USFS Fire and Aviation-Southern California

U.S. Forest Service-Southern California, Fire Information

[USFS Fire and Aviation-Southern California @SoCalUSFS_Fire]

@SoCalUSFS_Fire welcomed wildfire strategists from the Netherlands to the South Ops Coordination Center for an exchange of ideas on wildfire response, interagency coordination, intelligence products, and weather and climatology.

Sharing ideas, exchanging perspectives, and learning from one another to advance wildfire preparedness and response!

[USFS Fire and Aviation-Southern California @SoCalUSFS_Fire]

Collaboration drives capability.

This week, states and federal partners have strengthened the National IAA Program in Ogden, UT. This group continues to deliver trusted intelligence to wildland fire and all-hazard incidents 24/7/365. Together, we're advancing infrared mapping with a shared vision of preparedness and interagency coordination.

[EldoradoNF @EldoradoNF]

The Eldorado National Forest has lifted fire restrictions.
Recent cooler temperatures and increased moisture levels have lowered the wildfire risk for the Eldorado NF.

please visit the Eldorado National Forest Alerts page. https://t.co/O7DH7XMDwi

[USFS Fire and Aviation-Southern California @SoCalUSFS_Fire]

On National First Responders Day, @SoCalUSFS_Fire honors the courage and dedication of wildland firefighters and all first responders.

Public service is a commitment to putting others first, protecting communities, and answering the call.

#NationalFirstRespondersDay

[USFS Fire and Aviation-Southern California @SoCalUSFS_Fire]

A view from above!

This is the Barnes Prescribed Fire on the Sierra National Forest. Prescribed fire is a critical tool for reducing hazardous fuels, improving forest health, and creating more resilient landscapes.

📸 Photo credit: @CAL_FIRE Air Attack

[USFS Fire and Aviation-Southern California @SoCalUSFS_Fire]

This is the crew from Angeles National Forest Engine 338. They are in Northern California supporting the Plumas National Forest with important prescribed fire operations.

@SoCalUSFS_Fire crews travel throughout California and beyond to accomplish critical fuels management work across America’s treasured landscapes.

[USFS Fire and Aviation-Southern California @SoCalUSFS_Fire]

We will always remember and never forget.

[Angeles National Forest @Angeles_NF]

#EsperanzaFIre – Twenty-Year Anniversary

Twenty years ago, a San Bernardino National Forest (BDF) strike team of engines was assisting CAL FIRE Riverside with an arson caused brush fire burning southwest from Cabazon in Riverside County.

The BDF strike team was assigned to an area of the fire in the Twin Pines community and upon arriving moved into a life-safety mission helping area residents evacuate from their homes ahead of the fast-moving fire.

At 7:15am, BDF Engine 57 was overrun by fire, four firefighters perished that day and the fifth firefighter passed October 31st.

The Angeles National Forest joins firefighters across the globe honoring the sacrifice and price the five firefighters of Engine 57 paid twenty years ago today.

We will always remember and never forget.

San Bernardino National Forest’s Captain Mark Loutzenhiser, Engineer Jess McLean, Firefighter Jason McKay, Firefighter Pablo Cerda, and Firefighter Daniel Hoover-Najera.

@SanBernardinoNF @wffoundation

[USFS Fire and Aviation-Southern California @SoCalUSFS_Fire]

@SoCalUSFS_Fire resources remain busy supporting a wide range of missions across the nation’s landscapes.

The Slate Mountain Suppression Module from @sequoiaforest is supporting Indiana’s Hoosier National Forest, while a dozer from @StanislausNF is headed to Mississippi.

Meanwhile, other Southern California resources are supporting prescribed fire projects across the state, while remaining ready to respond to wildfires and all-hazards emergencies.

[U.S. Wildland Fire Service @USWFS]

This isn’t just any prescribed burn.

Over the past few days, more than 70 of our firefighters and personnel, alongside our @forestservice partners, have been conducting a prescribed burn at @SequoiaKingsNPS.

The 482-acre Grant Grove Prescribed Burn continues a long tradition of proactive fire management in one of the world’s most historic giant sequoia groves.

Home to the General Grant Tree, the world’s second largest sequoia tree by volume, the grove benefits from reducing dead and down fuels that can feed wildfires. Previous prescribed burns have helped stop the spread of 2015 Rough Fire and the 2021 KNP Complex from damaging this important area.

Yet this prescribed burn not only protects this grove from wildfire but creates the ideal conditions for these magnificent trees to release their seeds and grow the next generation of trees.

[Angeles National Forest @Angeles_NF]

Wind from the Northeast have decreased over the Angeles National Forest and will transition to winds from the southwest later in the afternoon. However, temperatures and relative humidity will remain warm and dry into Monday.

