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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Local organizers are once again planning and raising funds for the annual “Wreaths Across America” event this holiday season.
National Wreaths Across America Day will take place this year on Saturday, Dec. 15.
Each year, millions of Americans come together to remember the fallen, honor those that serve and their families, and teach the next generation about the value of freedom.
This gathering of individuals and communities takes place in local and national cemeteries in all 50 states as part of National Wreaths Across America Day.
A new theme is chosen annually to help supporters focus their messaging and outreach in their own communities. This year’s theme is "Be their witness."
The inspiration for this year's theme stems from the 2009 drama "Taking Chance," which was based on the experiences of U.S. Marine Lt. Colonel Michael Strobl, who escorted the body of a fallen Marine, PFC Chance Phelps back to his hometown in Wyoming from the Iraq War.
Through the Wreaths Across America program, we are ensuring that the lives of our men and women in uniform are remembered, not their deaths. It is our responsibility as Americans, to be their witness and to share their stories of service and sacrifice with the next generation.
In 2017, more than 1.5 million veteran wreaths were placed on headstones at 1,422 participating cemeteries around the country in honor of the service and sacrifices made for our freedoms, with each name said out loud.
This will be Lake County’s 11th year participating in the Wreaths Across America program.
In the first year, seven ceremonial wreaths were placed for the seven divisions of the military during a WAA Ceremony at the Hartley Cemetery in Lakeport.
Since that first year, ceremonies are being held at five locations including Hartley, Kelseyville, Upper Lake, Lower Lake and St. Mary’s.
Youth organizations are reaching out for sponsorships to place as many wreaths as possible on veterans’ gravesites and anyone is invited to participate. Just let them know you would like to volunteer by going to the www.wreathsacrossamerica.com, look for the volunteer button and set yourself up as a volunteer at one of the five cemeteries and then you will receive up-to-date information by email.
Boy Scout Troop 42 in Lakeport, Girl Scouts in Kelseyville, the Lake County 4-H Group and FFA will be accepting donations for wreaths until Dec. 3.
Individual sponsorships cost $15 for one wreath and the family option costs $60 for four wreaths, small businesses can fund 10 wreaths for $150 and corporations can sponsor 100 or more wreaths for $1,500 or any amount can be sponsored for $15 per wreath.
Toni Funderburg, coordinator of Wreaths Across America in Lake County, said that sponsorship forms can be picked up at Lakeport Tire & Auto Service, 1901 S. Main St. in Lakeport, call 707-263-5422 and they will fax or email you a sponsorship form, or go to www.wreathsacrossamerica.org and sponsor a wreath and payment can be made with a credit card.
Please make sure to designate the cemetery and sponsoring group.
“When we come together to place wreaths, there are people from the left and the right, it doesn’t matter your faith or your politics. We are there as Americans,” said Karen Worcester, executive director of Wreaths Across America. “Our mission welcomes anyone to join us in remembering those who gave their lives for our freedom, including our freedom to be different from one another. And now, more than ever, we want to help people find common ground with one another by supporting our military and their families.”
National Wreaths Across America Day will take place this year on Saturday, Dec. 15.
Each year, millions of Americans come together to remember the fallen, honor those that serve and their families, and teach the next generation about the value of freedom.
This gathering of individuals and communities takes place in local and national cemeteries in all 50 states as part of National Wreaths Across America Day.
A new theme is chosen annually to help supporters focus their messaging and outreach in their own communities. This year’s theme is "Be their witness."
The inspiration for this year's theme stems from the 2009 drama "Taking Chance," which was based on the experiences of U.S. Marine Lt. Colonel Michael Strobl, who escorted the body of a fallen Marine, PFC Chance Phelps back to his hometown in Wyoming from the Iraq War.
Through the Wreaths Across America program, we are ensuring that the lives of our men and women in uniform are remembered, not their deaths. It is our responsibility as Americans, to be their witness and to share their stories of service and sacrifice with the next generation.
