Chips Fire - Aerial 40,000' MSL

Updated August 28, 7:00AM-PDT

Huge smoke plume from Chips Fire, Plumas County, CA
The dark spec in the center of the frame is a commercial airliner at cruise altitude suggesting the cloud topped out higher than 25,000' MSL.
Image taken Aug 2, 2012, about 5:00 PM-PDT

Smoke drifting towards the northeast from the Chips Fire
The fire is burning off the lower left of the frame and was not in view on the side of the aircraft where I was seated.
Image taken August 23, 2012, about 8:00 PM-PDT

Latest Incident information [Inciweb]


Notice: Firefighters have made significant progress battling the Chips Fire as can be seen in the latest MODIS imagery (below). Interest in this blog post has waned. As a result, it will be updated less frequently and the incident information will be accessible through the Inciweb link above, but will no longer be replicated here.

This fire is by no means out, and still represents an extreme hazard in the region. If it resumes its rapid growth and/or interest in this post increases, updates may also resume.

NASA MODIS images

Annotated image of fires burning in the vicinity of the Chips Fire
Barry Point, Fort Complex, Holloway, Reading, Hanson, and Chips fires shown
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8/27 afternoon pass
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8/27 morning pass
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8/23 pass
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8/22 pass
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8/21 pass
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8/20 pass
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8/19 pass
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8/18 - afternoon pass
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8/18 morning pass
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8/15 pass
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8/14 pass
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8/13 pass
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8/11 afternoon pass
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8/11 morning pass
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Shrinking plumes as firefighters work to get the blaze under control
Image 8/9 19:15 UTC /  11:15 PDT
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Smoke plumes over Northern California and Nevada
Image 8/7 21:05 UTC /  13:05 PDT
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Topaz Ranch Estates (Tre) Fire

Tre Fire viewed from commercial flight May 22 6:45PM

5 minutes later, another angle

The TRE (Topaz Ranch Estates) Fire started at approximately 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 22. The fire burned in cheat grass, sagebrush and pinyon pine/juniper on mostly BLM public lands, one mile north of Nevada State Route 208 and three miles east of U.S. Highway 395 near Topaz Lake (about 60 miles south of Reno, Nevada). On May 26, full containment was achieved with the help of cooler weather and some precipitation.

Incident Information [inciweb.org]

Jesusita Fire

Seen from a commercial flight leaving the San Fernando Valley, the smoke plume from the Jesusita Fire in Santa Barbara doesn't look all that large. It's barely visible in the MODIS satellite imagery (see links below). But it's concentrated in a built-up hillside residential area that hadn't burned in a very long time. Whipped by strong winds, the fire has destroyed many very lovely homes. The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden has sustained fire damage as well.

Satellite Image Courtesy of NASA MODIS

Click image to enlarge

Other satellite images:
MODIS Satellite Imagery (May 5th) [NASA]
MODIS Satellite Imagery (May 6th) [NASA]
MODIS Satellite Imagery (May 6th) [NASA]
MODIS Satellite Imagery (May 7th) [NASA]
MODIS Satellite Imagery (May 8th) [NASA]


Smoke plume spreading to the south.

Inciweb - Jesusita Wildland Fire [inciweb.org]

Fire Status:

• Acres burned: 8,733
• Percent contained: 98%
• Expected full containment: 05/20/09
• Evacuation orders and warnings: All were lifted as of 05/13/09
• Cause: Under investigation (please call 805-686-5074 if you have any information pertaining to how the fire started)
• Homes destroyed: 80
• Homes damaged: 15
• Outbuildings destroyed: 79
• Outbuildings damaged: 2
• Commercial property destroyed: 1
• Commercial property damaged: 0
• Total number of personnel assigned to the incident: 189
• Engines: 11
• Crews: 4
• Bulldozers: 2
• Water Tenders: 1
• Fixed Wing Air Tankers: 0
• Air Attack Aircraft: 1
• Helicopters: 2
• Firefighter injuries to date: 32
• Estimated costs to date: $20 million

List of properties damaged or destroyed [Santa Barbara County]

Santa Barbara County 2009 Press Releases [Santa Barbara County]

Google Maps - Jesusita Fire Evacuation Permieter
Google Maps - Jesusita Fire Zone
Google Maps - Jesusita Fire - LA Times map
Google Maps - Jesusita Fire Map