latimes--2020-09-07--In bringing her baby to vote, Buffy Wicks spotlights the mistreatment of working moms

It was a colossal Capitol screwup .
One headline called it “ Capitol cruelty.
” But the person mistreated emerged as the big winner of this year ’ s California legislative session .
The unquestionable loser — the PR loser , at least — was Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon ( D-Lakewood ) .
Rendon , a likable guy , became what another headline called “ California ’ s new laughingstock ” after he denied Wicks ’ request to vote on legislation by proxy .
Wicks asked to vote from home because she was nursing her newborn baby .
And there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worried about for her month-old daughter .
The speaker initially told her “ I don ’ t see why not , ” he says .
But later , Assembly attorneys warned him that voting by proxy might be illegal and could jeopardize all the passed bills for which Wicks voted .
Judges could toss them out .
Lawsuits were being threatened .
So two days before the session ’ s end , Rendon called Wicks back and told her she didn ’ t qualify under the recently adopted house rule allowing proxy voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for COVID-19 .
Never mind that the state Senate had set up a remote system for debating and voting via Zoom .
Democrats forced Republicans to use it when a GOP senator tested positive for COVID-19 .
When Rendon told Wicks she couldn ’ t vote by proxy after all , she didn ’ t argue about it , he says .
The speaker also says he didn ’ t ask her to come to Sacramento .
And he certainly didn ’ t know she was going to bring the baby .
Why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feeds every two hours , ” Wicks told me .
“ She hasn ’ t left my side since she was born four weeks ago.
” Rendon says of his decision : “ I knew it wasn ’ t going to be popular .
But my job is to defend the house and the votes.
” It ’ s also to protect the house ’ s image and his own .
He looked politically tone-deaf and insensitive to motherhood , although his wife gave birth to a daughter 11 months ago .
His @ @ @ @ @ @ @ created national outrage .
It wouldn ’ t have looked so bad if Wicks hadn ’ t followed her conscience and sense of duty by showing up in the Assembly chamber on the last night of the session to vote for bills dear to her heart — wearing a pandemic mask and clutching swaddled Elly to her chest .
A photo and video went viral .
Buffy and Elly became the faces for heightened consideration of working moms and the insensitivity of male bosses .
Hillary Clinton and U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family leave movement — both tweeted their support .
Wicks , 43 , does have some connections .
She was an architect of Barack Obama ’ s heralded 2008 grassroots organization that helped get him elected president .
She was a senior staffer on both of Obama ’ s presidential campaigns and was an Obama White House aide .
In 2016 , she was state director of Clinton ’ s winning California primary campaign .
Wicks was raised in very Republican , tiny Foresthill in the Sierra east of Sacramento .
Her father @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Service ; her mother , a home loan officer .
“ I grew up in conservative Foresthill and somehow now represent [ liberal ] Berkeley , ” she muses .
Wicks began her political career in the early 2000s in the San Francisco Bay Area , organizing rallies against the Iraq War .
She was elected to the Assembly in 2018 .
“ I love being a legislator , ” Wicks says .
“ You can hear about something on the radio that you care about and say , ‘ I can do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ significant meaning in people ’ s lives… .
Just don ’ t let it go to your head.
” One bill that inspired her to pack up Elly and drive 90 minutes to the Capitol expanded maternity leave so more moms can stay home longer with their newborns without being fired .
Another measure would have increased housing production by making it easier to build duplexes on land zoned for single-family homes .
Wicks spent the session ’ s last day in her Capitol office , watching the Assembly action on TV , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As the midnight deadline approached , colleagues texted that her votes were urgently needed .
“ I was nursing at the time , ” she recalls .
“ I grabbed Elly up in my arms and ran down two flights of stairs .
I knew it was a race against the clock .
Everyone was looking at me standing there with my newborn.
” Wicks ’ vote for the family leave bill was crucial .
It allowed the measure , by Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson ( D-Santa Barbara ) , to pass with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one brief speech — for the housing bill from Senate leader Toni Atkins ( D-San Diego ) .
“ Please , please , please pass the bill — and I ’ m going to go finish feeding my daughter , ” she said in a speech probably unlike any heard before in a California legislative chamber .
“ My daughter started crying , of course , ” Wicks told me .
“ I ’ m trying to keep her blanket on .
My mask is coming off.… ” The housing bill narrowly passed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ late for the Senate to take up and send to Gov .
Gavin Newsom .
Senators grumbled that Rendon “ ran out the clock ” on the housing legislation and other major bills so they couldn ’ t pass .
The next day , he publicly apologized for not letting Wicks vote at home .
“ I failed to make sure our process took into account the unique needs of our members , ” read the speaker ’ s prepared statement .
“ I commit to doing better.
” Actually , Rendon did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her political star , and she became a potential future candidate for speaker .

Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) asked to be allowed to vote remotely. She was denied so brought her infant with her to Sacramento and cast votes Monday on dozens of bills.
It was a colossal Capitol screwup. One headline called it “Capitol cruelty.” But the person mistreated emerged as the big winner of this year’s California legislative session.
Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) leaped from rookie legislator to rising star literally overnight.
The unquestionable loser — the PR loser, at least — was Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood).
Rendon, a likable guy, became what another headline called “California’s new laughingstock” after he denied Wicks’ request to vote on legislation by proxy. Wicks asked to vote from home because she was nursing her newborn baby. And there was the highly contagious coronavirus she was worried about for her month-old daughter.
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The speaker initially told her “I don’t see why not,” he says. But later, Assembly attorneys warned him that voting by proxy might be illegal and could jeopardize all the passed bills for which Wicks voted. Judges could toss them out. Lawsuits were being threatened.
So two days before the session’s end, Rendon called Wicks back and told her she didn’t qualify under the recently adopted house rule allowing proxy voting for Assembly members considered at high risk for COVID-19.
Never mind that the state Senate had set up a remote system for debating and voting via Zoom. Democrats forced Republicans to use it when a GOP senator tested positive for COVID-19.
When Rendon told Wicks she couldn’t vote by proxy after all, she didn’t argue about it, he says. The speaker also says he didn’t ask her to come to Sacramento. And he certainly didn’t know she was going to bring the baby.
Why did Wicks bring her?
“She feeds every two hours,” Wicks told me. “She hasn’t left my side since she was born four weeks ago.”
Rendon says of his decision: “I knew it wasn’t going to be popular. But my job is to defend the house and the votes.”
It’s also to protect the house’s image and his own. He looked politically tone-deaf and insensitive to motherhood, although his wife gave birth to a daughter 11 months ago. His decision was not only unpopular, it created national outrage.
It wouldn’t have looked so bad if Wicks hadn’t followed her conscience and sense of duty by showing up in the Assembly chamber on the last night of the session to vote for bills dear to her heart — wearing a pandemic mask and clutching swaddled Elly to her chest.
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A photo and video went viral. Buffy and Elly became the faces for heightened consideration of working moms and the insensitivity of male bosses.
Hillary Clinton and U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) — a leader in the family leave movement — both tweeted their support.
Wicks, 43, does have some connections. She was an architect of Barack Obama’s heralded 2008 grassroots organization that helped get him elected president. She was a senior staffer on both of Obama’s presidential campaigns and was an Obama White House aide. In 2016, she was state director of Clinton’s winning California primary campaign.
Wicks was raised in very Republican, tiny Foresthill in the Sierra east of Sacramento. Her father was a firefighter for the U.S. Forest Service; her mother, a home loan officer.
“I grew up in conservative Foresthill and somehow now represent [liberal] Berkeley,” she muses. Wicks began her political career in the early 2000s in the San Francisco Bay Area, organizing rallies against the Iraq War.
She was elected to the Assembly in 2018.
“I love being a legislator,” Wicks says. “You can hear about something on the radio that you care about and say, ‘I can do a bill.’ You can have a significant meaning in people’s lives…. Just don’t let it go to your head.”
One bill that inspired her to pack up Elly and drive 90 minutes to the Capitol expanded maternity leave so more moms can stay home longer with their newborns without being fired. Another measure would have increased housing production by making it easier to build duplexes on land zoned for single-family homes.
Wicks spent the session’s last day in her Capitol office, watching the Assembly action on TV, changing diapers and nursing her baby. As the midnight deadline approached, colleagues texted that her votes were urgently needed.
“I was nursing at the time,” she recalls. “I grabbed Elly up in my arms and ran down two flights of stairs. I knew it was a race against the clock. Everyone was looking at me standing there with my newborn.”
Wicks’ vote for the family leave bill was crucial. It allowed the measure, by Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara), to pass with the bare minimum votes needed.
Wicks gave one brief speech — for the housing bill from Senate leader Toni Atkins (D-San Diego).
“Please, please, please pass the bill — and I’m going to go finish feeding my daughter,” she said in a speech probably unlike any heard before in a California legislative chamber.
“My daughter started crying, of course,” Wicks told me. “I’m trying to keep her blanket on. My mask is coming off.… ”
The housing bill narrowly passed the Assembly just before midnight — too late for the Senate to take up and send to Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Senators grumbled that Rendon “ran out the clock” on the housing legislation and other major bills so they couldn’t pass.
“That’s preposterous,” Rendon says. “Absurd.”
The next day, he publicly apologized for not letting Wicks vote at home.
“I failed to make sure our process took into account the unique needs of our members,” read the speaker’s prepared statement. “I commit to doing better.”
Actually, Rendon did Wicks a huge favor. He raised her political star, and she became a potential future candidate for speaker.


latimes--2020-09-06--Los Angeles coronavirus toll declines, but officials warn of possible holiday spike

Health officials on Sunday confirmed five new deaths and 798 new cases of COVID-19 in Los Angeles County , continuing a steady decline in the region ’ s pandemic toll that began a month ago .
But they also noted that the low death and case counts reflected a reporting lag over the three-day weekend .
They also cautioned that new spikes in fatalities and hospitalizations could follow the Labor Day holiday if friends and families gather at crowded barbecues and parties , as they did on Memorial Day and the Fourth of July .
“ If you have 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the holiday , you are adding risk that any of your guests could introduce the COVID-19 virus into your household , ” warned the public health department .
Officials also stressed that a single asymptomatic family member could trigger spread of the disease throughout the community .
The new numbers bring the cumulative total of positive cases of the coronavirus countywide to 248,334 , with 6,005 fatalities .
The new deaths followed familiar demographic patterns : four of those who died were over 65 , including one over 80 years of age .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ made them especially susceptible to serious viral infections .
The final fatality was between the ages of 50 and 64 years of age .
Only eight percent of county residents who died from COVID-19 were free of previous health conditions .
The racial and ethnic breakdown of those who died also fell into familiar , if dismaying , categories : 51 % Latino , 24 % white , 15 % Asian American and 10 % Black .
The coronavirus has also caused 1,000 deaths in Orange County .
With many Southern Californians fleeing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , authorities urged people to stay clear of crowds , use their own eating utensils and keep masks on except when plunging into the surf .
“ Any crowded space — even if it ’ s outdoors — can pose health and safety risks , ” a statement from Los Angeles County public health officials said .

