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San Bernardino City Fire Department received multiple calls for a house fire at the above location early this afternoon. First arriving units encountered heavy fire and smoke involvement to several rooms of an occupied residence, which had also spread into the attic.

Multiple structures and vehicles were threatened from fire exposure. San Bernardino Firefighters made an aggressive attack on the structure. The extreme rate of fire spread was due to high winds of up to 40mph.

It took 26 firefighters 18 minutes to control the blaze. 3 people were displaced and are taking shelter with family.

SBFD investigators have determined that the fire originated at a multi-port receptacle adapter that did not have surge protection.

A brush fire is burning in the hills above Santa Barbara and Montecito. The fire, dubbed the “T” Fire, broke out just before 6 p.m.

Firefighters responded to foothills after residents reported seeing smoke and flames.

The fire has burned up to 300 acres. Some structures have burned, and others are threatened.

The Santa Barbara City Fire Department has ordered evacuations for residents living north of Mountain Dr and Cold Springs.

A reverse 911 call issued for residents living in the Montecito and Santa Barbara foothills.

According to the Montecito Fire Department, the mandatory evacuation area is Hwy 192 (East Valley Rd/Sycamore Cyn Rd.) between Cold Springs Rd and Hot Springs Rd.

An emergency shelter was set up at a San Marcus High School at 4750 Hollister Avenue in Santa Barbara and students at Westmont College were told to gather in the school’s gym.

Wind gusts were being clocked as high as 70 mph, according to the National Weather Service.

Fire information Line:
805-681-5197

Story by Fox 11 News

GLENDALE - Call it a trial by fire. Would-be firefighters enrolled in the Verdugo Fire Academy in Glendale - which trains personnel who go on to jobs with departments in the San Gabriel Valley and elsewhere - recently experienced the intensity of battling an oil refinery blaze.

Students from the Verdugo Fire Academy in Glendale battle a fire at the Chevron Oil Refinery in El Segundo. When these students graduate, they will go on to become cadets or auxillary firefighters for local fire departments, many in the San Gabriel Valley, said Verdugo Fire Academy Chief Sam DiGiovanna. Members from Arcadia, Pasadena, and Sierra Madre Fire Departments assisted in the training exercise. (Photos courtesy of Sam DiGiovanna, Fire Chief of the Verdugo Fire Academy)

The controlled burn was held at the Chevron oil refinery in El Segundo, which has a fire-training site and its own. The company allows fire departments from all over Los Angeles County to use the site for training exercises, said academy Chief Sam DiGiovanna.

A number of oil-fire scenarios can be created at the Chevron site, from overturned tanker trucks to oil storage tank fires - “everything that could be involved in an oil refinery fire,” DiGiovanna said.

At this past weekend’s training event, high winds pushed the fire around, creating a realistically intense situation for the trainees, he added.

“They went through a series of about five different scenarios,” DiGiovanna said.

The students used water pumped from fire engines from assisting departments in Pasadena, Arcadia and elsewhere. Using fire hoses, the trainees worked in two teams, approaching the fire from two sides until they were able to reach a valve to shut off the blaze, he said.

“We’re very appreciative of the fire chiefs from all over the San Gabriel Valley who regularly send resources” to academy training events, he said.

In two weeks, the trainees will undergo structural fire training, part of the academy’s intensive course that will prepare them to deal with every type of fire-related emergency, the chief said.

“This is their first step towards becoming a firefighter,” he said. “This academy is very intense, and students always come out very disciplined.”

Recent academy graduate Josh Marquez of South Pasadena said the training is rigorous but rewarding.

“In a sense, it’s like a bootcamp,” said Marquez. “You learn how to become a leader, not just in fire service, but in daily life.”

Story by San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Darryll Von Raesfeld can remember feeling awestruck as a kindergartner when he took the red plastic helmet from a Santa Clara
firefighter visiting his school and placed it atop his head. Little did the youngster know how the surge of pride he felt then would be magnified when he graduated from the fire academy and pinned his badge on for the first time—or that one day he would be leading the department as its fire chief.

It wasn’t until Von Raesfeld was 21 years old, pursuing a business degree at West Valley College, that the firefighting spark ignited during a conversation with his father. “We were walking down the hallway,” Von Raesfeld says, “and he said, ‘Hey, Darryl, what are you going to do?’ I said I was going out to play ball. ‘No, I mean for a career,’ he said.” Don Von Raesfeld, who was city manager for the city of Santa Clara at the time, told his son that if he had it to do all over again, he would join the fire service. “The work schedule is fantastic, and the pay and benefits are good,” he said.

