Thompson Fire Update Oroville

Over 2000 acres, 13000 evacuated...

[@RagtimeBillyPeaches]

I was the engineer that designed Kelly Ridge Estates, and have friends who live there. I hope the winds don't spread the fire south.

[@darrellwolf6074]

Juan. Cal Fire is now flying the new Fire hawks at night. I spent 14 years as a Cal Fire Bc for Alma Helitack. I currently work for that 3 letter utility company training employees in incident command.

[@RLTango]

Very, cool! Were these the same bird/helo crews training at the Folsom and Berryessa Lake earlier this summer? They flew a lot of night missions preparing. I hope it becomes a game changer.

[@cmonkey525]

Part of that is because there are enough military pilots that are getting out and have the NVG, night flight time and low level experience to safely run Night ops.

[@ChollieD]

3-letter utility must mean the CIA😁. Keep 'em safe, Darrell.

[@RZRDunesandSnow]

@@ChollieD PG&E would be my guess

[@peterredfern1174]

Safe flight mate!prayers to the folks at Kelly’s ridge,I think California and Australia are two of the most fire prone places in the world .May all be safe,🙏🙏🙏👍👍🇦🇺

[@peterredfern1174]

Australia’s summer is really dry we’ve had some horrendous fires over here that would equal California.

[@mikebolt999]

I had to evacuate. I really appreciate the night drops because my house could burn. I must have seen 50 flyovers today. Planes and helicopters everywhere.

[@caleblambo162]

I live over by Skyline and it was just INSANE the amount and frequency of aircraft but also the variety. Stay safe!

[@TheGospelQuartetParadise]

With this extreme heat all over the state we're in for some serious fires coming up, because idiots with fireworks won't give a rat's posterior that they need to leave those fire causing missiles in the packaging and wait for a different year. Be safe and have a pleasant 4th, Juan.

[@jon8062]

Agreed, maybe off topic but with what we know about fireworks and their effect on the environment, animals(domesticated and wild) not to mention fire risk, how the H are they still available and why are cities still doing these " shows" ? How about evolving and giving up this outdated idea of celebration?

[@deBASHmode]

Another good resource for fire coverage is the “Kathryn’s World - Wildfire Tracking” KZbin channel. She may be live all night tracking the Thompson. She’s also an admirer of Juan’s work and just tonight was praising his coverage of the Oroville Dam breach a few years back.

[@juliec3437]

T y, I live there too and am trying to find more updates

[@DanielC__]

For those interested in keeping track of Juan, I believe he’s on AA73 LAX - SYD. Just an hour or so out of LAX right now. He’s got another 13+ hours in the air.

[@user-yo1pk4ky4k]

Those temperatures are terrible for a week. I hope people have finally learned to clear a big defensible buffer clear of all fuel around their houses. Don't rely on overworked fire crews to save your house. Like everything else, in the end it is up to you.

[@TomWallace1937]

Where friends live in Inverness, if you don’t maintain a 30 foot clear area around your structure , they do it for you and bill you.

[@blancolirio]

Correction Thermalito Diversion Pool

[@ronjones-6977]

Aw, crap! Kelley Ridge is all kinds of steep. I'm familiar with the area a bit. There's a disc golf course that meanders all over that area and open land between housing areas. Not gonna be fun to defend if the fire gets that far.

[@IT-sq5rj]

I hope is isn't a busy summer over there for you mate. It seems every year, down under holds their breath all season like you are now.

[@superjeffstanton]

How many if these fires are possible arson sir?

[@superjeffstanton]

​@@IT-sq5rjand what about arson is AU mate? What is causing all of these. Many burns in US and Canada are set fires.

[@Fastvoice]

@@superjeffstanton Generally most of them.

[@wendygerrish4964]

Zeke is a fantastic source for fire info, education whys and wherefores. A c130 flew over my place don pedro at 10000 out of Fresno on its way there ealier today.

[@pcatful]

Closer to the dam than I thought. Thank you! Have a safe trip!

