From Dan Danbom
This was originally submitted as a photo of the North fire. It is not. It is of the controlled burn.
Category: 2012 Fire Season
Fire on Fremont Peak? – North Fire
6:00 pm – was still black smoke from the FHL fire just before dark, but it was only 250 acres, and both the USFS and the FHL FD were working it, no evidence it was going to escape into the forest.
Got this eyewitness account from a reader, who forwarded it to me.
“Big fire in Prunedale today, 6 Nov2012! Been working for the last 8 days and upon returning, today at 1:20 p.m., I was helping at the Prunedale Grange voting site and spotted black smoke on the ridge above the American Legion in Prunedale. I heard a fire engine and called the am 1080 radio station so they could immediately alert families in the Prunedale area. They did. However, the other radio stations were running election news and I couldn’t get on the alert onto other stations. The grew bigger as it rapidly moved north up the ridge until we could see flames above the Eucalyptus trees. Embers were falling and a fire started just behind the American Legion. It was surprising how fast the embers started spreading the fire. I called my relatives on McGuffie Road because the fire could have also been on that side of the ridge. No one home so I raced over to their house. Because the wind was blowing east there home wasn’t at risk. About 35 minutes later a CalFire air plane flew over the fire. Meanwhile four fire trucks were above Prunedale North Road with firemen protecting dwellings as the planes dropped retardant. So all of us who paid the recent CalFire protection fee just received our money’s worth.”
4:45 pm – confirmed, North Fire (Fremont Peak) structure fire into vegetation. Evacuations in progress. Also, heavy smoke from South East of me, and a 400-500 a re fire reported on Ft. H-L, but no details yet. It is too far south for the previously mentioned CB near Old Stage Rd and Crazy Horse in North Salinas Valley. I’ll be watching all of this, and trying to get additional details.
4:15 pm – One of my readers reported a fire on Fremont Peak. I am trying to confirm that now. If you have any information, please add to the comments below. I will update as soon as I know more.
Prescribed Burn today in Salinas Valley
Prescribed Burn Planned for Election Day. MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif.
These things always worry me
MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. – If you see smoke rising around the Salinas Valley on election day, don’t worry! Cal Fire says it’s conducting a prescribed burn in the area of Old Stage Road at Crazy Horse Road.
The burn is approximately 1,000 acres of brush and grass that is part of a plan to reduce flammable vegetation and will be visible from the Salinas Valley, Monterey Peninsula, Marina, North Monterey County, San Juan Bautista and Hollister Areas.
The burn is scheduled to begin around 10:00 a.m. and last until 5:00 Tuesday night with prime ignition planned between the hours of 12:00 and 3:00 p.m.
There will be 16 fire engines, 2 helicopters, 2 dozers, 4 hand crews and about 20 overhead personnel totaling roughly 150 personnel. Local Government cooperators include Carmel Highlands Fire Protection District, San Benito County Fire Department, Salinas City Fire Department, Monterey County Regional Fire District, Soledad Fire Department, Fort Hunter Ligget Fire Department and North Monterey County Fire Protection District.
CAL FIRE, along with the National Weather Service and Monterey Bay Unified Air Pollution Control District have worked cooperatively to plan this burn under the best weather conditions for this location.
So, how hot is it?
It may be October 2nd, but we have been reaching record temperatures, every where … The coast is no longer my refuge. It hit 102 at Ventana Restaurant, yesterday, and 95 in the valley, at the State Park. It was over 105 up here, although I spent the day on the Peninsula, running errands. It was about the same today, although I was in Cayucos and Cambria, where it was also hot. I read that it is to cool down considerably tomorrow and the rest of the week. I would settle for it cooling down at night!
So, how hot has it been where you are?
Jade Festival count down, accident, fire, and other updates
First, the count down for the Jade Festival is here – 4 days. Kirk Creek campground was full this am, as well as this pm. There are still spaces available at Plaskett Creek.
There was a motorcycle accident at the Little Sur that closed down the highway for about 3/4 of an hour.
There was a wildfire down near Hearst Castle that was contained within 1/2 hour.
