Forest fire in Witch Creek The Witch Creek fire was one of the largest wildfires to strike Southern California in the 2007 California wildfire season. The fire started on October 21, 2007, in the Witch Creek Canyon area near Santa Ysabel in San Diego County. Strong Santa Ana winds blew the fire west towards the coast, burning through areas of Ramona, Poway, and Rancho Bernardo. The fire spread rapidly, fueled by dry vegetation and strong winds. The Witch Creek fire burned a total of 197,990 acres of land and destroyed over 1,650 structures, including homes and businesses. The fire caused the evacuation of thousands of residents and resulted in the loss of two lives.
IBHS collaborates with partners to conduct post-wildfire field studies and claims analyses to identify vulnerabilities, assess the performance of mitigation practices, and propose effective mitigation strategies.
A Case Study of a Community Affected by the Witch and Guejito Fires Report 2 Evaluating the Effects of Hazard Mitigation Actions on Structure Ignitions. It affected areas north and northeast of San Diego, starting in Witch Creek Canyon near Santa Ysabel and quickly spreading westward toward the coast because of strong Santa Ana winds.
The fire caused the evacuation of thousands of residents and resulted in the loss of two lives. Firefighters from across the state were called in to battle the blaze, along with aerial support from helicopters and planes. This forest fire in Witch Creek was a devastating disaster that had a significant impact on the affected communities.
Knowing exposure risks important to saving structures from wildfires
image: A wooded area aflame during the 2007 Witch Creek/Guejito wildfire in Southern California. A new report from NIST looks at the fire's impact on structures in one community based on their pre-fire exposure risk to direct fire contact and embers (both seen in the photo). view more
A recent study of one of California's most devastating wildland fires by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) strongly suggests that measures for reducing structural damage and property loss from wildland urban interface (WUI)* fires are most effective when they are based on accurate assessments of exposure risks both for individual structures and the community as a whole.
The report also describes how the NIST-USFS WUI Hazard Scale provides a state-of-the-art tool for making such assessments and how that data could be linked to improved building codes, standards and practices that will help communities better resist the threat of wildfires.
The Witch Creek/Guejito WUI fire (commonly known as the Witch Fire) was the largest of a series of wildfires that began burning across Southern California on Oct. 20, 2007. It affected areas north and northeast of San Diego, starting in Witch Creek Canyon near Santa Ysabel and quickly spreading westward toward the coast because of strong Santa Ana winds. The Witch Fire burned some 80,000 hectares (nearly 200,000 acres), destroyed more than 1,600 structures, caused an estimated $1.8 billion in property damages and cost $18 million to fight. It also was responsible for two civilian deaths and 39 firefighter injuries.
A NIST-USFS WUI team worked in collaboration with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) and the City of San Diego to collect post-incident data within the Witch Fire perimeter. The team focused its effort on The Trails development at Rancho Bernardo, north of San Diego. There were 274 homes in The Trails, with 245 within the fire perimeter. Seventy-four homes were completely destroyed and 16 were partly damaged. Field measurements made by the NIST team included structure particulars, specifically roof type; proximity of combustibles to the structure; and damage to wildland and residential vegetation. Documentation included more than 11,000 photographs.
The data collected and analyzed were used in two separate NIST-USFS reports. The first, issued in 2009, created a detailed timeline of the Witch Fire, tracked its impact on the community, and documented defensive actions taken by homeowners and first responders. The latest study evaluates the effectiveness of those mitigation techniques addressing exposure risks—as defined by the WUI Hazard Scale—associated with direct fire contact and ignition by embers.
"This is the first time anyone has looked at wildfire impact by evaluating pre-event exposure risks throughout an entire community and how those risks affected the defensive actions that were in place," says Alexander Maranghides, lead author of both Witch Fire reports.
What the researchers found was that the majority of defensive strategies used in The Trails were effective and that the level of effectiveness was correlated to fire and ember exposure. Damage and destruction were more prevalent in structures assessed by the WUI Hazard Scale as having been at highest risk from fire and embers. Accordingly, defensive actions were more than twice as effective in saving structures in low-exposure sections of the community as compared to high-risk areas.
