Latest news with #CALFire


Fox News
3 hours ago
- General
- Fox News
Navy confirms F-35 fighter jet went down near California base, pilot safely ejected
A Navy pilot is safe after an F-35C fighter jet went down near Naval Air Station Lemoore in Southern California, causing a fiery crash and prompting a response from CAL Fire. NAS Lemoore said "an aviation incident on the operations side of the installation" took place at around 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The jet crashed in a field near the intersection of South Dickenson Avenue and West Cadillac Ave and burst into flames, a California Highway Patrol report stated. "We can confirm the pilot successfully ejected and is safe. There are no additional affected personnel," NAS Lemoore confirmed via Facebook. The crash caused a small grass fire spanning about ten acres, according to a CAL Fire incident report. It was completely contained by 8:32 p.m. local time. Details surrounding what caused the crash were not immediately available. NAS Lemoore is the Navy's largest Master Jet Base and is home to more than a dozen squadrons – training and operational. The base said on Facebook that the F-35C involved in the crash was attached to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 125 "Rough Raiders," a specialized training unit. NAS Lemoore is the only Navy base that houses the F-35 Lightning II, according to its website. It is also home to more than half of the branch's F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aircraft. Sixteen operational Strike Fighter squadrons, two Fleet Replacement squadrons, one Search and Rescue squadron, four west coast Carrier Air Wing Commands and staff operate out of the base. The base is located in Fresno County. Fox News Digital reached out to NAS Lemoore but did not hear back by time of publication.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Three dead in California after small plane crash near Monterey Bay, Coast Guard says
Three people are dead after a small private aircraft crashed on California's Central Coast, according to officials. The U.S. Coast Guard station in Monterey received a relay at 10:55 p.m. Saturday that a twin-engine Beechcraft plane that took off from San Carlos with three people onboard had crashed 200 to 300 yards off Point Pinos, an outcropping at the southern end of Monterey Bay roughly 125 miles south of San Francisco. The Coast Guard launched a rescue helicopter from San Francisco and a search boat from Monterey to hunt for survivors of the crashed plane, which had a tail number of N8796R. A boat crew and drones from CAL Fire, as well as local police departments, joined the search. The wreck was eventually located and its three passengers were found dead, the Coast Guard told The New York Times. The names of the passengers were not immediately made public. The Independent has requested comment from the Coast Guard. The crash occurred roughly 30 minutes after takeoff near the Monterey Regional Airport, the flight's intended destination, according to flight tracking site Flightradar 24. Bodies were recovered off the coast of Pacific Grove, KSBW reports, and aircraft debris has washed up onshore. "I was going to sleep and heard this loud engine grumbling. Sounded like a Cessna, but it was really low and loud. It kind of felt like it was over the house, and there was a pop," Brian Mitchell, who was in the area from Sacramento visiting a relative, told the outlet. Federal officials including the FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash.


The Independent
4 days ago
- General
- The Independent
Three dead in California after small plane crash near Monterey Bay, Coast Guard says
Three people are dead after a small private aircraft crashed on California's Central Coast, according to officials. The U.S. Coast Guard station in Monterey received a relay at 10:55 p.m. Saturday that a twin-engine Beechcraft plane that took off from San Carlos with three people onboard had crashed 200 to 300 yards off Point Pinos, an outcropping at the southern end of Monterey Bay roughly 125 miles south of San Francisco. The Coast Guard launched a rescue helicopter from San Francisco and a search boat from Monterey to hunt for survivors of the crashed plane, which had a tail number of N8796R. A boat crew and drones from CAL Fire, as well as local police departments, joined the search. The wreck was eventually located and its three passengers were found dead, the Coast Guard told The New York Times. The names of the passengers were not immediately made public. The Independent has requested comment from the Coast Guard. The crash occurred roughly 30 minutes after takeoff near the Monterey Regional Airport, the flight's intended destination, according to flight tracking site Flightradar 24. Bodies were recovered off the coast of Pacific Grove, KSBW reports, and aircraft debris has washed up onshore. "I was going to sleep and heard this loud engine grumbling. Sounded like a Cessna, but it was really low and loud. It kind of felt like it was over the house, and there was a pop," Brian Mitchell, who was in the area from Sacramento visiting a relative, told the outlet.


