You can see that staging is beginning over on Prewitt Ridge, the one in the foreground. These were taken around 4:45 pm today.
I have jokingly started calling this the war zone. Here is the first set of photos of passage through here. I have been told to expect others.
Start / Report Date: Aug. 18, 2020
Size: 31,409
Containment: 40%
Cause: Unknown
Location: Hwy 1(MM32.20) N of Limekiln State Park, 10 miles S of Big Sur
Injuries: 3
Structures Destroyed: 8
Fuels Involved: Chaparral, Brush, Timber understory
Hand Crews: 13
Engines: 60
Dozers: 8
Helicopters: 10
Water Tenders: 22
Total Personnel: 896
The inversion lifted earlier today allowing for more active fire behavior, primarily consuming unburned fuel within the fire perimeter. Rolling material (burning logs and vegetation) continued to create most of the fire spread.
The east side of the fire continues to burn further into the Ventana Wilderness. The fire is primarily backing in this area. A Hot Shot crew was able to access the Lost Valley area today and began building hand line along the fire perimeter, going direct, to minimize the fire size and expansion. The crews will remain out near the fire’s edge (spiking out), staying in this area for several consecutive days before returning to base camp.
Crews continued work along the north section of the fire, improving and widening the line. With the north and northeastern containment lines holding well, residents were allowed back into the Partington Ridge area today. The Partington area remains under an Evacuation Warning.
Containment lines near Lucia and the Hermitage are also holding well. Active fire today in this area produced more smoke, but the fire is within containment lines and helping to eliminate the unburned fuel which can pose a threat to the lines if winds increase or shift direction. Crews continued to work on the primary containment line north of the Naciemento-Ferguson Road and along the road to Cone Peak. Additional contingency lines farther south are also being scouted to ensure the fire can be kept within as small a footprint as possible if weather and fuel conditions change. Both dozers and hand crews are being used to build lines in this area.
California Interagency Incident Command Team 2 would like to thank Fire Chief Matt Harris for his hard work and cooperation as a Unified Incident Commander.
An excessive heat watch has been issued for this area and temperatures are expected to be in the 90’s along the coast and low hundreds inland from Saturday morning through Monday afternoon. Winds are forecast to remain mild. Fire activity is expected to increase with this change in weather conditions and firefighting operations are being adjusted as necessary to ensure continued and increased containment throughout the weekend. Dolan Fire
California Interagency Incident Management Team 2
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
*********************************************************************
10 am — Another truck just came through, this guy says dozers are ON THEIR WAY UP PLASKETT, but quite a ways back from him — a white truck, no logos, who came speeding up here. Now there are 3 trucks up here scouting, trying to figure out they are going to get through here and up Chalk Peak. Told him we are concerned about them tearing up Chalk Peak. This will be a war zone at some point. Can’t use N-F because it is packed, among other things.
************************************************************************
For Immediate Release
September 2, 2020
UPDATE: Reduction of Evacuation Order to Warning – Partington Zone C
Partington Ridge, CA. – Effective immediately the evacuation order in place for Partington Zone C has been downgraded to an evacuation warning. Access is permitted only for residents due to fire equipment and emergency personnel in the area. The evacuation warning area for Zone C is as follows:
All other Evacuation Orders are still in place for Dolan Ridge Zone A, Lucia Zone B and Prewitt Ridge Zone J.
As a reminder an “Evacuation WARNING” (i.e. sometimes used interchangeably with the term “Advisory”) means those in a specific area/zone should be prepared to evacuate at any time. You do not need to leave your home at this time but please be alert and prepared to leave if an Evacuation Order is called.
An “Evacuation ORDER” means those in a specific area/zone should leave immediately.
If you feel that your life is in danger, do not wait for an emergency notification.
Additionally: When an Evacuation Order is in place for a zone(s), this means the public, including residents, are not allowed to enter the zone(s). The closures will have Law Enforcement roadblocks on northern and southern closure of Highway 1 turning cars around that are not authorized to be in the closure. This also includes no “In and out” privileges for subjects who decided to stay at their properties despite the Evacuation Order. If you leave the closed area, you will not be allowed to re-enter.
An Evacuation Order signals an immediate threat to life and safety. This is a lawful order to leave now. The area is lawfully closed to public access. An interactive map of the area can be found on the Monterey County OES website.
As a result of this extension the road closure for Highway One will be relocated to the area of Sand Dollar Day Use area.
All other Dolan Evacuation Orders remain in place.
Forest Order Number 05-07-51-20-19 remains in effect.
Firefighting resources previously assigned to the north end of the fire are being shifted to the southern end as the operations in the McWay Ridge area are secured. The Dolan Fire is burning two miles northwest of Nacimiento – Ferguson Road.
A!ert Monterey County: To receive emergency notifications regarding evacuations and critical events in Monterey County please sign up for A!ert Monterey County at the following website: https://member.everbridge.net/453003085611217/login.
Be prepared for emergencies; the Ready, Set, Go! program informs residents about preparing for disaster.
###
Dolan Fire
California Interagency Incident Management Team 2
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
***********************************************************************
September 2, 2020 Morning | |
| Public Information Phone: (831)272-0222 | Los Padres National Forest: www.fs.usda.gov/lpnf |
| Media Information Phone: (831)272-0221 | Facebook: facebook.com/lospadresnationalforest |
| Incident E-mail: 2020.Dolan@firenet.gov | Twitter: twitter.com/LosPadresNF |
| Incident Website: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7018 | Big Sur FD: https://bigsurfire.org/ |
Start / Report Date: Aug. 18, 2020
Size: 31,005 acres
Containment: 35% Cause: Unknown
Location: Hwy 1(MM32.20) N of Limekiln State Park, 10 miles S of Big Sur
Injuries: 3 Structures Destroyed: 8
Fuels Involved: Chaparral, Brush, Timber understory
Hand Crews: 11
Engines: 66
Dozers: 8
Helicopters: 10
Water Tenders: 22
Total Personnel: 904
Overnight saw calm conditions and fire activity was minimal. Crews were able to continue to enhance containment lines and hold previous work. Today’s weather forecasts a marine layer up to 2,000 feet which could linger through most of the day, suppressing fire activity in the fire’s lower elevations. Above 2,000 feet weather is expected to continue to be warmer and drier with light winds throughout the day. An infrared flight was completed last night showing fire growth of a few hundred acres.