Maranghides says that a pre-event knowledge of exposure risks also may be helpful in determining how firefighters attack a WUI fire. "Our data show that it's probably best to fight fires in low-exposure areas because there's a greater chance that they can be suppressed and with less danger to the crews," he explains. "It may be better to sacrifice structures in high-exposure areas than risk the loss of firefighter lives in unwinnable situations."
Useful links:
1) The newest study: A. Maranghides, D. McNamara, W. Mell, J. Trook and B. Toman. A Case Study of a Community Affected by the Witch and Guejito Fires: Report #2 – Evaluating the Effects of Hazard Mitigation Actions on Structure Ignitions. NIST Technical Note 1796 (2013) at http://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/TechnicalNotes/NIST.TN.1796.pdf
2) Announcement of the NIST/USFS WUI Hazard Scale: "NIST, Forest Service Propose System to Help Communities Resist Wildfires," NIST Tech Beat, Dec. 12, 2012. http://www.nist.gov/el/fire_research/fire-121212.cfm
3) First NIST study of the Witch fire: "NIST Study Offers First Detailed Look at the Progress of a Wildland-Urban Fire," NIST Tech Beat, June 16, 2009. http://www.nist.gov/el/fire_protection/wui/fire_061609.cfm
* USFS defines the wildland urban interface, or WUI, as an "area where structures and other human development meet or intermingle with undeveloped wildland or vegetative fuels."
Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.
A NIST-USFS WUI team worked in collaboration with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) and the City of San Diego to collect post-incident data within the Witch Fire perimeter. The team focused its effort on The Trails development at Rancho Bernardo, north of San Diego. There were 274 homes in The Trails, with 245 within the fire perimeter. Seventy-four homes were completely destroyed and 16 were partly damaged. Field measurements made by the NIST team included structure particulars, specifically roof type; proximity of combustibles to the structure; and damage to wildland and residential vegetation. Documentation included more than 11,000 photographs.
The loss of homes and businesses caused immense hardship for the residents, and the destruction of natural habitats was a blow to the local ecosystem. The fire also highlighted the ongoing challenges of managing wildfires in Southern California, where the combination of dry conditions and strong winds creates favorable conditions for fire outbreaks. Efforts to prevent and mitigate wildfires have since been intensified in the region, with improved fire management strategies, increased public awareness, and stricter regulations. However, the Witch Creek fire serves as a reminder of the destructive power of wildfires and the need for ongoing vigilance and preparedness..
Reviews for "Analyzing the Patterns and Spread of the Witch Creek Forest Fire"
1. John Smith - 2 stars
I was really disappointed with "Forest Fire in Witch Creek". The plot was predictable and cliché, and the characters were one-dimensional and unrelatable. The writing style itself was also lackluster, with awkward dialogue and repetitive descriptions. I couldn't help but feel bored throughout the entire book, as there was no real depth or complexity to keep me engaged. Overall, I found "Forest Fire in Witch Creek" to be a forgettable read that failed to deliver on its promising premise.
2. Emily Johnson - 3 stars
"Forest Fire in Witch Creek" had potential, but it fell short in various aspects. While the initial setup was intriguing, the execution of the story lacked depth and coherence. The pacing was incredibly slow, with long, drawn-out descriptions that didn't add much to the overall narrative. Additionally, I found the characters to be underdeveloped, making it difficult to connect with them on any meaningful level. Although there were some suspenseful moments, they weren't enough to salvage the overall lackluster nature of the book.
3. Sarah Thompson - 2 stars
I had high hopes for "Forest Fire in Witch Creek", but unfortunately, it left me feeling unsatisfied. The writing style was disjointed, with abrupt switches in perspective and inconsistent pacing. The story itself felt muddled and confusing, with unresolved plotlines and lack of clear explanations. I found myself struggling to maintain interest throughout, as the lack of cohesion made it difficult to fully engage with the narrative. Overall, "Forest Fire in Witch Creek" left me disappointed and longing for a more captivating and well-executed story.