In addition to our excellent partners at the Los Angeles office of the National Weather Service, we also want to highlight another source of valuable weather and fire intelligence information.

At the Southern California Geographic Coordination Center (OSCC) in Riverside, the Predictive Services group studies the weather, fuel (grass brush, trees) conditions and provides additional wildfire risk analysis to fire agencies. The information they provide is relevant to help firefighters at all levels develop strategic and tactical fire behavior information, predict fire growth, and interpret potential fire characteristics.

OSCC produces a short webcast that offers a quick summary of fire weather conditions throughout the area. Matt Shameson narrates today’s webcast, Matt is a Forest Service Meteorologist with predictive services.

Watch the webcast: https://t.co/SRcrLhZpRP

@SoCalUSFS_Fire @NWSLosAngeles

[USFS Fire and Aviation-Southern California @SoCalUSFS_Fire]

@SoCalUSFS_Fire remains ready. Federal aviation resources are working alongside our interagency partners to provide robust, around-the-clock support for wildfire response.

This CL-415 Super Scooper is one of many assets ready to fight fires from the @Angeles_NF

[USFS Fire and Aviation-Southern California @SoCalUSFS_Fire]

@SoCalUSFS_Fire continues to support the 570-acre #NorteFire with heavy helicopters and large air tankers. Additional federal air tankers have arrived in Southern California to support ongoing fires and respond to new starts.

[Angeles National Forest @Angeles_NF]

#ForestServiceAircraft

The Angeles National Forest has pre-positioned two Forest Service contracted Bombardier CL-415’s at Fox Field.

The CL-415’s can carry up 1,621 gallons, fly at 207 mph and are amphibious aircraft that skim the surface of a water body, scoop water into the plane’s onboard tank, before dropping water on the fire.

The planes (260 & 262) will augment the Forest Service firefighting fixed wing and rotor aircraft assigned to Fox Field. The base is located at General William J. Fox Airfield in Lancaster.

@SoCalUSFS_Fire

[Angeles National Forest @Angeles_NF]

#HendersonFire - Camp Pendleton

Angeles’ Fox Field has launched Forest Service Cessna Citation II Intel 52K to the 1404-acre brush fire on USMC Camp Pendleton.

Intel 52k is a twin jet aircraft that provides real-time video and infrared mapping to fire command on the ground.
@USMC @MCIWPendletonCA @SoCalUSFS_Fire

[USFS Fire and Aviation-Southern California @SoCalUSFS_Fire]

@SoCalUSFS_Fire continues to preposition additional resources for windy conditions across the state. Yesterday, these resources were well positioned to respond to the Bryson, Peak, and Henderson Fires, with @SoCalUSFS night-flying aircraft supporting the Henderson Fire overnight.

[Angeles National Forest @Angeles_NF]

#RedFlagWarning

Strong Santa Ana winds continue gust up to 58mph over the Angeles National Forest.

Today a series of fires broke out over the southland today demonstrating how dry conditions are, even with the recent hurricane related storm.

Forest visitors and area residents please report any flames, smoke to 911.

Are you prepared? https://t.co/FSwoYJvXDh

Weather information: https://t.co/YzYAu6ilQT

@ReadyLACounty @SoCalUSFS_Fire @NWSLosAngeles

[USFS Fire and Aviation-Southern California @SoCalUSFS_Fire]

@EldoradoNF Engine Strike Team 4603C, prepositioned in South Ops ahead of the wind event, is now assigned to the #PeakFire in LA County. Managed under unified command with @Angeles_NF, the fire is 43 acres and 31% contained. @EldoradoNF @Angeles_NF

[USFS Fire and Aviation-Southern California @SoCalUSFS_Fire]

Meet Snake River Valley Crew 10 from Vale, Oregon. They’re one of many out-of-area crews prepositioned in South Ops to bolster peak-season staffing through this week’s wind event.

[Angeles National Forest @Angeles_NF]

#RedFlagWarning #SantaAnaWinds

The Angeles National Forest has moved into high state of readiness ahead of the Red Flag and Santa Ana wind conditions expected tomorrow through Saturday.

We augmented available resources to include a strike team of engines from the Eldorado National Forest and two additional dozers.

In addition, the Southern California’s Geographic Coordination Center has prepositioned firefighters throughout the southern half of the state; ready to respond in the event of a wildfire.

In addition to the “First Alarm” response by ground resources (Engine, Crews, Dozers, etc.) our initial response includes a full compliment of aircraft. Today’s photo highlights the aircraft’s available for a “first alarm” response from Angeles’ Fox Field in Lancaster.

Weather Forecast: https://t.co/YzYAu6ilQT

@SoCalUSFS_Fire @NWSLosAngeles @ReadyLACounty