Finally, there is another community meeting about the Viaduct on Wed at the Big Sur Lodge at 10 am. Not much in terms of new info.
“Hi Everyone,
I’ve scheduled a public informational meeting for this Wednesday, October
3, at 10:00 AM at the Big Sur Lodge to discuss the construction of the
Rocky Creek Viaduct. The meeting format will be similar to the September
14 meeting in that we will give a brief summary of the project features and
then take questions.
There will not be a lot of new information but there will some. This
meeting is really intended for those who were not able to participate in
the last one.
Hope to see you all there!
Sincerely,
Ken Dostalek
Caltrans, District 5
Div. of Project Management
Office Phone: (805) 549-3133”
Life on the coast is never boring.
Fire North of Ragged Point
4:30 pm – fire was about a mile north of Ragged Point. They are in mop-up, now.
4:15 pm – just got word that there was a dispatch to a fire north of Ragged Point about 1/2 hour ago. Already air attack has been called off, and one Cuesta crew. One Cuesta fire remains on scene, as well as a couple LPNF Engines. Looks like they caught this early. I don’t have any more details, but will look around to see what I can pick up.
Possible Fire, NE of Cone Peak ?
11:15 update – I still have not been able to locate, but it doesn’t seem to be growing, although there is a very significant inversion layer over the ocean.
10:30 update – I have determined the fire is NOT on FHL, per my source there. It might be Indians, or Lost Valley or ?? Still trying to track down. Wherever it is, it increased in size considerably this morning.
About 9 am, I went outside and noted drift smoke covering Cone Peak. My friend called from Lockwood. I asked him, “Where is the fire?” He laughed, and said he’d called fire central to ask that very question. Nothing is listed on WildCAD-LPNF, so his thought that it is at Indians is probably not the case. Since I can find nothing anywhere, that leads me to believe it might be on FHL. Don’t see a column, only heavy drift, so I will keep seeking information this morning.
One can barely see Cone Peak through the drift smoke.
Fire off Old Coast Rd
2:35 – 4-5 acres, contained! Great work!
2:30 pm, CHP has Old Coast Rd closed at North end (Bixby Bridge) open to residents only. SP Has south end closed at Andrew Molera.
2:20 pm- request for 2 AT and 2 Helios, Old Coast Rd. closed to traffic.
2:00 pm – both Cal Fire BEU, and BSVFB are also on the fire, which may be heating up from the reports I am getting.
Around 1:22 pm, it was reported to me that a downed power line started a fire off Old Coast Rd. WildCAD- LPF reports it is off highway one near the El Sur Ranch. USFS has sent BC 12, E 17, and E 18 in mutual aid to BEU. I will follow this until it is contained, hopefully fast.
Fire Weather
5:00 pm – red flag warning in effect throughout the evening in the Monterey NWS area. While I can see build up of clouds to the north and to the east, I have sunshine and no thunder here. Even my dog Dakota’s keen hearing is picking up nothing. She ALWAYS hears it long before me, and tries to crawl under whatever she can. My other three are not bothered, so I always keep an eye on her whenever there is a chance of lightning, no matter how remote.
8:30 am – This afternoon through tomorrow, very unstable weather, with possibility of lightning strikes. Wet or dry strikes (and models are unclear if the rain will hit the ground, but San Jose already experiencing rain this morning) brings serious threats of fire starts in Monterey County and the greater Bay area, even if rain accompanies the strikes, as fuel levels are extremely dry.
So keep an eye out, report any down strikes you see on land, if possible. I have to do a quick yo-yo south, but will be watching this closely through tomorrow.
Wildfire – SLO Co – Bitterroot & 46
Final acreage, 167 acres.
4:00 pm – 50 acres.
3:00 pm – 15 acres, one structure threatened.
AA requesting two air additional tankers. Potential for 100 acres unless it jumps Bitterwater Road, then potential for 500 – 600 acres. 2 dozers, 2 airtankers, 6 Type 3 Engines, 4 crewsalready on scene.
This is all according to Wildland fire. This is a a SLO Cal Fire show, but USFS is sending a helicopter to assist.