Forest Service firefighter from Rapid City dies on assignment in California

His body was recovered the following day.

The Rocky Fire was one of 20 wildfires being fought in California.

The fires prompted Gov. Jerry Brown to declare a state of emergency for California and activate the California National Guard to help with disaster recovery. Bone-dry conditions are exacerbating wildfire conditions and causing fires to spread rapidly, Cal Fire spokesman Daniel Berlant said Saturday.

Whether or not the Rocky Fire started because of human activity, it continues in spite of it. Officials told Capital Public Radio Friday’s east winds exacerbated the fire and made it hard to control in the west. CAL FIRE said more than 2,700 fire personnel were combating the blaze Sunday, but the region’s “steep and rugged ” terrain allowed for “limited access”.

A motorcade procession was held Monday morning for David Ruhl, the firefighter from South Dakota who was killed while fighting the Frog Fire in Modoc County. Only 5 percent contained by Saturday, it had charred 35 square miles south of Clear Lake, a popular summer recreation spot.

A major California blaze, which is considered as one of the California’s largest wildfires, grew to nearly 9K acres Saturday that led to evacuations.

At least 650 residents have been evacuated from their homes as the blaze raged in hills covered in dense brush and oak trees and dotted with ranch homes.

Information officer Ken Sandusky says U.S. Forest Service firefighter David Ruhl was driving down a road in a vehicle by himself Thursday, scouting the area when the fire became very active. Find us on Facebook too!

Foothills fires A woman was arrested in connection with a small fire near Groveland, a stop-off point for travelers headed to Yosemite National Park.

Efforts to keep wildfires at bay have been ramped up significantly, and the state of California needs all the help it can get from qualified forest firefighters. That fire has now charred well over 22,000 acres.

An increase in naturally occurring fires can also be expected, since more severe thunderstorms may bring more lightning – an estimated increase of 12 to 30 percent in the western United States by mid-century.