8:00 pm UPDATE – it is always a lot harder to get information on fires being ICd by USFS than it is on CALFIRE fires. Much less information available, and the USFS hasn’t updated inciweb in 10 hours. HOWEVER my sources say that resources seem to be being released, no smoke is visible in areas where it was yesterday, and all indications are that the FFs seem to be getting a handle on this one.

10:00 am – USFS modified the expected containment time to 6 pm, but still on Tuesday, the 24th.

9:30 am – this is now a USFS show, and updates are provided via inciweb, link provided to the right. This morning, LPF issued the following:

Incident Type Wildfire
Cause Under Investigation
Date of Origin Saturday August 21st, 2010 approx. 12:34 PM
Location Hwy 58 at Santa Margarita
Incident Commander Dana D’andrea (usfs)
Current Situation
Total Personnel 355
Size 1,263 acres
Percent Contained 5%
Estimated Containment Date Tuesday August 24th, 2010 approx. 12:00 AM
Fuels Involved
6 Dormant Brush, Hardwood Slash Grass/Brush/Oaks
Fire Behavior
Multiple spot fires with rapid rate of spread.
Significant Events
Incident is merging from state to federal command.
Outlook
Planned Actions
Aggressive fire suppression tactics to include direct line construction.
Growth Potential
High.
Terrain Difficulty
Extreme.

4:30 am – I woke to the smell of smoke quite early. I am assuming this is drift from the Pozo Fire. CALFIRE and others are still listing this incident as around 1500 acres. The 2500 acre report last night was a miscalculation. Around midnight last night, containment was given as 5%. I will update with more as I learn more. Now, back to bed.

CALFIRE NEWS reported two hours ago that the fire WAS 2500 acres (but unsure if this is accurate) and 10% contained. Also reporting that Jim Smith’s IMT is taking over management of this fire at 0600 hours this morning. Now, really, am going back to bed.

8:30 pm – UPDATE: I have no update on the acreage. Went back on the ridge to see if I could see a plume, and could not. Could see smoke in the general area. Did get a nice sunset shot, though, in which you can see some smoke, but it is hard to discern.

6:30 pm – UPDATE: current reports are that this fire is up to 2500 acres and large order for resources being placed and filled. 0 % containment. Campgrounds evacuated are Turkey Flat, LaPanza, and Pozo are all evacuated….6 tankers and 6 copters and a dozen plus engines with strike teams starting to show up.

This is the “head” or column of smoke visible from Paso Robles around 3:30 pm.

This was sent to me by my friend, Ray, and is used with his permission.

5:00 pm UPDATE: Resource order: Major resource order shown is ROSS: Pending:12 type 1 HC, 5 type 1HC S/T, 5 Type 3 eng S/T, 10 Doz S/T, 8 Water Tenders. some misc OH.

4:30 pm – all fire suppression units have been extended until 8 pm.

4:15 pm UPDATE: CALFIRE reports: “Pozo Fire [Update] located off Pozo Rd between Pozo and Santa Margarita (San Luis Obispo County) is now 1,500 acres.”

4 pm UPDATE: Fire is 1200 acres. Oh sh*t, here we go.

3 pm UPDATE: Latest report on conditions, 350 acres, still rapid rate of spread. Heading into the LPF, no structure threat. Also, no estimate of containment.

There is a fierce fire being fought down in SD Co. near Cajon Mtn. It started about the same time, but is up to 2K plus and has really taken off. 10 hikers had to be rescued by helicopter due to being surrounded by fire.

2 pm UPDATE: (sorry, had company stop by, so I’m late with this.) Reported:”AA just ordered two additional AT’s for a total of six.

AA report on conditions: 250 acres, multiple spotting, in grass, transitioning to the brush.”

KSBY out of SLO is reporting it is up to 300 acres.

1:30 pm, scanner just indicated IC requesting an additional three type 3 engines in addition to the previous 3 additional type 3’s. Spotting still going on – listed as rapid spotting!

From WildCAD-LPF:
Pozo Wildfire Pozo Road & Parkhill Grass fire, assist to SLU. 35 Acres, Rapid Spotting. H527,H528,H530,Crw4,E31,35,47,Doz4,BC32. In addition to the above by LPF, CAL-FIRE is sending full wildland fire response as well.

