Yesterday, my Missy, the border collie who snuck into my house in Feb of 2013 after someone dumped her in the National Forest, and who found me after 2 harrowing and scary weeks, had to have oral surgery yesterday. She is Lady’s big sis and teacher/mentor. She is not feeling well and needs special care, so that is what I am doing for the next week or so. I’ll be keeping an eye on things, but mostly, taking care of her.

This will probably be the last update, unless something unusual happens, as the fire is 73% contained.

Email: willowfirepio@gmail.com

Incident Information: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7549/ 

Social Media: Twitter: @LosPadresNF   Facebook: @Los Padres National Forest 

Los Padres National Forest: www.fs.usda.gov/lpnf

Fire Information Phone: (831) 244-3205 Hours: 8am-6pm

INCIDENT INFORMATION

Command: Los Padres National Forest, Monterey County Sheriff’s Office and CIIMT 11

Additional Cooperating and Assisting Organizations: CAL Fire, California Highway Patrol, Big Sur Fire Department, Cachagua Fire Protection District, Bureau of Land Management, CalTrans, Monterey Office of Emergency Services (OES)

Start Date: 06/17/2021Location: Los Padres National Forest,Monterey County, CAResidences Threatened: 0         Residences Damaged: 0Mixed Commercial/Residential threatened: 0

Size: 2,877 acresPercent containment: 73%Cause: Under InvestigationResidences Destroyed: 0Personnel on the Incident: 251

CURRENT CONDITIONS:

Today will be the last operational period for California Interagency Incident Management Team 11 (CIIMT 11) to manage the fire. Effective 6:00 p.m. tonight, Team 11 will transition out of the management role and hand the Willow Fire incident back to Los Padres National Forest. At 6:00 p.m.the fire information phone line and email address will be out of service. For questions, please call Los Padres District office at:

(831) 242-0619 between 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday.

Moderate wind is predicted, and the weather is expected to be hot and dry. It is anticipated the fire will stay within its current footprint, and containment is expected to continually increase as firefighters continue to patrol the fire line. Firefighters continue to extinguish individual hot spots and suppression repair continues along the contingency fire control lines.

EVACUATIONS AND CLOSURES:

Forest Order Number 05-07-51-21-08 – WILLOW FIRE AREA, ROAD AND TRAIL CLOSURE.

This Order is in effect June 24, 2021 until July 23, 2021. The Forest Order may be viewed at Los Padres National Forest – Alerts & Notices (usda.gov)

Effective 6:00 p.m. today, all evacuation Warnings and Orders for the Willow Fire incident will be lifted with the exception of forest closure areas identified in Forest Order Number 05-07-52-21-08. The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office and Los Padres National Forest will also be out of unified command at this time.

Evacuation map: https://www.co.monterey.ca.us/government/departments-a-h/administrative-office/office-of-emergency-services/response/2021-wildfires

UPDATE: MONDAY, JUNE 28:

Detail Information
6:49 AM	17	[38] PER CAL FIRE MTRY, FIRE PERSONNEL STILL 97, WILL BE 97 THROUGHOUT THE DAY, 25 ACRES, 50 % CONTAINMENT

From the CHP website, I have no additional information.

Incident: 00312 Type: Report of Fire Location: Us101/jolon King City Loc Desc: SB AT Lat/Lon: 36.198056 -121.151944 

