The stories you want. The opinions that matter.
No, thanks
Tag: yosemite
California’s Air Tanker Fleet Grounded After Deadly Yosemite Crash

California’s Air Tanker Fleet Grounded After Deadly Yosemite Crash

By Joseph Serna, Los Angeles Times

All of California’s 22 S-2T air tankers have been grounded after one of the aircraft crashed while fighting a wildfire in Yosemite National Park, killing the sole pilot.
Most of the tankers haven’t been in use recently, as the large wildfires that raced across the central and northern parts of the state this summer have largely been brought under control. But the fleet will remain grounded until deemed safe by officials, Daniel Berlant, a spokesman for the state Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, said Wednesday.
California is one of a handful of states to maintain a fleet of firefighting planes. The S-2T tankers, which can carry up to 1,200 gallons of retardant, are essentially old Navy aircraft that were retrofitted “from nose to tail,” including with turbine prop engines that were added in the 1990s, he said.
The tanker that crashed Tuesday was among a handful of aircraft fighting the 130-acre Dog Rock fire, which broke out that afternoon on El Portal Road between the Yosemite’s boundary and the Arch Rock entrance station, officials said.
Debris from the crash was scattered on Highway 140, which was closed because of the blaze.
“This is obviously a very tragic situation, this pilot was one of our family,” Berlant said.
The pilot’s family has requested his name not be released until all immediate family has been notified, officials said.
Berlant said the pilot worked for DynCorp International, which also maintains Cal Fire’s planes.
A representative for DynCorp reached by The LA Times early Wednesday had no immediate comment.
The cause of the crash was under investigation, but it was clear and not too windy at the time the crash, Berlant said.
A California Highway Patrol officer who witnessed the explosion told the Associated Press that the air tanker appeared to hit a canyon wall while attempting to make a drop.
“I heard a large explosion, I looked up on the steep canyon wall and saw aircraft debris was actually raining down the side of the mountain after the impact,” said CHP Sgt. Chris Michael, who was stopping traffic along the highway when the plane went down.
“It hit the steep side of the canyon wall,” he added. “It appeared from the direction he was going, he was trying to make a drop down the side of the canyon when he hit the canyon wall.”
By Tuesday night, rescuers had climbed to the wreckage, which was perched on a 2,500-foot escarpment near El Portal.
Michael said pieces of the aircraft landed on the highway and came close to hitting fire crews on the ground nearby.
“It most definitely did disintegrate on impact,” he said. “It was nothing. I didn’t see anything but small pieces.”
Staff writers Adolfo Flores and Julie Cart contributed to this report.

AFP Photo/Mike Mcmillan

Interested in more national news? Sign up for our daily email newsletter.

Wildfires Rage Across Drought-Hit California

Wildfires Rage Across Drought-Hit California

Los Angeles (AFP) — As many as 6,000 firefighters were battling a wave of wildfires raging across California, which is gripped by a historic drought and near-record temperatures.

Thousands of residents have been evacuated and buildings ravaged in at least one of the fires in northern California, while southern California has been hit by power blackouts as people turn their air conditioning up to full blast.

There are currently 12 major fires across the vast western U.S. state, including near the town of Weed, where flames damaged or destroyed over 100 buildings including the local church.

“Since last year there are much more fires because of the drought,” CalFire spokeswoman Alyssa Smith told AFP, adding that there have been 200 more fires this year compared to the same time last year.

On Sunday, about 1,000 people were evacuated near Yosemite National Park in central California. The blaze that began near Bass Lake burned 330 acres (133 hectares) in a matter of hours.

California, baking in temperatures of over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (nearly 40 degrees Celsius), is in the third year of its worst drought for decades, devastating its largely agricultural Central Valley in particular.

In southern California, near-record temperatures for a sixth straight day led to a surge in electricity use, triggering outages which left some 7,000 people without power.

California often faces fierce fires in the summer and fall, but wildfire season began early this year, with the extreme drought of recent months generating dozens more blazes.

AFP Photo/Justin Sullivan

Interested in more national and environmental news? Sign up for our daily email newsletter!

California Wildfires Burn Homes, Force Residents To Flee

California Wildfires Burn Homes, Force Residents To Flee

Los Angeles (AFP) — Raging wildfires damaged or destroyed over 100 buildings in California and forced hundreds to evacuate in the drought-stricken U.S. state, officials said.

The Boles Fire, one of up to a dozen blazes gripping the state amid a heatwave, erupted near the town of Weed, some 280 miles north of San Francisco near the Oregon border.

By Monday evening it was 15 percent contained and had damaged or destroyed over 100 buildings, and forced the evacuation of three nearby communities, according to CalFire’s website.

Winds gusting up to 40 mph helped fan the flames.

“The fire was able to rage right into the community before we were able to get fire equipment into the scene,” California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection spokesman Daniel Berlant told the Los Angeles Times.

“The fire was starting ahead of itself; the embers thrown ahead touched the brush and structures,” he added of the blaze, which covered some 350 acres.

Meanwhile, another wildfire some 140 miles northeast of San Francisco more than doubled in size, to 8,600 acres, forcing the evacuation of some 130 homes, firefighter said.

By Monday evening the King Fire was threatening some 500 homes, according to the Sacramento Bee newspaper.

On Sunday some 1,000 people were evacuated near Yosemite National Park in central California. The blaze that began near Bass Lake burned 330 acres (133 hectares) in a matter of hours.

Temperatures in central California rose to nearly 104 degree Fahrenheit (40 Celsius) over the weekend, part of a heatwave expected to last through the common days.

California often faces powerful fires in the summer and fall, and the extreme drought of recent months increases the risks for more blazes this year.

AFP Photo/Mike Mcmillan

Interested in more environmental and national news? Sign up for our daily email newsletter!

Evacuations Of 1,000 People After Forest Fires Near Yosemite

Evacuations Of 1,000 People After Forest Fires Near Yosemite

Los Angeles (AFP) — A thousand people were evacuated near Yosemite National Park in central California due to fires triggered by a weekend heatwave that are threatening hundreds of homes.

The blaze that began near Bass Lake has already burned 330 acres (133 hectares) in a matter of hours.

None of the fire has yet been contained, according to the authorities.

The blaze has already destroyed or damaged dozens of buildings, a CalFire spokeswoman told AFP on Sunday.

She said about 400 homes, or 1,000 people, have been evacuated, adding that the 400 firefighters deployed were struggling to gain access to the site.

“The Courtney Fire’s dangerous rate of spread is threatening hundreds of homes with extreme fire behavior, while evacuations are ongoing,” the office of California Governor Jerry Brown said in a statement.

“Around the rest of California, red flag warnings are in effect and other fire outbreaks are a major concern for local officials.”

Temperatures in central California rose to nearly 104 degree Fahrenheit (40 Celsius) over the weekend, part of a heatwave expected to last through the common days.

The Meadow Fire that began in Yosemite Park in late July was 50 percent contained and authorities expect it will be extinguished within a week.

Another fire triggered Friday in southern California near San Diego was 20 percent contained. It forced the evacuation of about 200 homes.

California often faces powerful fires in the summer and fall, and the extreme drought of recent months increases the risks for more blazes this year.

AFP Photo

Interested in more environmental and national news? Sign up for our daily email newsletter!