8172
From: Redhart, [DNS_Address]
Subject: major wildfire: Powerhouse fire/LA county near Castaic
URL: : http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=weather/wildfire_center&id=9123737
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We're getting smoked out by this fire tonight..and we're 40-50mi north of the flames. Latest word is a number of homes are now in flames tonight. Not good.. Here is an article posted a little earlier this evening for those who want some info on the fire. Red... *** Powerhouse Fire: Rising temperatures threaten firefight By Amy Powell and Darsha Philips | KABC-TV Los Angeles SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (KABC) -- Rising temperatures are threatening to hinder firefighting efforts Saturday as crews continue to battle the Powerhouse Fire. By 6:40 p.m., the fire burned through 5,561 acres and was 20 percent contained. Authorities ordered the immediate evacuations of areas from San Francisquito Canyon Road up to Elizabeth Lake Road and areas south of Lake Hughes Road. Lake Hughes is under mandatory evacuation and Lake Elizabeth is under voluntary evacuation. About 1,000 homes were threatened and 2,000 residents were evacuated. Evacuation orders remain in effect for as many as 300 homes in Green Valley. Some roads remain closed as the firefight continued. Only residents and emergency personnel are allowed to enter San Francisquito Canyon Road from Copper Hill, and only emergency personnel can enter the areas between Calle Daggett and the Department of Water and Power Village on the San Francisquito Canyon Road. Elizabeth Lake Canyon Road is closed from Cottonwood to Castaic. Cottonwood camp grounds continue to be closed. Around noon Saturday, Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies evacuated the 41600 Block of Lake Hughes Road, north of Mendenhall Probation Camp due to the blaze. Friday afternoon, Camp Mendenhall and areas north of South Portal Road and west of San Francisquito Canyon were evacuated due to the fire. A Red Cross evacuation center was established at Marie Kerr Park at 2723 Rancho Vista Blvd. in Palmdale. Hot and dry conditions are the main challenges for firefighters. Some power lines near the fire zone are also posing a concern. According to fire officials, if the fire moves in the predicted north, northwest direction, it could burn directly under those power lines. |
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8173
From: Redhart, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: major wildfire: Powerhouse fire/LA county near Castaic
URL: http://wlfhotlist.com/threads/34308-CA-ANF-Powerhouse/page8
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Multiple homes on fire tonight near Lake Hughes. Post at 20:51 (8:51pm) on Wildlandfire.com "LAC reporting Hughes-Elizabeth Lakes Elem School and FS78 threatened. Requesting immediate need ST for protection" They are sending helicopters back into the fire that they grounded a little while earlier (due to too much smoke) because of immediate need of structure protection. Going to be a long night for the firefighters and home owners down there. |
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8174
From: Redhart, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: major wildfire: Powerhouse fire/LA county near Castaic
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"firehouse 78 is surrounded by fire..requesting immediate air drop." Heard this on a scanner. Live scanner feed at link for those interested. |
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8175
From: Redhart, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: major wildfire: Powerhouse fire/LA county near Castaic
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according to on the scene firefighters (via scanner), the fire has pretty much burned through the small community of Hughes Lake and jumped the highway to the north side. This is the north side of the fire. The fire is now bearing down on the community of Lake Elizabeth on the north east, and town of "Green Valley" on the east flank of the fire. Sheriff deputies have been dispatched out to encourage the residents to evacuated...some are refusing right now. There are some wild reports out that this fire may have reached 15K-20K acres now. I don't think that's verified, but some on the fly chatter by some of the firefighters. Santa Clarita news is reporting that at least 30 structures have been damaged or destroyed tonight that they know of. Mind you, the smoke around Lake Hughes is still so think they can't get helicopters in there right now. Structure protection engines dispatched to Lake Elizabeth. |
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8176
From: Redhart, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: major wildfire: Powerhouse fire/LA county near Castaic
URL: http://scvnews.com/
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Lake Hughes elementary schools has burned...residents are reporting. Deputies are preparing to evacuate the area north of Elizabeth Lake Road between Lake Hughes Road and San Francisquito Canyon Road. map above from earlier today...fire is much larger now. |
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8177
From: susanna, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: major wildfire: Powerhouse fire/LA county near Castaic
| Thanks for all the updates Redhart! Have been following this and wondered what you could see from your location. Gaads it's big. |
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8178
From: Redhart, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: major wildfire: Powerhouse fire/LA county near Castaic
