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San Diego will provide water from an underground storage facility in Kern County to serve parts of northern Los Angeles County, Ventura County and San Bernardino County in an agreement with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Metropolitan Water will purchase 4,200 acre-feet of the Water Authority’s reserves in the Semitropic Water Bank next year and lease an additional 5,000 acre-feet from the Water Authority’ account, as stated in the agreement. Times of San Diego (Calif.), Dec 14, 2021

California lawmakers were examining how drought can affect residents’ wellbeing. The Senate Select Committee on Human Security held a hearing on how drinking water is affected, as well as labor, health, and prices and supply at grocery stores. KGPE-TV CBS 47 Fresno (Calif.), Dec 16, 2021

The KNP Complex Fire burned for months, killing thousands of giant sequoia, consuming 88,307 acres and extensively damaging parts of the Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks. The blaze was finally fully contained on Dec. 17 after winter storms brought heavy snow that finally extinguished the smoldering fire. The KNP Complex began in early September when two fires, sparked by lightning strikes, merged on Sept. 9. The flames burned through millions of dead and desiccated trees, killed by drought and an infestation of bark beetles in the southern Sierra. The General Sherman tree and others were encircled with fire-resistant wrap to protect them from the flames that killed between 3% and 5% of the mature sequoia trees in the world died, despite the firefighters’ hard work to protect the trees. Visalia Times-Delta (Calif.), Dec 20, 2021

The Kansas Forest Service revised the total wildfire acres burned across western Kansas that sparked on Dec. 15 due to a historic storm that brought high winds to drought-stricken western Kansas, making dust blow. Kansas Forest Service and the National Interagency Fire Coordination Center used a new satellite data system to map ongoing wildfire to determine about 163,000 acres burned rather than the 400,000 acres that was previously reported. Great Bend Post (Kan.), Dec 21, 2021 The Four County Fire, a large wildfire in Russell and Ellis counties, has burned 365,850 acres, per the Kansas Forest Service, and destroyed at least 10 homes, according to the Russell County Sheriff. Initial assessment of the fire activity on Dec. 15, the day of the high winds and dust storms, indicated that 11 fires burned a cumulative acreage of nearly 400,000 acres. On the morning of Dec. 16, the Oklahoma Forest Service reported that the Cobb Fire in the panhandle had claimed about 10,000 acres. From the Texas Forest Service on the afternoon of Dec. 16: The North 207 Fire between Pampa and Borger burned 23,810 acres. The Parker Creek Fire southwest of Dumas was estimated at 11,066 acres. Wildfire Today (Rapid City, S.D.), Dec 16, 2021

On September 9, 2021, a significant lightning storm moved through the Southern Sierra Nevada. On September 10, two fires, the Colony Fire and Paradise Fire, were identified. These two fires later merged and became the KNP Complex. The majority of the total acreage of the KNP Complex has burned in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. This is a full-suppression fire.The KNP Complex does not pose any threats to life or property at this time. In light of significant precipitation events across the Sierra Nevada, the fire was declared 100% contained on December 16, 2021. However, fire can become established in heavy fuels and continue to smolder there for multiple precipitation events, or even all winter, and become active again when the fuels dry, so it may be some time yet before this fire can be officially declared "out." Parts of the foothills in Sequoia National Park reopened on Thursday November 11, 2021, from the Ash Mountain entrance to Hospital Rock. On Saturday, December 11,...

At 1:15 pm on Wednesday December 15th, Texas A&M Forest Service received a request for assistance for a fire approximately 8.5 miles west of Skellytown. TAMFS Crews are working in unified command with local resources. Extreme fire behavior due to weather conditions are being observed. The fire was heading towards Skellytown and threatening multiple homes earlier today. Residents of Skellytown were evacuated and been directed to an evacuation center in Pampa, TX. All evacuations for Skellytown have since been

 Amarillo, Texas - On Wednesday, December 15th the Parker Creek fire started in Oldham county south of Channing, Texas. The fire spread rapidly and Texas A&M Forest Service was called for assistance at 11:15 am. Winds were reported gusting up to 80 mph in the area until 3 at which point there will be a significant drop off. Good recovery in relative humidity, temperature drops and with winds slowing down fire spread was