Last night crews in the north end of the fire continued reinforcing containment lines along McWay Ridge and “mopping up” (ensuring areas where fire has moved through had little potential to burn again). In the Partington area crews finished clearing around infrastructure and constructing indirect line. Crews also patrolled along Highway 1 and continued to keep fire out of Lucia and the Hermitage and worked on the southern contingency lines.
Today’s deeper inversion is expected to hold smoke over the fire area which may inhibit helicopter support into some areas during much of the day. The inversion will help to keep fire activity lower and potential spotting to fifty feet or less. Much of the fire is currently backing down slopes, burning vegetation at a much lower intensity. Rolling material (burning logs and vegetation) moving off the extremely steep slopes and igniting unburned fuels below continues to be the primary cause of fire growth.
Most of the fire growth is occurring in the Ventana Wilderness and the area around Cone Peak. Today’s plan is to insert several Hot Shot crews into the wilderness to begin direct line construction in that area. Crews will also continue work on the contingency line south of Prewitt Ridge between South Coast Ridge Road and Highway 1 and a half mile south of Alms Ridge. Both dozers and hand crews are being used to build the primary line on “No Name Ridge” which runs west to Highway 1 from the Cone Peak Road. This line is north of Nacimiento Fergusson Road.
An excessive heat watch has been issued for this area and temperatures are expected to be in the 90’s along the coast and low hundreds inland from Friday through Monday afternoon. Winds are forecast to remain mild. Fire activity is expected to increase with this change in weather conditions. Firefighting operations are being adjusted as necessary to ensure continued and increased containment throughout the weekend.
Dolan Fire
California Interagency Incident Management Team 2
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
**********************************************************************
From John Chesnut’s Maps, it looks as if there wasn’t much activity last night, which is a good thing, considering the heat wave knocking on our door. Here they are, south and north.
September 1, 2020 Evening | |
| Public Information Phone: (831) 272-0222 | Los Padres National Forest: www.fs.usda.gov/lpnf |
| Media Information Phone: (831) 272-0221 | Facebook: facebook.com/lospadresnationalforest |
| Incident E-mail: 2020.Dolan@firenet.gov | Twitter: twitter.com/LosPadresNF |
| Incident Website: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7018 | Big Sur FD: https://bigsurfire.org/ |
Start / Report Date: Aug. 18, 2020
Size: 31,005
Containment: 35%
Cause: Unknown
Location: Hwy 1(MM32.20) N of Limekiln State Park, 10 miles S of Big Sur
Injuries: 3
Fuels Involved: Chaparral, Brush, Timber understory
Hand Crews: 111
Engines: 66
Dozers: 8
Helicopters: 10
Water Tenders: 22
Structures Destroyed: 8
Total Personnel: 904
Dolan Fire
California Interagency Incident Management Team 2
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
***********************************************************************
Here is the evening John Chesnut map. Is looking pretty good for those of us on the South Coast. High fog, no or light winds…. a sigh of temporary relief because a serious heatwave is on the way.
Fire truck just came through here, then a truck (gray?) full of firefighters and warned me three dozers and 1 road grader coming through here. One and 1/2 hours later, they came back through going down with an SUV between them (maybe an evacuee? I didn’t recognize the vehicle).
**********************************************************************
Cannot see anything this morning due to the smoke, so relying on John Chesnut’s maps. And our weather report for this next week is not good. From John Lindsey: “A ridge of high pressure will take its place over California starting on Wednesday. This condition will allow for temperatures to rise throughout our region and the afternoon northwesterly winds along the coastline to increase to strong to gale-force (25 to 38 mph) levels on Thursday through Monday.”
**********************************************************************
Please check back throughout the day for update, or refresh your browser window if you are keeping it open.
DOLAN PUBLIC FIRE INFORMATION SOURCES:
Public Information Phone: (831) 272-0222
Incident E-mail: 2020.Dolan@firenet.gov
Incident Website: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7018
This is the link for the county created interactive evacuations map for all three fires. You can enter an address and find out the status. Nice job MoCo! Thank you. https://www.co.monterey.ca.us/government/departments-a-h/administrative-office/office-of-emergency-services/response/2020-fires
************************************************************************
| September 1, 2020 Morning | |
| Public Information Phone: (831)272-0222 | Los Padres National Forest: www.fs.usda.gov/lpnf |
| Media Information Phone: (831)272-0221 | Facebook: facebook.com/lospadresnationalforest |
| Incident E-mail: 2020.Dolan@firenet.gov | Twitter: twitter.com/LosPadresNF |
| Incident Website: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7018 | Big Sur FD: https://bigsurfire.org/ |
Start / Report Date: Aug. 18, 2020
Size: 29,550
Containment: 25%
Location: Hwy 1(MM32.20) N of Limekiln State Park, 10 miles S of Big Sur
Injuries: 0
Cause: Unknown
Fuels Involved: Chaparral, Brush, Timber understory
Hand Crews: 14
Engines: 65
Dozers: 8
Helicopters: 11
Water Tenders: 25
Total Personnel: 933
Dolan Fire
California Interagency Incident Management Team 2
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
************************************************************************
John Chesnut am map. There was an IR flight this am, also. This is the south end.
Here is the north and east portions of the fire.
Just got new maps from John Chesnut, shows the fire’s progression to the south. Well established in Hare Canyon.
And here is the north end. Looking pretty good.
6 pm — PIO confirmed this evening that the hard closure will be somewhere between PV Station and PV Center. He wasn’t quite sure about the exact location. Residents on Alms Ridge have been notified, signed waivers, and identified next of kin. So far, only one family has come out this way.
