What Are The Perfect Conditions For A Ferocious Fire?

Monday, October 22, 2007

Oct. 22, 2007 -- The governor described the conditions in Southern California as "the perfect storm." And he's right-- dry weather, dry ground, and ferocious Santa Ana winds-- perfect for disaster.

Gale-force Santa Ana winds are getting the best of fire fighters battling the Southern California wildfires.

"It's constantly jumping from one place to another, so it's making it impossible to catch," said UX Berkeley Fire Science professor Scott Stephens.

UC Berkeley associate professor of fire science, Scott Stephens says until the wind dies down, crews can only take a defensive position, and get people out of harms way.

At times through out the day, the Santa Ana winds were clocked at over 100 miles per hour, pushing the flames, faster than a car can travel.

"It can move 10 to 15 miles per hour in a straight line, and when you're in really difficult rugged terrain, it's much faster than a car can move. It can overtake you in a very quick second or two."

"It's being described by many of the fire fighters down there as being a blow torch on the ground, said Mark Neveau from the Fremont Fire Department.

Battalion chief Mark Neveau has fought many Southern California wildfires in his 28-year career. He says when so many massive fires are burning out of control; the heat generated from the flames can create its own weather pattern.

"There are so many fires it starts to cap the heat inside, and they start to create their own weather, it just compounds it."

"When you have so much energy being put up, you can get winds that are generated by the fires, and plume dominated conditions."

And the situation is aggravated when the wind is forced through Southern California's mountain canyons, creating a wind tunnel effect.

Fire fighters hope the winds will tie down in the next few days, so they can bring in some offensive power.

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