AGENDA 21 RADIO

BY CHRISS STREET

CalFire has officially named the Wine Country’s Tubbs Fire as the most destructive in California history, with the Nun’s Fire and the Atlas Fire ranked as sixth and tenth worst.

Since what CalFire is referring to a the “Fire Siege” began on Sunday, October 8, California has suffered 250 wildfires that killed at least 42, burned 245,000 acres, destroyed an estimated 7,700 structures, and forced over 100,000 to Californians to evacuate. Thanks to cooler temperature, fog and scattered rain; coupled with Herculean bravery and determination of 11,000 firefighters and convict volunteers, there are only 9 major fires currently burning in California.

The worst destruction has been concentrated in California’s fabled 4-county Wine Country region, where the last 6 of the over 100 fires are all now at least 83 percent contained.

Prior to the last week, the most destructive fire in California history was the October 1991 Tunnel Fire that burned through 1,600 acres in the Oakland Hills, destroying 2,900 structures and causing 25 deaths.

But with Wine Country fires still active and dozens of residents still missing: the Tubbs Fire in Sonoma County has taken the California crown as the most destructive in history by burning 36,432 acres, destroying 5,300 structures and killing 22. The nearby Nuns Fire is now the sixth worst after burning 54,382 acres, destroying 1,200 structures and causing 2 deaths. The Atlas Fire in southern Napa County that burned 51,624 acres, destroyed 741 structures and caused 6 deaths.

CalFire reported at 6: a.m. on October 21 that the following are “Fires of Interest”:

Central LNU Complex has three fires under CalFire unified command with Santa Rosa Fire Department & Sonoma County Sheriff,

Tubbs Fire is 93 percent contained;

Pocket Fire is 82 percent contained; and

Nuns Fire is 85 percent contained.

Southern LNU Complex under CalFire command,

Atlas Fire is 87 percent contained.

Mendocino-Lake Complex has 2 fires under CalFire command,

Redwood Valley Fire is 95 percent contained; and

Sulphur Fire is 96 percent contained

Bear Fire in Santa Cruz County is only 40 percent contained.

Wilson Fire in Los Angeles County is 65 contained.

Buffalo Fire at Camp Pendleton in San Diego County is 80 percent contained.

The National Weather Service has issued “Red Flag Warnings & Fire Weather Watches” to alert fire departments of the “onset, or possible onset, of critical weather and dry conditions that could lead to rapid or dramatic increases in wildfire activity.”

A California Red Flag Warning is currently issued for weather events which may result in extreme fire behavior in the next 24 hours include low relative humidity, strong winds, dry fuels, the possibility of dry lightning strikes for inland sections of Ventura, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, Orange, Imperial and San Diego counties.