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Alan Sheckter Photo | profile | all galleries >> Nature, landscape photos >> "West Fire" near Magalia, Calif., June 22-30, 2008 tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

"West Fire" near Magalia, Calif., June 22-30, 2008

Thunderstorms, specifically lightning, sparked hundreds of fires in Northern California June 21, 2008. These are photos of the so-called West Fire, in the West Branch Feather River Canyon, just east of Magalia/Paradise Pines. They were taken June 22-30 in Magalia. Aided by a blanketing inversion layer that's kept visibility low, the now-3,000-acre has been smoldering about 2.5 miles from our house for nine days, causing preliminary evacuations for those that live along Magalia's canyon edges. Major breakthrough on June 30: The skies cleared enough for air support to fight the fire. During the early evening, three Army helicopters made run after run, filling their buckets in Magalia Reservoir, then dropping water on the West Fire, only to return and pick up more water as jubilant local residents looked on. This is just one of about 30 fires now burning in Butte County and an estimated 1,000 in the state. Cal-Fire says it doesn't expect full containment of the fires burning in Northern California until July 9. Photos by Alan Sheckter, AlSheck@comcast.net. Permission must be granted for re-publication.
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6-30: Army Black Hawk copter carrying water
6-30: Army Black Hawk copter carrying water		 6-30: Army Black Hawk copter carrying water
6-30: Army Black Hawk copter carrying water		 6-30: Army Chinook copter approaches Magalia Reservoir
6-30: Army Chinook copter approaches Magalia Reservoir		 6-30: Army Chinook copter carrying water to the West Fire
6-30: Army Chinook copter carrying water to the West Fire		 6-30: Army Chinook copter carrying water to the West Fire
6-30: Army Chinook copter carrying water to the West Fire
6-30: Army Black Hawk copter filling up at Magalia Reservoir
6-30: Army Black Hawk copter filling up at Magalia Reservoir		 6-30: Black Hawk copter filling up at Magalia Reservoir
6-30: Black Hawk copter filling up at Magalia Reservoir		 6-30: Black Hawk copter filling up at Magalia Reservoir
6-30: Black Hawk copter filling up at Magalia Reservoir		 6-30: Two at a time - Chinook and Black Hawk copters approach Magalia Reservoir
6-30: Two at a time - Chinook and Black Hawk copters approach Magalia Reservoir		 6-30: Onlookers at Magalia Reservoir
6-30: Onlookers at Magalia Reservoir
6-30: Two at a time - Chinook and Black Hawk copters approach Magalia Reservoir
6-30: Two at a time - Chinook and Black Hawk copters approach Magalia Reservoir		 6-30: Two at a time - Chinook and Black Hawk copters approach Magalia Reservoir
6-30: Two at a time - Chinook and Black Hawk copters approach Magalia Reservoir		 6-30: Black Hawk fills up at Magalia Reservoir
6-30: Black Hawk fills up at Magalia Reservoir		 6-30: Black Hawk pulls away from Magalia Reservoir
6-30: Black Hawk pulls away from Magalia Reservoir		 6-30: Two at a time - Chinook and Black Hawk copters fill up at Magalia Reservoir
6-30: Two at a time - Chinook and Black Hawk copters fill up at Magalia Reservoir
6-30: Chinook and Black Hawk copters at Magalia Reservoir
6-30: Chinook and Black Hawk copters at Magalia Reservoir		 6-30: Chinook and Black Hawk copters at Magalia Reservoir
6-30: Chinook and Black Hawk copters at Magalia Reservoir		 6-30: Chinook and Black Hawk copters at Magalia Reservoir
6-30: Chinook and Black Hawk copters at Magalia Reservoir		 6-30: Chinook and Black Hawk copters at Magalia Reservoir
6-30: Chinook and Black Hawk copters at Magalia Reservoir		 6-30: Black Hawk copter flies by Sawmill Peak Lookout
6-30: Black Hawk copter flies by Sawmill Peak Lookout
6-30: A real wakeup call when one of these flies over your house
6-30: A real wakeup call when one of these flies over your house		 6-30 Welcome to Magalia / Thank you firefighters
6-30 Welcome to Magalia / Thank you firefighters		 6-30: Chinook copter carrying water to the West Fire
6-30: Chinook copter carrying water to the West Fire		 6-30: Chinook copter drops water on the West Fire near Magalia
6-30: Chinook copter drops water on the West Fire near Magalia		 6-30: Chinook copter drops water on the West Fire near Magalia
6-30: Chinook copter drops water on the West Fire near Magalia
6-30: Onlookers watch Chinook copter fill up at Magalia Reservoir
6-30: Onlookers watch Chinook copter fill up at Magalia Reservoir		 6-30: Onlookers watch Chinook copter fill up at Magalia Reservoir
6-30: Onlookers watch Chinook copter fill up at Magalia Reservoir		 6-30: Onlookers watch Chinook copter fill up at Magalia Reservoir
6-30: Onlookers watch Chinook copter fill up at Magalia Reservoir		 6-29: Army helicopter flies past a smoky Sawmill Peak Lookout, Magalia
6-29: Army helicopter flies past a smoky Sawmill Peak Lookout, Magalia		 6-29: Retired local engineer chats with Newport Beach firefighter in Magalia
6-29: Retired local engineer chats with Newport Beach firefighter in Magalia
6-27: Santa Ana firetruck and evacuation sign on the Skyway in Magalia