Fire and Evacuation Zone. The fire location is from early am, I believe? I think John said they fly over about 3 am and 3 pm, and then it takes 4-5 hours to publish the info. So too early to be this afternoon’s flight
 |
| Monday, August 31, 2020 |
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MONTEREY COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT ISSUES MANDATORY EVACUATION ORDER Due to fire behavior and wind shift, a mandatory evacuation order has been placed for the following area: South of Nacimiento-Fergusson Road, West of South Coast Ridge to Prewitt Ridge including Alms Ridge. Stay Safe, Stay Vigilant. |
For Immediate Release
August 31, 2020
New Dolan Fire Evacuation Order
Big Sur, Calif. – Due to the continued spread of the Dolan Fire to the southeast, the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office in cooperation with Dolan Fire incident management team and Monterey County OES has declared an Evacuation Order effective immediately for the following area:
Dolan Fire
California Interagency Incident Management Team 2
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
I did manage to get a couple early morning shots before the smoke completely blocks any view. Can’t wait to see last night’s satellite maps from John. With all the smoke, I won’t venture a guess as to where this is until I see the maps. In the first photo, one can see 3 areas of fire. The second shot gives a vague idea about flame height of the lower two spots of fire. That is Cone Peak in the background and Twin Peak is to the left, or west. Maps and morning briefing will be added when received.
Scroll down to John Chesnut’s maps to see where these flames are. Please scroll past that to see my plea to the community.
Please check back throughout the day for updates, or refresh your browser window if you are keeping it open.
DOLAN PUBLIC FIRE INFORMATION SOURCES:
Public Information Phone: (831) 272-0222
Incident E-mail: 2020.Dolan@firenet.gov
Incident Website: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7018
This is the link for the county created interactive evacuations map for all three fires. You can enter an address and find out the status. Nice job MoCo! Thank you. https://www.co.monterey.ca.us/government/departments-a-h/administrative-office/office-of-emergency-services/response/2020-fires
***********************************************************************
Evening Update:
August 31, 2020 Evening
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
Los Padres National Forest: www.fs.usda.gov/lpnf
Facebook: facebook.com/lospadresnationalforest
Twitter: twitter.com/LosPadresNF
Big Sur FD: https://bigsurfire.org
Incident Information:
Start / Report Date: Aug. 18, 2020 Cause: Unknown
Fuels Involved: Chaparral, Brush, Timber understory
Size: 29,550
Containment: 25%
Location: Hwy 1(MM32.20) N of Limekiln State Park, 10 miles S of Big Sur
Injuries: 0
Resources:
Hand Crews: 14
Engines: 65
Dozers: 8
Helicopters: 11
Water Tenders: 25
Total Personnel: 933
Current Situation:
A mandatory evacuation order went into effect this afternoon south of Nacimiento-Fergusson Road, west of South Coast Ridge to Prewitt Ridge including Alms Ridge due to increased fire behavior and winds. Highway 1 remains closed with expanded hard closure south to Pacific Valley Station. Rolling rocks are a continued safety concern throughout the Highway 1 closure.
The fire has progressed south and east towards San Antonio Creek drainage. Today the marine layer remained in place decreasing fire activity below 1500 feet with fire activity predicted to increase overnight at higher elevations.
Crews continued work along the north section of the fire, reinforcing containment lines along the McWay drainage. The line has been completed and unburned vegetation has been fired out. Firefighters have also completed clearing of vegetation and other fuels around infrastructure in the Partington area. The completion of this work will free resources up to be shifted to the southern portion of the fire which is now the highest priority.
The east side continues to burn further into the Ventana Wilderness. As the northern and southern perimeters are secured, the firefighting effort will shift to address the fire’s movement into the Ventana Wilderness. The work on Nacimiento Fergusson Road and the forest trail and road system is the beginning of this effort with more clearing completed today. If successful, these actions will help to check the southeasterly spread of the fire.
Today three years ago, Los Padres National Forest Battalion Chief Gary Helming tragically lost his life while returning home from a fire assignment. Gary was killed when a vehicle travelling in the opposite direction blew a tire and swerved head-on into his vehicle. We can honor battalion chief Helming’s life by being extra cautious
when traveling on roadways and ask the public to do the same. This is a reminder that driving safety is critical at all times.
Dolan Fire
California Interagency Incident Management Team 2
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
***********************************************************************
DC-10 is flying Dolan down here, or at least it appears to be. Spotted at 10:15 am
And here is one of it at Santa Maria airport take when it returned, hopefully for reloading, taken by a reader, Alan Raul
************************************************************************
August 31, 2020 Morning | |
| Public Information Phone: (831)272-0222 | Los Padres National Forest: www.fs.usda.gov/lpnf |
| Media Information Phone: (831)272-0221 | Facebook: facebook.com/lospadresnationalforest |
| Incident E-mail: 2020.Dolan@firenet.gov | Twitter: twitter.com/LosPadresNF |
| Incident Website: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7018 | Big Sur FD: https://bigsurfire.org/ |
Start / Report Date: Aug. 18, 2020
Size: 29,434
Containment: 25%
Cause: Unknown
Location: Hwy 1(MM32.20) N of Limekiln State Park, 10 miles S of Big Sur
Injuries: 0
Fuels Involved: Chaparral, Brush, Timber understory
Hand Crews: 16
Engines: 77
Dozers: 9
Helicopters: 10
Water Tenders: 25
Total Personnel: 1,025
The fire poses a risk to multiple businesses, parks, recreational sites, and communication infrastructure as well as the communities of Hermitage and Lucia in the south, and Partington Ridge in the north. Among natural resources threatened are the Ventana Wilderness, coastal watershed, and habitat for threatened and endangered species, including the California condor.
Later this week California Interagency Incident Command Team 2 will transition command of the Dolan Fire to Pacific Northwest Team 2 (PNW2). PNW2 will shadow CIIMT2 on Wednesday and assume command of the incident Thursday morning.