 Firefighters are currently engaged in a wildfire in Clay County, located approximately 1 mile west of Petrolia moving southeast towards Henrietta.The Arrowhead Fire started on December 10, 2021 at approximately 4:00 pm under elevated fire conditions. Texas A&M Forest Service is in unified command with local fire departments. The fire is burning in grass and brushy fuels. Multiple structures have been threatened. Additional resources have been requested to assist with this

At 11:12 am on Wednesday December 15th, Texas A&M Forest Service received a request for assistance for a fire of unknown size approximately 5 miles southeast of Iowa Park. Crews arrived on scene to find additional fires paralleling the original request and declared a complex fire. The fire is burning towards Highway 287 in dense brush and showing extreme fire

UPDATE Dec. 15, 2021:  Cherry Hill Road, 63 piles accomplished to date & Dec. 14, there was no access due to snow. Breckenridge, Dec. 14th, 71 piles completed so far.Update:  Prescribed burns took place at both the Cherry Hill Road and Breckenridge areas yesterday, 12/13/2021.  Weather permitting, burns will continue throughout this week.Kern River Ranger District plans for Prescribed Burning Sequoia National Forest and Giant Sequoia National Monument Kernville, CA – December 10, 2021 As weather conditions permit, the Kern River Ranger District of the Sequoia National Forest will complete two prescribed fire projects in the Breckenridge Mountains and the west side of the Kern Plateau.  The targeted acreage is 200 acres. Both areas are the result of thinning and fuel reduction projects performed by contractors in past years.  Fire crews plan to start ignitions on Monday, December 13, through December 16, 2021.  The first planned units are located along the Breckenridge...

The Twin Creek wildfire in Moore County started on the afternoon of December 10, 2021 under elevated fire conditions.Underlying drought, critical fuel dryness and elevated to critical fire weather combined to produce a fire environment supportive of significant fire activity. Extreme fire behavior and fast rate of spread was observed.Texas A&M Forest Service worked in unified command with Dumas Fire Department. Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System (TIFMAS) and local fire department resources mobilized to the incident as well. State resources increased containment to 100% the evening of December 13, 2021. This page will no longer be

On September 9, 2021 the 97,528-acre Windy Fire was ignited by lightning on the Tule River Indian Reservation. As conditions allow, Sequoia National Forest fire personnel will continue their efforts on fire suppression repair, a series of immediate post-fire actions taken to repair damages and minimize potential soil erosion and impacts resulting from fire suppression activities. Please use caution when travelling near the area, fire crews continue to use these main routes to get to their work locations. Forest Service managed land burned in the Windy Fire remain closed under a Forest area closure. For public safety, the Trail of 100 Giants and other points of interest in the burned area are expected to remain closed until spring. Closed roads include Lloyd Meadow, Capinero, Crawford, Portuguese Pass and other Forest roads affected by recent wildfires. Fire hazards in these areas continue to pose an immediate threat, keeping the area closed until further notice. Tulare County has...

On the afternoon of December 10, 2021, two fires started near the town of Electra. Due to proximity, fire managers combined them into Electra Complex.  The two original fires burned together late on December 10th. Multiple local fire departments responded to assist, along with Federal resources from Sheppard Air Force Base, and State resources from Texas A&M Forest Service (TAMFS). TAMFS and Electra Volunteer Fire Department are working in unified command. The fires burned extremely active due to high winds. Responders were faced with low visibility and aircraft were not able to respond due to these conditions. Highway 287 was temporarily shut down due to heavy smoke, but reopened once it smoke dissipated.    Texas A&M Forest Service and Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) applied and received a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG). Remember not to fly your personal drones because, If You Fly-We Can't. More frequent updates on this and other wildfires that TAMFS...

The West Wind Fire was first reported on Tuesday, November 30, 2021 as a start in Judith Basin County that quickly spread into Fergus County. High winds pushed the fire into the town of Denton, MT where multiple structures were threatened. 25 primary structures, 18 secondary structures and 6 commercial structures are destroyed. The fire was caused by a powerline.  A number of mutual aid resources have responded to the fire, including Fergus County Sheriff's Office, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, and local firefighting resources.  The West Wind Fire Inciweb page will no longer be updated after

The East Troublesome Fire was reported on the afternoon of October 14. The origination point was northeast of Kremmling in Grand County, Colo. on the Arapaho National Forest. The cause is still under investigation. Within three days, high winds and low humidity allowed the fire to spread to over 10,000 acres. The direction of fire spread threatened State Highway 125 and forced the closure of the road and mandatory evacuation of approximately 90 homes by October 17.Between Oct. 20-23, the fire spread increased dramatically with 24-hour increases of around 18,000 to 87,000 acres during the four-day run. The peak fire spread of 87,093 acres occurred between late afternoon on Oct. 21 and the early afternoon of Oct. 22. The size of the fire exploded from 18,550 acres to 187,964 acres during this period. The fire crossed Highway 125 on the afternoon of Oct. 21 and spread eastward into the Rocky Mountain National Park on Oct. 22, crossing the Continental Divide and reaching the western edge...