Detail Information
5:14 PM	15	[34] KSBW CALLING FOR INFO, TRANS TO CAL FIRE MTY
4:46 PM	14	[31] 8-Z4 FIRE IS ONE/SAME TRAVELLING SOUTHERNLY IN THE RIVERBED
4:45 PM	13	[28] [Appended, 16:45:59] [10] CAL FIRE ADVS’G SAME AS JOLON
4:44 PM	12	[24] [Appended, 16:45:59] [6] POSS SAME AS JOLONG RD
4:44 PM	11	[23] [Appended, 16:45:59] [5] TRANS MTY COM
4:43 PM	10	[22] [Appended, 16:45:59] [4] LOTS OF BRO AND GRY SMOKE
4:43 PM	9	[20] [Appended, 16:45:59] [2] FIRE ON HILLSIDE JNO 1020
4:13 PM	8	[18] TRANS MTY COM
4:13 PM	7	[13] SEE LOTS OF LARGE FLAMES AND BLK SMOKE
4:13 PM	6	[11] LARGE FIRE Z4 IN THE SLNS RIVER BED VIS HAZ WILL BE DOING ROUND ROBINS
4:12 PM	5	[9] TRANS MTYCOM
4:10 PM	4	[7] BRUSH FIRE UNDER BRIDGE /XFER TO MTY COM
4:09 PM	3	[3] TRANS MTYCOM
4:08 PM	2	[2] ON RHS
4:08 PM	1	[1] BRUSH FIRE

Definitely turned the corner on this one.

INCIDENT INFORMATION

Command: Los Padres National Forest, Monterey County Sheriff’s Office and CIIMT 11

Additional Cooperating and Assisting Organizations: CAL Fire, California Highway Patrol, Big Sur Fire Department, Cachagua Fire Protection District, Bureau of Land Management, CalTrans, Monterey Office of Emergency Services (OES)

Start Date: 06/17/2021Location: Los Padres National Forest,Monterey County, CAResidences Threatened: 0         Residences Damaged: 0Mixed Commercial/Residential threatened: 0

Size: 2,877 acresPercent containment: 56%Cause: Under InvestigationResidences Destroyed: 0Personnel on the Incident: 281

CURRENT CONDITIONS:

The weather is expected to be hotter and dryer through the remainder of the weekend. Winds should remain moderate, and the fire is not expected to increase in size during this time.

Firefighters continue to extinguish individual hot spots and remain prepared to assist in initial attack on any new fire starts. Suppression repair continues along the contingency fire control lines (away from the fire’s edge) that were constructed earlier during the fire. Suppression repair consists of actions taken to repair damages and minimize potential soil erosion and impacts resulting from fire suppression activities. As this critical work continues, firefighting resources no longer needed to meet the fire suppression objectives are being slowly released back to their home units or being reassigned to other fires. 

EVACUATIONS AND CLOSURES:

Forest Order Number 05-07-51-21-08 – WILLOW FIRE AREA, ROAD AND TRAIL CLOSURE.

This Order is in effect June 24, 2021 until July 23, 2021. The Forest Order may be viewed at Los Padres National Forest – Alerts & Notices (usda.gov)

The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office remains in Unified Command with Los Padres National Forest and California Interagency Incident Management Team 11. There are no changes to the Evacuation Warning and Order areas.  Evacuation map: https://www.co.monterey.ca.us/government/departments-a-h/administrative-office/office-of-emergency-services/response/2021-wildfires

Email: willowfirepio@gmail.com

Incident Information: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7549/ 

Social Media: Twitter: @LosPadresNF   Facebook: @Los Padres National Forest 

Los Padres National Forest: www.fs.usda.gov/pnf

Fire Information Phone: (831) 244-3205 Hours: 8am-9pm

INCIDENT INFORMATION

Command: Los Padres National Forest, Monterey County Sheriff’s Office and CIIMT 11

Additional Cooperating and Assisting Organizations: CAL Fire, California Highway Patrol, Big Sur Fire Department, Cachagua Fire Protection District, Bureau of Land Management, CalTrans, Monterey Office of Emergency Services (OES)

Start Date: 06/17/2021Location: Los Padres National Forest,Monterey County, CAResidences Threatened: 0         Residences Damaged: 0Mixed Commercial/Residential threatened: 0

Size: 2,877 acresPercent containment: 32 %Cause: Under InvestigationResidences Destroyed: 0Personnel on the Incident: 337

CURRENT CONDITIONS:

Today is a weather transition day, with hotter and dryer air settling into the area through the weekend. The fire is not expected to increase in size during this time. Winds should remain moderate.