Health officials on Sunday confirmed five new deaths and 798 new cases of COVID-19 in Los Angeles County, continuing a steady decline in the region’s pandemic toll that began a month ago.
But they also noted that the low death and case counts reflected a reporting lag over the three-day weekend.
They also cautioned that new spikes in fatalities and hospitalizations could follow the Labor Day holiday if friends and families gather at crowded barbecues and parties, as they did on Memorial Day and the Fourth of July.
“If you have 10 guests over to your house to celebrate the holiday, you are adding risk that any of your guests could introduce the COVID-19 virus into your household,” warned the public health department.
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Officials also stressed that a single asymptomatic family member could trigger spread of the disease throughout the community.
The new numbers bring the cumulative total of positive cases of the coronavirus countywide to 248,334, with 6,005 fatalities.
The new deaths followed familiar demographic patterns: four of those who died were over 65, including one over 80 years of age. All four had underlying health conditions that made them especially susceptible to serious viral infections.
The final fatality was between the ages of 50 and 64 years of age. Only eight percent of county residents who died from COVID-19 were free of previous health conditions.
The racial and ethnic breakdown of those who died also fell into familiar, if dismaying, categories: 51% Latino, 24% white, 15% Asian American and 10% Black.
The coronavirus has also caused 1,000 deaths in Orange County. With many Southern Californians fleeing a record heat wave at area beaches, authorities urged people to stay clear of crowds, use their own eating utensils and keep masks on except when plunging into the surf.
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“Any crowded space — even if it’s outdoors — can pose health and safety risks,” a statement from Los Angeles County public health officials said.


latimes--2020-09-06--All-time record heat across Southern California fuels fires, threatens power supply

An epic Southern California heat wave crested Sunday with numerous all-time high temperature records set , including a 121-degree reading in Woodland Hills that marked a historic milestone for Los Angeles County .
The broiling temperatures put extreme pressure on the power grid , with malfunctions leaving thousands without power and officials warning that rolling blackouts could affect millions of customers , although that threat eventually was averted .
It also fueled a series of fast-moving brush fires across the region , including one in Angeles National Forest near Duarte that broke out Sunday afternoon and forced Labor Day weekend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County , the El Dorado fire near Yucaipa had burned more than 3,000 acres and forced evacuations in some communities .
To the south in San Diego County , the Valley fire in the backcountry had burned 5,300 acres and destroyed at least 10 structures .
The Woodland Hills reading of 121 degrees broke the county ’ s old record of 119 degrees set in July 2006 and was one of several records to fall Sunday .
Escondido achieved an all-time high of 115 degrees , shattering a record set in 1909 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ at 117 , as did Idyllwild ( 104 ) and Chino ( 121 ) .
Woodland Hills is one of the hottest parts of Los Angeles and often records extreme temperatures .
But Sunday ’ s conditions — measured at a station at Pierce College — marked the highest temperature from an official National Weather Service station in not only L.A. County but also Ventura , Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties .
The weather service said Riverside hit its highest temperature ever for September at 117 degrees ; Santa Ana hit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 106 .
Officials have warned people to avoid outdoor activities even as temperatures cool slightly Monday .
A woman in her late 40s was hiking on a trail in the Santa Monica Mountains in Calabasas when she began to feel sick and collapsed at 2 p.m. Saturday , said L.A. County Sheriff ’ s Deputy Juanita Navarro .
She was pronounced dead at the scene .
The official cause of death is still unknown , Navarro said .
Because of the dangerous heat wave , all trails in the Santa Monica Mountains are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Rescue said in a tweet .
In Angeles National Forest , the Sheriff ’ s Department search and rescue team performed an air rescue Saturday on a semiconscious hiker suffering from heat exhaustion on the popular Strawberry Peak trail , where temperatures often soar because it has minimal shade in the afternoon .
The California Independent System Operator , which operates much of the state ’ s electrical system , had feared blackouts would be necessary during peak evening hours , but later Sunday night announced it had staved off the threat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be asked to limit electrical use Monday from 3 to 9 p.m .
The organization had declared a statewide emergency after a transmission line carrying power from Oregon to California and another in-state power plant went offline unexpectedly .
The cause of the outages was unknown as of Sunday evening .
As of Sunday afternoon , much of Southern California Edison ’ s 18,000-plus reported outages were in Los Angeles County , where more than 10,000 customers were without power .
The largest outages as of 2:30 p.m. Sunday included 1,203 in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outages were heat- or non-fire-related , said Edison spokesman Reggie Kumar , but overall , the electricity distribution system was performing well .
As of Sunday afternoon , the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power had enough power supplies and did not anticipate the need to implement rolling blackouts , a DWP spokesman said .
The utility did experience some small power outages in West Adams , Reseda , Sun Valley and Pacoima , among other places .
As of Sunday morning , about 7,000 customers were without power , and crews @ @ @ @ @ @ @ power to 37,000 after temperatures and energy demand soared , according to the utility .
Pacific Gas & Electric Co. warned that the Diablo wind event set to hit Monday evening through midday Wednesday may require public safety power shutoffs for about 103,000 customers in the Sierra foothills , North Bay and East Bay .
PG & E provides electricity across Northern and Central California .
The hot weather has hampered firefighting and heat-related rescue efforts across the state .
In the Sierra National Forest northeast of Fresno , the 45,500-acre Creek fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mammoth Pool recreation area when it crossed the San Joaquin River on Saturday afternoon , prompting a massive rescue effort by the California National Guard .
In Los Angeles County , the Bobcat fire started Sunday afternoon and quickly grew to 1,000 acres near the popular West Fork Picnic Area , a usually peaceful , wooded area where many residents fish and swim in the cool San Gabriel River .
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection officials said Sunday evening that the El Dorado fire had a rather bizarre cause : a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gender-reveal party in a Yucaipa park .
Such devices typically shoo off blue or pink smoke to signal the gender of an expected child .
“ Cal Fire reminds the public that with the dry conditions and critical fire weather , it doesn ’ t take much to start a wildfire , ” the agency said in a statement .
Times staff writers Thomas Curwen in Los Angeles and Rong-Gong Lin II in San Francisco contributed to this report .

