updated 7:15am, Thursday, November 1.

We urge you to bookmark this page. As soon as breaking news becomes available, the information will be posted immediately. There's never a need to wait for the next newscast, the next newspaper or for banner ads to download. Unless updated sooner, our next scheduled update will be 6pm, Monday.

The 2nd phase of rehabilitation after the Darby Fire has begun with a sale of timber burned. See "REHABILITATION" below. We've posted the latest available "WATER EMERGENCY" information including the news that restricted landscape watering has returned to Angels Camp & the Highway 4 / Murphys, Vallecito, Avery corridor ... see "LANDSCAPE WATERING" below.

You'll find the final fire stats posted ... as well as an overview map (see below). The "HEARTFELT THANKS" list is a bit bigger.

WATER EMERGENCY: This continues to be the BIG story. The fire destroyed a portion of the historic, wooden flume system that feeds several area reservoirs. Water officials tell us the worst is indeed behind us. The all important "Overland Pipe Project" is up & running & delivering water ... pumping 8 to 10csf [cubic feet per second]. Water conservatiaons measures, however, need to be respected until the permanent flume replacement in functioning ... sometime next year.

LANDSCAPE WATERING: The Utica Power Authority voted Friday (Oct. 12) to approve the recommendation of the City of Angels & the Union Public Utilities District (UPUD). That vote means landscape watering resumes under the following "phase II" restrictions:
1. Watering lawns, flower beds, landscaping ornamental plants or gardens is prohibited except on watering days as follows:
ODD - Numbered addresses on Wednesday, Friday & Sunday.
EVEN - Numbered addresses on Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday.
(WATERING IS NOT ALLOWED ON MONDAYS)
2. Watering lawns, flowers, landscaping, ornamental plants & gardens between 10am & 6pm is prohibited.
3. Washing down sidewalks, driveways, parking areas, patios & other paved areas or buildings is prohibited.
4. Washing any motor vehicles, trailer or moveable equipment may be done only with a bucket. A hose (see #5 below) shall be used for rinsing only.
5. Use of a hose may only be used with a positive shutoff nozzle. (NO OPEN HOSES)
6. Allowing excess water to flow into a gutter or any drainage area for longer than (3) minutes is prohibited.

WATER PROJECTS:
The "Schmauder - Tryon Mine" is a short term (30 day) project. This site is now pumping an estimated 500,000 gallons of water per day from an underground source through an abandoned mine shaft directly to the Angels Camp water treatment plant ... this after passing critical state water quality tests.

Another short term project entitled the "Forest Meadows Hydrant Project" is already rerouting water. This water is being drawn from Forest Meadows hydrants & is providing a somewhat disappointing 275,000 gallons of water a day to residents in the Murphys area. Water officials had hoped this project would have produced a half million gallons per day.

The crucial "Temporary Flume Bypass" or the "Overland Pipe Project" is now operational ... pumping 8 to 10csf [cubic feet per second].

"Permanent Flume Reconstruction": Work has already begun of reconstruction. Various agencies are involved in the permanent reconstruction of the damaged flume. The timeframe is anticipated to be 3 to 6 months.

WATER EMERGENCY CONTINUED: The water distribution system is complex with multiple regulatory & operational agencies involved (we count at least 13). While construction continues of the permanent flume replacement, residents of Angels Camp, Murphys, Douglas Flat, Vallecito, Carson Hill & Six Mile Village are asked to continue conservation & to avoid any unnecessary use of tap water.

DARBY FIRE STATS:
14,280 acres burned
100% contained (as of 9/16)
100% controlled (as of 9/24)
44 injuries, none life threatening
1 structure lost in the Doud's Landing area (a camper)
Cost of the fire: $21,476,122
Dollar Value of Property Threatened/Saved: $297,184,633

DOLLAR VALUE: As indicated above, the dollar value of property threatened or saved is $297,184,633. That figure includes 2,435 structures & 7,100 acres of timber as well as Big Trees State Park (priceless!).

REHABILITATION: The US Forest Service hAS begun removal of over four million board feet of timber damaged in the Darby & White fires. This is the 2nd phase of rehabilitation in these burned out areas. Much of the wood has already been put up for sale with November 2nd bid openings.