The last five days of favorable weather have significantly reduced the heat within the Willow Fire area and enabled firefighters to extinguish individual hot spots and remain prepared to assist in initial attack on any new fire starts. Contingency fire control lines (away from the fires edge) that were constructed earlier during the fire are now in the process of being stabilized conducting suppression repair. As this critical work continues, firefighting resources no longer needed to meet the fire suppression objectives are being slowly released back to their home units or being reassigned to other fires.

EVACUATIONS AND CLOSURES:

Forest Order Number 05-07-51-21-08 – WILLOW FIRE AREA, ROAD AND TRAIL CLOSURE.

This Order is in effect June 24, 2021 until July 23, 2021. The Forest Order may be viewed at Los Padres National Forest – Alerts & Notices (usda.gov)

The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office remains in Unified Command with Los Padres National Forest and California Interagency Incident Management Team 11. There are no changes to the Evacuation Warning and Order areas.  Evacuation map: https://www.co.monterey.ca.us/government/departments-a-h/administrative-office/office-of-emergency-services/response/2021-wildfires

Date: Friday, June 25, 2021 District: 05 – Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz CountiesContact:Kevin Drabinski or Jim ShiversPhone:(805) 549-3138 or (805) 549-3237  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE EVEN CALTRANS NEEDS A LIFT: HELICOPTER PICKED TUNNELING MACHINERY FROM RAT CREEK SITE ON HIGHWAY 1 ON TUESDAY MONTEREY COUNTY – Caltrans announced today that it had called in a heavy lift helicopter on Tuesday June 22, to remove tunneling equipment which had been instrumental in the installation a 10 ft. diameter, 1.25-inch-thick steel pipe culvert beneath the roadway.  Late last week crews had successfully completed their tunneling operation from the east side of Rat Creek Canyon, through the fill underneath the roadway, and broke through where the culvert will outlet on the coast side of Highway 1. This tunneling operation successfully installed the 10-foot diameter steel pipe culvert at a 30 percent slope and it will serve as the centerpiece of redundant drainage infrastructure at Rat Creek which will substantially improve water flow capacity during future storm events. Papich Construction and Caltrans engineers determined that tunneling the main culvert instead of installing it during the fill construction would allow for the reopening of the roadway 4 to 6 weeks earlier than originally planned. The roadway was successfully reopened just 86 days after a late January storm event and associated debris flows severed this scenic stretch of coastal highway. Once the tunneling machinery had performed its task, it was broken into two segments, each weighing some 25,000 pounds. The helicopter made two lifts and the equipment was placed on the side of the highway where it will be transported off site. Highway 1 at Rat Creek will remain open as final construction work wraps up in late summer. Motorists can expect intermittent reversing lane closures with delays of up to 10 minutes through this still active construction zone. Caltrans reminds motorists to move over and slow down when driving through highway work zones. For traffic updates on other state highways in Monterey County, travelers may contact Caltrans District 5 Public Affairs at 805-549-3318 or can visit the District 5 website at: https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-5 Image 1: Preflight safety meeting. 06.22.21Image 2: Helicopter carries 25,000 lbs. of tunneling equipment at Rat Creek 06.22.21Image 3: Helicopter against the clouds at Rat Creek 06.22.21

Tonight’s simple version update from USFS: “Continued work by firefighters has increased the containment to 32% and held the acres burned to 2,877.”