In 2017, more than 1.5 million veteran wreaths were placed on headstones at 1,422 participating cemeteries around the country in honor of the service and sacrifices made for our freedoms, with each name said out loud.
This will be Lake County’s 11th year participating in the Wreaths Across America program.
In the first year, seven ceremonial wreaths were placed for the seven divisions of the military during a WAA Ceremony at the Hartley Cemetery in Lakeport.
Since that first year, ceremonies are being held at five locations including Hartley, Kelseyville, Upper Lake, Lower Lake and St. Mary’s.
Youth organizations are reaching out for sponsorships to place as many wreaths as possible on veterans’ gravesites and anyone is invited to participate. Just let them know you would like to volunteer by going to the www.wreathsacrossamerica.com, look for the volunteer button and set yourself up as a volunteer at one of the five cemeteries and then you will receive up-to-date information by email.
Boy Scout Troop 42 in Lakeport, Girl Scouts in Kelseyville, the Lake County 4-H Group and FFA will be accepting donations for wreaths until Dec. 3.
Individual sponsorships cost $15 for one wreath and the family option costs $60 for four wreaths, small businesses can fund 10 wreaths for $150 and corporations can sponsor 100 or more wreaths for $1,500 or any amount can be sponsored for $15 per wreath.
Toni Funderburg, coordinator of Wreaths Across America in Lake County, said that sponsorship forms can be picked up at Lakeport Tire & Auto Service, 1901 S. Main St. in Lakeport, call 707-263-5422 and they will fax or email you a sponsorship form, or go to www.wreathsacrossamerica.org and sponsor a wreath and payment can be made with a credit card.
Please make sure to designate the cemetery and sponsoring group.
“When we come together to place wreaths, there are people from the left and the right, it doesn’t matter your faith or your politics. We are there as Americans,” said Karen Worcester, executive director of Wreaths Across America. “Our mission welcomes anyone to join us in remembering those who gave their lives for our freedom, including our freedom to be different from one another. And now, more than ever, we want to help people find common ground with one another by supporting our military and their families.”
LAKEPORT, Calif. – Lake County’s district attorney said he will go before the Board of Supervisors next week to respond to questions about his spending, including vehicle costs and travel for conferences.
District Attorney Don Anderson, who will leave office at the end of this year once his second term expires, came under fire at the board’s Nov. 20 meeting, which he did not attend because he was returning from a conference in Southern California.
However, Anderson told Lake County News this week that he didn’t have time to prepare a report for the board’s meeting last week and that he intends to provide the requested information at the Dec. 4 meeting.
Supervisor Rob Brown asked that the matter regarding Anderson’s spending – including use of county credit cards, reimbursements, mileage and maintenance of county vehicles – be put on the Nov. 20 agenda, and at that meeting he told his colleagues that the situation had been going on for some time.
Since May of 2017, Brown has been researching issues with Anderson’s spending. Beginning in the spring, Brown has been submitting Public Records Act requests to the county seeking information on Anderson’s use of his county-issued credit card and vehicle.
Brown accused Anderson of using his county credit card and vehicle for private purposes ranging from campaigning to out-of-county trips for his private law practice. He also alleged that he’s seen Anderson drinking alcohol at various bars and restaurants and then driving his vehicle, which he has reported to law enforcement.
Acknowledging that the issue should have brought this up sooner, Brown said he had not been brought to the board before the Nov. 6 election so as not to appear political.
Anderson was on the ballot this year in the race for Lake County Superior Court judge. He ultimately lost to Deputy County Counsel Shanda Harry in a runoff decided earlier this month. Brown’s son, Steven, ran for district attorney this year but lost to Senior Deputy District Attorney Susan Krones in the June primary.
Brown questioned why Anderson is continuing to go to conferences to learn to be a better district attorney when he’s about to leave office. “There is no purpose for the county to be paying for that, especially given the financial situation that we’re in.”