Jaclyn Cosgrove, Alex Wigglesworth, Laura Newberry, Sammy Roth

An epic Southern California heat wave crested Sunday with numerous all-time high temperature records set, including a 121-degree reading in Woodland Hills that marked a historic milestone for Los Angeles County.
The broiling temperatures put extreme pressure on the power grid, with malfunctions leaving thousands without power and officials warning that rolling blackouts could affect millions of customers, although that threat eventually was averted.
It also fueled a series of fast-moving brush fires across the region, including one in Angeles National Forest near Duarte that broke out Sunday afternoon and forced Labor Day weekend visitors to flee.
In San Bernardino County, the El Dorado fire near Yucaipa had burned more than 3,000 acres and forced evacuations in some communities. To the south in San Diego County, the Valley fire in the backcountry had burned 5,300 acres and destroyed at least 10 structures.
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The Woodland Hills reading of 121 degrees broke the county’s old record of 119 degrees set in July 2006 and was one of several records to fall Sunday. Escondido achieved an all-time high of 115 degrees, shattering a record set in 1909. Paso Robles also hit an all-time high at 117, as did Idyllwild (104) and Chino (121).
Woodland Hills is one of the hottest parts of Los Angeles and often records extreme temperatures. But Sunday’s conditions — measured at a station at Pierce College — marked the highest temperature from an official National Weather Service station in not only L.A. County but also Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties.
The weather service said Riverside hit its highest temperature ever for September at 117 degrees; Santa Ana hit a record high for the day at 106.
Officials have warned people to avoid outdoor activities even as temperatures cool slightly Monday.
A woman in her late 40s was hiking on a trail in the Santa Monica Mountains in Calabasas when she began to feel sick and collapsed at 2 p.m. Saturday, said L.A. County Sheriff’s Deputy Juanita Navarro.
She was pronounced dead at the scene. The official cause of death is still unknown, Navarro said.
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Because of the dangerous heat wave, all trails in the Santa Monica Mountains are closed through Labor Day, Malibu Search and Rescue said in a tweet.
In Angeles National Forest, the Sheriff’s Department search and rescue team performed an air rescue Saturday on a semiconscious hiker suffering from heat exhaustion on the popular Strawberry Peak trail, where temperatures often soar because it has minimal shade in the afternoon.
California Bobcat fire in Angeles Forest threatens foothill cities amid California’s worst fire season on record On a third day of extreme heat, California marks the largest fire season on record as uncontrolled blazes rip though acreage and the National Forest Service announced unprecedented closures of campgrounds and trails.
The California Independent System Operator, which operates much of the state’s electrical system, had feared blackouts would be necessary during peak evening hours, but later Sunday night announced it had staved off the threat. The California ISO warned consumers they would be asked to limit electrical use Monday from 3 to 9 p.m.
The organization had declared a statewide emergency after a transmission line carrying power from Oregon to California and another in-state power plant went offline unexpectedly. The cause of the outages was unknown as of Sunday evening.
As of Sunday afternoon, much of Southern California Edison’s 18,000-plus reported outages were in Los Angeles County, where more than 10,000 customers were without power. The largest outages as of 2:30 p.m. Sunday included 1,203 in Inglewood and 1,126 in Paramount.
The outages were heat- or non-fire-related, said Edison spokesman Reggie Kumar, but overall, the electricity distribution system was performing well.
As of Sunday afternoon, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power had enough power supplies and did not anticipate the need to implement rolling blackouts, a DWP spokesman said.
The utility did experience some small power outages in West Adams, Reseda, Sun Valley and Pacoima, among other places. As of Sunday morning, about 7,000 customers were without power, and crews had worked around the clock to restore power to 37,000 after temperatures and energy demand soared, according to the utility.
Pacific Gas & Electric Co. warned that the Diablo wind event set to hit Monday evening through midday Wednesday may require public safety power shutoffs for about 103,000 customers in the Sierra foothills, North Bay and East Bay. PG&E provides electricity across Northern and Central California.
The hot weather has hampered firefighting and heat-related rescue efforts across the state.
In the Sierra National Forest northeast of Fresno, the 45,500-acre Creek fire trapped more than 200 hikers in the Mammoth Pool recreation area when it crossed the San Joaquin River on Saturday afternoon, prompting a massive rescue effort by the California National Guard.
In Los Angeles County, the Bobcat fire started Sunday afternoon and quickly grew to 1,000 acres near the popular West Fork Picnic Area, a usually peaceful, wooded area where many residents fish and swim in the cool San Gabriel River.
Updated Evacuation Order. North of Yucaipa Blvd. and east of Bryant. Please use caution and leave the area. #ElDoradoFire @CALFIREBDU pic.twitter.com/DOSKq4vS30 — Yucaipa Police (@YucaipaPD) September 6, 2020
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection officials said Sunday evening that the El Dorado fire had a rather bizarre cause: a smoke-emitting device that was part of a gender-reveal party in a Yucaipa park. Such devices typically shoo off blue or pink smoke to signal the gender of an expected child.
“Cal Fire reminds the public that with the dry conditions and critical fire weather, it doesn’t take much to start a wildfire,” the agency said in a statement.
Hoist Rescue, hiker with heat exhaustion, Strawberry Peak Trail, Angeles Forest. #LASD Air Rescue 5 inserts LASD SEB Tactical Medics to rescue semi-conscious hiker. Airlifted to hospital. Very high temperatures today. Please do not hike without ample water supply. pic.twitter.com/ovfBhiRrKj — SEB (@SEBLASD) September 5, 2020
Times staff writers Thomas Curwen in Los Angeles and Rong-Gong Lin II in San Francisco contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-09-06--Brush fire burning in Angeles National Forest

A brush fire erupted Sunday afternoon in Angeles National Forest north of Azusa , sending a large plume of smoke hundreds of feet into the air that could be seen for miles .
The Bobcat fire started shortly after noon Sunday near Cogswell Dam and had burned an estimated 1,800 acres of brush and timber by 6 p.m. , U.S. Forest Service officials said .
About 100 firefighters with five engines , three hand crews and two water tenders fought the fire from the ground while four helicopters and five fixed-wing aircraft launched an aerial assault , according to fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shift Sunday evening and blow out of the northwest , which could push the fire toward populated areas , said David Gomberg , meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard .
Winds are expected to blow 10 to 20 mph with higher winds near ridge tops , Gomberg said .
Additionally , the temperature — which reached at least 103 Sunday afternoon where the Bobcat fire is burning — is not expected to dip low enough overnight to be helpful to firefighters , and the humidity will remain low , meaning grass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to burn .
A temporary flight restriction is in place over the fire area , and drones are prohibited .
Throughout Southern California , firefighters were hampered by a record-breaking heat wave that swept across the state this Labor Day weekend and brought triple-digit temperatures to many areas .
Across the county in Sunland-Tujunga , 62 firefighters from the city and county departments put out a brush fire at Hansen Dam in the San Fernando Valley in 43 minutes .
The blaze grew to only five acres .
In Sherman Oaks , more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and one aircraft — battled through intensely hot weather to put out a 20-acre fire in the Sepulveda Basin , according to Los Angeles Fire Department .
The crews contained the blaze after about three hours of firefighting and kept the Japanese gardens and water reclamation plant both safe .
Two firefighters and one civilian sustained non-life-threatening injuries during the fire .
No structures were damaged .
Meanwhile , the Creek fire in Fresno County has burned more than 36,000 acres , and the El Dorado fire in San Bernardino County has charred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Diego County , the Valley fire has consumed more than 4,000 acres .

The Bobcat fire that started near Cogswell Dam in Angeles National Forest had burned an estimated 4,871 acres of brush as of Monday morning, U.S. Forest Service officials said.
An out-of-control brush fire kept growing Monday morning in Angeles National Forest north of Azusa, sending ash into communities miles away and forcing the evacuation of the Mt. Wilson Observatory.
The Bobcat fire started shortly after noon Sunday near Cogswell Dam and had burned an estimated 4,871 acres of brush and timber by Monday morning, U.S. Forest Service officials said. It was 0% contained.
Staff members at the Mt. Wilson Observatory were ordered to evacuate Monday morning as the fire raged toward the grounds, according to an online post. The observatory posted dramatic video of the approaching fire Sunday night before evacuations were ordered. Dramatic time-lapse video showed the approaching fire.
This timelapse pretty much sums up the weekend...sunshine, fires and smoke 🔥
You can actually see the flames from the #ElDoradoFire in the background, before the #BobcatFire erupts right next to Mt. Wilson. Crazy!#Wildfires #SoCal #CAwildfires #CAwx @SpecNews1SoCal pic.twitter.com/d16KvV87qu — Leah Freeman (@leahmfreeman) September 7, 2020
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The fire also threatens to destroy a seismic station housed at Mount Wilson that is operated by Caltech and has recorded major earthquakes for 100 years, according to seismologist Lucy Jones.
Angeles Crest Highway is closed from 10.6 miles east of La Canada Flintridge to Islip Saddle due to the wildfire, according to Caltrans.
Ash from the blaze rained down along the 210 Freeway corridor and has prompted the South Coast Air Quality Management District to issue a smoke advisory for the foothill communities and into the Santa Clarita Valley through Monday, warning of unhealthy air for sensitive people.
About 100 firefighters with five engines, three hand crews and two water tenders fought the fire from the ground while four helicopters and five fixed-wing aircraft launched an aerial assault, according to fire officials.
The wind is expected to blow out of the west and southwest Monday from 10 to 15 mph, said Mike Wofford, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard.
By Tuesday morning, conditions will change as hot, dry winds are expected to blow out of the north, which could push the blaze toward populated areas in foothill communities. Winds Tuesday are expected at 15 to 25 mph with wind gusts up to 50 mph near ridge tops, Wofford said. Those Santa Ana winds will bring single-digit humidity, he said.
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Seneca Smith, public information officer for Angeles National Forest, said fire crews faced very difficult conditions Monday afternoon, battling hot, dry weather and rugged terrain. Most of the firefighters who initially responded to the blaze on Sunday are still working, so fatigue is a factor, she said.
By early Monday afternoon, the fire’s southern perimeter was about 4 miles from the San Gabriel foothill areas of Monrovia, Arcadia, Bradbury and Duarte. With Santa Ana winds expected Tuesday, fire officials are focused on halting the southward movement of the fire, Smith said.
“We are extremely concerned about the communities to the south,” she said. “They are our No. 1 priority, along with Mt. Wilson and the Chantry Flat community.”
Fire officials were meeting with local law enforcement agencies Monday afternoon to determine where evacuation notices may be announced, Smith said.
The U.S. Forest Service announced it would temporarily close national forests and campgrounds across California beginning at 5 p.m. Monday due to extreme heat and dangerous fire conditions. Closing those recreation areas — including the Angeles, San Bernardino, Los Padres, Cleveland, Stanislaus, Sierra, Sequoia and Inyo national forests — will help reduce the potential for human-caused fires, officials said.
“Existing fires are displaying extreme fire behavior, new fire starts are likely, weather conditions are worsening, and we simply do not have enough resources to fully fight and contain every fire,” said Randy Moore, regional forester for the Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region.
Additionally, the temperature — which reached at least 103 on Sunday afternoon where the Bobcat fire is burning — was not expected to dip low enough overnight to be helpful to firefighters, and the humidity will remain low, meaning grass and brush will be dry and ready to burn.
A temporary flight restriction is in place over the fire area, and drones are prohibited.
Throughout Southern California, firefighters were hampered by a record-breaking heat wave that swept across the state this Labor Day weekend and brought triple-digit temperatures to many areas.
Across the county in Sunland-Tujunga, 62 firefighters from the city and county departments put out a brush fire Sunday at Hansen Dam in the San Fernando Valley in 43 minutes. The blaze grew to only five acres.


latimes--2020-09-06--San Diego County fire chars more than 5,300 acres, destroys 10 structures