6-27: Santa Ana firetruck and evacuation sign on the Skyway in Magalia		 6-26: Our friend Cheryl (right) and Dawn staff the Butte County info center at Magalia supermarket
6-26: Our friend Cheryl (right) and Dawn staff the Butte County info center at Magalia supermarket		 6-26: Our friend Cheryl (right) and Dawn staff the Butte County info center at Magalia supermarket
6-26: Our friend Cheryl (right) and Dawn staff the Butte County info center at Magalia supermarket		 6-26: Fire chief from San Bruno leads convoy of trucks on the Skyway, Magalia
6-26: Fire chief from San Bruno leads convoy of trucks on the Skyway, Magalia		 6-26: Firetrucks from all over the state dwarf old Magalia Church
6-26: Firetrucks from all over the state dwarf old Magalia Church
6-26: Firefighters from all over the state watch West Fire near Sawmill Peak, Magalia
6-26: Firefighters from all over the state watch West Fire near Sawmill Peak, Magalia		 6-26: Firetrucks from all over the state converge in Magalia
6-26: Firetrucks from all over the state converge in Magalia		 6-26: Firefighters from all over the state watch West Fire near Sawmill Peak, Magalia
6-26: Firefighters from all over the state watch West Fire near Sawmill Peak, Magalia		 6-26: Firefighters from all over the state watch West Fire near Sawmill Peak, Magalia
6-26: Firefighters from all over the state watch West Fire near Sawmill Peak, Magalia		 6-26: Air tanker finds a few minutes of visibility near the West Fire near Sawmill Peak, Magalia
6-26: Air tanker finds a few minutes of visibility near the West Fire near Sawmill Peak, Magalia
6-26: Air tanker finds a few minutes of visibility to drop fiire retardant on the West Fire near Magalia
6-26: Air tanker finds a few minutes of visibility to drop fiire retardant on the West Fire near Magalia		 6-26: Questioning the experts
6-26: Questioning the experts		 6-26: Road closure - Coutolenc Road at the Skyway, Magalia
6-26: Road closure - Coutolenc Road at the Skyway, Magalia		 6-26: Donna delivers food to visiting firefighters at Magalia Community Center
6-26: Donna delivers food to visiting firefighters at Magalia Community Center		 6-26: Visiting firefighter, on break, checks e-mail at Magalia Community Center
6-26: Visiting firefighter, on break, checks e-mail at Magalia Community Center
6-26: Volunteers Donna (r) and Heather chat in front of donations while planning next day's breakfast for visiting firefighters
6-26: Volunteers Donna (r) and Heather chat in front of donations while planning next day's breakfast for visiting firefighters		 6-25: A smoky West Brnch Feather River Canyon from Coutlolenc Lookout, Magalia
6-25: A smoky West Brnch Feather River Canyon from Coutlolenc Lookout, Magalia		 6-25: Road closure: Jordan Hill Road, Magalia
6-25: Road closure: Jordan Hill Road, Magalia		 6-24: Diffused sun rises at our house, Magalia
6-24: Diffused sun rises at our house, Magalia		 6-24: Diffused sun rises at our house, Magalia
6-24: Diffused sun rises at our house, Magalia
6-22: U.S. Forest Service ranger takes a look
6-22: U.S. Forest Service ranger takes a look		 6-22: Donna watches fire burn in W. Branch Feather River canyon just east of Magalia
6-22: Donna watches fire burn in W. Branch Feather River canyon just east of Magalia		 6-22: Late-day sun and winds blowing the other way give full view
6-22: Late-day sun and winds blowing the other way give full view		 6-22: Wide view of smoking filling what was a blue sky
6-22: Wide view of smoking filling what was a blue sky		 6-22: Smoldering fire burns unabated
6-22: Smoldering fire burns unabated
6-22: Fire slowly advancing down the canyon
6-22: Fire slowly advancing down the canyon		 6-22: Other onlookers at usually empty Coutolenc Lookout
6-22: Other onlookers at usually empty Coutolenc Lookout		 6-22: Flames visible as fire burns unabated
6-22: Flames visible as fire burns unabated		 6-22: Flames visible as fire burns unabated
6-22: Flames visible as fire burns unabated		 6-22: Wide view of smoking filling what was a blue sky
6-22: Wide view of smoking filling what was a blue sky
6-22: Flames visible as fire burns unabated
6-22: Flames visible as fire burns unabated		 6-22: Flames visible as fire burns unabated
6-22: Flames visible as fire burns unabated		 6-22: Flames visible as fire burns unabated
6-22: Flames visible as fire burns unabated
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comment | share
Guest 07-Jul-2008 18:13
Nice shots Alan! Thank you for sharing. Stay safe out there.
Husa
john 04-Jul-2008 16:18
Nice pics Al!! You've certainly captured the action--I hope this all ends soon--very concerning about your air quality up there, you lead the charts every night on the news cast with THE WORST air quality in the north state--not a good thing. Be safe, tell Donna hi and cuddos on her volunteer work and we'll be in touch. Happy 4th! john
Martha 02-Jul-2008 05:10
Thanks for the pictures and the update, Alan. Hope to hear that there is containment real soon! Thinking of you and Donna and everyone else in Magalia at this time! Love, Martha and Rob
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