And this is the rugged terrain these young men and women have been working in:

Willow Fire:  June 25, 2021 Update

Email: willowfirepio@gmail.com

Incident Information: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7549/ 

Social Media: Twitter: @LosPadresNF   Facebook: @Los Padres National Forest 

Los Padres National Forest: www.fs.usda.gov/pnf

Fire Information Phone: (831) 244-3205 Hours: 8am-9pm

INCIDENT INFORMATION

Command: Los Padres National Forest, Monterey County Sheriff’s Office and CIIMT 11

Additional Cooperating and Assisting Organizations: CAL Fire, California Highway Patrol, Big Sur Fire Department, Cachagua Fire Protection District, Bureau of Land Management, CalTrans, Monterey Office of Emergency Services (OES)

Start Date: 06/17/2021Location: Los Padres National Forest,Monterey County, CAResidences Threatened: 0         Residences Damaged: 0Mixed Commercial/Residential threatened: 0

Size: 2,877 acresPercent containment: 26 %Cause: Under InvestigationResidences Destroyed: 0Personnel on the Incident: 412

CURRENT CONDITIONS:

The last four days of favorable weather have significantly reduced the heat within the Willow Fire area and enabled firefighters to make progress on direct line construction where it is safe to do so. The fire stayed within the existing perimeter and little smoke was generated by hot spots near the fires edge.

Contingency fire control lines (away from the fires edge) that were constructed earlier during the fire are now in the process of being stabilized conducting suppression repair.  Water bars are being constructed to direct water off exposed soil and vegetation is being spread to slow the waters flow on fire lines that are not anticipated to be used.

As this critical work continues, firefighting resources no longer needed to meet the fire suppression objectives are being slowly released back to their home units or being reassigned to other fires. 

Today is a weather transition day, with warmer and dryer air settling into the area. This change will help firefighters identify hot spots within the fire area and direct helicopters and hand crews extinguish any threats to the fire lines.

FOREST CLOSURE:

Forest Order Number 05-07-51-21-08 – WILLOW FIRE AREA, ROAD AND TRAIL CLOSURE.

This Order is in effect June 24, 2021 until July 23, 2021. The Forest Order may be viewed at Los Padres National Forest – Alerts & Notices (usda.gov)

WEATHER:

A low-pressure system off the coast will be replaced by a much larger high pressure area influencing weather over the entire west coast. Locally, temperatures will increase to the 90s with relative humidity’s lowering to the 20s. Fortunately, winds are not forecast to be high. The fire is not expected to significantly increase in size during this time.

EVACUATIONS AND CLOSURES:

The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office remains in Unified Command with Los Padres National Forest and California Interagency Incident Management Team 11. There are changes to the Evacuation Warning and Order areas.

Effective 5:00 p.m., June 24, 2021, the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office is lifting/modifying the following Evacuation Warnings and Orders and Road Closures:

Evacuation Warnings Lifted:

• Zone WF-2: Tassajara Rd from China Camp Campground in Los Padres National Forest northwest to Kincannon Canyon.
• Zone WF-3b: Areas east of Woodtick Canyon on Arroyo Seco Rd to Millers Ranch at the Carmel Valley Rd junction.
• Zone WF-4: Areas north of Arroyo Secco Campground to Anastasia Canyon; west of Carmel Valley Rd, and East of Tassajara Rd.

Evacuation Orders Downgraded to Warnings:

• Zone WF-1: Tassajara Rd from the Zen Center northwest to China Camp Campground in the Los Padres National Forest, includes tributary Forest Routes and the Tassajara Zen Center.
• Zone WF-3a: All areas of Arroyo Secco Rd west of Woodtick Canyon, to include the Arroyo Seco Campground, Rocky Creek Rd, Camp Cawatre.

Note: Zones WF-1 and WF-3a should remain vigilant and be prepared to leave again if officials tell you to or you feel that your safety is threatened.

Evacuation Order Remaining in Effect:

• Zone WF-6: West of Santa Lucia Creek, east of Black Cone Peak, north of the Dolan Fire scar, and south of the Tassajara Hot Springs.

Closures:

The evacuation changes do not include the Willow fire area that is under closure order per Forest Order 05-01-51-21-08. The order can be viewed at Monterey Ranger District’s website (https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/lpnf/alerts-notices/?cid=stelprdb5347980). 