Here's an overview map:
Click here

CONTAINMENT / CONTROL: With full control now achieved, let's discuss what these terms mean:

CONTAINMENT: A fire is contained when it is surrounded on all sides by some kind of boundary but is still burning & has the potential to jump a boundary line. The boundary may be a "fire line" which is a strip of area where the vegetation has been removed to deny the fire fuel, or a river or some other barrier which is expected to stop the fire.

CONTROL: A fire is controlled when there is no further threat of it jumping a containment line. While crews continue to do mop up work within the fire lines, the firefight is over.

OUT: The fire is out when mop up is finished & all crews can be released.

CAUSE OF THE FIRE: It continues to be under investigation but authorities now believe it was "human caused." CDF investigators are continuing to look for anyone with information about a maroon colored pickup seen in the Camp 9 area the afternoon of September 5, 2001. They have received dozens of leads, but have not yet been able to identify the vehicle. The vehicle is a newer model (1994-2001) 4-wheel drive Toyota with a matching cab-high camper shell. There is possibly a sticker on the rear wheel fender in large lettering "TRD", and the camper shell possibly has tinted windows. It was seen in the Camp 9 area near the Collierville power house about the time the fire started. There were two occupants, the driver being a male. If you have any information about this vehicle or any other vehicle seen in the Camp 9 area September 5, 2001, please contact fire investigators at 209.532.0821.

BIG TREES STATE PARK: The park has reopened to the public. Big Trees State Park : 209.795.2334.

FIREFIGHTERS' SALUTE: Many in our community have expressed an interest in having some special way of giving thanks to our firefighters (& law enforcement, paramedics & other support crew). Our entire nation has gained a similar respect when witnessing on TV their heroic efforts in NYC & at the Pentagon. What do you think? Use this link to access e-mail feedback. Please e-mail any suggestions or offers of support: salute@yosemitegold.com

A HEARTFELT THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE WHO HELPED SAVE OUR COMMUNITIES: They include (in alphabetical order):

Alameda County Fire Department

Alpine County Fire Department

Altaville Melones Fire Department

American Red Cross

Anaheim Fire Department

Angels Business Persons

Angels Camp Fire District

Apple Valley Fire District

Banning Fire Department

Benicia Fire Department

Beverly Hills Fire Department

Big Trees Market (donated food)

Bret Harte High School Agriculture Dept. (fresh tomatoes for the evacuation center)

Calaveras County Animal Control

Calaveras County Fire Department

Calaveras County Government Services

Calaveras County Office of Emergency Services

Calaveras County Sheriffs Department

Calaveras County Water District

Calaveras Title (donated Calaveras County maps to firefighters)

California Conservation Corps

California Department of Corrections

California Department of Emergency Services

California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection

California Department of Transportation

California Highway Patrol

California Parks & Recreation

California Youth Authority

Carlsbad Fire Department

Carole's Just Delicious Cafe (lots of free breakfasts for the firefighters)

Central Calaveras Fire Department

City of Angels Camp

City of Lodi Fire Department

Clarksburg Fire District

Cloverdale Fire Department

Columbia College Fire Department

Contra Costa County Fire Department

Copperopolis Fire Department

Corona Fire Department

Costa Mesa Fire Department

Crockett-Carquinas Fire Department

Culver City Fire Department

Danville Fire Department

Davis Fire Department

Diamond Springs Fire Department

Dinuba Fire Department

East Bay Regional Park District

Ebbetts Pass Fire District

Ebbetts Pass Search & Rescue

El Cerrito Fire Department

Elk Grove Police Department

Fairfield Fire Department

Farmington Fire Department

Felton Fire Department

Foothill Community Church in Angels Camp (prepared & donated hundreds of sandwiches)

Forest Meadows Owners Association (various activities)

Fresno County Fire Department

Fullerton Fire Department

Giant Burger (donated food)

Goldrush World Access (major assistance with this site)

Hayward Fire Department

Hesperia Fire District

Holtville Fire Department

Huntington Beach Fire Department

Jackson Fire Department

Kautz Ironstone Winery (donated sandwiches)

Kentfield Fire Department

Kern County Fire Department

Kings County Fire Department

Knights Landing Fire Department

La Mesa Fire Department

Laguna Beach Fire Department

Laguna Hot Shots

Lake Tahoe Fire District

Lake Tulloch Resort (volleyball & more)

