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Fire romps through tinder dry brush during the Rocky fire in Lake County, July 29, 2015. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2015
It’s been, so far, a summer of fire discontent in Lake and Napa Counties (Yolo, Solano and Colusa get credit too). It began with the Wragg fire near Lake Berryessa on July 22; the latest fire to break out was the Grade fire on Jerusalem Grade Road in Lake County Monday August 24, barely an air mile from the 25,000 acre Jerusalem fire. In fire photography, the itchy eyes, burning lungs, fatigue, dehydration and bees tend to slow a person down, which leads to missing pictures on the initial, deadline frenetic edit. Most of these images appeared in photo galleries, some I missed completely.
The Wragg Fire near Lake Berryessa burned 8,051 acres and was finally contained in early August. (Kent Porter/Press Democrat) 2015
The Grade fire off Jerusalem Valley Road in Lake County burned with intensity, melting metal on vehicles that caught fire, Monday Aug. 24, 2015. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2015
Of course I cover more than just fires here at the Press Democrat, but for the past month fires and drought have taken the headlines.
A dust devil twirls over the burned landscape of the Jerusalem fire, Friday Aug 14, 2015. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2015
The Jerusalem fire flares up just below the now closed Homestake Mine on Morgan Valley Road, Monday Aug. 10, 2015. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2015
An air tanker makes a loop around the Jerusalem fire, Monday Aug. 10, 2015. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2015
An inmate crew walks through a bone dry drought ravaged Soda Creek on their way to the the fire line as the Jerusalem fire continues to burn, Monday Aug. 10, 2015. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2015
A grueling 1400 foot climb greeted firefighters after a two-mile walk through dry Soda Creek in nearly 95 degree heat during the Jerusalem fire. Yes, it was steep.
Kyle Sechland of Cal Fire climbs a wide fire break, Monday Aug. 10, 2015 as he looks for hot spots on the Jerusalem fire. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2015
Cal Fire firefighters prepare to work on the Jerusalem fire in Lake County, Monday Aug. 10, 2015. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2015
Cal Fire’s Bryan King of the Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit relaxes as his strike team rests before cutting line at the top of the north side of the Jerusalem fire, Monday Aug. 10, 2015. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2015
According to the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) From January 1, of 2015 to August 27, 2015 7,697,292 acres have burned this year in the United States as compared 2.7 million acres last year. That is the highest acreage in the past 10 years and still, nearly two months remain in fire season.
The Rocky Fire exhibits extreme rates of spread as it jumps to the north side of Highway 20 east of Spring Valley in Lake County, Monday Aug. 3, 2015. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2015
The heat emanating from the fire even a quarter mile away could be felt, especially when the flames would make a ‘run.’
The blue, but smoke tinted moon, rises over the Rocky Fire near Lower Lake, Thursday July 30, 2015. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2015
Jerusalem fire as seen Tuesday Aug. 11, 2015. from Windsor (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2015
Even though Mt. St. Helena is a volcanic cylinder cone, it took on the appearance of erupting for several days during the Rocky and Jerusalem fires.
A pot grow in the Jerusalem fire burn area in Lake County, Monday Aug. 10, 2015. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2015
Nearly every (not all) homes that I saw in the fire zones had a pot grow. I’m not sure if they were legal or illegal.
The Jerusalem fire rolls toward Knoxville-Berryessa Road as it jumps Jerusalem Valley and the contingency lines for the Rocky fire, Monday Aug. 10, 2015. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2015
An old school bus was coated with phoschek during the first day of the Rocky fire. The retardant drop saved a house near by.(Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2015
A written statement on the tailgate of Spring Valley evacuee Jeremy Klemish, Wednesday Aug. 5, 2015. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2015
The Rocky fire made a run through bone dry brush on July 30, leaving a black landscape. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2015
The Rocky fire seen from Lower Lake, ripped at an extreme rate of spread on July 29, 2015, (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2015
Looking like snow capped mountains after a fall storm, the reality was fire retardant coated trees and fire burning some hillsides during the Rocky fire nearly bare, leaving ash. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2015
In the middle of the Rocky fire, a pond is the only color in a blackened landscape. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2015
A dust devil whirls along the side of a hill in the Rocky fire burn area on August 5, 2015. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2015
A power pole burns, sheared off buy fire at sunset on July 29, 2015. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2015
The Air National Guard was brought in to help fight the Jerusalem an Rocky fires in Lake County. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2015
Lake-Napa Unit crew 1, cut a fire line around a home during the Rocky fire July 29, 2015. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2015
Lake-Napa Unit crew 1, cut a fire line around a home during the Rocky fire July 29, 2015. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2015
A Cal Fire firefighter who declined to give his name, douses hot spots around a trailer that was destroyed during the Grade fire off Jerusalem Valley Road in Lake County, Monday Aug. 24, 2015. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2015
Hugo Patino, a representative with the Modesto Fire Department acting as a Public Information Officer is videotaped by Moose Lodge evacuation coordinator Matt Nelson as Patino gives Spring Valley residents an update on the Rocky fire and their evacuation status in Clearlake Oaks, Wednesday Aug. 5, 2015. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2015
Tired firefighters find a comfortable spot to relax as they wait their next assignment on the Rocky fire, Wednesday Aug. 5, 2015. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2015
Mt Konocti at sunset in Lake County during the Rocky fire. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2015
-Kent Porter