Von Raesfeld took his father’s suggestion to heart and started looking for work with the Santa Clara Fire Department. As luck would have it, his friend Steve Rebello was a volunteer firefighter with the city of Santa Clara. It wasn’t long before Von Raesfeld was by his side, fighting fires, responding to medical emergencies, and taking tests up and down the coast for a full-time job as a firefighter. He loved helping people and had no doubts about his chosen career when he was hired by the Santa Clara County Fire Department in August 1976. Von Raesfeld joined the San Jose Fire Department (SJFD) one year later when the city took charge of five county fire stations. He quickly rose through the ranks.

In 1992, Von Raesfeld became battalion chief. He was appointed deputy fire chief in 2004, assistant fire chief in 2005, interim fire chief in 2006, and fire chief in June 2008.

When Von Raesfeld told his father he was considering the deputy fire chief’s position, his father advised against it. “As battalion chief, you’ve got the best job in the world,” he said. “You’re giving up something really good for a desk job with politics and everything that goes with it.” But in 2006, when Von Raesfeld made interim chief, his dad was proud of him for reaching the top of his profession. “He changed his mind,” Von Raesfeld says. “It doesn’t make my job any easier, but at least I have his healthy respect.”

Read Entire Article by San Jose Magazine

The cause of a fire that killed a 3-year-old boy and his grandmother and destroyed their southeast Fresno house late Friday remains a mystery to investigators this weekend.

But the house apparently lacked smoke detectors, officials said Saturday.

Angelita Reeves, believed to be in her 40s, and her grandson, Anthony Ramirez, 3, died in the fire on the 4600 block of East Nevada Avenue, near Maple Avenue between Belmont and Tulare avenues. The two were found dead in a bedroom.

Smoke and flames already were billowing from the windows and doors when firefighters arrived about 9:30 p.m. But after relatives said people were trapped inside, firefighters were unable to make a rescue.

Officials are calling the fire’s cause “undetermined” for now.

Property-tax records show the small two-bedroom house was built in 1920, and Fresno Fire Department spokesman Ken Shockley said investigators looked for smoke detectors in the house but found none.

Burned belongings from the house were on the front lawn Saturday morning, and the smell of wet ashes lingered in the air. A small angel statuette stood in what had once been a flower bed near the front porch. Someone had stopped early in the day to place flowers next to a tree in front of the house.

Shortly after 1 p.m. Saturday, a passer-by noticed smoke coming from the home again, prompting firefighters to return, tear up the roof and spray water into what was left of the attic to snuff out any lingering embers.

Distraught relatives of the victims looked on from the curb as the firefighters worked Saturday. Reeves’ niece, Francine Martinez, clutched photos of her aunt and her young cousin and said Anthony would have celebrated his fourth birthday soon.

Dao Vang, 19, who lives across the street, said the Reeves family was renting the house and had moved in only about two months ago. Vang said another relative was preparing to move into the adjacent garage Friday.

“I was in my bedroom when my brother and I heard a lot of screaming and we saw the fire,” Vang said.

Another neighbor, Myshell Mabry, 15, sat on the front steps of her home drawing a pencil sketch of the burned house. She said when she came outside Friday night, she saw frantic family members outside the house.

“They were yelling, ‘Mom, mom, grab the baby and get out,’ ” Myshell said.

Investigators estimated the damage to the structure and belongings at $175,000.

Fire officials said the incident is a tragic reminder to have working smoke detectors in every room except the kitchen, and to practice family escape plans for emergencies.

Story and photo by Fresno Bee / news tip submitted by J. Tracy Fresno FD

OROVILLE — Measure B for the El Medio Fire Department enjoyed a clear victory Tuesday night with almost 73 percent voter approval, and the fire district staff was elated over the community’s support on Wednesday.

The measure is an assessment on property taxes for fire protection and emergency services within the district. The measure needed a two-thirds vote to pass.

The elections office reported 778 votes for the measure, with 288 against it.

Fire Chief Rusty Ohlhausen thanked everyone in the district for supporting the fire district.

“The community said in the election, yes, they want our Fire Department, and by golly they’ve got it,” Ohlhausen said. “Our guys are just elated.”

For more than 28 years, the little district in South Oroville has struggled to provide fire services on a thin budget. The firefighters, though educated and trained as professionals, earn little more than minimum wage, Ohlhausen said.