Dolan Fire
California Interagency Incident Management Team 2
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
************************************************************************
************************************************************************
What I am going to say will be controversial, but I will say it anyway and lose some friends/followers. I never thought I would hear so much whining and complaining about the road being closed, and how inconvenient it is, from hearty Big Sur folks. Don’t you want to make it as easy as we can for these men and women who are risking their lives for US and our homes & businesses in unforgiving terrain? Big Sur people are going to be unforgiving as well? Let them do what they need to do to keep it safe for these heroic people. We’ve worked it out before, and there are options for resupplying thankfully. Contact CERT if you need help. Put on your big girl/boy pants and buckle in for as long as it takes. Like Lu reminds us in the comments below. We made it through the Basin Fire and the Soberanes Fire, and many, many others. We will make it through this one.
Also, a reminder from USFS, the number one killer of wildland firefighters is vehicle accidents. Today is the 3rd anniversary of Santa Lucia Ranger District Battalion Chief Gary Helming death.
************************************************************************
Please check back throughout the day for update, or refresh your browser window if you are keeping it open.
DOLAN PUBLIC FIRE INFORMATION SOURCES:
Public Information Phone: (831) 272-0222
Incident E-mail: 2020.Dolan@firenet.gov
Incident Website: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7018
This is the link for the county created interactive evacuations map for all three fires. You can enter an address and find out the status. Nice job MoCo! Thank you. https://www.co.monterey.ca.us/government/departments-a-h/administrative-office/office-of-emergency-services/response/2020-fires
************************************************************************
 AUGUST 30, 2020 8:00 AMPublic Information Phone: (831) 272-0222Media Information Phone: (831) 272-0221Incident E-mail: 2020.Dolan@firenet.govIncident Website: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7018 Los Padres National Forest: www.fs.usda.gov/lpnfFacebook: facebook.com/lospadresnationalforestTwitter: twitter.com/LosPadresNFBig Sure FD: bigsurfire.org/Incident Information:Start / Report Date: Aug. 18, 2020 Size: 27,936 Containment: 25%Cause: UnknownLocation: Hwy 1(MM32.20) N of Limekiln State Park, 10 miles S of Big SurFuels Involved: Chaparral, Brush, Timber understoryInjuries: 0 Resources:Hand Crews: 16Engines: 77Dozers: 9 Helicopters: 10Water Tenders: 25 Total Personnel: 1,025 Current Situation:Today, a smoke inversion on top of the typical marine layer combined to reduce fire behavior throughout the fire area. Crews made progress on the north edge of the fire along McWay Ridge and are cautiously optimistic that they will be able to hold the fire to that ridge. Work is still required in the area to manage the fire activity and the unburned vegetation that remains at risk of igniting and escaping the established perimeter. Once this area is secured resources will be moved to the southeast, the next tactical priority. The fire on the east side continued its spread further into the Ventana Wilderness. The fire is actively burning on Twin Peaks Ridge, above Limekiln State Park and at the base of Cone Peak. Preparation work began today along Nacimiento Fergusson Road as firefighters prepare for the eventual southern spread of the fire. Work on the containment line which parallels the fire’s southern perimeter, protecting the Hermitage and the community of Lucia has been completed and plans are being created for suppression repair work. Much of the fire along the southwester perimeter has been contained. Crews will be patrolling the contained line to assure that any hotspots will be located and extinguished. Highway 1 has a section that is still burning on the east side of the highway in very steep terrain. Crews are monitoring the area to prevent the fire from spreading to the west side of the road, but given the rugged terrain, they are unable to get close to the burn. Large debris continues to roll onto, and across, the freeway. Patrols are watching for hazardous rolling material and removing it from the road. The fire poses a risk to multiple businesses, parks, recreational sites, and communication infrastructure as well as the communities of Hermitage and Lucia in the south, and Partington Ridge in the north. Among natural resources threatened are the Ventana Wilderness, coastal watershed, and habitat for threatened and endangered species, including the California condor. Dolan Fire California Interagency Incident Management Team 2 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 |
************************************************************************
August 30, 2020 Morning | |
| Public Information Phone: (831)272-0222 | Los Padres National Forest: www.fs.usda.gov/lpnf |
| Media Information Phone: (831)272-0221 | Facebook: facebook.com/lospadresnationalforest |
| Incident E-mail: 2020.Dolan@firenet.gov | Twitter: twitter.com/LosPadresNF |
| Incident Website: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7018 | Big Sur FD: https://bigsurfire.org/ |
Start / Report Date: Aug. 18, 2020
Size: 25,587
Containment: 25%
Cause: Unknown Location: Hwy 1(MM32.20) N of Limekiln State Park, 10 miles S of Big Sur
Injuries: 0
Fuels Involved: Chaparral, Brush, Timber understory
Hand Crews: 17
Engines: 89
Dozers: 10
Helicopters: 8
Water Tenders: 29
Total Personnel: 1,055
Last night firefighters continued to work in the steep terrain along McWay Ridge to establish fireline. Patches and lines of unburnt vegetation remain, and crews are keeping a close eye on fire activity. Crews are making good progress and are cautiously optimistic, but the containment lines will be tested by hot and dry weather that is forecasted to come in this afternoon and over the next few days. Air operations will be used when visibility allows, typically in the afternoons.
Good progress was made on the containment line around Hermitage last overnight. Firefighters continue to assess the fire behavior and plan for the southeast line in the Twin Peak and Cone Peak area. Crews will work along Nacimiento-Fergusson Road to prepare the road as a potential fireline.
Crews made progress along Highway 1 overnight and will continue work to fully contain the perimeter along the highway. The road remains closed because of the risk of the fire spreading to the west side and falling debris. The fire could ignite on the west side due to rolling materials or if the fire travels down underpasses and drainages. The east perimeter progressed today, traveling further into the Ventana Wilderness.
The fire poses a risk to multiple businesses, parks, recreational sites, and communication infrastructure as well as the communities of Hermitage and Lucia in the south, and Partington Ridge in the north. Among natural resources threatened are the Ventana Wilderness, coastal watershed, and habitat for threatened and endangered species, including the California condor.
Fire activity in the western United States has caused a high demand for fire personnel and equipment. The nation is at the highest level, Preparedness Level 5 (PL5). In PL5 over 80% of the nation’s incident management teams and wildland firefighting personnel are committed to incidents. Currently, there are 73 large uncontained fires nationwide. Fires have burned over 3.9 million acres with over 1.2 million acres burned in California alone. Resource orders are being prioritized to fires across the west. Acreage reported here is an estimate and will be updated when IR images are available.