He added that it’s important to address so as to maintain some level of public trust and to hold everyone – including public officials – accountable.
Sheriff Brian Martin told the board that he also has a county-issued credit card and explained that it’s used for a variety of things, including day-to-day operations.
“Taking that away from a department head is going to have some unintended consequences,” Martin said.
Martin said that the state attorney general has authority over the district attorney and sheriff, so that would be an appropriate agency to consider any possible misuse of funds, as would the civil grand jury. He said there is no statute of limitation for misappropriation of funds.
Brown complained during the meeting that the District Attorney’s Office did not give him the information he wanted in response to his Public Records Act requests. He said mileage wasn’t accurately reported and he got reams of records about things like toner purchases.
County Counsel Anita Grant said she didn’t believe there is a current protocol to record the mileage information Brown was seeking, and that county staff has supplied the information she had requested after reviewing the requests.
Brown told the board that he thought that any conferences during the remainder of Anderson’s term shouldn’t be attended by him but by the district attorney-elect, Krones.
“I don’t think Don Anderson should be going anywhere at our expense from now on except out the door,” Brown said.
Upper Lake resident Gene Paleno asked the board about what role the public should have if there is malfeasance in office. Brown said he will ask for an independent review.
Supervisor Tina Scott was concerned that the board had no evidence in front of them as proof of misconduct by Anderson.
Board Chair Jim Steele said that, for him, the charge from Brown was enough. He said the board owed it to the community to perform budgetary oversight.
Brown moved to direct County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson to advise Anderson that he is to make no further purchases for training and travel for himself through Dec. 4 unless it’s approved by Huchingson.
The motion included the board’s invitation to Anderson to come and give a report on spending on Dec. 4. If he declined, the prohibitions on spending would remain in effect through the end of his term, an action the board can take under its budgetary authority.
The board approved the motion 4-1, with Supervisor Moke Simon the lone dissenter.
On Wednesday, Anderson said he received an email from the county about the spending prohibition. “It doesn’t mean anything,” he said, explaining that there is no training coming up.
He said that on Nov. 15, the day the board’s agenda was posted for the Nov. 20 meeting, he was at a conference in San Diego. He didn’t return to work until the afternoon of Nov. 20, after the board had met.
Anderson said no one has asked him why he attended the California Narcotic Officers' Association annual conference in San Diego.
So Lake County News asked him the reason.
He responded that there were many little reasons, from reviewing new equipment for investigations to lobbying.
But the main reason he cited was meeting with members of a training company that he’s used before, who have tentatively agreed to come to Lake County and provide classes on search warrants and police officer testimony for free. It’s a training opportunity Anderson wants to open up to law enforcement agencies in addition to his own staff. He said he hopes to finalize an agreement with the company on Dec. 6.
In answer to Brown’s allegations about him doing private practice cases out of county, Anderson acknowledged that he has done such cases, and said he legally can do them. He said in eight years, he’s probably done five or six different cases and only been paid for one of them.
When he makes the trips to do such work, he combines them with county-related work, such as a recent meeting he had with other regional districts attorney regarding wildland fire-related cases.
He called the questioning of his spending the results of a “personal vendetta” by Brown, adding, “I don’t know why.” Anderson said he also was aware that Brown has been following him around and “kind of stalking” him.
Anderson said he and his staff are now preparing a report to present to the board on Dec. 4, and that he’ll present all the records of his vehicle and credit card use, including records pertaining to his personal credit card.
“I don’t care. I’ve got nothing to hide,” Anderson said.
Email Elizabeth Larson atThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
District Attorney Don Anderson, who will leave office at the end of this year once his second term expires, came under fire at the board’s Nov. 20 meeting, which he did not attend because he was returning from a conference in Southern California.
However, Anderson told Lake County News this week that he didn’t have time to prepare a report for the board’s meeting last week and that he intends to provide the requested information at the Dec. 4 meeting.