[@kimbrgv]

Have a safe flight. Thanks for sharing 💕 We have a family member who evacuated this fire. Saying it was moving super fast. I think all in the line of this fire should leave way before getting the GO ORDER. 😊❤

[@Chris-Nico]

Thank you, Juan. Prayers for the people in that area and for the fire fighters! Those BAE 146 tankers are from Neptune Air Tankers out of Missoula. Stay travels, Juan

[@mariarichardson3486]

Praying for firefighters, residents of Oroville, Kelly Ridge and equipment operators. Thanks

[@benjaminbixby8459]

Today 7/2/24 we also have a fire about 7nm south of Placerville, 3nm east of hwy 49, Moccasin Fire. The GV, Sonora, McClellan crews have been very busy. It was amazing watching all the birds in the sky today. The turn and burn of the S2s out of McClellan was incredible to monitor.

[@superjeffstanton]

Is this arson? No one is talking about this possiblity.

[@argentum530]

@@superjeffstanton As a former firefighter, now retired, this is a possibility they won't talk about until there is hard evidence to support that conclusion. Firebugs love the publicity... But I think that there are indications of possible arson in the timing, frequency, and locations/topography of fire start locations. Some investigations are easy, a lawnmower sparked a 10 acre fire near me and was easily extinguished and cause determined same day. Some fires we will never know...

[@terran5569]

They were using Night Drops with three helos at the recent Sonoma County fire near Lake Sonoma. That was the first I had heard of them and as a local resident under the smoke plume I was relieved and grateful.

[@maegenyoungs2591]

It’s pretty sad when you have to come to blonco for the best fire news

[@karenmedak6361]

Great to get the information out early enough for people to get a handle on what is going on with the fire in the Thompson fire. Hoping homes and Lives will be spared. No Loss at All Hoping

[@vx5468]

I was so hoping to see you post tonight. I've at least one coworker in danger, plus we have facilities in Butte County. Thank you, sir.

[@petergaylord4241]

N138CG also on scene now (thanks to our Aussie friends) plus two spotters, 3 Blackhawks, and 1 Chinook. OV-10 departed fire 15 minutes ago. Noon local time Wednesday, July 3. Aerial ballet. Poetry in motion.

[@pestilentruth2164]

Thank you, Juan.

[@ronjones-6977]

Between Juan and Mark Finan, I always know what's happening around here.

[@Mr.Breadmen]

I’m in California near the Sacramento area. I’ve lived here my whole life and have had to deal with the most biggest recent fires these last few years like the Dixie fire and the Paradise fire. This current heatwave is one of the fuel to the sparks and flames for all of these fires. My father always said that most of these fires were started by people which is a sad truth as a lot of fires are started by people in California. I pray that we stay safe this year and that they get these fires dealt with and put out. Good bless cal fire and our firefighters.

[@savearhino369]

the only fire update i rely on. thanks, and fly safely

[@smo-guiver8315]

Its a shame that the main stream media can't do as good of a job reporting the facts. They always try to sensationalize every event and leave out the important details in favor of uneducated personal testimonies - I can't stand to listen to it. Are they taught to act that way in journalism school?

[@Mariah3272]

Thanks Juan for the update!! You are so dedicated. Working and reporting at the same time.That's dedication!!!!! Happy July 4th to you and all.

[@robertlafnear7034]

Kinda Scary I say !... we just had Coulson put on a multi day airshow putting out( slowing )the Applegate Fire just across the road from us..... All you can do is hope the crews slow the darn thing down and make sure it does as little damage to homes as possibly........... A neighbor out weed whacking started this one BRAVO to all the crews that worked this fire and those still here.👏👏👏👍👍👍👍.

[@sanfranciscobay]

Hot Dry Conditions for the next week. What a nightmare.

[@webkahmik]

Beastly looking week ahead. Stay frosty, y'all.

[@kenhazelbaker4952]

You give the absolute best detailed coverage of anything you report on. Thanks.

