THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2008, 8:30 am.GOOD MORNING! See Connie’s amazing photos below!!

Here are a few photos of the situation I took around noon today. I ran out of cigarettes, and have a LONG night ahead of me, so had to go down the coast. And, of course, once down, I had to get as close to the fire as they would allow. Moth, I guess. They are not letting anyone through, even locals, so far. I spoke with the USFS PIO, Rick, and this was Cal-Trans’s call. He thinks it will be open in the morning, but I would check both Cal-Trans and CHP sites for verification before starting on what could be a very long detour. The USFS wanted to keep it open. It is burning down to the highway on some very rocky slope, so I can understand the concern. 

                                                                  bigsurkate

This was taken just south of Mill Creek. You can see Limekiln Bridge on the far left, and the trail of smoke, right on the highway. I have a closer shot of that fire right up to the highway from a different point of view.

                                                                    bigsurkate

The highway cuts across right below that flame. This is south of Limekiln, and clearly 100% slope, so nothing to do but let it burn, and it is burning with low intensity, so that is a good thing.

                                                                    bigsurkate

This is a closer shot of the flames further up. Robert and I stood on the side of the highway here and watched these trees go off. No winds, so should just burn itself out.

9:45 am – Most recent CHP info seems to indicate road to be closed all day, and will be reevaluated tomorrow morning. 

9:46AM	PER 14,SO END CLOSURE IS NOW 1/2 NO OF NACIMIENTO FERGUSEN
9:13AM	WILL RE EVALUATE IN THE AM IF RD CAN BE REOPENED
9:13AM	PER S2 AT OFC,FULL CLOSURE THRU DAYBREAK TOMORROW
8:37AM	1039 BRAD, LSNF W/CLOSURE
8:37AM	PER 14,OTHER CLOSURE IS JSO LIME KILN STATE PARK
8:32AM	CAN WE CLARIFY THE SOUTH END CLOSURE
8:31AM	LUCIA LODGE CLOSURE WOULD BE NORTH END
8:29AM	PER 22,VIA LL,CLOSURE MOVED TO LUCIA LODGE SO VEHS CAN TURN AROUND
8:25AM	CHALK FIRE, PER CFIRE
7:10AM	ROCKS FALLING IN AREA AND TRAFFIC BACKING UP
6:34AM	PER LOG 55, DOT HAS A HARD CLOSURE AT THIS LOC AS OF 2002 HRS

I am keeping last night’s post going so more of you have a chance to see last night’s photos from Connie McCoy. Lots of smoke and significant plume at Limekiln this morning. Please scroll down the see the incredible shots Connie McCoy took of the fire at Limekiln last night around 9 pm.

This morning’s USFS report indicates acreage up to 16,094, containment at 89%, personnel at 732. “Current Status:  Very little fire activity was observed overnight especially in the Limekiln State Park and Hermitage areas.  Firefighters will continue to improve containment lines and begin mop up efforts today in these areas.   Rolling rocks and debris caused the closure of a two-mile segment of Hwy 1 last night in the fire area.  Caltrans expects to reopen the highway later today.”  HUH?? From Connie’s photos, it looks like Limekiln was VERY active last night!

And here are a couple more from Connie that she took this morning. Awesome, aren’t they? Wish I could drag myself away from a brief due tomorrow to also take some shots!

                                                                     Connie McCoy

                                                                     Connie McCoy

10/23 8:30 am – CHP website reports:

ADDITIONAL DETAILS
7:10AM	ROCKS FALLING IN AREA AND TRAFFIC BACKING UP
6:34AM	PER LOG 55, DOT HAS A HARD CLOSURE AT THIS LOC AS OF 2002 HRS               Cal-Trans website reports same as last night: [IN THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA AREA]      IS CLOSED FROM 2 MI SOUTH OF LUCIA TO LUCIA (MONTEREY CO) – DUE TO   A WILDLAND FIRE – MOTORISTS ARE ADVISED TO USE AN ALTERNATE ROUTE

10/22 9 pm -Due to rolling debris, the fire, and rock slides, Cal-Trans is reporting Highway One closed from 2 miles south of Lucia to Lucia tonight. I suspect they will be out around 6:30 or so to clean it up, and hopefully, get the road back open. Sounds like it is between Limekiln and the Hermitage, where the burn out operation has been taking place the last couple of days, to me. Jon Michael did note a lot of looky-loos on the highway around 2 pm this afternoon.

Well Connie McCoy came through the “road closure” after about 8:30 pm, and the fire personnel knew nothing about a closure. Maybe that is why CHP took it off their website, but Connie sent me some spectacular shots. Since it is almost midnight, and I really must have my first cocktail and only cocktail of the evening, and curl up in bed, I will only be posting one of the four she sent, but every one, including the one Robert took of her in the darkness of Limekiln bridge, looking into the flames, is spectacular!!