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Last acre estimate I heard, and this was from Fox news... was 19,500 acres. Listening to the scanner this morning for a bit and picked up some talk about a "casualty" or dead body found. That's unconfirmed, but definitely sobering. This fire blew up so big and fast last night...not sure I've seen a fire blow up at night like this. Smoke seems to have calmed down a bit this morning and blowing out some, but that could change as the day heats up again and humidity drops. Last I heard last night before going to bed, the northern front of this fire had gone over the ridge north of Lake Elizabeth and was heading for the Poppy Reserve in the desert. Once out in the desert, the fuel drops off quickly and terrain flattens...usually they can quickly control it out there. There was the northeast and eastern fronts too, though...north east that was heading toward the community of Lake Elizabeth and the eastern front heading toward Green Valley. |
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8179
From: Redhart, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: major wildfire: Powerhouse fire/LA county near Castaic
8193
From: Deb So. CA, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: Smelled Smoke in Orange County around 6am Sun Morn
URL: http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/gallery?section=weather/wildfire_center&id=9123967&photo=1
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I hadn't heard about this fire yet, and noticed smoky smell from my air conditioner in the early morning hours of Sunday. It alarmed me so I sat up in bed for a minute trying to decide what to do, then it stopped. I surmised that there must be a wildfire going on some where, because if it was near me, it would have continued. Plus I didn't hear any sirens. When I read about it yesterday, I thought of you Red, and hoped your family was ok. From what I have read, this area hasn't been burned in many, many years.....so was long over due. Hopefully they can contain it. I haven't seen the news yet today. Oh dear....I just checked (see link), and they said it is still OUT of CONTROL. Not good. Hopefully people evacuate when requested to, so there won't be loss of life too. 30,000 acres burned so far or 41 sq miles! Here is a map of evacuations: http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/feature? section=weather/wildfire_center&id=9124566 |
8196
From: Redhart, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: Smelled Smoke in Orange County around 6am Sun Morn
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Thanks...and we are fine and 40 mi north of the fire. Last word I've had on this fire is : 32,008 acres, 60% contained. They've made a lot of progress last night and today with the weather changes and finally have it on the run. the smoke has been clearing out today. I read that they will probably let the evacuated people back in starting tomorrow. That's a very good sign. It'll be several days of cleaning up hot spots now, but I think they finally have this one. |
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8198
From: Redhart, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: Smelled Smoke in Orange County around 6am Sun Morn
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the fire was at 60% containment (basically, they are mopping up now) and all evacuations have been lifted. Good news. This round is over, but it's going to be a long summer. |
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8180
From: Redhart, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: major wildfire: Powerhouse fire/LA county near Castaic
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okay, well couldn't get that video to embed right, but here is the link to an NBC story and the latest video news up date this morning from them. They mention 5 homes lost, but I've heard 13 from a number of other sources. many others damaged. All of the numbers are preliminary, of course, until they actually get eyes and feet on the ground to check these burned out areas once the fires calm down. |
8181
From: ny, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: major wildfire: Powerhouse fire/LA county near Castaic
| just saw this. you and family ok? |
8182
From: Redhart, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: major wildfire: Powerhouse fire/LA county near Castaic
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Yes, we're fine...we're about 40 mi north of this area...but we are getting smoked out when the plume pivoted right over us yesterday (gag-cough-hack). We have been put on notice due to weather conditions as we live in the Kern county mountains (see post below). Just a note... Lake Elizabeth, Lake Hughes and the Leona Valley(which this fire is now headed toward) all are in the sag-valley directly on top of the San Andreas fault (Mojave segment). The fire is expanding north- northeast and east (toward Lancaster/Palmdale) This was posted over at wildlandfire.com this morning: " Looking at the latest MODIS and AVHRR detection hits, the fire appears to be expanding quite a bit to the north and east, towards the flats. There's also some fresh hits close to where the actual powerhouse is. MODIS is also picking up some heat near Leona Valley, and over by Bouquet Reservoir. A Red Flag Warning is in effect for Zone 295 (Kern County Mountains), which is very close to this fire to the north. The forecast for Zone 254 (LA County Mountains/ANF) is for an elevated fire danger (not quite to Red Flag conditions) with temps in the 80s- 90s, RH in the teens, and winds 5-15G20 increasing to 15-25G35 in the afternoon. "mudmom |
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8184
From: ny, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: major wildfire: Powerhouse fire/LA county near Castaic
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Thanks, Red- It feels kind of corny writing this, but stay safe |
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