Home destruction examination: Grass Valley Fire, Lake Arrowhead, California

Jack D. Cohen; Richard D. Stratton

Treesearch

Home destruction examination: Grass Valley Fire, Lake Arrowhead, California

Informally Refereed

Authors:

Jack D. Cohen, Richard D. Stratton

Year:

2008

Type:

Miscellaneous Publication

Station:

Rocky Mountain Research Station

Source:

Tech. Paper R5-TP-026b. Vallejo, CA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region (Region 5). 26 p.

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Download (PDF 2.91 MB): https://research.fs.usda.gov/download/treesearch/31544.pdf

Abstract

The Grass Valley Fire started October 22, 2007 at approximately 0508, one-mile west of Lake Arrowhead in the San Bernardino Mountains. Fuel and weather conditions were extreme due to drought, dry Santa Ana winds, and chaparral and conifer vegetation on steep terrain. The fire proceeded south through the Grass Valley drainage one-mile before impacting an area of dense residential development (~0930), initially showering the northern edge with firebrands and igniting several homes and residential vegetation. Burning homes and the surrounding vegetation ignited adjacent homes initiating a "domino effect" of home destruction without the wildfire as a major factor. By the end of the day, 199 homes were destroyed or damaged.

Keywords

home destruction, firebrands, Grass Valley Fire, Lake Arrowhead, San Bernardino Mountains, drought, Santa Ana winds

Citation

Cohen, Jack D.; Stratton, Richard D. 2008. Home destruction examination: Grass Valley Fire, Lake Arrowhead, California. Tech. Paper R5-TP-026b. Vallejo, CA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region (Region 5). 26 p.