Hundreds of firefighters on the ground and in the air on Sunday dug into the second day of battling a fast-moving wildfire in the rugged terrain of the Japatul Valley southeast of Alpine that destroyed at least 10 homes and burned more than 5,350 acres .
The blaze , dubbed the Valley fire , was the nightmare scenario many had feared : a roaring wildfire chewing through vast stretches of the back country amid searing record-high temperatures , forcing homeowners to flee — all during a time of coronavirus-induced mask wearing and social distancing .
Boiling clouds of smoke pouring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and filtered over the county with an acrid stench , making for unhealthy air conditions .
Power lines from SDG & E were threatened by the blaze and some outages were reported on Sunday , another infernal day of triple-digit temperatures across the county .
And it is only the first week of September .
That is weeks before what is historically seen as the peak fire season of October .
After more than a day of firefighting , much remains to be done : as of Sunday afternoon firefighters reported the fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m. that the blaze is still moving at a dangerous to critical rate of spread and is currently moving east .
However , if the Santa Ana winds roll through , that could shift flames to the west .
Structures are being threatened in the following communities : Carveacre , Lawson Valley , Wood Valley , Lyons Valley , Deer Horn Valley and Sycuan Indian Reservation .
Residents in the community of Carveacre were evacuated and one emergency shelter has been set up at Steele Canyon High School @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joan MacQueen Middle School in Alpine was closed Sunday morning .
Power lines in the area were also affected during the blaze , causing some in the area to lose service .
The fire may have been ignited by a tractor fire around 2:50 p.m. Saturday on Carvacre Lane , according to several residents there .
However Cal Fire has not officially confirmed the cause and is still investigating .
As another scorching day broke , several hundred firefighters were on the ground at 7 a.m .
They were accompanied by multiple air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ battling the blaze .
Cal Fire couldn ’ t say what kind of structures were destroyed by the blaze , but at least two were homes on Montiel Truck Trail in Jamul , according to footage aired by 10News .
The fire is threatening additional structures in the Carveacre and Lawson Valley , and four additional streets were closed Sunday morning : Gaskill Peak Road , Lost Trail , Hondo Lane and Emmanuel Way .
Lyons Valley Road between Japatul Road and Honey Springs Road was evacuated later that afternoon .
The fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scenic backcountry rises up to the Laguna Mountains .
The tough terrain , which climbs from about 1,800 feet in Alpine to more than 2,600 on Japatul Valley Road , as one of several challenges facing firefighters .
“ Certainly the temperature is going to be a challenge , ” said Cal Fire spokesman Kendal Bortisser .
“ The steep terrain , all of the inaccessible areas , old growth that ’ s been there for a long time that ’ s tinder dry and ready to burn — all of those are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crews are facing are brutal .
On Saturday , temperatures at the scene were reached115 degrees .
Sunday they dipped slightly , to around 109 degrees , but Jake Rodriguez , a spokesman for the U.S. Forest Service and Cleveland National Forest , said that winds up to 20 miles per hour from the east and northeast are expected to kick up in the afternoon .
“ That can be significant .
It ’ s not quite a Santa Ana , but that means it starts pushing the fire instead of the fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Rodriguez said .
“ Whichever way the wind is blowing the fire will go , and it can start spotting , which means embers are carried up to a half-mile in front of the fires and starting new spot fires.
” Family pets are also welcome at the Steele Canyon location .
Sheriff ’ s officials said large pets can be housed at the county ’ s Animal Services South Shelter at 5821 Sweetwater Road in Bonita .
For more information , call ( 619 ) 236-2341 or contact the San Diego @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Bill Fincher who lives in Lawson Valley , said most of his family , including three dogs and a lizard , evacuated their home on Wood Valley Trail as the sun went down Saturday .
His wife , Rachelle , stayed at their ranch .
“ She said , ‘ Until i see flames , I ’ m not leaving , ’ ” Fincher said .
“ I talked to her today .
She said the house looks good.
” Fincher ’ s son , Brandon Fincher , goes to school in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visit his family over the weekend with a friend .
They saw smoke from the blaze as they were pulling into town and watched as the plume of smoke grew .
“ Then we heard an explosion like a propane tank in the distance , ” the younger Fincher said .
“ Once the sun went down and we could see flames in the distance , we thought , ‘ Oh , we should go.
’ ” As they were leaving , the power went out .
SDG & E said its Sunrise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ connects renewable energy resources from Imperial Valley to San Diego , was out of service .
Helicopters on Sunday morning were washing the lines to remove soot and other residue that settled on the equipment during the blaze .
Pilots in choppers were also inspecting the line to see if it had been damaged .
SDG & E officials said as soon as CalFire advises the utility that it ’ s safe to go into the area , utility crews will move in and determine what is required to get the line back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its Sunrise Powerlink , a 117-mile transmission line that connects renewable energy resources from Imperial Valley to San Diego , was out of service .
Helicopters on Sunday morning were washing the lines to remove soot and other residue that settled on the equipment during the blaze .
Pilots in choppers were also inspecting the line to see if it had been damaged .
SDG & E officials said as soon as CalFire advises the utility that it ’ s safe to go into the area , utility crews will move in and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ line back into service .
Winkley and Kragen write for the San Diego Union-Tribune .

Lyndsay Winkley, Pam Kragen, Karen Pearlman, Greg Moran

Hundreds of firefighters on the ground and in the air on Sunday dug into the second day of battling a fast-moving wildfire in the rugged terrain of the Japatul Valley southeast of Alpine that destroyed at least 10 homes and burned more than 5,350 acres.
The blaze, dubbed the Valley fire, was the nightmare scenario many had feared: a roaring wildfire chewing through vast stretches of the back country amid searing record-high temperatures, forcing homeowners to flee — all during a time of coronavirus-induced mask wearing and social distancing.
Boiling clouds of smoke pouring from the fire rose into the air and filtered over the county with an acrid stench, making for unhealthy air conditions. Power lines from SDG&E were threatened by the blaze and some outages were reported on Sunday, another infernal day of triple-digit temperatures across the county.
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And it is only the first week of September. That is weeks before what is historically seen as the peak fire season of October.
After more than a day of firefighting, much remains to be done: as of Sunday afternoon firefighters reported the fire was one percent contained.
CalFire officials said Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m. that the blaze is still moving at a dangerous to critical rate of spread and is currently moving east. However, if the Santa Ana winds roll through, that could shift flames to the west.
Structures are being threatened in the following communities: Carveacre, Lawson Valley, Wood Valley, Lyons Valley, Deer Horn Valley and Sycuan Indian Reservation.
Residents in the community of Carveacre were evacuated and one emergency shelter has been set up at Steele Canyon High School in Jamul. A second shelter at Joan MacQueen Middle School in Alpine was closed Sunday morning. Power lines in the area were also affected during the blaze, causing some in the area to lose service.
The fire may have been ignited by a tractor fire around 2:50 p.m. Saturday on Carvacre Lane, according to several residents there. However Cal Fire has not officially confirmed the cause and is still investigating.
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As another scorching day broke, several hundred firefighters were on the ground at 7 a.m. They were accompanied by multiple air tankers and firefighting helicopters in the sky battling the blaze.
Cal Fire couldn’t say what kind of structures were destroyed by the blaze, but at least two were homes on Montiel Truck Trail in Jamul, according to footage aired by 10News.
The fire is threatening additional structures in the Carveacre and Lawson Valley, and four additional streets were closed Sunday morning: Gaskill Peak Road, Lost Trail, Hondo Lane and Emmanuel Way. Lyons Valley Road between Japatul Road and Honey Springs Road was evacuated later that afternoon.
The fire is burning where the elevation in the scenic backcountry rises up to the Laguna Mountains. The tough terrain, which climbs from about 1,800 feet in Alpine to more than 2,600 on Japatul Valley Road, as one of several challenges facing firefighters.
“Certainly the temperature is going to be a challenge,” said Cal Fire spokesman Kendal Bortisser. “The steep terrain, all of the inaccessible areas, old growth that’s been there for a long time that’s tinder dry and ready to burn — all of those are going to be factors.”
Conditions fire crews are facing are brutal. On Saturday, temperatures at the scene were reached115 degrees. Sunday they dipped slightly, to around 109 degrees, but Jake Rodriguez, a spokesman for the U.S. Forest Service and Cleveland National Forest, said that winds up to 20 miles per hour from the east and northeast are expected to kick up in the afternoon.
“That can be significant. It’s not quite a Santa Ana, but that means it starts pushing the fire instead of the fire following the topography of the land,” Rodriguez said. “Whichever way the wind is blowing the fire will go, and it can start spotting, which means embers are carried up to a half-mile in front of the fires and starting new spot fires.”
Family pets are also welcome at the Steele Canyon location. Sheriff’s officials said large pets can be housed at the county’s Animal Services South Shelter at 5821 Sweetwater Road in Bonita. For more information, call (619) 236-2341 or contact the San Diego Humane Society at (619) 299-7012.
Bill Fincher who lives in Lawson Valley, said most of his family, including three dogs and a lizard, evacuated their home on Wood Valley Trail as the sun went down Saturday. His wife, Rachelle, stayed at their ranch.
“She said, ‘Until i see flames, I’m not leaving,’” Fincher said. “I talked to her today. She said the house looks good.”
Fincher’s son, Brandon Fincher, goes to school in Prescott, Ariz., and decided to visit his family over the weekend with a friend. They saw smoke from the blaze as they were pulling into town and watched as the plume of smoke grew.
“Then we heard an explosion like a propane tank in the distance,” the younger Fincher said. “Once the sun went down and we could see flames in the distance, we thought, ‘Oh, we should go.’”
As they were leaving, the power went out.
SDG&E said its Sunrise Powerlink, a 117-mile transmission line that connects renewable energy resources from Imperial Valley to San Diego, was out of service.
Helicopters on Sunday morning were washing the lines to remove soot and other residue that settled on the equipment during the blaze. Pilots in choppers were also inspecting the line to see if it had been damaged.
SDG&E officials said as soon as CalFire advises the utility that it’s safe to go into the area, utility crews will move in and determine what is required to get the line back into service.
SDG&E said its Sunrise Powerlink, a 117-mile transmission line that connects renewable energy resources from Imperial Valley to San Diego, was out of service.
Helicopters on Sunday morning were washing the lines to remove soot and other residue that settled on the equipment during the blaze. Pilots in choppers were also inspecting the line to see if it had been damaged.
SDG&E officials said as soon as CalFire advises the utility that it’s safe to go into the area, utility crews will move in and determine what is required to get the line back into service.
Winkley, Kragen, Pearlman and Moran write for the San Diego Union-Tribune.


latimes--2020-09-06--Earthquake: Magnitude 3.2 quake hits Northern California

A magnitude 3.2 earthquake was reported Sunday at 11:43 a.m. Pacific time in San Leandro , Calif. , according to the U.S. Geological Survey .
The earthquake occurred less than a mile from Castro Valley , Calif. , less than a mile from Oakland , less than a mile from Ashland , Calif. , and two miles from San Lorenzo , Calif .
The USGS initially reported the quake as a magnitude 3.4 but later downgraded it to a magnitude 3.2 quake .
In the last 10 days , there have been no earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with magnitudes between 3.0 and 4.0 occur per year in California and Nevada , according to a recent three year data sample .
The earthquake occurred at a depth of 6.3 miles .
Did you feel this earthquake ?
Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS .
Even if you didn ’ t feel this small earthquake , you never know when the Big One is going to strike .
Ready yourself by following our five-step earthquake preparedness guide and building your own emergency kit .
This story was automatically generated by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS .
A Times editor reviewed the post before it was published .
If you ’ re interested in learning more about the system , visit our list of frequently asked questions .