Larkspur Fire Department

Liberty (near Acampo) Fire Department

Linden Fire Department

Livermore - Pleasanton Fire Department

Livermore Fire Department

Lockwood Fire Department

Lockwood Fire Protection District

Long Beach Fire Department

Longs Drug Stores (donated bottled water)

Los Angeles County Fire Department

Los Angeles Fire Department

Los Banos Fire Department

Madera County Fire & Rescue

Manteca Fire Department

Marin County Fire Department

Marinwood Fire Department

Mariposa County Fire Department

Mark Twain St. Joseph's Hospital of San Andreas

Merced County Fire Department

Mi Wuk Protection District

Michelson School (donated space, phones; custodians cleaned evac. center on their own time)

Mill Valley Fire Department

Milpitas Fire Department

Modesto Animal Control

Modesto Police Department

Mokelumne Hill Fire Department

Montecito Fire Department

Moraga-Orinda Fire District

Mountain View Fire Department

Murphys Fire Protection District

Napa Fire Department

Newport Beach Fire Department

Norco Fire Department

North Tahoe Fire District

Northern California Power Agency

Novato Fire Department

Oakdale Fire Department

Oakland Fire Department

Oceanside Fire Department

Orange County Fire Authority

Orcutt Fire Department

Pacific Grove Fire Department

Palm Springs Fire Department

Palo Alto Fire Department

Rialto Fire Department

Rio Bravo Hot Shots

Rite Aid Drug Store (donated reading material)

Riverside County Fire Department

Riverside Fire Department

Roseville Fire Department

Ross Valley Fire Department

Sacramento City Fire Department

Sacramento Metropolitan Fire Department

Sacramento SPCA

Salida Fire Department

Salinas Fire Department

Salvation Army

San Andreas Fire Department

San Bernardino County Fire Department

San Bernardino Fire Department

San Diego City Fire Department

San Francisco Fire Department

San Joaquin County Fire Department

San Jose Fire Department

San Mateo County Fire Department

San Miguel Fire Department

San Rafael Fire Department

Santa Barbara City Fire Department

Santa Barbara County Fire Department

Santa Clara County Fire Department

Santa Clara Fire Department

Santa Maria Fire Department

Santa Monica Fire Department

Saratoga Fire Department

Sausalito Fire Department

Shaver Lake Fire Department

Sierra Hills Market (deli sandwiches & sodas for evacuation center)

Snowshoe Brewery (donated too many pizzas to count)

Sonora City Police Department

South Marin Fire Department

South Placer Fire Department

Stanislaus Consolidated Fire Department

Sterling Title (donated Calaveras County maps to firefighters)

Stockton Fire Department

Subway (donated 75 sandwiches)

Suisun Fire Department

Sunnyvale Fire Department

Tahoe / Douglas Fire District

The Bistro (donated lots of food)

Tiburon Fire Department

Tulare County Fire Department

Tulare Fire Department

Tuolumne County Fire Department

Tuolumne County Sheriffs Department

Tuolumne Fire Protection District

U.S. Bureau of Land Management

U.S. Forest Service

U.S. Marine Corps (Camp Pendleton)

UC Davis Fire Department

Union City Fire Department

United Technologies & Pratt & Whitney Fire Depts., San Jose (sent a strike team)

Utica Power Authority

Vacaville Fire Department

Vallecito Union School District

Vandenberg Fire Department

Ventura County Fire Department

Vernon Fire Department

Visalia Fire Department

Vista Fire Department

West Sacramento Fire Department

White Pines Lodge (hundreds of firefighters' meals)

Willow Oak Fire Department

Windsor Fire District

World Mark (2 cartons of pillow & pillow cases for evacuation center)

Yorba Linda Fire Department

Hey, go ahead & submit some more! Let's make it complete.

(editor: We want to acknowledge all of those who are assisting. If you know of an agency involved that's not listed above, please let us know via e-mail: aceyoung@yosemitegold.com Additionally, if you know of someone who has offered special assistance, we would like to know. Special help deserves special coverage.
... Thank you.)

FIRE PHOTOS:
[the following 5 links contain very short photo essays]