At 1 pm, WLF reported: “a fire on Parkhill Rd in the Pozo area in San Luis Obispo County. Per AA, ordering an additional two AT’s and two additional helos. SLU dispatch just dispatched another dozer as well.” WildCAD, LPF is indicating 2 LPF engines dispatched to assist.

Currently, at 1:00 pm “25 to 30 acres with spotting full Cal Fire and LPF response can see header from paso.”

UPDATE: This is what a weather guy said in response to my question: “Well, there is always a possibility of a training burn. However, we are getting the same thing in Sonoma County, the persistent marine layer and gusty onshore afternoon winds are just recirculating all the particulates trapped below the heat inversion above 2000 feet. It looks like a fire is burning somewhere, but really not. Get to a high altitude and you will see what I mean. We need a good wind event to scour out the atmosphere.”

It is simply a curiosity, NOT a danger, at this point. I haven’t been able to ascertain where and why, but there is definitely smoke drift on the horizon tonight, and it is not a slight amount, either. Smoke drift can travel long distances, as we all know, and I can see forever. Take a look. Anyone have any information on this?

There is also some smoke settling in the Willow Creek area, but nothing is being reported on WildCAD-LPF, so perhaps it is some distance away. Still, it is strange to see this much drift and not find a mention of it anywhere. Strange, that is all.

This speculation is offered on one of the sites where I posed my question about this: “Kate–glad you mentioned this… while driving down to Sac today from the foothills, it looked like smoke over the Coast Range to the west. Since there is no fire activity to speak of in the LNU or MNF, I am going to wonder out loud…Is there ANY possibility of this smoke coming across the Pacific from the fires in Russia? Any of our weather geeks want to tell me why I am full of you know what?”

And, tonight, this:

08/14/2010 17:12

LPF-2508

(New)

Wildfire

Prewitt Ridge

I just looked across at Prewitt, and I don’t see any smoke. I am guessing this was a illegal campfire. I will definitely be watching closely for the next hour.

From earlier today:

Whatever this was, nothing ever came from it.

From LPNF WildCAD link:

08/14/2010 12:16 LPF-2498 (New) Wildfire Nacimento Road 1mi west or Ponderosa CG

LPNF WildCAD is reporting this: 08/14/2010 11:36 LPF-2494 (New) Wildfire Nacimiento Road 3 mi inside the boundry

I do not know if these are related, if it is one and the same with a more accurate location, or ???

I have not found any additional details, I do not see any column or smoke drift, so I am NOT concerned.

6:30 pm – I just spoke with Sherry Tune of the USFS and we discussed the problems with the brush work. She informed me that the contract provides for chipping up all the material left. She is aware of the problems created by this work and is addressing them. One of those problems is drainage. That’s one of the things I like about Sherry. She is accessible, and she really cares about being a good neighbor.

I have some photos I will be posting later today of the work that has been going on. I am going to avoid any editorial comments about the work, and let readers reach their own conclusions. I have no idea if a clean-up is planned, or not. Check back later this afternoon. I have a few things to do before I can upload the photos.

Here is one of the two mowers. I have a number of photos to upload, so will be posting one or two throughout the day, as time and internet allow.




Okay, the photo above, and the next few require explanation, so you know what you are seeing. This is the source of a spring along side the road. It is just above the end of the county portion of the road, and the road is not currently maintained by the USFS (it was last graded 10 years ago.) This spring, during the winter has a habit of breaking out over the road, and we have almost lost the ocean-side edge a number of times. Rock Knocker and others have done work to keep that edge as in tack as possible.

Locals did some road work here, and hand dug a trench, with a berm, to keep the water flowing on the inside of the road, and not across it, both above and below the spring. This is necessary to keep the water from scattering, going down the road and across it, causing erosion to the outside edge. That trench is now filled with debris, which must be removed before the first rains.

The photo above shows more of the trench and the debris filling it up.

This is what it looks like now:

A bit closer:

And even closer still:

That is fog, not smoke at the western black line.

