6:30 pm report (posted at 7, I was busy with the fur kids_
September 27, 2016 6:30 pm
Date/Time Started: September 26,2016 3:06 pm
Administrative Unit: CAL FIRE Santa Clara Unit
County: Santa Clara County
Location: off Loma Prieta Rd and Loma Chiquita Rd 10 miles NW of Morgan Hill
Acres Burned – Containment: 2,250 acres – 10% contained
Structures Threatened: 300
Structures Destroyed: 1 single residence and 6 outbuildings destroyed, 1 single residence damaged
Evacuations: Mandatory evacuation orders for the Loma Prieta ridgeline area including all tributary roads along Summit Road from Soquel San Jose Road to Ormsby Fire Station. This includes Uvas Canyon County Park, Loma Chiquita, Casa Loma, Loma Prieta Way, Highland Road and Mount Bache Road. Portions of Croy Road are under an evacuation warning.
Reverse 911 calls have also been sent to residents using Alert SCC. If you have not already signed up for AlertSCC visit http://www.sccgov.org/sites/alertscc/Pages/home.aspx.
Evacuation Centers: Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, 2601 East Lake Ave, Watsonville (large animals welcome)
Jewish Community Center of Silicon Valley, 14855 Oka Road, Los Gatos
Morgan Hill Presbyterian Church, 16970 De Witt Avenue, Morgan Hill
8:45 am – estimate is 1500 acres with 5% containment. (Estimate is way too high, Cal Fire reports 1085 acres) Here is a good link for info:
John Chesnut did up a “bonus” map for us of the Loma Fire, in addition to the Soberanes Fire. Note on this one that North has been rotated in order to provide a regional frame of reference:
While I won’t be following this fire as I have the Soberanes, I will put up this new post for others to share information in the comments section. The following photo is by Cal Fire PIO, and is a very sad testament to this fire’s destruction.
There are several places where one can barely drive through. (See collage of photos below.)…
Big Sur Bakery fire leaves a grieving community. Photo by Ivy Jayne LaVelle “It was…
The links in the screen shot are not active. Zoom Option: https://montereycty.zoom.us/j/96244171607
Here are some stills from a video that Ivy took about 1/2 hour ago or…
This update contains no new information, but a nice photo. Here it is in any…
View Comments
Thanks for posting this Kate. I've thankfully followed your posts every day on the Soberanes Fire and realized again this morning what a gift your blog is.I'm in Santa Cruz Mountains . Woke up early wanting update on the Loma Fire. I could find nothing. It's unsettling
not to have access to information.
Ray, it is over 1000 acres, don't remember exact figure, will look it up, and 5% contained.
bigsurkate
Estimate is 1500 acres this am, was 1100 acres last night. Still 5%, I believe.
bigsurkate
http://www.fire.ca.gov/current_incidents/incidentdetails/Index/1457 for Loma Fire report... updated 830 AM. One structure lost, maybe the home pictured above. Lots of air resources to aggressively manage.
Thank you so much Kate.
Thanks Big Sur Kate! It's hard to find updated info for those of us in the Santa Cruz Mountains. I was hoping for a map from John Chestnut.
Another reason to put "old" fires like Soberanes out!! Now we have entered the worst, i repeat worst fire prone episode i can remember in a while and energy release components and fuel index levels in Central California are at all time highs!!! This is attributed to El Nino rains following a 5000 year drought and zero summer thunderstorms to at least moisten forests to lower risks slightly. All levels of fire fighting jurisdiction need to be on extremely high radar for anything that starts right now and i hope this one doesn't get fanned out of major control with Northwest winds ramping up later in week!! I just pray no other major separate incidents start today and thin resources!! Pebble beach, Point Lobos area, and Monterey Pine Forests are extremely susceptible right now!!!
Kate is on the ball, yeah, KTVU had it at 2000 acres, sources for its figures unknown.
Ray,
Santa Cruz/Santa Clara must have its own OES Operations or better still stick with Cal Fire sources to be safe.
The picture of that house burning is heartbreaking. That is the house that was on the live news feed last night, with fire burning all around it. All I could think was that I hope the homeowners weren't watching that, just waiting for their home to be engulfed. I hope they were able to get important things out, especially pets. So sad. :(
Yes, Sandy, it is so sad. I debated putting that photo up, but then realized it would be all over the news as a Cal Fire photo, and the one of the house surrounded by fire before it caught was already seen by millions. So very difficult to see.
bigsurkate
We live in the Montevalle senior community near the center of town, Scotts Valley. Lots of helicopter action all around.
Kate, I'm glad you posted that photo, as I looked at it, I thought about the life, memories that had been lived in that home. All of you in the Santa Cruz Mountains, my prayers are going out to you. Kate is incredible, like I said yesterday, she was able to share with me what was going on along with the Corrallitos Cal Fire folks. We are surely thinking of you all.