As residents return, smoke may be seen from inside the fire perimeter. Firefighters will still be working in the area and monitoring. Please be aware of your surroundings and changing conditions. If you see a fire or have an emergency, call 911. Narrow country roads are still being utilized for response purposes, please drive cautiously as crews will continue to work in the area. 

Evacuation map: https://www.co.monterey.ca.us/government/departments-a-h/administrative-office/office-of-emergency-services/response/2021-wildfires

5 pm — MCSO Modifies Evacuation Orders and Warnings

Willow Fire Update:

Effective 5:00 p.m., June 24, 2021, the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office is lifting or modifying the following Evacuation Warnings and Orders and Road Closures:

Evacuation Order Remaining in Effect:

· Zone WF-6: West of Santa Lucia Creek, east of Black Cone Peak, north of the Dolan Fire scar, and south of the Tassajara Hot Springs.

Evacuation Warnings Lifted:

· Zone WF-2: Tassajara Rd from China Camp Campground in the Los Padres National Forest northwest to Kincannon Canyon.

· Zone WF-3b: Areas east of Woodtick Canyon on Arroyo Seco Rd to Millers Ranch at the Carmel Valley Rd junction.

· Zone WF-4: Areas north of Arroyo Secco Campground to Anastasia Canyon; west of Carmel Valley Rd, and East of Tassajara Rd.

Evacuation Orders Downgraded to Warnings:

· Zone WF-1: Tassajara Rd from the Zen Center northwest to China Camp Campground in the Los Padres National Forest, includes tributary Forest Routes and the Tassajara Zen Center.

· Zone WF-3a: All areas of Arroyo Secco Rd west of Woodtick Canyon, to include the Arroyo Seco Campground, Rocky Creek Rd, Camp Cawatre.

Note: Zones WF-1 and WF-3a should remain vigilant and be prepared to leave again if officials tell you to or you feel that your safety is threatened.

Closures:

The evacuation changes do not include the Willow fire area that is under closure order per Forest Order 05-01-51-21-08. The order can be viewed at Monterey Ranger District’s website (https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/lpnf/alerts-notices/?cid=stelprdb5347980).

As residents return, smoke may be seen from inside the fire perimeter. Firefighters will still be working in the area and monitoring. Please be aware of your surroundings and changing conditions. If you see a fire or have an emergency, call 911. Narrow country roads are still being utilized for response purposes, please drive cautiously as crews will continue to work in the area.

11 am —

Willow Fire:  June 24, 2021 Update

Email: willowfirepio@gmail.com

Incident Information: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7549/ 

Social Media: Twitter: @LosPadresNF   Facebook: @Los Padres National Forest 

Los Padres National Forest: www.fs.usda.gov/pnf

Fire Information Phone: (831) 244-3205 Hours: 8am-9pm

INCIDENT INFORMATION

Command: Los Padres National Forest, Monterey County Sheriff’s Office and CIIMT 11

Additional Cooperating and Assisting Organizations: CAL Fire, California Highway Patrol, Big Sur Fire Department, Cachagua Fire Protection District, Bureau of Land Management, CalTrans, Monterey Office of Emergency Services (OES)

Start Date: 06/17/2021Location: Los Padres National Forest,Monterey County, CAResidences Threatened: 100         Residences Damaged: 0Mixed Commercial/Residential threatened: 25

Size: 2,877 acresPercent containment: 19%Cause: Under InvestigationResidences Destroyed: 0Personnel on the Incident: 454

CURRENT CONDITIONS:

Yesterday, firefighters took advantage of the continued favorable weather conditions and moderate fire behavior to finish preparing contingency lines along old fire control lines and adjacent roads east of the fire area. Crews also completed most of the community, residential and recreation infrastructure protection in the Tassajara and Arroyo Seco areas to the north and east of the fire area.