12:30 am – from 2 separate reliable sources, I have now heard that the final acreage was 75 acres.

CAL FIRE reports:
Last Updated: August 4, 2010 7:30 am
Date/Time Started: August 3, 2010 4:00 pm
Administrative Unit: CAL FIRE San Benito-Monterey Unit
County: Monterey County
Location: Near the Little Sur River and Old Coast Rd near the El Sur Ranch
Acres Burned:
Containment 35 acres – 100% contained

I’m taking the rest of the day off from blogging. I’ve got a job that needs my attention.

8:15 pm – CAL FIRE reports: The Green Fire is now 50% contained at 35 acres. YAY!!!

CAL FIRE reported around 7:30 this evening: “CAL FIRE has responded with 13 fire engines, including 2 from the U.S. Forest Service. CAL FIRE has also brought in 3 helicopters and 4 airtankers.

CAL FIRE says they expect to stay on scene throughout the night and have plans to have crews on a dayshift there tomorrow.”

Taken just before 8 pm:

7:15 pm – Water tender being cancelled, so maybe CAL-Fire is getting a handle on this. Also heard a LPF crew is going out of service at 2100 hours. A comment below indicates that all air support has been cancelled due to fog.

Meredith Gafill (note one “f” not two, as I put on the caption), sent me this photo of the helicopter working the fire.

And Dan Danbom sent me these. Thanks, both of you!

This is the view at 6:40. Judge for yourself if the smoke is increasing or decreasing.

6:30 pm – “LPF crew 3 arroyo grande hotshots is driving through Monterey headed to the green fire”
Here is a view taken at 5:52 of the smoke visible from my place:

Remember, I am quite a ways south of this fire. Read the comments below for a description of where it is by someone who can see it.

From the CHP website: “5:43PM ONLY RESIDENTS AND FIRE PERSONEL.” This is Old Coast Rd.

5:30 pm – no updates on acreage or resources, yet. For those readers who are out of the area, this fire is burning north of the where the Basin Fire burned in 2008. If it heads north and/or east of there, that area has not burned in quite a while.

5:00 pm – two more Gabilan crews ordered.

4:30 pm – They are reporting it at 15 – 20 acres now. windy conditions.

4:20 pm – Per AA (Air Attack) 10-15 acres in grass backing down hill. Slow RS (rate of spread). Just heard the bomber say it was burning from Serra Hill down towards Little Sur River. East side of Old Coast Road. On the fog line, ordering two additional tankers.

4:10 pm – Fire called Green. 4.5 mile marker on Old Coast Road. Flames being seen from Green Ridge. Conflicting reports about the reasons for the power outage, and whether there is any relationship to the fire.

4 pm – Smoke is visible as one crosses the bridge on the Little Sur River. Details are sketchy right now. Someone from Greenridge called in the smoke check originally, but one driver said he could see the smoke from the bridge at Little Sur. Further, around 3 pm, the power went out to Big Sur. The two obviously could be connected, as I said, details are sketchy.

BEU just dispatched to Green Ridge & Palo Colorado Road<<<BC 4611 and 4609<>AT’s 80 and 81 4engines << 2 Dozers <>2 engines from CZU (Santa Cruz) and The LPF also<< responding. (LPF dispatch site has been down since yesterday morning)

I will keep everyone informed as details and information comes in.

While I keep an eye on the Rocky (Butte) Fire near Cambria, and post updates on the Rocky Fire immediately below, I will begin to upload some great shots from yesterday’s 46 Fire. This is truly a photographic study of the Anatomy of a Grass Fire. All photos by Rock Knocker.

This Fire and how fast it was knocked down was greatly influenced by the convergence of a number of very lucky incidences. First, Rock Knocker doesn’t miss a thing. He saw this almost the moment it was started and called it in. Second, there was cell phone service from the site. Third, the AA are out of Paso, only moments away. Fourth, CAL-Fire is close by. Lastly, the possible arsonists were clearly uninformed about all of this

Okay, I published this by accident, I did not mean for it to go live until this evening, but now that it is, I will continue to upload the other 5 photos I had planned for this series.