Dolan Fire
California Interagency Incident Management Team 2
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
And here we are almost two weeks in to this fire. Just a reminder that the current ICM team 2 will be cycling out on Day 14 of their duty (not of fire). They will be doing the transition to the new team in in the next few days. There are several teams who are available, but they didn’t know which is going to be assigned as of yesterday.
***OPS SAYS NO FIRE ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF CONE PEAK*** They have a crew up there today installing communications.
If it ever clears today, I will be able to tell.
As we complete the second week of this fire, it appears the fire has crested Cone Peak. I can’t say for sure due to smokey conditions. Ops says no it hasn’t. I’ve been wrong before…and while I try not to make mistakes like this, I still do occasionally.
John Chesnut’s heat maps are below. John reminds us that : Heavy smoke inversion might spread the satellite detectable heat, and “smear” the location, I stripped off the “Satellite detections can overestimate perimeter” but should probably add it back in. Also note it looks like the Hermitage may be surrounded, but remember, these may be firing operations undertaken to protect those hallowed grounds. Nacimiento-Fergusson Road won’t be opening any time soon.
On the other hand, the north end of Dolan is looking pretty good.
Don’t forget that CERT is helping with a supply run for those who remained behind in the evacuation area.
Protocol for Resupply of Evacuated Areas in Big Sur
Due to the Dolan Fire, approximately 65 residences were evacuated from their homes including the areas Esalen, Partington Ridge Rd, Dolan Ridge Rd, Big Creek Preserve, Morning Glory Ranch, Lucia, and New Camaldoli Hermitage. Despite the mandatory evacuation order being issued by the Sheriff’s Office, several residents have elected to stay in their homes. These areas have been evacuated for over 1 week and it may become necessary to resupply these residents with essential goods such as food, water, medications, etc. In order to accommodate this resupply, the following protocol will be followed:
· The Sheriff’s Office will request the activation of Big Sur CERT through the Monterey County OES.
· CERT members will coordinate with the affected residents to determine what essential items are needed. CERT will then coordinate having the supplies delivered to the northern hard road closure on Hwy. 1.
· Big Sur Fire Brigade will then meet with CERT and pick up the essential items at the northern road closure at the designated times. Big Sur Fire Brigade will transport the essential items to the predetermined drop points within the Evacuation Area.
· These resupplies will occur this Saturday only (yesterday) and then every Wednesday at 2:00 PM, depending on need.
· If other supplies such as fuel, propane, water, etc. are needed, CERT will coordinate directly with the Sheriff’s Incident Commander for such deliveries. These deliveries may be denied based on the direction of the Dolan Incident Command.
· Other services such as mail delivery, package delivery, garbage service, etc. are not being allowed through the road closures at this time.(Some residents are reporting sporadic mail delivery, so make sure and check your boxes.)
· Grocery items may be ordered online or by phone at 393-2090 at the Del Rey Oaks Safeway, when you place your order you will pay for it. Please state that your pick-up time will be at noon. You will need to send your grocery confirmation order number no later than 10:00 AM to:
Martha Karstens Mkarstens7800@gmail.com or Hal Latta LCBigsur@gmail.com or Dick Ravich bigsur@sprynet.com.
I know going north for anyone in the Dolan Fire closed area or those of us who are south, this information may not be useful as it is taking place in Monterey, but some of you on Partington may already be in town and it will be accessible to you.
Those impacted by the Dolan Fire still have an ‘evacuation center’ for any services they need embedded into the Local Assistance Center being set up by the county for next week. With the fire still going, they might need services other than what the Center provides so we carved out a space for them. If they need aid, it is there for them.
OES did a message out to folks in the fire area about it, but thought it might be good if you knew too and could share if appropriate.
 Dear Community Member,This email is to help provide you with information on the latest updates for the wildfires on the central coast of California and ways to obtain any federal recovery assistance. My Wildfire Recovery Guide is available online as a comprehensives step by step guide detailing what to do after this wildfire disaster and how to obtain federal assistance.On Sunday, August 30, 2020, my staff will be at the Monterey County Office of Emergency Service’s (MCOES) Local Assistance Center at the Monterey Conference Center providing help and information to constituents in need of assistance from the federal government. You can find more information about the Local Assistance Center on the MCOES website here.Information and assistance on wildfire recovery resources will also be provided at the Santa Cruz County Emergency Operations Center’s Recovery Resource Center at Kaiser Permanente Arena. You can find more information about the Recovery Resource Center here.Please know that I am here to help you obtain federal assistance and to deal with the federal government during these wildfires and thereafter. Latest UpdatesMy office is closely tracking the five fires in or near our home in the 20th Congressional District that include the CZU Lightning Complex Fire, River Fire , Carmel Fire, Dolan Fire, and SCU Lightning Complex Fire.For residents in Santa Cruz County who may be impacted by the CZU Complex Fire, I encourage you to be aware of the available information and resources, including evacuation centers and shelters, from the County of Santa Cruz website and Office of Emergency Services website. You can also sign-up to receive email notifications with updates on the fire and other hazards here and follow the CALFIRE San Mateo – Santa Cruz Unit on Twitter. For residents in Monterey County who may be impacted by the River, Carmel, or Dolan fires, I encourage uoi to be aware of the available resources and information, including evacuation centers and shelters, from the Monterey County Office of Emergency Service website. You can also sign-up to receive email notifications with updates on the fires and other hazards here and follow the CALFIRE Public Affairs Bureau of Monterey County on Twitter. For updates on the status of the Dolan Fire, follow the Los Padres National Forest on Twitter and Facebook. For residents in Santa Clara and San Benito Counties who may be impacted by the SCU Lightning Complex Fire, I encourage you to monitor information posted on the City of Gilroy’s website. You can also sign-up to receive notifications with updates on the fire and other hazards in San Benito County here and the City of Gilroy here and follow the CALFIRE Public Affairs Bureau of Santa Clara County on Twitter.  