Forecasted weather and predicted fire behavior afforded firefighters the opportunity to access the Tony Trail to construct and improve direct containment lines towards the Marble Creek Trail. Mobile fire retardant bases were established to provide rotor wing air resources the ability to strengthen the fire perimeter with more precise bucket drops.

Los Padres Hotshots and Groveland Hotshots were flown into remote areas of the fire via helicopter due to ground accessibility challenges and worked throughout the night to continue building direct control lines and increasing fire containment.

Today, firefighting resources will continue to construct and improve direct control lines along the fire perimeter. Firefighting resources will continue strengthening and monitoring contingency lines and increasing defensible space around structures.

FOREST CLOSURE:

Forest Order Number 05-07-51-21-08 – WILLOW FIRE AREA, ROAD AND TRAIL CLOSURE.

This Order is in effect June 24, 2021 until July 23, 2021. The Forest Order may be viewed at Los Padres National Forest – Alerts & Notices (usda.gov)

WEATHER

A low-pressure system off the coast will continue to provide favorable weather conditions over the fire area for another day, shifting winds to the northwest as the system moves onshore. Below average temperatures and an increase in relative humidity has significantly reduced the detectable heat within the fire area. The fire is not expected to significantly increase in size during this time. A developing high-pressure system off the Pacific Northwest coast will bring warmer and dryer conditions at the end of the week and into the weekend.

EVACUATIONS AND CLOSURES:

The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office remains in Unified Command with Los Padres National Forest and California Interagency Incident Management Team 11. There are no changes to the Evacuation Warning and Order areas.

The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office has issued an Evacuation Order for the following areas:

• Tassajara Road northwest to China Camp Campground in the Los Padres National Forest, including tributary Forest Routes and the Tassajara Zen Center.
• Upgraded the Evacuation Warning to an Order for Zone WF-3a. All areas of the Arroyo Seco Road west of Woodtick Canyon, to include the Arroyo Seco Campground, Rocky Creek Road, Camp Cawatre.

The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office has issued an Evacuation Warning for the following area:

• Tassajara Road from China Camp Campground in the Los Padres National Forest northwest to Kincannon Canyon. The Warning stops at the Los Padres National Forest boundary. This does not include Kincannon Road or tributaries of Jamesburg or Cachagua Road.

Scroll down to last night’s Willow Fire Closure Order for roads and trails including a map.

Here is John Chesnut’s map:

Here are the notes from the IR flight last night.

INFRARED INTERPRETER’S DAILY LOG

Incident Name:CA-LPF-1493	IR Interpreter(s):Tony Ramos	Local Dispatch Phone:	Interpreted Size: 2860Growth last period: 0
Flight Time: 2100 PDTFlight Date: 06/23/21	Interpreter(s) location:Columbia. CAInterpreter(s) Phone:209-677-9988	GACC IR Liaison:Kyle FelkerGACC IR Liaison Phone:530-251-6112	National Coordinator:National Coord. Phone:
Ordered By:Chris Brenzel	A Number:A-87	Aircraft/Scanner System:TK-7	Pilots/Techs:Matt Boyoko / Tony Ramos
IRIN Comments on imagery:Good rectification and georeferencing	Weather at time of flight:Clear over incident	Flight Objective:Shapefiles, KMZ files, maps
Date and Time Imagery Received by Interpreter:2200 PDT 06/23/21	Type of media for final product:Shapefiles, KMZ files, maps, IRIN logDigital files sent to:Chris Brenzel / Wildfire FTP
Date and Time Products Delivered to Incident:2345 PDT  06/23/21
Comments /notes on tonight’s mission and this interpretation:Weather was clear without turbulence, image rectification and georeferencing was accurate. Scattered heat sparse throughout main drainage and overall scattered heat is reducing. Atmospheric attenuation was at a minimum revealing isolated heat very well. No intense heat identified. Found some isolated heat points within 100 ft of perimeter. One spot of particular concern I indicated with 2 isolated heat points on the SW edge of the heat perimeter. This heat was prominent and within feet of the perimeter.