A magnitude 3.2 earthquake was reported Sunday at 11:43 a.m. Pacific time in San Leandro, Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
A magnitude 3.2 earthquake was reported Sunday at 11:43 a.m. Pacific time in San Leandro, Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The earthquake occurred less than a mile from Castro Valley, Calif., less than a mile from Oakland, less than a mile from Ashland, Calif., and two miles from San Lorenzo, Calif.
The USGS initially reported the quake as a magnitude 3.4 but later downgraded it to a magnitude 3.2 quake.
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In the last 10 days, there have been no earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby.
An average of 234 earthquakes with magnitudes between 3.0 and 4.0 occur per year in California and Nevada, according to a recent three year data sample.
The earthquake occurred at a depth of 6.3 miles. Did you feel this earthquake? Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS.
Even if you didn’t feel this small earthquake, you never know when the Big One is going to strike. Ready yourself by following our five-step earthquake preparedness guide and building your own emergency kit.
This story was automatically generated by Quakebot, a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS. A Times editor reviewed the post before it was published. If you’re interested in learning more about the system, visit our list of frequently asked questions.


latimes--2020-09-06--Demonstration over Dijon Kizzee's fatal shooting ends with deputies, protesters clashing

A demonstration against the fatal shooting of Dijon Kizzee on Saturday night ended with deputies and protesters clashing in front of the South Los Angeles sheriff ’ s station .
Hundreds attended the Black Lives Matter protest in response to L.A. County sheriff ’ s deputies killing Kizzee , 29 , last week in the Westmont neighborhood of Los Angeles .
The crowd had dwindled by the time deputies declared an unlawful assembly at 8 p.m. A spokesperson with the L.A. County Sheriff ’ s Office said protesters started throwing rocks and bottles at deputies , so they responded with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrests were made and no injuries were reported .
Black Lives Matter organizers did not respond to a request for comment .
At the demonstration , which began at 4 p.m. , protesters called for law enforcement agencies to be defunded and implored residents to vote L.A. County Dist .
Atty .
Jackie Lacey out of office .
Two South Los Angeles station deputies on Aug. 30 tried to make contact with Kizzee , who was riding a bicycle in violation of vehicle codes , according to authorities .
The Sheriff ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violations prompted the initial stop because the deputies had not been interviewed .
Kizzee dropped the bicycle and ran , Lt. Brandon Dean said .
The deputies chased him and again tried to make contact in the 1200 block of West 109th Place .
Dean said Kizzee punched one of them in the face .
Kizzee dropped a jacket he had been carrying , and a handgun fell to the ground , officials said .
The Sheriff ’ s Department said he “ made a motion toward ” the gun and the deputies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ representing Kizzee ’ s family said he was shot at 15 times as he ran away .
Staff writers Alene Tchekmedyian and Teresa Watanabe contributed to this report .

Protesters march in front of the South Los Angeles Sheriff’s station to demand justice for Dijon Kizzee who was shot and killed by sheriff’s deputies.
A demonstration against the fatal shooting of Dijon Kizzee on Saturday night ended with deputies and protesters clashing in front of the South Los Angeles sheriff’s station.
Hundreds attended the Black Lives Matter protest in response to L.A. County sheriff’s deputies killing Kizzee, 29, last week in the Westmont neighborhood of Los Angeles. The crowd had dwindled by the time deputies declared an unlawful assembly at 8 p.m.
A spokesperson with the L.A. County Sheriff’s Office said protesters started throwing rocks and bottles at deputies, so they responded with sting balls and pepper balls. No arrests were made and no injuries were reported.
Black Lives Matter organizers did not respond to a request for comment.
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The family of Dijon Kizzee gather with protesters in front of the South Los Angeles Sheriff’s station to demand justice for Dijon Kizzee. (Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times)
At the demonstration, which began at 4 p.m., protesters called for law enforcement agencies to be defunded and implored residents to vote L.A. County Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey out of office.
Two South Los Angeles station deputies on Aug. 30 tried to make contact with Kizzee, who was riding a bicycle in violation of vehicle codes, according to authorities. The Sheriff’s Department said it did not know which violations prompted the initial stop because the deputies had not been interviewed.
Kizzee dropped the bicycle and ran, Lt. Brandon Dean said. The deputies chased him and again tried to make contact in the 1200 block of West 109th Place. Dean said Kizzee punched one of them in the face.
Protesters are silhouetted by lights from deputies during a protest for Dijon Kizzee outside the South Los Angeles County Sheriff’s office on Saturday. (Josie Norris/Los Angeles Times)
Kizzee dropped a jacket he had been carrying, and a handgun fell to the ground, officials said. The Sheriff’s Department said he “made a motion toward” the gun and the deputies opened fire, killing him.
Attorneys representing Kizzee’s family said he was shot at 15 times as he ran away.
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Staff writers Alene Tchekmedyian and Teresa Watanabe contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-09-06--At 121 degrees, Woodland Hills hits all-time high temperature for L.A. County

As a historic heat wave left Southern California broiling , Woodland Hills on Sunday recorded an all-time high of 121 degrees , which the National Weather Service said was the hottest temperature recorded at an official weather station in Los Angeles County .
It broke the old record of 119 degrees set in July of 2006 and was one of several records to fall on Sunday .
The NWS said Riverside hit its highest temperature ever for September at 117 degrees ; Santa Ana hit a record high for the day at 106 .
Escondido achieved an all-time high of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 1909 .
Paso Robles also hit an all-time high at 117 , as did Idyllwild ( 104 ) and Chino ( 121 ) .
Woodland Hills is one of the hottest parts of Los Angeles and often records extreme temperatures .
But the 121 degree reading — taken at Pierce College — marked the highest temperature from an official NWS station from both only L.A. County but also Ventura , Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties .
In some areas , Sunday was even hotter than Saturday , where the mercury @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Officials said at least three areas tied or topped all-time record highs Saturday : Alpine ( 113 ) , El Cajon ( 114 ) and Idyllwild ( 103 ) .
The weather service said Burbank appeared to tie an all-time record at 114 degrees .
A slight cooling trend should begin Monday .
Even though areas could see temperatures drop by 10 degrees , many locations will remain in the triple digits .
Officials , meanwhile , are warning of possible rolling blackouts because of demand on the power supply brought on by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Operator , which runs the electric grid for much of the state , declared a Stage 2 Emergency on Saturday night and warned it could order utilities to institute rotating power outages .
But shortly after 9 p.m. , the body announced the emergency had been lifted with no outages necessary , crediting consumer energy conservation .
Still , the ISO said that rolling blackouts could be necessary Sunday , most likely between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m .
The body was forecasting peak demand to outpace supply by about 4,000 megawatts.That could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2.5 to 3 million customers statewide , Eric Schmidt , vice president of operations for California ISO , said Sunday in a press briefing .
The ISO was urging consumers to conserve energy , particularly during the peak demand time of 3 and 6 p.m. “ I think it ’ s fair to say that without really significant conservation and help from customers today that we ’ ll have to have some rolling outages , ” Schmidt , said .
“ So this is really an appeal for people to help us out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be a very , very difficult day.
” Thousands lost power Saturday across the region as the demand caused by the heat strained the system .
Both the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and Southern California Edison reported scattered but small power outages .