[@hopespringseternal2624]

I saw the smoke earlier today but I didn't know where the fire is. Thank you for this report.

[@andrewtwice]

Thank you, Juan! Great report. I listened to the radio traffic all day since I live and work in Oroville, and your summary was spot on as per usual.

[@jrkorman]

Thank you Juan - Saw your earlier message on this.

[@jroar123]

It’s going to be one hell of a fire season this summer and fall.

[@Restorationshopyt]

It’s not going to be any different than any other. Don’t listen to the ignorant climate change alarmists.

[@josephoberlander]

Thankfully, this will only last another decade or two as the climate changes and all of the forests convert to brush and desert. But, yes, it's going to be a rough 20 years or so for everyone in the entire northwestern U.S.

[@Restorationshopyt]

Do people actually, really believe this nonsense?? Or do you post insanity like this just to get reactions from people?

[@josephoberlander]

@@Restorationshopyt If you look at the pictures of the area, the trees are all super dry and dying back. Eventually the climate will revert to something more like you see in Southern California. Definitely by 100 years from now. Which means that all of these forests are going to be kindling and just need to be cut back as much as possible when they start dying back. We saw this with the forest fires a decade ago in the Angeles Forest. What grew back was much smaller and more sparse than before. You can even see this in the larger views of this fire - there are patches where there's no forest any more. Just brush and grass. One of the main issues is that the state and the government are at odds as to how to manage the forests, with the state being understandably more proactive about it.

[@Restorationshopyt]

🤣🤣 imagine being this ignorant. Forests do not grow back in ten years! The various types of very large trees that make up the forests covering the sierras take many DECADES to grow back to substantial heights and tree densities again. Large burn scars do remain barren for many, many years because it takes a LONG long time for trees to grow back. That is the natural process and has been for as long as trees have existed on this planet. It’s amazing how ignorant so many of you alarmists are on these subjects, yet you keep spewing out pure garbage anyway.

[@benjaminhanke79]

Good luck to all the air tanker crews. You covered to much of those crashing in the past few years.

[@user-ic3xl9lf8r]

Thanks Juan. Watching from Eastern Australia. Winter here a the moment of course, but I am not looking forward to our oncoming fire season.

[@theblackbear211]

Thanks Juan. Safe Travels.

[@efo1358]

Prayers and Love ! 👊🤙

[@Slonge92]

Thank you! The local reporting was so pathetic that they only referred to the fire by its name, providing no location information at all. The fire could have been in another State based on the poor reporting. They actually had a reporter on location who only knew the name of the fire and how many acres burned. Might as well have said “I’m on location at the fire itself. Turns out it was in my backyard. I’m calling it the BarBQ fire. Back to you in the studio.”

[@chriso847]

Great report Juan. Have a nice trip.

[@juneyshu6197]

Thank you so much. What concerns me is the cause of all the fires. We had a lot of r son here in the past few years in the I E. blessings all of you❤

[@mykofreder1682]

The developer of these towns has an option to put a block wide private buffer between the public forest and the dense suburban housing and the association regulates the tree density in the development. The tree density is not that high in the dense suburb, but they actually created clumps in probably parks and they built right to the edge of the public forest with the knowledge it is not if but when that forest burns to the ground in the heat of summer. There is less dense suburb into the woods also, there should not be continuous housing and woods to the dense suburb, it is a private development and what happens was a private decision. I suspect the houses are wood sided with non-metal/ceramic roofs and will burn to the ground if there is a raging fire adjacent to it.

[@hippiebits2071]

Wildfires of the magnitude frequently seen today weren’t even a consideration back in the day when Oroville was seeing development. Butte County is overall a lot of densely forested area with limited employment options and not a lot of financial resources. People generally live simple, small town “country” lives. A lot of history up there and some good folks but not a lot else is going on in Oroville. The news of this fire is particularly sad and unfortunate.

[@brucevanderzanden9638]

Thank you for your update Jaun!