Supervisor Rob Brown asked that the matter regarding Anderson’s spending – including use of county credit cards, reimbursements, mileage and maintenance of county vehicles – be put on the Nov. 20 agenda, and at that meeting he told his colleagues that the situation had been going on for some time.
Since May of 2017, Brown has been researching issues with Anderson’s spending. Beginning in the spring, Brown has been submitting Public Records Act requests to the county seeking information on Anderson’s use of his county-issued credit card and vehicle.
Brown accused Anderson of using his county credit card and vehicle for private purposes ranging from campaigning to out-of-county trips for his private law practice. He also alleged that he’s seen Anderson drinking alcohol at various bars and restaurants and then driving his vehicle, which he has reported to law enforcement.
Acknowledging that the issue should have brought this up sooner, Brown said he had not been brought to the board before the Nov. 6 election so as not to appear political.
Anderson was on the ballot this year in the race for Lake County Superior Court judge. He ultimately lost to Deputy County Counsel Shanda Harry in a runoff decided earlier this month. Brown’s son, Steven, ran for district attorney this year but lost to Senior Deputy District Attorney Susan Krones in the June primary.
Brown questioned why Anderson is continuing to go to conferences to learn to be a better district attorney when he’s about to leave office. “There is no purpose for the county to be paying for that, especially given the financial situation that we’re in.”
He added that it’s important to address so as to maintain some level of public trust and to hold everyone – including public officials – accountable.
Sheriff Brian Martin told the board that he also has a county-issued credit card and explained that it’s used for a variety of things, including day-to-day operations.
“Taking that away from a department head is going to have some unintended consequences,” Martin said.
Martin said that the state attorney general has authority over the district attorney and sheriff, so that would be an appropriate agency to consider any possible misuse of funds, as would the civil grand jury. He said there is no statute of limitation for misappropriation of funds.
Brown complained during the meeting that the District Attorney’s Office did not give him the information he wanted in response to his Public Records Act requests. He said mileage wasn’t accurately reported and he got reams of records about things like toner purchases.
County Counsel Anita Grant said she didn’t believe there is a current protocol to record the mileage information Brown was seeking, and that county staff has supplied the information she had requested after reviewing the requests.
Brown told the board that he thought that any conferences during the remainder of Anderson’s term shouldn’t be attended by him but by the district attorney-elect, Krones.
“I don’t think Don Anderson should be going anywhere at our expense from now on except out the door,” Brown said.
Upper Lake resident Gene Paleno asked the board about what role the public should have if there is malfeasance in office. Brown said he will ask for an independent review.
Supervisor Tina Scott was concerned that the board had no evidence in front of them as proof of misconduct by Anderson.
Board Chair Jim Steele said that, for him, the charge from Brown was enough. He said the board owed it to the community to perform budgetary oversight.
Brown moved to direct County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson to advise Anderson that he is to make no further purchases for training and travel for himself through Dec. 4 unless it’s approved by Huchingson.
The motion included the board’s invitation to Anderson to come and give a report on spending on Dec. 4. If he declined, the prohibitions on spending would remain in effect through the end of his term, an action the board can take under its budgetary authority.
The board approved the motion 4-1, with Supervisor Moke Simon the lone dissenter.
On Wednesday, Anderson said he received an email from the county about the spending prohibition. “It doesn’t mean anything,” he said, explaining that there is no training coming up.
He said that on Nov. 15, the day the board’s agenda was posted for the Nov. 20 meeting, he was at a conference in San Diego. He didn’t return to work until the afternoon of Nov. 20, after the board had met.
Anderson said no one has asked him why he attended the California Narcotic Officers' Association annual conference in San Diego.
So Lake County News asked him the reason.
He responded that there were many little reasons, from reviewing new equipment for investigations to lobbying.
