Hot Shots: 7/14

SAN DIEGO, CA, ADD DATE – Numerous homes lay in ashes after flames jumped from ridge to ridge, destroying everything in their path. Santa Ana winds blew for three days, hampering firefighters as temperatures reached 104 degrees. Hundreds of companies from city, county, state and federal resources responded.

Photo by Jeff Zimmerman

SANTA ANA, CA, ADD DATE – Three homes burned in the San Bernardino County Mountains above Lake Gregory. Strong winds pushed embers from a fully involved single-family dwelling fire into the tinder-dry timber, spreading the fire into to other large wood-frame homes. The cause is still under investigation, but preliminary loss estimates are near $1 million. U.S. Forest Service, CAL FIRE and San Bernardino County Fire Department crews worked cooperatively to halt the flames. San Bernardino County sent a second-alarm assignment to try to stop fire spread among the structures, but the winds and fire behavior were too intense. Forestry crews cut a fire line around the timber to halt the spread of the wildfire in about three hours.

Photo by Jeff Zimmerman

BALDWIN, NY, MAY 25, 2014 – The Baldwin Fire Department received calls for a house fire. When the chief arrived, it was confirmed as a working fire. The residents were out before the arrival of the fire department. The rest of the house was saved from further damage by the quick actions of the firefighters.

Photo by Bill Bennett

ROCKVILLE, MD, APRIL 1, 2014 – One of the largest dollar-loss fires in Montgomery County history caused significant damage to a series of apartment buildings under construction. The early-morning fire ripped through five- to six-story lightweight construction that was one week away from occupancy. More than half the roof was involved. Numerous elevated streams were used. Each floor represented 26,000 square feet of lightweight construction. Twenty-four hours before the fire, there were sub-freezing temperatures and a 43 mph wind. There were no injuries.

Photo by John Lyons