Congressman Jimmy Panetta at a CALFIRE incident command center. Federal Response to the WildfiresFEMA Disaster Declaration:The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) granted a federal Major Disaster Declaration for Santa Cruz and Monterey counties. Our counties were included in this declaration, only after intensive congressional pressure on the Trump Administration and extensive assistance by the California Governor’s Office. That type of FEMA declaration releases federal funds to be used to help individuals and communities affected by wildfires in those two counties.FMAG:FEMA also awarded Fire Management Assistance Grants (FMAG) grants to the Central Coast. Those FMAGs were granted only after a congressional request was made at the onset of the fires. FMAGs will assist local and state agencies responding to the River Fire, Carmel Fire, CZU Lightning Complex Fire, and SCU Lightning Complex Fire and reimburse up to 75% of their eligible fire suppression costs. CalFresh Waivers:The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) approved a temporary waiver that will allow CalFresh participants in Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties to purchase hot foods with their benefits through September 23, 2020. A congressional request was made and granted by the USDA for these waivers that will ensure that those who evacuated, lost their homes, or are fighting on the frontlines of these fires have access to the nutritious food they need during this challenging time.  Congressman Jimmy Panetta at an evacuaton center.Federal AssistanceRecovery assistance from FEMA may be available to help individuals rebuild, repair and replace housing and other personal property not covered by insurance.Individuals who were impacted by the fires should apply for FEMA assistance in the following ways:Online at http://www.disasterassistance.gov/,http://www.disasterassistance.gov/es (Spanish) Via smartphone at fema.govConstituents may call the registration phone number at 1-800-621-3362; those who have a speech disability or hearing loss and use TTY, should call 1-800-462-7585directly; for those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 1-800-621-3362.Small Business Administration (SBA) loans also may be available to individuals and businesses to repair or replace disaster-damaged property, inventory, and supplies, or to cover working capital costs. Homeowners and renters may also be eligible for SBA loans to repair or replace disaster-related damages to homes or personal property.After registering with FEMA, businesses and homeowners that would like to apply for SBA loans can do so online at: http://www.sba.gov/category/navigation-structure/loans-grants/small-business-loans/disaster-loans.  Congressman Jimmy Panetta in a fire damage zone. Please call me at my offices if you have any questions about federal assistance, problems with a federal agency, or need additional assistance. I am here to make the federal government work for you.For frequent updates on my congressional work and service to you, please follow me on Twitter and Facebook.If you have any immediate questions or concerns that I can help you with, please feel free to call my Congressional offices in Salinas, Santa Cruz, or Washington, D.C. or contact me through my website. Please reach out to me at any time and let me know how I can continue to best serve you.Sincerely, Jimmy Panetta United States Representative 20th Congressional District, California Please note that due to House of Representatives information security policies, emails sent to this email account are unable to be monitored.Washington, D.C. Office 212 Cannon HOB Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: (202) 225-2861 Fax: (202) 225-6791Salinas Office 142 W Alisal St. Room E116 Salinas, CA 93901 Phone: (831) 424-2229Santa Cruz Office 701 Ocean St. Room 318C Santa Cruz, CA 95060 Phone: (831) 429-1976 |
| This is an official correspondence from Congressman Jimmy Panetta. If you have any questions please contact my office. Please use the following links if you would like to make changes to your email settings – Subscribe | Unsubscribe. PRIVACY POLICY Your e-mail address will not be shared with anyone else or sold in any way. |
Evening briefing. Let me add mine. Somewhere between 7:30 and 8 the was a major wind shift to coming out of the N-NE. It was pretty sudden and I was engulfed in smoke so bad my eyes are burning. USDS fire forecasters say 3-6 on ridge tops with gusts to 10.
| August 29, 2020 Evening | |
| Public Information Phone: (831)272-0222 | Los Padres National Forest: www.fs.usda.gov/lpnf |
| Media Information Phone: (831)272-0221 | Facebook: facebook.com/lospadresnationalforest |
| Incident E-mail: 2020.Dolan@firenet.gov | Twitter: twitter.com/LosPadresNF |
| Incident Website: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7018 | Big Sur FD: https://bigsurfire.org/ |
Start / Report Date: Aug. 18, 2020
Size: 25,587
Containment: 25% Cause: Unknown
Location: Hwy 1(MM32.20) N of Limekiln State Park, 10 miles S of Big Sur
Injuries: 0
Fuels Involved: Chaparral, Brush, Timber understory
Hand Crews: 17
Engines: 89
Dozers: 10
Helicopters: 8
Water Tenders: 29
Total Personnel: 1,055
In the north, along McWay Ridge, firefighters made good headway connecting open lines from the top and the bottom in very steep terrain. Some patches and lines of unburnt vegetation remain and threaten the containment line. Crews will keep a close eye on fire activity and work on the area throughout the night. The east perimeter progressed today, traveling further into the Ventana Wilderness.
In the southeast, the fire began to move down Twin Peak Ridge. Crews are working to keep that area in check and are evaluating how to best contain that edge. Firefighters are working on a line southeast of Cone Peak to stop the fire as it advances. They continue to monitor the fire behavior around Twin and Cone Peaks and will attack direct if the opportunity presents itself. They have also scouted Nacimiento-Fergusson Road and will begin tomorrow to prepare the road as a potential fireline.
Crews will patrol Highway 1 overnight and work to contain the perimeter along the highway. The fire still threatens to burn towards the west side of the highway via drainages and underpasses. Rolling materials pose a risk to roll onto or over the highway to the west side and could spark flames.
Fire activity along the western edge will likely subside early in the early morning as the marine layer comes in. The east perimeter is expected to travel east overnight. The fire on the north side is predicted to become more active tonight and crews are working hard in the area to maintain the perimeter.
The fire poses a risk to multiple businesses, parks, recreational sites, and communication infrastructure as well as the communities of Hermitage and Lucia in the south, and Partington Ridge in the north. Among natural resources threatened are the Ventana Wilderness, coastal watershed, and habitat for threatened and endangered species, including the California condor.