New York Post
03-07-2025
- Climate
- New York Post
Giant ‘Madre Fire' surges across 35,000 acres in Southern California, becoming the states largest wildfire this year
A rapidly spreading wildfire in Southern California quickly became the state's largest fire of the year after igniting on Wednesday, leading to evacuations. The Madre Fire sparked on Wednesday around 1 p.m. along Highway 166 in New Cuyama in San Luis Obispo County. Hours after starting, the fire had consumed 9,000 acres. By Thursday morning, the fire had surged to more than 35,500 acres as firefighters on the ground and in the air attempt to suppress the blaze. Advertisement Evacuation orders are in place for multiple zones in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties near Highway 166. The highway remains closed for firefighting efforts, according to San Luis Obispo County Government officials. About 50 structures are threatened by the fire, according to CAL Fire. On Tuesday night, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office issued an evacuation warning east of the Rock Front Area, west of Cottonwood Canyon Road and south of Highway 166. 'Residents should prepare to leave at a moment's notice,' the sheriff's office said. Advertisement 3 The rapidly spreading Madre Fire in Southern California quickly became the state's largest fire of the year. Cal Fire/FOX Weather 3 Hours after starting, the fire had consumed 9,000 acres, and by Thursday morning, it had surged to more than 35,500 acres. Cal Fire/FOX Weather 3 Evacuation orders are in place for zones in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties near Highway 166, with the highway remaining closed for firefighting efforts. Cal Fire/FOX Weather Advertisement Fire behavior is being driven by hot, dry and windy conditions. Forecasters with the National Weather Service in Los Angeles said breezy conditions will continue on Thursday, and northerly Sundowner winds are likely to return Friday night and into the weekend. Gusts between 25 and 45 mph are likely, with localized gusts of up to 50 mph. Smoke from the Madre Fire is creating a significantly smoky sky for the Cuyama Valley and is forecast to drift over Santa Barbara and western portions of Ventura County. Smoke could be visible over parts of Los Angeles County on Thursday.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Pacific Coast Highway reopens months after devastating California wildfires in time for Memorial Day
MALIBU, Calif. – Nearly six months after wildfires erupted in Southern California, closing the Pacific Coast Highway in Los Angeles and burning thousands of acres, the iconic West Coast highway has reopened to the public. The highway closed in early January after the Palisades fire spread, engulfing both sides of it in massive flames. Homes and businesses along the highway were destroyed, and the road itself was in ruins. California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the reopening on Thursday, saying: "In California, we get stuff done, period. We're opening the PCH back up early, with more lanes before Angelenos hit the road this Memorial Day." The highway is now open between Santa Monica and Malibu. Newsom thanked the work of construction and road crews, as well as the Army Corps of Engineers, for getting the road back into drivable shape. Watch: Malibu Beach Footage Shows Rows Of Homes Destroyed By Palisades Fire Video from Jan. 8 showed flames burning through buildings as cars raced along the highway to evade the fires. "All of PCH is on fire right now," Alexandra Datig said in the video as she drove down the highway. "It is like driving through hell." The Palisades fire burned for over three weeks before firefighters reached complete containment on Jan. 31, according to CAL Fire data. How Did The Los Angeles-area Wildfires Rapidly Spread? After the fire had been extinguished, back-to-back atmospheric rivers brought flooding rain and mudslides to the burn scars of the Palisades and Eaton fires, including along the PCH. Rainfall rates in the area were estimated to be at least an inch per hour, far more than what areas burned by the wildfires could absorb. The result was floods and debris flows. Mapped: What A Barrage Of 56 West Coast Atmospheric River Events Looks Like Datig again was there, showing the aftermath of a Feb. 13 storm on the highway near the Malibu city limits as mud and debris from burn scars swept across the road. How To Watch Fox Weather After the storms subsided, clean-up began. The famous highway was only open to residents, construction workers and emergency personnel as mud and debris were removed and the highway was repaired. In April, Newsom set a goal to have the highway reopened by the end of May, ahead of summer. "The reopening of Pacific Coast Highway marks an important step forward in our recovery effort in the Palisades, which is on track to be the fastest in state history," said Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. Security will remain in place at the neighborhood level of the highway to protect the safety and security of the Palisades neighborhoods, Bass and Newsom said. More than 100 crews continue working to remove debris from the Palisades neighborhood each article source: Pacific Coast Highway reopens months after devastating California wildfires in time for Memorial Day