White Fire 100 percent contained
White Fire 100 percent contained
By: Carin Enovijas, Tehachapi News Editor
Topics: White Fire, kcfd, CAL Fire, rosamond
Posted by editor Tue Jul 3, 2007 09:55:23 PDT
Viewed 843 times
0 responses 0 comments With 100 percent containment of the White Fire achieved, the CAL Fire led incident command team will transition management back over to the Kern County Fire Department today at 10 a.m., as more than 400 remaining firefighters and heavy equipment used to fight the wildfire are returned to their units.
Initially reported on the morning of June 14, 20 miles north of Rosamond, the White Fire burned for eight days, destroying 12,454 acres, 13 residences and 18 outbuildings. Six firefighters were treated and released after receiving minor injuries. Total containment costs are estimated at nearly $10 million.
High winds, including gusts exceeding 50 miles an hour, drove the fire into steep terrain of the Oak Creek Canyon area, making containment efforts an exceptionally difficult task.
Governor Swarzenegger called the multi-agency team of nearly 2,000 firefighters utilized to put down the blaze, “true action heroes,” during a visit to a briefing held on June 29 at the incident command center in Rosamond. The governor also noted that the area burned by the White Fire exceeded the Lake Tahoe wildfire by as much as three times.
According to a CAL Fire news release, investigators have determined that the fire was "human caused."
"All Terrain Vehicles (ATV’s) were seen leaving the area shortly after the fire was reported. According to Investigators, the fire origin is located in a remote area of White Oak Canyon that is frequented by off road vehicles," stated the release.
Anyone with information is asked to please call the Kern County Fire Department’s “Fire Tip Hotline” at 1-877-397-3847.
What it takes to fight a 12,000 plus acre wildfire:
• 690,200 gallons of water were dropped on this fire by helicopters
• 290,545 gallons of retardant were dropped by aircraft
• 13,672 hot meals were served in base camp
• 11,500 lunches were eaten
• 143,500 feet of dozer line was constructed
• 34,600 feet of fire hose was deployed on the ground
• 1,600 AAA batteries were used for radios
• 1,500 aspirin were taken
• 500 tubes of Blistex were used
• 300 bottles of eye wash
• 250 4oz. bottles of Gold Bond foot powder were used by firefighters
• Over 20 tons of trash was generated, of which 90% was recycled!
| Send to a Friend | Report a Violation |
