Sept. 13--When the Valley fire broke out Saturday afternoon in Lake County, it quickly became clear that firefighters would not be able to keep up.
As they evacuated homes in its path, the fire would jump ahead of them, threatening more homes before firefighters could advance.
"Ashes, embers would rain down a quarter, half mile behind them," said Cal Fire spokesman Daniel Berlant. "As fire crews would make progress -- hold the fire -- it would burn right past them."
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Experts said the Valley fire moved faster than any other in California's recent history. In fewer than 12 hours, it had scorched 40,000 acres.
"There aren't very many fires in California's history that have done that. I don't know if there really is a precedent for it," said Daniel Swain, climate scientist at Stanford University. "This fire sort of broke the rules even relative to this incredible season that's already occurred."
In some ways, the Valley fire was the blaze officials have been worried about all summer: The product of drought conditions made all the more dangerous because it burned through dense terrain dotted by small communities. While other fires this summer have also spread quickly, this fire's path took it through several rural communities that were left defenseless against the blaze's speed and size.
In addition to the effects of the drought that have exacerbated fires this year already, the Valley fire was a perfect storm of bad fire conditions, experts say.
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Extremely hot temperatures across the state last week combined with the drought-dried vegetation allowed the fire to pick up steam in forested areas, and then enter towns with a vengeance.
The fire grew so big that it created its own wind conditions, which mimicked the dangerous effects of Santa Ana winds, shooting out embers that ignited and spread the fire.
"It is kind of mind-boggling," Swain said.
soumya.karlamangla@latimes.com
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