Girls play in a stream near Lake Balboa at Anthony C. Beilenson Park in Van Nuys on Sunday.
As a historic heat wave left Southern California broiling, Woodland Hills on Sunday recorded an all-time high of 121 degrees, which the National Weather Service said was the hottest temperature recorded at an official weather station in Los Angeles County.
It broke the old record of 119 degrees set in July of 2006 and was one of several records to fall on Sunday. The NWS said Riverside hit its highest temperature ever for September at 117 degrees; Santa Ana hit a record high for the day at 106.
Escondido achieved an all-time high of 115 degrees, shattering a record set in 1909. Paso Robles also hit an all-time high at 117, as did Idyllwild (104) and Chino (121).
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Woodland Hills is one of the hottest parts of Los Angeles and often records extreme temperatures. But the 121 degree reading — taken at Pierce College — marked the highest temperature from an official NWS station from both only L.A. County but also Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties.
In some areas, Sunday was even hotter than Saturday, where the mercury hit historic levels in some areas. Officials said at least three areas tied or topped all-time record highs Saturday: Alpine (113), El Cajon (114) and Idyllwild (103). The weather service said Burbank appeared to tie an all-time record at 114 degrees.
A slight cooling trend should begin Monday. Even though areas could see temperatures drop by 10 degrees, many locations will remain in the triple digits.
California All-time record heat across Southern California fuels fires, threatens power supply Blackouts could take place during peak evening hours, 5 to 9 p.m., according to the California Independent System Operator, which runs the power grid for much of the state.
Officials, meanwhile, are warning of possible rolling blackouts because of demand on the power supply brought on by the heat.
The California Independent System Operator, which runs the electric grid for much of the state, declared a Stage 2 Emergency on Saturday night and warned it could order utilities to institute rotating power outages.
But shortly after 9 p.m., the body announced the emergency had been lifted with no outages necessary, crediting consumer energy conservation.
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Still, the ISO said that rolling blackouts could be necessary Sunday, most likely between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. The body was forecasting peak demand to outpace supply by about 4,000 megawatts.That could force utilities to cut off power to 2.5 to 3 million customers statewide, Eric Schmidt, vice president of operations for California ISO, said Sunday in a press briefing.
The ISO was urging consumers to conserve energy, particularly during the peak demand time of 3 and 6 p.m.
“I think it’s fair to say that without really significant conservation and help from customers today that we’ll have to have some rolling outages,” Schmidt, said. “So this is really an appeal for people to help us out to get through what will prove to be a very, very difficult day.”
Thousands lost power Saturday across the region as the demand caused by the heat strained the system. Both the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and Southern California Edison reported scattered but small power outages.


latimes--2020-09-06--As fire 'engulfed everything' around campers, an air rescue like no other in the Sierra

The call came in to the California National Guard at 3:15 p.m. Saturday .
A fast-moving brush fire had choked off the only road out of a popular recreation area in the Sierra National Forest .
Hundreds of campers were trapped .
The Creek fire , which ignited Friday evening about six miles to the west , had jumped the San Joaquin River and made a run toward the Mammoth Pool Reservoir , where people were enjoying the Labor Day weekend .
“ As fire crews and law enforcement were trying to get everybody out , the fire spotted and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Olow of the U.S. Fire Service .
“ Exiting out the road wasn ’ t safe , so people were asked to shelter in place.
” Authorities quickly determined the only way to evacuate them was with a massive airlift done at night as the fire burned unchecked .
That marked the start of a massive multiagency rescue that some officials described as unprecedented in size and scope .
“ Our focus was getting the helicopters in and getting as many people out as quickly as possible to save lives , ” said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ joint task force domestic support with the California National Guard .
The Guard worked to assemble its teams and line up resources .
But by the time it was in a position to send in aircraft , the fire had essentially reached the Mammoth Pool area , said Col. Dave Hall , commander of the 40th Combat Aviation Brigade , which flew the mission .
“ The smoke column ’ s naturally high , very difficult , ” Hall recalled .
“ And we needed some of that essentially to burn down a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effect a safe rescue.
” At 6:30 p.m. , when conditions improved slightly , the Guard launched a CH-47 Chinook and a UH-60 Blackhawk from about 60 kilometers away in Northern California .
The helicopters staged in Fresno to receive guidance about where they could approach to pick people up .
A remotely piloted MQ-9 aircraft operated by the Guard ’ s 163rd Wing based at March Air Reserve Base worked above the site , helping to scout conditions .
Personnel identified a small clearing alongside a boat launch road that could be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ About 8:20 p.m. , the helicopters landed at Mammoth Pool .
The seven crew members were greeted by more than 200 campers , many of them clustered on a dock near the boat launch , Hall said .
Some had suffered injuries including scrapes , burns and possible broken bones .
But they were ecstatic .
“ I spoke with the crew members afterward and they said it was one of the greatest missions they ’ ve ever done just because of the feeling of relief the individuals who were rescued had , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ literally giving the crew chiefs hugs as they were boarding the helicopter.
” Some of those at Mammoth Pool described a terrifying scene of driving through flames and finding shelter wherever they could .
Jeremy Remington told ABC30 that he and his family were boating when they went to fill their chest with ice .
In less than 30 minutes , he said , the fire was roaring toward them .
“ The fire completely engulfed everything , all around us , ” he said , adding that they poured water on their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ faces as protection against the smoke and heat .
Two people had suffered life-threatening injuries .
They were put in the helicopters first .
Then came the 19 “ walking wounded , ” who needed hospital care but were not considered critical .
Crews also prioritized children and those with underlying health conditions , officials said .
“ Their focus was on rescuing them , getting them from the point of danger to point of safety and then getting them into the hands of the emergency medical professionals that were on the ground @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off the passengers at Fresno Yosemite International Airport , where a makeshift triage site was set up .
There , paramedics assessed injuries and arranged for people to be taken to hospitals , while other emergency workers made sure those who were displaced were matched with shelters .
The helicopters then returned to Mammoth Pool to pick up another load .
By then , between the darkness and thick smoke , conditions had deteriorated again .
Not knowing if they ’ d be able to make it back a third time , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helicopters as they could — more than 100 passengers in the Chinook and 21 in the Black Hawk , Hall said .
Luckily , they were able to make one more trip , and everyone who wanted to leave was airlifted .
Two people chose to stay behind , Olow said .
When the mission was completed about 3 a.m. , 214 people and 11 pets had been rescued , Hall said .
At least 21 people were taken to hospitals .
“ In my career with the Army National Guard , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ size nor have I heard of anything similar with regards to a fire incident , ” Hall said .
“ So in my book , this is one of the largest events ever.
” But it might not be the last , he said .
The fire was 0 % contained late Sunday morning and had charred at least 45,500 acres , as evacuation orders continued to multiply .
“ We do believe there will be more rescues , ” Hall said .
“ We are posturing crews day and night to support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the terrain up there is it is a very , very popular camping site and also backpacking site .
And because the fire travels very quickly , it is very possible for backpackers and hikers to potentially be stranded.
” Miller credited the work of scores of agencies , including the Madera and Fresno County sheriff ’ s offices and fire districts , the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection , the California Office of Emergency Services and the California Highway Patrol , for the success of the daring rescue .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in finding shelters , as did the 1106 TAMG , a Fresno aviation maintenance unit that opened its armory to those who were evacuated or injured , Miller said .
Another Fresno-based Guard unit , the 144th Fighter Wing , provided ground support .
“ All these agencies and people had to come together over a few short hours to figure out the best resources and capability to get in there to save these people , which is pretty remarkable , ” he said .
There was also an unexpected silver lining in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Huntington Lake Fire Chief Christopher Donnelly said it was a blessing in disguise that the fire — which he had anticipated for years due to brush overgrowth — happened during the outbreak .
Though hundreds of residents were evacuated , more than 10,000 people usually visit the Huntington Lake area during Labor Day weekend .
“ Thank god for COVID , ” Donnelly said .
“ All of our campgrounds are closed , Scout camps are closed.
” Times staff writers Laura Newberry and Thomas Curwen contributed to this report .