Fire activity in the western United States has caused a high demand for fire personnel and equipment. The nation is at the highest level, Preparedness Level 5 (PL5). In PL5 over 80% of the nation’s incident management teams and wildland firefighting personnel are committed to incidents. Currently, there are 77 large uncontained fires nationwide. Fires have burned over 3.9 million acres with over 1.2 million acres burned in California alone. Resource orders are being prioritized to fires across the west. Acreage reported here is an estimate and will be updated when IR images are available.
Dolan Fire
California Interagency Incident Management Team 2
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
***********************************************************************
And here we have John Chesnut’s super helpful heat map. Grown a lot in east and southern portions since the IR flight last night. This will really show you where I was shooting today.
This afternoon I watched a single spot double in size in an hour. It might be a firing operation to protect the Hermitage. I’ll get confirmation — one way or another — on that later tonight.The rest of the fire is well established on the south side of Stone Ridge and Twin Peaks. Can’t see Cone Peak through the smoke. Here is a map for orientation:
6:30 am — I got up an hour ago to go to the bathroom and this is what I saw. I decided to stay awake and watch Dolan and the rest of the coast wake up. Scroll down for more recent photos of the fire today.
Please check back throughout the day for update, or refresh your browser window if you are keeping it open.
DOLAN PUBLIC FIRE INFORMATION SOURCES:
Public Information Phone: (831) 272-0222
Incident E-mail: 2020.Dolan@firenet.gov
Incident Website: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7018
This is the link for the county created interactive evacuations map for all three fires. You can enter an address and find out the status. Nice job MoCo! Thank you. https://www.co.monterey.ca.us/government/departments-a-h/administrative-office/office-of-emergency-services/response/2020-fires
***********************************************************************
| August 29, 2020 Morning | |
| Public Information Phone: (831)272-0222 | Los Padres National Forest: www.fs.usda.gov/lpnf |
| Media Information Phone: (831)272-0221 | Facebook: facebook.com/lospadresnationalforest |
| Incident E-mail: 2020.Dolan@firenet.gov | Twitter: twitter.com/LosPadresNF |
| Incident Website: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7018 | Big Sur FD: https://bigsurfire.org/ |
Start / Report Date: Aug. 18, 2020
Cause: Unknown
Fuels Involved: Chaparral, Brush, Timber understory
Size: 25,587
Location: Hwy 1(MM32.20) N of Limekiln State Park, 10 miles S of Big Sur
Containment: 20%
Injuries: 0
Resources:
Hand Crews: 16
Engines: 84
Dozers: 10
Helicopters: 8
Water Tenders: 31
Total Personnel: 1,019
Crews have made good progress along the north, west, and south perimeters and the fire activity in those sections was relatively calm overnight. Good progress was made along McWay Ridge, including along the spot that had escaped the perimeter yesterday, and crews are cautiously optimistic that the line will hold.
The fire held around the Twin Peak area on the southeast edge. Firefighters continue to assess Cone Peak and will be analyzing the fire behavior to determine how they will attack the fire on that southeast edge. The east perimeter grew overnight and progressed over Lost Valley Creek.
Crews will patrol Highway 1 and work to contain more of the perimeter along the highway. The fire still threatens to burn towards the west side of the highway via drainages and underpasses. Rolling materials also pose a risk to roll onto or over the highway to the west side and could spark flames. Patrolling and working the fire along the highway remains a priority. The other priority is to protect the local communities in the north and south and crews will be actively working in those areas.
Fire activity will pick up around midmorning when the marine layer lifts. Smoke and fire impacts may be visible, especially in the afternoon. Expect the east perimeter of the fire to move east throughout the day.
The fire poses a risk to multiple businesses, parks, recreational sites, and communication infrastructure as well as the communities of Hermitage and Lucia in the south, and Partington Ridge in the north. Among natural resources threatened are the Ventana Wilderness, coastal watershed, and habitat for threatened and endangered species, including the California condor.
Fire activity in the western United States has caused a high demand for fire personnel and equipment. The nation is at the highest level, Preparedness Level 5 (PL5). In PL5 over 80% of the nation’s incident management teams and wildland firefighting personnel are committed to incidents. Currently, there are 77 large uncontained fires nationwide. Fires have burned over 3.9 million acres with over 1.2 million acres burned in California alone. Resource orders are being prioritized to fires across the west. Acreage reported here is an estimate and will be updated when IR images are available.
Dolan Fire
California Interagency Incident Management Team 2
Public Information Phone: 831-272-0222
Incident E-mail: 2020.Dolan@firenet.gov
Incident Website: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7018
***********************************************************************
John Chesnut’s heat maps. We had an IR flight last night, so we can get more accurate data. Two maps — north and south.
************************************************************************
Here are some taken about 4 pm this afternoon. If you zoom in on the single column photo, you can see the flames at the bottom of the column and the USFS trucks to the right.
Photos taken between 9 and the last one is at 11:45 am
And as I wake up, so does the fire…
And now, time to put the coffee on and start my day. Lady needs me to throw her ball.
Apparently the fire is moving that direction and the decision to close it for firefighter and public safety was made sometime just before 4. This is a hard closure even to residents trying to get home. My understanding is it is being manned on both sides. Confirmed with resident and USFS.
Here is John Chesnut’s heat map for tonight, and it shows no hot spots near Nacimiento Road. It looks like they may be staging. They are using a military cop at the border with the base, and he is not letting anyone through. One guard told a local that they were staging and bringing up large vehicles tomorrow.
Please check back throughout the day for update, or refresh your browser window if you are keeping it open.
