From CAL FIRE at 0919 hrs.

• 60-70 acres, brush, 0% contained
• Moderate Rate of Spread
• 69 degrees, 55% RH, wind NNW @ 15 mph, increase with gusts to 40-50 mph
• Structures are threatened
• 12 Tankers assigned including VLAT
• CAL FIRE air and ground resources assigned

8:00 am – A wildfire broke out at 5:30 this morning on the Los Padr s National Forest above Montecito Hills. An evacuation warning has been issued, per KSBY. This is what has posted on WildCAD:

10/29/2015 05:30 LPF-3471
P5 J4XB (0507)
GIBRALTER Wildfire Camino Cielo . AA07LPF BC51LPF BR802CHU CRW3LPF CRW4LPF DOZ3LPF DOZ4LPF E335LPF E342LPF 4X E343LPF E352LPF E41LPF E44LPF E46LPF E47LPF 4X4 E55LPF E801CHU E803CHU PAT38LPF PAT44ALPF WT3LPF WT4LPF Capt342 w/ SBC BC510 Effective 25 (acres)

NEWS RELEASE

Los Padres National Forest
For Immediate Release
Contact: Andrew Madsen (805) 895-0841
Twitter: @LosPadresNF

West Cuesta Ridge Road Temporarily Closed on Los Padres

GOLETA, CA, October 28, 2015…Los Padres National Forest officials announced that West Cuesta Ridge Road (a.k.a. TV Tower Road) will be temporarily closed to motorized vehicles until road repairs are completed. Forest Order 15-12 is effective from November 1, 2015, through October 31, 2016, unless rescinded earlier upon completion of road repairs.

The order prohibits public motor vehicle use on West Cuesta Ridge Road (Forest Road No. 29S28). The road begins at the junction of U.S. Highway 101 at Cuesta Grade Summit and West Cuesta Ridge Road, and continues 7.1 miles northwest to Tassajara Peak.

Non-motorized recreation access, such as hiking and mountain biking, is unaffected by the order. Private residents and communication site lease holders will be allowed motorized access to their homes or business sites.

The closure order for public motorized vehicle use is needed until repairs to the road are completed and the area is safe for vehicle use. Forest officials are working with communication site lease holders to conduct environmental planning and a road repair plan to reestablish safe motorized access along this popular road in San Luis Obispo County.

“We are taking the necessary steps to responsibly develop road repair options for safe motorized access into this important area for both recreation and natural resources,” said Santa Lucia District Ranger Nathan Rezeau. “We greatly appreciate our community’s patience and understanding as we work through the repair process as quickly as possible.”

The road closure order and map of the closure area can be found on the Los Padres website at http://fs.usda.gov/lpnf. Forest visitors are encouraged to contact the Santa Lucia Ranger District at (805) 925-9538 for more detailed information about this area and for the latest conditions.

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***HWY 1 TRAFFIC ADVISORY***
October 21, beginning at 9:00am from Sycamore Canyon to 1/4 mile south of Lucia, California Highway Patrol will be escorting three modular home haulers down Highway 1. Trucks may be in caravan formation or escorted separately. Please use caution as these trucks will be very slow moving and will be unescorted from Carmel to Big Sur.

Must be going to the Hermitage. I know they are replacing three of their retreat units. I postponed my town trip yesterday due to the Ride2Recovery bicycle event. Glad I decided on south tomorrow! Next week, north, so PLEASE highway goddess, no events.

As of 7:30 am, power outages in Carmel, some of CV, the Highlands, PG, Monterey, Del Rey Oaks, Seaside, who knows where else. 55,000 people are without power. PG&E are working to find the source, per one source. Another says a huge explosion at the Moss Landing power plant is the source. PG&E says they are investigating. The outage is from Moss Landing to the Highlands, and to Salinas on the other side, according to PG&E website mentioned below by Lisa K in the comments below. The outage is expected to last until noon.