Dolan Fire, Day 26, 9/12/20

The Prewitt/Wild Cattle contingency seem to have held their own. They had a rough night last night, but managed to back burn between and around the properties there and all are feeling more secure. We end our evening with the evening maps by John Chesnut; WE had a couple of the big boys (VLATs) working the fire today and a couple of the smaller ones.

Here is a photo taken last night from the bottom of Plaskett by Cal Fire firefighter, Brandi Plaskett. This is the Prewitt burn out operation.

VIRTUAL PUBLIC MEETING TODAY VIA LOS PADRES NATIONAL FOREST FACEBOOK LIVE 2:00 P.M. Questions may be submitted on the Facebook page or emailed to 2020.dolan@firenet.gov. 

YESTERDAY’S ACTIVITIES:A thick layer of smoke moderated fire behavior which provided favorable conditions for firefighters to continue with burnout operations. The marine layer allowed for good progress was made bringing fire down the South Coast Ridge Road down toward Highway 1. In Arroyo Seco structure protection is in place and resources are ready to respond as necessary. Crews continued building and improving direct and indirect control lines along the northern, eastern and southern perimeters.Overnight had no noticeable fire activity along Highway 1 or on the northwestern edge. Moderate activity was reported west of the Nacimiento-Ferguson Road near Ponderosa campground, with slower rates of spread farther inland. Burn operations initiated yesterday held overnight and firefighters were able to make good progress along Nacimiento-Ferguson Road brining fire down toward Highway 1. 

TODAY’S ACTIVITIES:A Mobile Retardant Base (MRB) will be set up today in Arroyo Seco to support fire crews on the ground to secure the perimeter and keep the fire from moving north. Direct and indirect control actions along the eastern and southern perimeters continue including connecting control lines and removing fuels around structures and other values at risk. Firefighters will scout control opportunities with the highest probability of success to tie in the Soberanes Fire scar to Arroyo Seco River.Burn operations will be initiated as conditions allowaround structures and to remove unburned fuels between the main fire and control lines on southern and eastern edges of the fire. Line construction along the ridge above Pine Canyon will continue over the next several day to hold the fire west or north of communities. 

Along the south edge firefighters will continue burnout operations utilizing dozer lines and air support to connect line on Prewitt Ridge. Dozer work will continue on McKern Ridge to extend control line down to Highway 1. Firefighters will clean up and secure the edge around recent firing operations near Hermitage to protect structures.Significant heat remains throughout the fire area as fuels continue to burn. 

Structure protection and hoselays will remain in place around Partington community as resources shift to the south and eastern sides of the fire. Nationwide fire resources are stretched thin. 

EVACUATIONS:The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office has evacuations ORDERS and WARNINGS in effect. For current evacuation information view the OESinteractive map. SCPA Monterey County can assist with rescuing, sheltering, and evacuating animals. Call 831-373-2631 – day; 831-264-5455 – night;www.spcamc.org. 

ROAD CLOSURES:HWY 1 is closed between mile post 25 and mile post 10. Nacimiento-Ferguson Rd is closed to all trafficfrom Highway 1 to the Fort Hunter Liggett base boundary line. For more information visithttps://roads.dot.ca.gov/. 

REGIONAL FOREST CLOSURES:Regional OrderNo. 20-10USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region Emergency Closure Order is effective from September 9, 2020 through September 14, 2020. All National Forest Lands are closed to public entry in California.  

WEATHER:Marine layer and shading from area smoke will continue to play a role in reducing fire behavior, especially on the coastal side of the fire. Inland fire behavior will increase as the inversion lifts.  

Dolan Fire 

Los Padres National Forest

Public Information Phone: 831-272-0222 

Media Information Phone: 831-272-0221 

Incident E-mail: 2020.Dolan@firenet.gov 

Incident Website: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7018

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Starting as usual with John Chesnut’s maps, I think he meant 9/12 AM: