5pm. At minimum, we will
leave patrols out all night and an engine or two through night fall.
My projection for today are good. I foresee no issues, we have the crews,
engines and the weather with high Rh, low winds and temperatures.
Gabe - Front Country District Ranger
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April 19, 2006
My feet are a little tired and my eyes red from the smoke - guess who,
Gabe Garcia, your District Ranger down the hill.
The burn went off pretty well today. The objective is to shore up the fuel
break for heli-torching in the next few days. We will evaluate on Friday
(4/21).
We left one Forest Service engine out there until 8pm. We have two people
out there all night patrolling for any flare-ups. I have my Forest Service
radio on the bed stand and it's pretty quiet.
When I left the site at ~6:30, just smoke.
The only activity we expect over night is backing fire thru the Bigcone
Douglas Fir, which is perfect. It will clear around one of my favorite,
fire adapted trees without applying much heat for any duration around the
bole.
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We were not sure we could pull this one off
because of high fuel moistures. The chamise, grass and slash burned well
but the oak was a challenge and the birch leaf mountain mahogany would not
light. We saw 40-60% residual.
We set fire along the flanks and tops of units 1 & 2, burning above the
Pacific Crest Trail to the ridge top fuel break.
We will be out there again tomorrow, burning in a similar pattern with our
objective to widen the fuel break as preparation for heli-torching.
We will evaluate on a go, no-go Friday. The earliest we could see the
copter - Sunday April. 23, latest, May 15. Our decision will be based on
weather (which is favorable), available resources on site and on a
contingency basis and other items. Our objective with the heli-torch is to
break up fuels, leaving 40-60% residual. As a visual, we hope to replicate
the fuel pattern of the fuel breaks for each unit.
Good night, my eyes, feet and lungs must rest for another day of smoke -
gabe
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Direct links to Photos or maps prohibited.
Reproduction prohibited without written permission, except for personal use.
©2006 Ryan Enterprise
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