Willow Fire, 6/24/21, Day 8

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.