But the main reason he cited was meeting with members of a training company that he’s used before, who have tentatively agreed to come to Lake County and provide classes on search warrants and police officer testimony for free. It’s a training opportunity Anderson wants to open up to law enforcement agencies in addition to his own staff. He said he hopes to finalize an agreement with the company on Dec. 6.
In answer to Brown’s allegations about him doing private practice cases out of county, Anderson acknowledged that he has done such cases, and said he legally can do them. He said in eight years, he’s probably done five or six different cases and only been paid for one of them.
When he makes the trips to do such work, he combines them with county-related work, such as a recent meeting he had with other regional districts attorney regarding wildland fire-related cases.
He called the questioning of his spending the results of a “personal vendetta” by Brown, adding, “I don’t know why.” Anderson said he also was aware that Brown has been following him around and “kind of stalking” him.
Anderson said he and his staff are now preparing a report to present to the board on Dec. 4, and that he’ll present all the records of his vehicle and credit card use, including records pertaining to his personal credit card.
“I don’t care. I’ve got nothing to hide,” Anderson said.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Rotary Club of Clear Lake will hold its 26th annual Community Christmas Dinner and Celebration on Saturday, Dec. 8.
The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Burns Valley School multipurpose room, 3620 Pine St. in Clearlake.
A warm, delicious ham dinner with all the trimmings will prepared and served by one of Lake County’s most generous service clubs, the Rotary Club of Clear Lake.
The meal is free for all who wish to attend.
In addition to the meal, children will get to visit Santa and his elves, where they will receive a souvenir photo and a toy.
The Warm For The Winter program will be on hand again this year. The program offers free new and gently used coats, winter clothing, sleeping bags and blankets. These gifts are also free of charge. Thank you to Joyce Overton for starting this program and Charmaine Weldon for continuing it on behalf of the Rotary Club of Clearlake.
Joining the event again this year will be Worldwide Healing Hands. Dr. Paula Dhanda along with medical and community volunteers from Worldwide Healing Hands, will offer free health screenings and referrals.
New this year, Lake County Public Health will be on hand offering free flu shots to children and adults alike. These free flu shots will be administered as medically indicated.
The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Burns Valley School multipurpose room, 3620 Pine St. in Clearlake.
A warm, delicious ham dinner with all the trimmings will prepared and served by one of Lake County’s most generous service clubs, the Rotary Club of Clear Lake.
The meal is free for all who wish to attend.
In addition to the meal, children will get to visit Santa and his elves, where they will receive a souvenir photo and a toy.
The Warm For The Winter program will be on hand again this year. The program offers free new and gently used coats, winter clothing, sleeping bags and blankets. These gifts are also free of charge. Thank you to Joyce Overton for starting this program and Charmaine Weldon for continuing it on behalf of the Rotary Club of Clearlake.
Joining the event again this year will be Worldwide Healing Hands. Dr. Paula Dhanda along with medical and community volunteers from Worldwide Healing Hands, will offer free health screenings and referrals.
New this year, Lake County Public Health will be on hand offering free flu shots to children and adults alike. These free flu shots will be administered as medically indicated.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Fishing League Worldwide, the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, announced Monday the complete professional angler roster for the upcoming 2019 FLW Tour season, the 24th season of the FLW Tour, which will include a Lake County angler.
The field will be showcased along the 2019 FLW Tour, which features seven regular-season tournaments around the country with competition kicking off at Sam Rayburn Reservoir, Jan. 10 to 13, in Brookeland, Texas, and culminating with the world championship of bass fishing – the FLW Cup at Lake Hamilton, Aug. 9 to 11, in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
Among the 170 professional anglers competing will be local angler Jimmy Reese of Witter Springs, who will be competing in his fifth season on the tour.
Reese has career earnings of more than $494,000 with FLW and has four career top-10 finishes at the sport’s top level on the FLW Tour.