Flames consume dry brush around Santa Barbara firefighters as they set a backfire along Oro Quincy Highway in the aftermath of the Bear fire in Oroville. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
A man stands on a dock at the Shaver Lake Marina as the Creek fire approaches on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
A vehicle streaks along California 168 as the Creek fire creeps closer to Shaver Lake, Calif., on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
A member of the Laguna Hotshots Crew is silhouetted against a background of flames. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
Members of the Laguna Hotshots Crew walk down Huntington Lake Road to battle the Creek fire on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
The Laguna Hotshots Crew out of the Cleveland National Forest battles the Creek fire as it approaches the Southern California Edison Big Creek Hydroelectric Plant on Sept. 6 in Big Creek, Calif. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
A vehicle streaks by as Fresno County Sheriff’s Deputy Jeffery Shipman stands along California 168, with the Creek fire in the background on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
A plume rises from the Bear fire as it burns along Lake Oroville in Butte County. (Noah Berger / Associated Press)
Frank Martinez, left, and Rick Wolfe with their nine dogs in Oroville, Calif. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
A firefighter battles the Creek fire as it threatens homes in Madera County. (Noah Berger / Associated Press)
A crew from Trinity River Conservation Camp, a prison facility, does mop-up work on Stringtown Road on Friday, the day after a flare-up in the area. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Melted goggles lie on the ground next to the burned-out truck on Stringtown Road. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Propane gas burns Friday at the ruins of a home on Zink Road in the Berry Creek area of Butte County. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Thick smoke shrouds iconic Half Dome towering over Yosemite Valley in a view from Sentinel Bridge over the Merced River on Sept. 13. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Thick smoke from multiple forest fires shrouds iconic El Capitan, right, and the walls of Yosemite Valley. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
The call came in to the California National Guard at 3:15 p.m. Saturday.
A fast-moving brush fire had choked off the only road out of a popular recreation area in the Sierra National Forest. Hundreds of campers were trapped.
The Creek fire, which ignited Friday evening about six miles to the west, had jumped the San Joaquin River and made a run toward the Mammoth Pool Reservoir, where people were enjoying the Labor Day weekend.
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“As fire crews and law enforcement were trying to get everybody out, the fire spotted and then basically grew,” said Alex Olow of the U.S. Fire Service. “Exiting out the road wasn’t safe, so people were asked to shelter in place.”
Authorities quickly determined the only way to evacuate them was with a massive airlift done at night as the fire burned unchecked.
That marked the start of a massive multiagency rescue that some officials described as unprecedented in size and scope.
California All-time record heat across Southern California fuels fires, threatens power supply Blackouts could take place during peak evening hours, 5 to 9 p.m., according to the California Independent System Operator, which runs the power grid for much of the state.
“Our focus was getting the helicopters in and getting as many people out as quickly as possible to save lives,” said Col. Jesse Miller, deputy commander for joint task force domestic support with the California National Guard.
The Guard worked to assemble its teams and line up resources. But by the time it was in a position to send in aircraft, the fire had essentially reached the Mammoth Pool area, said Col. Dave Hall, commander of the 40th Combat Aviation Brigade, which flew the mission.
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“The smoke column’s naturally high, very difficult,” Hall recalled. “And we needed some of that essentially to burn down a little bit in order for us to effect a safe rescue.”
At 6:30 p.m., when conditions improved slightly, the Guard launched a CH-47 Chinook and a UH-60 Blackhawk from about 60 kilometers away in Northern California. The helicopters staged in Fresno to receive guidance about where they could approach to pick people up.
A remotely piloted MQ-9 aircraft operated by the Guard’s 163rd Wing based at March Air Reserve Base worked above the site, helping to scout conditions. Personnel identified a small clearing alongside a boat launch road that could be used as an emergency landing zone.
About 8:20 p.m., the helicopters landed at Mammoth Pool.
The seven crew members were greeted by more than 200 campers, many of them clustered on a dock near the boat launch, Hall said. Some had suffered injuries including scrapes, burns and possible broken bones.
But they were ecstatic.
“I spoke with the crew members afterward and they said it was one of the greatest missions they’ve ever done just because of the feeling of relief the individuals who were rescued had,” Hall said. “They were literally giving the crew chiefs hugs as they were boarding the helicopter.”
Simply extraordinary, lifesaving work by the @CalGuard airlifting more than 200 people to safety overnight from the imminent danger of the #CreekFire The National Guard stands Always Ready, Always There to support our communities and nation in times of need. pic.twitter.com/MybDKESipJ — General Daniel Hokanson (@ChiefNGB) September 6, 2020
Some of those at Mammoth Pool described a terrifying scene of driving through flames and finding shelter wherever they could.
Jeremy Remington told ABC30 that he and his family were boating when they went to fill their chest with ice. In less than 30 minutes, he said, the fire was roaring toward them.
“The fire completely engulfed everything, all around us,” he said, adding that they poured water on their shirts and used them to cover their faces as protection against the smoke and heat.
Two people had suffered life-threatening injuries. They were put in the helicopters first. Then came the 19 “walking wounded,” who needed hospital care but were not considered critical. Crews also prioritized children and those with underlying health conditions, officials said.
“Their focus was on rescuing them, getting them from the point of danger to point of safety and then getting them into the hands of the emergency medical professionals that were on the ground,” Miller said.
Crews dropped off the passengers at Fresno Yosemite International Airport, where a makeshift triage site was set up. There, paramedics assessed injuries and arranged for people to be taken to hospitals, while other emergency workers made sure those who were displaced were matched with shelters.
The helicopters then returned to Mammoth Pool to pick up another load.
By then, between the darkness and thick smoke, conditions had deteriorated again. Not knowing if they’d be able to make it back a third time, the crews loaded as many people into the helicopters as they could — more than 100 passengers in the Chinook and 21 in the Black Hawk, Hall said.
Luckily, they were able to make one more trip, and everyone who wanted to leave was airlifted. Two people chose to stay behind, Olow said.
When the mission was completed about 3 a.m., 214 people and 11 pets had been rescued, Hall said. At least 21 people were taken to hospitals.
“In my career with the Army National Guard, I have not seen an evacuation of this size nor have I heard of anything similar with regards to a fire incident,” Hall said. “So in my book, this is one of the largest events ever.”
But it might not be the last, he said. The fire was 0% contained late Sunday morning and had charred at least 45,500 acres, as evacuation orders continued to multiply.
“We do believe there will be more rescues,” Hall said. “We are posturing crews day and night to support potential rescues. What is unique about the terrain up there is it is a very, very popular camping site and also backpacking site. And because the fire travels very quickly, it is very possible for backpackers and hikers to potentially be stranded.”
Miller credited the work of scores of agencies, including the Madera and Fresno County sheriff’s offices and fire districts, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the California Office of Emergency Services and the California Highway Patrol, for the success of the daring rescue.
The cities of Fresno and Clovis also assisted in finding shelters, as did the 1106 TAMG, a Fresno aviation maintenance unit that opened its armory to those who were evacuated or injured, Miller said. Another Fresno-based Guard unit, the 144th Fighter Wing, provided ground support.
“All these agencies and people had to come together over a few short hours to figure out the best resources and capability to get in there to save these people, which is pretty remarkable,” he said.
There was also an unexpected silver lining in the form of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Huntington Lake Fire Chief Christopher Donnelly said it was a blessing in disguise that the fire — which he had anticipated for years due to brush overgrowth — happened during the outbreak. Though hundreds of residents were evacuated, more than 10,000 people usually visit the Huntington Lake area during Labor Day weekend.
“Thank god for COVID,” Donnelly said. “All of our campgrounds are closed, Scout camps are closed.”
Times staff writers Laura Newberry and Thomas Curwen contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-09-06--Mojave Desert fire in August destroyed the heart of a beloved Joshua tree forest

The first day of California ’ s lightning siege , thunderstorms rolled across the Mojave National Preserve , slicing the afternoon sky with dry strikes .
Smoke rose from the top of Cima Dome , marking the start of a wildfire that would ravage the heart of one of the world ’ s largest Joshua tree forests .
A drive down Cima Road that only weeks ago was a trip through a magical landscape is now a tour of the world ’ s biggest Joshua tree graveyard .
Most of the charred trees are still standing .
In the evening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scorch , take on an eerie beauty .
But they are doomed , and the 43,273 acres of the Dome fire are forever transformed .
“ That stand with that many big trees was developing for thousands of years , ” said Todd Esque , a U.S. Geological Survey research ecologist who has studied the forest .
“ We won ’ t replace that.
” The Aug. 15 Dome fire was not a surprise .
In 2005 , roughly 1 million acres of the Mojave burned , including part of the preserve to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We were expecting this to happen .
We ’ ve been talking about this for years , ” said Debra Hughson , the preserve ’ s science and resource chief .
Fire has emerged as the top threat to the Mojave in recent decades .
The relentless spread of invasive grasses across the desert is making it more flammable , increasing the number and size of wildfires in ecosystems that rarely burned and are ill-adapted to survive flames .
When preserve fire captain J.T .
Sohr and a handful of engine crews reached @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dome that Saturday afternoon , winds were pushing the roughly 70-acre blaze in all directions .
The temperature was in the mid-90s — hot for the dome ’ s 5,000-foot elevation .
Relative humidity was in the mid-teens .
The summer monsoon season , which normally delivers about half the area ’ s rainfall , had been a bust .
Vegetation was dry .
The fire chewed into wilderness areas that firefighters couldn ’ t reach .
A little more help arrived Saturday evening .
But with lightning fires erupting all over California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ additional support went unfilled .
He pulled back the small band of 16 firefighters and they bedded down for the night .
By noon the next day , the fire had ballooned to 15,000 acres .
Winds gusting to 20 mph continued to drive flames through Joshua trees and an under-story of native shrubs and grass peppered with red brome , an ubiquitous invader .
On Sunday , a team of six smoke jumpers arrived from Redding , along with a helicopter , more engines and a couple of air tankers .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ third day , when winds died down and the flames hit rocky areas .
On Aug. 20 , half an inch of rain fell on the burn .
The 68-square-mile fire was contained on Aug. 24 .
The fire burned more than 1.3 million Joshua trees , an old adobe bunkhouse at Valley View Ranch and a historic ranch house and outbuildings at Kessler Springs Ranch .
“ It could have been a lot worse , ” said preserve superintendent Mike Gauthier , noting that vast expanses of the Joshua tree woodland were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that about a quarter of the sprawling Cima Dome Joshua tree forest — which extends beyond the preserve boundaries north of I-15 — was destroyed .
But that quarter is a place that some desert lovers call one of their favorite spots on the planet .
“ I lost the center of my world last week .
I ’ m feeling a kind of vertigo of the soul , ” Chris Clarke of the National Parks Conservation Assn .
wrote in a blog post in the fire ’ s aftermath .
He recounted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for more than two decades , shedding the stress of urban life and personal problems while stars paraded across the desert sky .
“ There ’ s something about that landscape that taps into something really primal with people , ” Esque said .
“ I get a rush when I see it.
” It will be “ a little bit scary , ” he added , to see the fire ’ s devastation firsthand when he checks his research plots .
Although the Cima Dome forest is known as the world ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and another researcher have documented a bigger stand and a thicker one elsewhere in the Mojave .
The dome forest nonetheless stands out for its size and a density that preserve scientists suspect may not be wholly natural .
“ This dense Joshua tree forest might actually be an artifact of cattle grazing , ” Hughson said .
She cites two photographs that were taken in the same spot .
There are no Joshua trees in the first one , from the early 1900s .
There are many in the 2000 photo .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the area in the late 1800s and continued until after the preserve was established by the 1994 California Desert Protection Act , left a lasting mark on the desert .
Hooves disturbed the soil .
What the animals liked or didn ’ t like to eat changed the vegetation .
Seeds of alien annual grasses that were deliberately and accidentally introduced by settlers hitched rides on cattle who carried them across the range .
On the dome , cattle munched on native perennial bunch grasses but left native blackbrush , one of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alone .
Blackbrush also acts as an important nursery plant for Joshua tree seeds by shading them and hiding them from hungry rodents .
In that way , preserve scientists theorize that cattle grazing helped create the dome ’ s unusually thick Joshua tree stands — but also set the stage for last month ’ s conflagration .
Hughson and Kaiser don ’ t have early accounts to prove it , but they believe that grazing changed the dome from a more open savanna of native grasses studded with big old Joshua trees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ undergrown by a mixture of native shrubs , bunch grasses and invasive red brome .
“ The fire would not have burned so hot had it not been overgrazed and didn ’ t have an increased fuel load , ” Kaiser said .
A less intense fire would have been less disastrous .
As it is , of the estimated 1.33 million burned Joshua trees , Kaiser says fewer than 200,000 are topped by green leaves and have any chance of survival .
“ The Joshua tree forest was not sustainable , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ what we are afraid of and want to avoid ” is seeing the charred desert floor turn into a permanent carpet of red brome that fuels more and more fire .
Kaiser stood among piles of ash — all that was left of incinerated Joshua trees and yuccas in an area where the fire was especially hot , consuming the vegetation and even the root systems of native grasses and shrubs .
“ This is the area I ’ m most concerned about , ” he said .
But he spied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ small unburned spot with cholla , blackbrush , and mormon tea .
It was a place where the preserve could plant a few baby Joshua trees and hope they survived long enough to produce seeds that rodents would cache , slowly seeding the surrounding area .
Recovery plans will focus on doing small Joshua tree plantings in selected areas and keeping the red brome from running wild , Kaiser said .
“ I know there has been a lot of heartbreak and distress and people want it to come back .
But we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said .
“ We restore the ecological processes that drive the native vegetation.
” Regardless , Joshua tree restoration efforts are very much in the experimental stages and have yet to succeed on a large scale .
Seeds blow away in the wind or get eaten by rodents .
Plantings have to be watered for the first couple of years and caged to protect them from nibbling rabbits .
A few years of drought can kill youngsters .
“ The environmental conditions that have to line up for a Joshua tree @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Esque said .
Fortunately , the vast majority of the Dome burn was of moderate severity , leaving the root systems of many native shrubs and grasses intact .
With some luck , Kaiser said , next year nature will launch its own recovery as big galleta , black grama and other native perennial grasses start poking through the ashen ground .
Resprouting banana yucca , paper bag bush , California buckwheat and other natives will follow , keeping the red brome in check .
Wood rats and mice will spread Joshua @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more fire and drought could abort that rebirth .
Meanwhile , global warming is shrinking the range of Joshua trees and accentuating the swings between wet years that produce bumper crops of grassy invaders and drought that stresses the natives .
“ Where is this going and what is the new state we can expect to be in ?
” Hughson wondered .
Still , she said , “ we ’ re not going to give up .
”

