GILROY
– A little rain, thunder and some lightning may seem like a nice
break from seemingly endless summer days, but it could be a major
problem for firefighters.
GILROY – A little rain, thunder and some lightning may seem like a nice break from seemingly endless summer days, but it could be a major problem for firefighters.
Thursday’s downpour made for plenty of opportunities for kids to jump in puddles. Despite the wet stuff coming down, golfers at CordeValle Golf Course in San Martin were able to play through the unusual weather.
According to the National Weather Service, a trace amount of rain was expected to fall on the South Valley by this morning before the storm system sweeping through the area began to break up and move on. So far, Gilroy has received .51 inches of precipitation this month, bringing the yearly total to 18.4 inches.
The storms were the result of moisture heading north from the desert southwest that was influenced by a low pressure system passing through at the same time.
While the rain was helpful for firefighters by bringing some much-needed moisture, the lightning that comes with it can cause more problems than it’s worth.
“There was a lot of rain, so it wasn’t as bad as dry lightning,” said Mike Stonum with the California Department of Forestry. “Dry lightning is more tricky, but these can cause problems, too,”
According to Stonum, despite the rain, 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. Redwood trees have an abundance of roots for a fire to feed on – some of the 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 undetectable 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.
“We like to jump on them while they’re small,” he said.
After that, Stonum said, it’s up to the watchful eyes of the many people that call the mountain areas around Gilroy home. He said one advantage of fighting fires in the South Valley 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.”
Despite the wet roads, the California Highway Patrol reported no weather-related accidents during the rains as of 4 p.m. Thursday.
“We had a few close calls this morning, but it’s been quiet,” CHP officer Teri Neidigh said. “There was one car that spun out, but they drove off before we got there.”