There was enormous demand to compete on the 2019 FLW Tour, with 210 anglers registering for a slot on the prestigious tournament circuit in its final year of priority registration before switching to a strict qualifying process and a 150-pro field in 2020.
The top award at each tour event is $125,000 with $300,000 going to the winner of the FLW Cup. Since the final field exceeds the published payout basis of 150 pros, FLW will survey all 170 participating pros to finalize the 2019 payout structure.
“With the demand we saw this year to join the FLW Tour, we couldn’t be more eager to kick off another season at Sam Rayburn Reservoir in January,” said Bill Taylor, FLW’s senior director of tournament operations. “FLW has long been the home to some of the most decorated bass anglers in the sport, and with the expanded live coverage at all of our Tour events this year, we are more than ready to show off their skills at some of the best fisheries in the world.”
The 2019 FLW Tour roster is headlined by a stout contingent of bass-fishing heavyweights, including three-time Angler of the Year (AOY) and 2003 FLW Cup champion David Dudley of Lynchburg, Virginia, 2015 AOY and 2011 FLW Cup champion Scott Martin of Clewiston, Florida, and two-time Angler of the Year Bryan Thrift of Shelby, North Carolina. They’ll be joined by bass-fishing legends Jimmy Houston of Cookson, Oklahoma, and Larry Nixon of Quitman, Arkansas, as well as three former FLW Cup champions – John Cox (2016), Brad Knight (2015) and Darrel Robertson (2002). The 2019 Tour will also feature 34 rookies from around the country.
The complete FLW Tour roster for 2019 can be found at www.FLWFishing.com .
2019 FLW Tour regular-season schedule:
– Jan. 10 to 13: Sam Rayburn Reservoir Brookeland, Texas. Hosted by the Jasper County Development District.
– Feb. 7 to 10: Lake Toho, Kissimmee, Fla. Hosted by Experience Kissimmee and Experience Kissimmee/Kissimmee Sports.
– March 7 to 10: Lake Seminole, Bainbridge, Ga. Hosted by the Bainbridge Convention and Visitors Bureau.
– March 28 to 31: Grand Lake, Grove, Okla. Hosted by the City of Grove and Cherokee Casino Grove.
– April 11 to 14: Cherokee Lake, Jefferson City, Tenn. Hosted by the Economic Development Alliance, Jefferson County.
– May 2 to 5: Lake Chickamauga, Dayton, Tenn. Hosted by Fish Dayton and the Rhea Economic and Tourism Council.
– June 27 to 30: Lake Champlain, Plattsburgh, N.Y. Hosted by the City of Plattsburgh and Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau.
– Aug. 10 to 12: FLW Cup – Lake Hamilton, Hot Springs, Ark. Hosted by Visit Hot Springs and the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.
FLW announced last week a greatly expanded FLW Live schedule for the 2019 season as part of its commitment to growing the sport of tournament bass fishing and bringing more publicity to the anglers who fish its circuits.
The live on-the-water broadcast will air on days three and four of all FLW Tour regular-season events from the boats of the tournaments’ top pros.
Originally airing from 8 a.m. to noon during FLW Tour events, the FLW Live on-the-water program has been extended two hours and will now broadcast from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Every weigh-in will be broadcast on www.FLWFishing.com.
You can watch any FLW Live broadcast – either from on the water or weigh-in – by logging on to www.FLWFishing.com and clicking on the FLW Live page link. On-the-water broadcasts will be simulcast on www.FLWFishing.com, www.YouTube.com/FLWFishing and www.Facebook.com/FLWFishing. All FLW Live broadcasts are free to watch.
For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the sport’s top anglers on the FLW Tour on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – Michael Pritchard, a nationally acclaimed speaker praised by the Wall Street Journal, CNN, and Time Magazine, will appear at the Soper Reese Theatre on Saturday, Dec. 8.
Shows are at 2 and 7 p.m.
The shows are free to all. Donations gratefully accepted. Doors open 30 minutes before each show. Sponsored by A Positive Light meditation center in Kelseyville, by the Tallman Hotel and by HeartLand Media.