The first day of California’s lightning siege, thunderstorms rolled across the Mojave National Preserve, slicing the afternoon sky with dry strikes.
Smoke rose from the top of Cima Dome, marking the start of a wildfire that would ravage the heart of one of the world’s largest Joshua tree forests.
A drive down Cima Road that only weeks ago was a trip through a magical landscape is now a tour of the world’s biggest Joshua tree graveyard.
Most of the charred trees are still standing. In the evening light, their leaves, bleached with scorch, take on an eerie beauty. But they are doomed, and the 43,273 acres of the Dome fire are forever transformed.
“That stand with that many big trees was developing for thousands of years,” said Todd Esque, a U.S. Geological Survey research ecologist who has studied the forest. “We won’t replace that.”
The Aug. 15 Dome fire was not a surprise. In 2005, roughly 1 million acres of the Mojave burned, including part of the preserve to the southeast of Cima Dome.
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“We were expecting this to happen. We’ve been talking about this for years,” said Debra Hughson, the preserve’s science and resource chief.
Fire has emerged as the top threat to the Mojave in recent decades. The relentless spread of invasive grasses across the desert is making it more flammable, increasing the number and size of wildfires in ecosystems that rarely burned and are ill-adapted to survive flames.
Drew Kaiser and J.T. Sohr stand near a blackened Joshua tree in the Mojave National Preserve. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
When preserve fire captain J.T. Sohr and a handful of engine crews reached the source of smoke rising above Cima Dome that Saturday afternoon, winds were pushing the roughly 70-acre blaze in all directions.
The temperature was in the mid-90s — hot for the dome’s 5,000-foot elevation. Relative humidity was in the mid-teens. The summer monsoon season, which normally delivers about half the area’s rainfall, had been a bust. Vegetation was dry.
The fire chewed into wilderness areas that firefighters couldn’t reach. A little more help arrived Saturday evening. But with lightning fires erupting all over California, Sohr’s initial requests for additional support went unfilled. He pulled back the small band of 16 firefighters and they bedded down for the night.
By noon the next day, the fire had ballooned to 15,000 acres. Winds gusting to 20 mph continued to drive flames through Joshua trees and an understory of native shrubs and grass peppered with red brome, an ubiquitous invader.
On Sunday, a team of six smoke jumpers arrived from Redding, along with a helicopter, more engines and a couple of air tankers. The fire began to peter out on the third day, when winds died down and the flames hit rocky areas. On Aug. 20, half an inch of rain fell on the burn. The 68-square-mile fire was contained on Aug. 24.
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An old adobe bunkhouse at Valley View Ranch burned when the Dome fire swept through part of the Mojave National Preserve. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
The fire burned more than 1.3 million Joshua trees, an old adobe bunkhouse at Valley View Ranch and a historic ranch house and outbuildings at Kessler Springs Ranch.
“It could have been a lot worse,” said preserve superintendent Mike Gauthier, noting that vast expanses of the Joshua tree woodland were untouched.
Preserve botanist Drew Kaiser estimated that about a quarter of the sprawling Cima Dome Joshua tree forest — which extends beyond the preserve boundaries north of Interstate 15 — was destroyed.
But that quarter is a place that some desert lovers call one of their favorite spots on the planet.
“I lost the center of my world last week. I’m feeling a kind of vertigo of the soul,” Chris Clarke of the National Parks Conservation Assn. wrote in a blog post in the fire’s aftermath.
Advertisement
He recounted how he had camped on the dome for more than two decades, shedding the stress of urban life and personal problems while stars paraded across the desert sky.
“There’s something about that landscape that taps into something really primal with people,” Esque said. “I get a rush when I see it.”
It will be “a little bit scary,” he added, to see the fire’s devastation firsthand when he checks his research plots.
Although the Cima Dome forest is known as the world’s largest Joshua tree woodland, Esque and another researcher have documented a bigger stand and a thicker one elsewhere in the Mojave.
The dome forest nonetheless stands out for its size and a density that preserve scientists suspect may not be wholly natural.
“This dense Joshua tree forest might actually be an artifact of cattle grazing,” Hughson said.
She cites two photographs that were taken in the same spot. There are no Joshua trees in the first one, from the early 1900s. There are many in the 2000 photo.
Advertisement
Debra Hughson, science chief of the Mojave National Preserve, talks about the ecological effects of the Dome fire. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
Cattle grazing, which started in the area in the late 1800s and continued until after the preserve was established by the 1994 California Desert Protection Act, left a lasting mark on the desert.
Hooves disturbed the soil. What the animals liked or didn’t like to eat changed the vegetation. Seeds of alien annual grasses that were deliberately and accidentally introduced by settlers hitched rides on cattle who carried them across the range.
On the dome, cattle munched on native perennial bunch grasses but left native blackbrush, one of the desert’s most flammable plants, alone. Blackbrush also acts as an important nursery plant for Joshua tree seeds by shading them and hiding them from hungry rodents.
In that way, preserve scientists theorize that cattle grazing helped create the dome’s unusually thick Joshua tree stands — but also set the stage for last month’s conflagration.
Hughson and Kaiser don’t have early accounts to prove it, but they believe that grazing changed the dome from a more open savanna of native grasses studded with big old Joshua trees to a dense Joshua woodland that was undergrown by a mixture of native shrubs, bunch grasses and invasive red brome.
Advertisement
“The fire would not have burned so hot had it not been overgrazed and didn’t have an increased fuel load,” Kaiser said.
A less intense fire would have been less disastrous. As it is, of the estimated 1.33 million burned Joshua trees, Kaiser says fewer than 200,000 are topped by green leaves and have any chance of survival.
“The Joshua tree forest was not sustainable,” Hughson said.
Now, she added, “what we are afraid of and want to avoid” is seeing the charred desert floor turn into a permanent carpet of red brome that fuels more and more fire.
Drew Kaiser checks for red brome, an invasive grass, in an unburned portion of the Joshua tree forest. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
Kaiser stood among piles of ash — all that was left of incinerated Joshua trees and yuccas in an area where the blaze was especially hot, consuming the vegetation and even the root systems of native grasses and shrubs.
“This is the area I’m most concerned about,” he said. But he spied a little patch of hope: a small unburned spot with cholla, blackbrush and Mormon tea.
It was a place where the preserve could plant a few baby Joshua trees and hope they survived long enough to produce seeds that rodents would cache, slowly seeding the surrounding area.
Advertisement
Recovery plans will focus on doing small Joshua tree plantings in selected areas and keeping the red brome from running wild, Kaiser said.
“I know there has been a lot of heartbreak and distress and people want it to come back. But we don’t create artificial gardens,” he said. “We restore the ecological processes that drive the native vegetation.”
A Joshua tree sprouts in an area that burned in the 2005 Hackberry Complex fire. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
Regardless, Joshua tree restoration efforts are very much in the experimental stages and have yet to succeed on a large scale. Seeds blow away in the wind or get eaten by rodents. Plantings have to be watered for the first couple of years and caged to protect them from nibbling rabbits. A few years of drought can kill youngsters.
“The environmental conditions that have to line up for a Joshua tree to make it are somewhat remarkable,” Esque said.
Fortunately, the vast majority of the Dome burn was of moderate severity, leaving the root systems of many native shrubs and grasses intact.
With some luck, Kaiser said, next year nature will launch its own recovery as big galleta, black grama and other native perennial grasses start poking through the ashen ground. Resprouting banana yucca, paper bag bush, California buckwheat and other natives will follow, keeping the red brome in check. Wood rats and mice will spread Joshua tree seeds from unburned patches.
Advertisement
But more fire and drought could abort that rebirth. Meanwhile, global warming is shrinking the range of Joshua trees and accentuating the swings between wet years that produce bumper crops of grassy invaders and drought that stresses the natives.
“Where is this going and what is the new state we can expect to be in?” Hughson wondered.
Still, she said, “we’re not going to give up.”