[@ForTheBirbs]

I watch with interest as a 42 year service retired volunteer firefighter in Sydney

[@JohnLeaman-un4rh]

Thanks for the update Juan, hope your flight’s ✈️ are well. This from Orlando, Florida. MCO

[@amdg2023]

You've come full circle, now i need to know how the Thermalito Diversion Pool figures into the equation, as I typed this you answered the question!

[@jerrydeanswanson79]

Hey Juan...thanks for your videos...always so informing. And you sure do look Spiffy in your uniform. Smiles...and hello from Wisconsin.

[@mfgc2610]

Thought that was the Toll fire? Man, that is incredible. Be safe all.

[@geofiggy]

Thanks for your update, time and resources JB. Always appreciated. Take care and fly safe. 🤟🏼🖖🏼

[@thomaswilson8634]

Thank you juan. Becareful flying sir.

[@JD-zm4eh]

Close water supply for fast drops. May the missions work out smoothly and drench the fires.

[@petergaylord4241]

Watching the DC10 tanker departing MCC multiple times yesterday and today. 90 minutes between drops. Half airborne and half back at MCC to land, taxi, reload, taxi and take off again. Impressive coordination and operations. N17085 on FlightRadar 24.

[@johnwoodall3791]

Have enjoyed your past documentary on Cal Fire as well... Reminds myself of our 2019/20 Bush Fire Disaster in which I did some Volunteer flying at whilst I was on Holidays back then. It turned Tragic Aviation Wise when we lost the Coulson C130 Tanker & sadly the 3 Person Crew... Thankyou for this as I follow Aerial Fire Fighting documentaries... In touch soon... Respectfully...

[@kurtak9452]

Great debriefing, stay safe.

[@deloradeabel8487]

Thank you for this thorough fire report,I live in foothills above Oroville!

[@DR-ur1vw]

I’m grateful this fire got contained!! Every time they kept talking about the winds and wind changing direction, I was thinking about the Lahaina fire and Camp fire!! Very scary to be so close and right before that was the Apache fire in Palermo. Cal Fire truly are brave heroes who protect the community!! Hopefully the dam will be ok during winter. Driving into Oroville on 70, the “white O” on table mountain really stands out next to black burnt background. I can’t wait for you to do a new flyover and give us more insight! Take care

[@ellenbryn]

I wonder if those night dropping helicopters are part of one of the northern fire authorities or if Orange County has lent them again. During the Tahoe fire OCFA sent several night droppers including our chartered Chinook tanker which was then brand new. There were communication problems on that occasion, so they sat idle for days trying to convince someone in charge to make use of them. But I'm sure that kink in the system was has been discussed and improved by now.

[@billgoodrich5135]

Juan, when I hear about anything related to “Oroville” I think about you! Thanks for the excellent reporting and hope you and family are safe. 🙂

[@skyepilotte11]

Thx Juan. Have a great trip.

[@petergaylord4241]

Heard the C130 around 6pm over the house departing MCC. Saw the DC10 tanker climbing out a few minutes later.

[@jimmccloud3089]

watch duty is also a great ap for monitoring fires that include alerts on your phone to your area

[@Garythefireman66]

Fly safe Juan. Thanks for the update!

[@mccloysong]

Not too far from your Grass Valley. Thanks for the update.

[@rexmyers991]

Thanks, Juan

[@russell3380]

Thank you, safe travels.

[@catherinenelson4162]

Be safe on your flight's Juan! Thank you for the information on the fire.

[@juneyshu6197]

Thank you. all. ❤

[@tuhkathri9126]

Flying the PMDG 777 from SFO to HND in Juan's honor 😁👍🏻

[@davekat4680]

Thank you Juan 👍 I have friends up there 🙏🏼

[@jfrodgers7858]

Thanks for the update. Be safe out there.

[@scubasteve7946]

Thank you Juan it's been a tough one this afternoon

[@julie9785]

Thanks for the detailed update ..