Drawing from his counseling background, Pritchard began using humor to inspire, teach communication skills, anger management, diversity, conflict resolution and overcoming burnout and stress.
Using his stand-up comedic delivery, Pritchard will speak on the topics of bullying, diversity, skillful communication, and conflict resolution.
Famous for his ability to use humor to inspire and educate his audiences on life skills, Pritchard has performed stand-up comedy with Robin Williams, Jerry Seinfeld, Dana Carvey and Whoopi Goldberg.
His messages are related to communication skills and ways to renew commitment, important topics for elementary, middle and high school students and their parents.
He visited Lake County to speak to students about bullying in 2017. A video of his Lake County appearance is below.
The Soper Reese Theatre is located at 275 S. Main St., Lakeport.
For more information on Michael Pritchard go to www.michaelpritchard.com.
For information on the December 9 shows call the Soper Reese Theatre at 707-263-0577.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – New images released this week by NASA’s Earth Observatory show the impact of this year’s wildland fires on the Northern California landscape.
The 2018 fire season in California has been record-breaking.
The Mendocino Complex – the majority of which burned in Lake County – was California’s largest fire by burned area on record, destroying nearly half a million acres. In began July 27 in Mendocino County and continued until Sept. 18, ultimately burning not just into Lake but also Colusa and Glenn counties.
The Camp fire in November was the deadliest and most destructive in state history, completely wiping out the town of Paradise and killing dozens of people.
“Every year, we keep hearing fires labeled as ‘the biggest,’ ‘worst’ and ‘deadliest’,” said Amber Soja, a wildfire scientist at NASA’s Langley Research Center. “We keep hearing that this is the ‘new normal.’ Hopefully it’s not true for long, but right now it is.”
In addition to the Mendocino Complex – which included the Ranch and River fires – and the Camp fire, the top image shows the burn scars for the following fires:
– Carr fire: July 23 to Aug. 30 in Shasta and Trinity counties, burned more than 1,600 structures and 229,651 acres; eight fatalities – three firefighters, five civilians.
– County fire: July 17 to 30 in Napa and Yolo counties, destroyed 20 structures and burned 90,288 acres.
– Hirz fire: Aug. 9 to Sept. 12 in Shasta County, burned 46,150 acres.
– Klamathon fire: July 5 to 21 in Siskiyou County, burned 38,008 acres and destroyed 82 structures; one fatality.
– Stone fire: Aug. 15 to Aug. 29, Modoc County, burned 39,387 acres.
– Whaleback fire: July 27 to Aug. 7, burned 18,703 acres.
California’s fire activity in 2018 is part of a longer trend of larger and more frequent fires in the western United States.
Of the total area burned in the West since 1950, 61 percent of it has occurred in the past two decades, according to Keith Weber, GIS director at Idaho State University and principal investigator of the NASA project RECOVER.
“The 2018 fire year is going to fit right in to what's been going on the last decade or two. In fact, it might be a taller spike in the overall trend,” Weber said.
High temperatures, low relative humidity, high wind speed, and scarce precipitation have increased dryness and made live and dead vegetation in western forests easier to burn.
“Those fire conditions all fall under weather and climate,” said Soja. “The weather will change as Earth warms, and we’re seeing that happen.”
Soja also noted that California had a really wet winter in 2017, which helped build up grass and brush in rural and forested areas.
The vegetation was an abundant fuel source as California headed into the 2018 dry season, which was exceptionally dry and lasted into late October.
As fires are becoming more numerous and frequent, NASA’s Disasters Program has been working with disaster managers to respond to the blazes.
For California’s Camp and Woolsey fires, NASA scientists and satellite analysts have been producing maps and damage assessments of the burned areas, including identifying areas that will be more susceptible to landslides in the upcoming winter.
Kasha Patel is a science writer at NASA.
