A little rain, thunder and a some lightning may seem like a nice
break from the seemingly endless summer days, but it could be a
major problem for firefighters.
A little rain, thunder and a some lightning may seem like a nice break from the seemingly endless summer days, but it could be a major problem for firefighters.
According to the National Weather Service, three-hundreths of an inch of rain fell on the South Valley during the afternoon before the storm began to break up and move on.
The storms were the result of moisture heading north from the desert southwest that was influenced by a low prfessure system passing through at the same time.
Heavy rain fell for brief periods throughout the South Valley.
During a groundbreaking ceremony for the city’s aquatics complex Thursday morning, there were rumbles of thunder and lightning streaked across the sky.
While the rain was helpful for firefighters by bringing in some much-needed moisture, the lighting that comes with it can cause more problems than it worth.
“There was a lot of rain, so it wasn’t as bad as dry lightning,” said Mike Stonum, an EEC chief with the California Department of Forestry. “Dry lightning is more tricky, but these can cause problems, too,”
Stonum said lightning always strives to reach the ground. When the lightning hits a tree, the strike can work its way underground into the roots, where it can smolder for weeks before actually starting a fire. And redwood trees have an abundance of roots for a fire to feed on.
He said some lightning strikes from this storm could be the cause of fires as late as October.
“It can go on for two or three weeks,” Stonum said of the quiet, almost undetectible burning underground.
To combat this problem, the CDF will use satellite technology and planes to survey mountain ranges for the next four to five days to be on the lookout for any smoke.
After that, Stonum said, it’s up to the watchful eyes of the many people that call he South Valley b\mountain areas home. He said one advantage of fighting fires in his area is the quick response to fires because so many people live in the area who can see something happening and call before the fire gets too large.
“Whenever there’s smoke, we get a call very quickly,” he said. “The rest of the year, it’ll be waiting on those cell phone calls.”