 All fires on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest requiring a Burned Area Emergency Response assessment will also be posted in one central location at  Central Washington Fire Recovery 2021 THREE PHASES OF WILDFIRE RECOVERY There are three phases of recovery following wildfires on federal lands:-       Fire Suppression Repair-       Emergency Stabilization-Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER)-       Long-Term Recovery and Restoration Fire Suppression Repair is a series of immediate post-fire actions taken to repair damages and minimize potential soil erosion and impacts resulting from fire suppression activities and usually begins before the fire is contained, and before the demobilization of an Incident Management Team. This work repairs the hand and dozer fire lines, roads, trails, staging areas, safety zones, and drop points used during fire suppression efforts.Emergency Stabilization-Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) is a rapid assessment of...

 All fires on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest requiring a Burned Area Emergency Response assessment will also be posted in one central location at  Central Washington Fire Recovery 2021 THREE PHASES OF WILDFIRE RECOVERY There are three phases of recovery following wildfires on federal lands:-       Fire Suppression Repair-       Emergency Stabilization-Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER)-       Long-Term Recovery and Restoration Fire Suppression Repair is a series of immediate post-fire actions taken to repair damages and minimize potential soil erosion and impacts resulting from fire suppression activities and usually begins before the fire is contained, and before the demobilization of an Incident Management Team. This work repairs the hand and dozer fire lines, roads, trails, staging areas, safety zones, and drop points used during fire suppression efforts.Emergency Stabilization-Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) is a rapid assessment of...

 All fires on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest requiring a Burned Area Emergency Response assessment will also be posted in one central location at  Central Washington Fire Recovery 2021 Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) is a rapid assessment of burned watersheds by a BAER team to identify imminent post-wildfire threats to human life and safety, property, and critical natural or cultural resources on National Forest System lands and take immediate actions to implement emergency stabilization measures before the first post-fire damaging events. Fires result in loss of vegetation, exposure of soil to erosion, and increased water runoff that may lead to flooding, increased sediment, debris flows, and damage to critical natural and cultural resources. BAER actions such as: mulching, seeding, installation of erosion and water run-off control structures, temporary barriers to protect recovering areas, and installation of warning signs may be implemented. BAER work may also...

A Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) team was recently organized by the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest to begin an assessment of the Schneider Springs Fire burning outside Naches, WA. BAER teams conduct rapid assessments that evaluate post-fire conditions and determine the potential for increased flooding, sediment flows, and rockslides. BAER teams consist of many disciplines including hydrologists, geologists, soil scientists, road engineers, botanists, biologists, and archeologists from both federal and state agencies. The team will first survey the burned area and collect field data. BAER teams use this information to produce a “Soil Burn Severity” map and inform modeling. Determining soil burn severity is the first step in assessing potential watershed impacts to values that may be at-risk following a wildfire. Other science products describing the post-fire situation will follow.  BAER teams ultimately produce an assessment that describes post-fire conditions along...

·Ignitions on the Magic Feather Prescribed Burn near Red Feather Lakes have been completed for today (12/3) with an additional 50 acres burned, bringing the two-day total to 90 acres. No ignitions are expected tomorrow, but firefighters will be patrolling and monitoring the area throughout the weekend and until snow is forecasted early next week. Smoke will remain visible in the area over the next few days and the Mount Margaret Trail system remains closed through the weekend. Firefighters on the Canyon Lakes Ranger District of the Roosevelt National Forest are closely monitoring local conditions, including favorable winds, to begin prescribed fire operations as soon as Dec. 2, 2021, on the Magic Feather Prescribed Burn to improve forest health. Burning is planned on the interior of already established blacklines around the unit, providing a control feature, and staffing will be over the minimum levels identified in the burn plan. Timing of this is meant to take advantage of...