                                                                      Connie McCoy

I love the reflection off the water there. Okay, these are so good, I just have to post one more!

                                                                    Connie McCoy

Uh, oh. Midnight. I turned into a pumpkin, again.

Good night, all.

 

Quite a plume coming up from behind Limekiln this morning. Unfortunately, my camera battery is dead, so I either have to find my back-up (in Jeep?) or get this one charged. I’ll post a shot when I have a shot.

Winds still quite active this morning. They have been blowing all night long, up here On Top of the World.

This morning’s update from the USFS. No change in acreage, containment up to 83%. Containment date still 11/1/08.

“Current Status:  The fire was active last night especially in the Limekiln State Park area.  Burning debris from above the marine layer is rolling downhill and igniting unburned fuels at lower elevations.  Crews will continue to work this area today.   Little activity was observed on the north flank during the night.  Crews and aircraft will work today to connect the dozer line and hand line from Twin Peak to Gamboa Ridge.

Today’s Objectives:  Overall objectives are to provide for firefighter and public safety, keep the fire east of Hermitage Road, hold the fire on the ridge south of Gamboa Ridge, and not to introduce fire, but allow natural progression of the fire in the Limekiln and Hare Canyon areas.”

There are a few other factors which are not provided to the public, but issued to firefighting personnel only in the form of a 209. This morning’s 209 adds some salient details to the above. 

The total acreage is 15,568. Projected incident movement/spread 12, 24, 48, and 72 hour time frames:

12 hours: Fire is expected to continue moderate interior burning in Lime Kiln Canyon. Fire also has potential for small roll outs North of Twin Peak on Gamboa Ridge. Growth potential to the North driven by terrain, low humidity, and rolling material.
24 hours: Fire is expected to continue moderate interior burning in Lime Kiln Canyon. Fire also has potential for small roll outs North of Twin Peak on Gamboa Ridge. Growth potential to the North driven by terrain, low humidity, and rolling material.
48 hours: Fire expected to hold on Gamboa Ridge.
72 hours: Fire expected to stay within containment lines.

32: Today’s observed fire behavior (leave blank for non-fire events):
Moderate interior burning with rolling material threatening control lines in Div A and Y.

38: Actions planned for next operational period:
Div Y – Mop up and improve existing line from Div Y/Z break to Twin Peak. Div Z – Hold and mop up along the dozer line that runs from the Y/Z division break to Highway 1. Structure Group – Protect structures in the Hermitage and Lime Kiln State Park.

42: Remarks: Block 43 Committed resources is not working at this time. Incident has added 1 USFS CRW1 for a total of 8 crews and an incident total of 674.          And here is the kicker: ” Growth Potential – High” Just last week, growth potential was low, then it was elevated to medium, and today, it has been elevated to high. The winds from yesterday and last night continue today, and are predicted to continue through tomorrow.

Uh, oh… Large dark plume coming out from behind Limekiln. 

Here is the current:

                                                     bigsurkate

 Also, Rick Lesser reported that the BSVFB asked the remaining skeleton crew at the Hermitage to evacuate this morning. Rick is down on the highway, and cannot get back up. He thinks several of the monks stayed behind, but has no way of knowing.

3:00 pm a report from the Jon Michael Cappadona at the Hermitage, with some photos attached:

“I just read in your blog that Rick is  unsure whether we are still up here at the hermitage.  We are still here, and feeling the heat, literally.

The fire quickly moved south and the west behind the hermitage driveway overnight and today.  The concern this morning was that the fire would pull a u-turn and start heading north and cross the driveway heading towards the retreat trailers and then on into the cloister.  Thankfully, the winds shifted onshore and things are looking much better from our perspective.

Attached are some pics taken today around 2pm.  I was able to get fairly close shots as the fire burned to the south of the driveway.  There was lots of sightseers pulled over on HWY 1 looking up.”

                                                 Jon Michael Cappadona

                                                     Jon Michael Cappadona

Jon Michael, thanks for the update, keeping all of us informed, and the photos to share with everyone. You would have no idea how many oblates are watching the news here, and praying for everyone at the Hermitage, and for the place itself.

One question I, and others have, is how many of you are up there? Also, I understand you have structure protection crews in place? How many, and who? Drop me and email, and I’ll post your response here for everyone to see.

6:00 pm – report from Jon at the Hermitage:

We received word this morning that the fire a some real potential of jumping the line to our south and east.  Luckily, it appears that imminent danger has subsided.  To answer your question:  there many many USFS engines up here (its difficult to say exactly because I know there are some engines in the woods to our northeast) and BSVFB was here this morning when it was most dangerous.

The hermitage crew rolled out our own fire hoses early this morning and strategically set them up around spaces we want to protect.  We’re definitely ready to protect this place if need be.  It seems that the worst is over, yet we’re leaving the hoses full and ready until we know for sure.