[@fastst1]

Hope the winds and night time weather cooperate to slow it down a bit.. Need a couple 415 scoopers!

[@d.t.4523]

Thank you Juan, keep working.

[@edgarmuller6652]

Thanks Juan. Back to your origins 👏🙌✅ safe ✈️ flight

[@bcdd8]

Great video. Thank you

[@KittyGonzalez-bc8ee]

Thank you!

[@scofab]

Thanks again Juan.

[@stagg2552]

Looks like one of the night flying chinooks is from PJ-Helicopters.

[@samhill3496]

Good report. Hot dry windy all detrimental. Lot of crews coming in but time and winds play against then. Hope all are safe. The night fire fighting with the rotorcraft sounds mighty scary to me. Smoke heat blocking the IR signal lending confusion. All good next time

[@CNP-rn3gd]

It's going to be a bad fire season. We got spoiled last year! I'm really scared.

[@davidshutt2273]

Started by a road, go figure. Thanks for taking the time, JB

[@browntrout1156]

I don't know the area Juan but hope your property and family are safe. Thnx for the video.

[@BillBartlett-vv1sn]

We need to bring back the 10:00am rule!

[@jarvishill1007]

Know you're time constrained, consider the "BURNED GRASS" on an earthen dam; which is an important erosion protection 🤔. What is the risk and/or what measures can prevent water erosion on the face of the Oroville earthen damn? Navy 🇺🇸 veteran

[@blancolirio]

Rip rap cover ie. Rocks.

[@powdork]

Rainfall and erosion won't be an issue for quite a while. The grass will grow back

[@LarsLarsen77]

The roots are still there.

[@ruralangwin]

Thank you fir saying north up.

[@71charger318]

Currently 4 air assets are being used and are seen on ADS-B and on Foreflight. North of the Dam is where the choppers are flying.

[@cliffh8486]

I hope your wife and the kids are safe.

[@rickpeters2434]

Juan, Back on June 16th,the Point Fire started in Sonoma County. Cal Fire used 2 S64 helicopters overnight at least on the first day. I would have mentioned it then to you, just didn't know how to get that out to you.

[@larkbird]

Thanks for the update. I have some pictures/video of that fire from FL350 if you would like. I’ll try and post it on YT. Fly safe!

[@larkbird]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/gp3ZgWalrcZ1nsUfeature=shared

[@pigdroppings]

Oh No....the Green Spot on the Oroville dam is under attack by the fire.....run for your lives.

[@dougtarbet6193]

I hope your home isn’t under threat Juan. 🙏

[@jmac8092]

Ty Sir.

[@viperq]

N950CH and N238PJ are currently doing night drops.

[@Starboatbuilder]

hi Great update. You people need to think of the Bombardier water bomber. With the dam and water source right there probably looking at less than 15 minute cycle time. The plane is a pilot plane which you fly by your seat. The left cheek is for landing and the right cheek is for takeoff. The waterbomber pays it way in Canada & Europe and recently in Labrador saving the city

[@e2thec]

Dams and fires, it's a 2fer. I was just up there on Sunday, sad to see all those neighborhoods being threatened.

[@sanjosejeff]

Thx Juan

[@gregmitchell4619]

Dang, i hope for the best outcome for California's fire season.

[@Ranchhand323]

Hope your home and family remain safe .

[@ericfielding2540]

I hope that the critical control systems for the dam are resistant to this wildfire. We are past the flood season but having the dam stop working would be a problem.

[@BegudMaximan-zp2tc]

Airborne ember flakes can fly some distance, carried by the fanning breeze effect that acompanies these fires, makes for disturbing anxious times, of further possible ignitions elsewhere.

[@Tscaperock]

Whenever there is heat and wind, the pyros come out of the woodwork!

[@barbaracarter8384]

Thank you Captain 👨‍✈️ Juan for this informative update. Praying for the safety of the fire crews and all who help to control these situations. Safe travels to you sir, your neighbor here in Merced. ✈️