Ohlhausen said they had cut everything possible to keep the district going, while trying to provide quality fire services.

“There was no where else to cut except staff, as the budget was so thin,” Ohlhausen said.

Now, the district can bring back services that were cut such as weed abatement and public education on fire prevention, and they can keep three fire personal on an engine.

Ohlhausen said they can work toward bringing the fire rating lower, which will help lower fire insurance in the district.

Story by Oroville Mercury Register

A state parks fire engine crashed Thursday on Highway 89 north after being cut off by an unknown driver that fled the scene, according to Truckee Police.

The California State Parks fire engine was heading north on Highway 89 towards Prosser Dam Road Thursday at about 7:40 a.m. when a pickup truck turned left from Alder Drive in front of it, according to a Truckee Police Department press release.

This state parks fire engine rolled over on Highway 89 north in Truckee while attempting to avoid a pickup that pulled out in front of it, according to Truckee police.

The engine braked and swerved to avoid the truck, overturning in a ditch on Prosser Dam Road, according to the release.

The firemen inside were uninjured according to the release, but the engine was totaled.

The truck was a late 80s or early 90s gun-metal gray Chevrolet with a a white cab-high camper shell, towing a flatbed trailer with short rails and a small amount of white covered material, according to the release.

Story by Sierra Sun Newspaper

An early-morning fire burned through an attic and damaged the roof at U.S. Car Stereo.

The fire, which was reported at 2:47 a.m. at 488 W. Mill St., took 38 firefighters 45 minutes to get under control, according to Mike Arvizo, Public Information Officer with the San Bernardino City Fire Department. 8 Engines, 2 Trucks and 2 Battalion Chiefs responded to the incident.

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Firefighters spent a few hours doing mop up and saving thousands of dollars worth of merchandise in the store.

Firefighters had to cope with a number of locks, metal doors and other obstacles that made fighting the fire more difficult.
“This place was like a fortress and forcible entry was very challenging”. Said Captain Jeff English.

The main body of fire was making a run through the attic space. Firefighters on the roof were able to cut off the fire’s progression by placing heat holes and then a trench cut along the west side of the L-shaped building.

A front overhang also collapsed as firefighters entered the building. Fortunately, no one was injured from the collapse.

The fire caused $500,000 in damages to property and contents combined.
The cause of the fire was under investigation.

Written by J. Serrano, West Coast 911

GRIDLEY — Cal Fire-Gridley firefighters pulled a barely conscious woman from a burning house in Gridley Wednesday morning.

The fire started about 11:40 a.m. at 1855 Indiana St., said Joshpae White, of Cal Fire-Butte County.

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Cal Fire crews were checking fire hydrants in the area when they saw smoke coming from the two-story house, he said.

At the front door, firefighters also saw flames shooting out a window upstairs. A neighbor said people might be inside, so they broke down the door, and saw flames coming from upstairs and smoke filling the downstairs, said Capt. Rob Sonsteng.

While three firefighters worked with chainsaws to ventilate the house, Sonsteng and engineer Jason Dyer entered the house, with breathing apparatus, to search.

Dyer said they saw two cars in the garage, which also led them to believe more than one person might be inside the house.

They found a woman lying on the kitchen floor downstairs who was barely conscious, Sonsteng said. The woman appeared to be suffering from smoke inhalation, he said.

They took the woman outside where an ambulance took her to Biggs-Gridley Memorial Hospital for unknown injuries, White said.

Cal Fire Capt. Rob Sonsteng cleans up after a residential fire Wednesday morning

Firefighters searched for more people inside the house, but didn’t find anyone.

Cal Fire didn’t know the woman’s name or who lived in the house, White said, but circumstances and a quick response led to the rescue and kept the fire damage minimal.

“It felt good,” Sonsteng said later about the rescue.

Story by Oroville Mercury Register

An early morning blaze in Sylmar today killed an unspecified number of chickens and damaged horse stables and other property, authorities said.

The fire originated in the horse stables and wooden chicken coops of a single-family home in the 14600 block of Bledsoe Street about 1 a.m. and spread to a nearby property, damaging a mobile home, parts of a garage and three parked vehicles, said Capt. Daniel Curry of the Los Angeles Fire Department.

About 25 firefighters extinguished the blaze in 30 minutes, said department spokesman David Ortiz.

It was not immediately clear how many chickens died in the fire, said Battalion Chief Joe Foley, but TV news reports said 300 chickens, turkeys and ducks were killed.

No other injuries to people or animals were reported.

Story by LA Times