DOLAN PUBLIC FIRE INFORMATION SOURCES:
Public Information Phone: (831) 272-0222
Incident E-mail: 2020.Dolan@firenet.gov
Incident Website: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7018
This is the link for the county created interactive evacuations map for all three fires. You can enter an address and find out the status. Nice job MoCo! Thank you. https://www.co.monterey.ca.us/government/departments-a-h/administrative-office/office-of-emergency-services/response/2020-fires
*********************************************************************
Evening update, then I am off-duty:
| August 28, 2020 Evening | |
| Public Information Phone: (831) 272-0222 | Los Padres National Forest: www.fs.usda.gov/lpnf |
| Media Information Phone: (831) 272-0221 | Facebook: facebook.com/lospadresnationalforest |
| Incident E-mail: 2020.Dolan@firenet.gov | Twitter: twitter.com/LosPadresNF |
| Incident Website: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7018 | Big Sur FD: https://bigsurfire.org/ |
Start / Report Date: Aug. 18, 2020 (typo…should be 28)
Cause: Unknown
Location: Hwy 1(MM32.20) N of Limekiln State Park, 10 miles S of Big Sur
***Size: 24,860 ***
Fuels Involved: Chaparral, Brush, Timber understory
Containment: 20%
Injuries: 0
Resources:
Hand Crews: 16
Engines: 84
Dozers: 10
Helicopters: 8 Water Tenders: 31
Total Personnel: 1,019
Today the fire was very active on the north side, picking up around 10 AM. Crews worked hard to maintain the northern fire perimeter along McWay Ridge despite the active fire behavior. There is a spot along this Ridge where the fire escaped the perimeter by a few meters and firefighters are working to clean up that area and pull the fire back.
In the southeast, firefighters are assessing how to best engage the fire around Cone Peak. If the fire behavior is low and slow, then crews can engage directly along the fireline and potentially cut it off before Cone Peak. If fire behavior is active and aggressive, then firefighters will pull back create a new line to the southeast of Cone Peak. (Dennis Burns in his evening update said that it had reached the top of Cone Peak, and John Chesnuts map on the next post about the hard closure confirms that.)
The east side of the fire progressed and continues to grow as crews prioritize the north and the south sides of the fire to protect local communities in the north and south. The west side of the fire along Highway 1 is the next highest priority. Long stretches of the fire east of the highway have been contained, but some sections are persisting to smolder, burn, and deploy rolling material over the highway. Crews will be patrolling Highway 1 overnight to prevent the fire from crossing via rolling material or by burning down drainages and underpasses.
Overnight the fire is expected to be active until early in the morning, slowing down before dawn, and then picking back up as the marine layer lifts around 10 AM.
There is a new road closure at Nacimiento-Fergusson Road, which is closed to all traffic (public and residential) from Highway 1 to the Fort Hunter Liggett base boundary line 16 miles inland. This closure includes the intersection with South Coast Ridge Road at Nacimiento-Fergusson Road summit. All other road closures remain in place.
The fire continues to pose a risk to multiple businesses, parks, recreational sites, and communication infrastructure as well as the communities of Hermitage and Lucia in the south, and Partington Ridge in the north. Among natural resources threatened are the Ventana Wilderness, coastal watershed, and habitat for threatened and endangered species, including the California condor.
Fire activity in the western United States has caused a high demand for fire personnel and equipment. The nation is at the highest level, Preparedness Level 5 (PL5). In PL5 over 80% of the nation’s incident management teams and wildland firefighting personnel are committed to incidents. Currently, there are 82 large uncontained fires nationwide. Fires have burned over 3.8 million acres with over 1.1 million acres burned in California alone. Resource orders are being prioritized to fires across the west. Acreage reported here is an estimate and will be updated when IR images are available.
Dolan Fire
California Interagency Incident Management Team 2
Public Information Phone: 831-272-0222
Incident E-mail: 2020.Dolan@firenet.gov
Incident Website: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7018
**********************************************************************
10:20 am — just got off the phone with Michael Lindsbery. The just got 2 hot shot crews who will be starting line on that northwest section to keep fire in McWay and away from Partington. The IC expects it will take 2-3 days. Still looking for a place to put in the line for the south east corner.
The soft closure on the south by Ragged Point will be moved up to Willow Creek Road (Los Burros Rd on maps). Local residents, propane, and those with hotel reservations (Gorda?) will be allowed passage.
***********************************************************************
John Lindsey weather report for the next few days indicates: “moderate to fresh (13 to 24 mph) northwesterly winds develop this afternoon. Gentle to moderate (8 to 18 mph) northwesterly winds on Saturday into Monday will allow the marine layer to become more persistent along the coastline.”
Here we are at day 11 of this fire, but at least we are down to the one. Here is a look at it this am, before we get to the maps and the daily briefings, which will come in a bit later.
And here are John Chesnut’s excellent MODIS maps:
I like this new southern perspective, too. My POV.
| August 28, 2020 Morning | |
| Public Information Phone: (831)272-0222 | Los Padres National Forest: www.fs.usda.gov/lpnf |
| Media Information Phone: (831)272-0221 | Facebook: facebook.com/lospadresnationalforest |
| Incident E-mail: 2020.Dolan@firenet.gov | Twitter: twitter.com/LosPadresNF |
| Incident Website: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7018 | Big Sur FD: https://bigsurfire.org/ |
Start / Report Date: Aug. 18, 2020
Cause: Unknown
Fuels Involved: Chaparral, Brush, Timber understory
Size: 23,365*
Location: Hwy 1(MM32.20) N of Limekiln State Park, 10 miles S of Big Sur
Containment: 20%
Injuries: 0
Hand Crews: 14
Engines: 74
Dozers: 10
Helicopters: 8
Water Tenders: 25
Total Personnel: 902
Overnight the fire was active in the north, but crews worked to keep the fire contained, prioritizing the protection of local communities and infrastructure. Firefighters patrolled Highway 1 and kept the fire from spreading to the west side of the road. In the south, near Hermitage, crews were able to get a direct line along the fire, attacking it aggressively.
Crews continue to prioritize the north and the south sides of the fire to protect the communities of Partington Ridge, Hermitage, and Lucia. The west side of the fire along Highway 1 is the next highest priority as smoldering and rolling material continue to threaten large sections of the highway.
Today, Hot Shot crews will be working from the top and bottom of McWay Ridge to secure the line to the north. The McWay Ridge is the primary control line for the northern area of the fire.
In the southeast, where fire southeasterly spread forced the abandonment of the planned line to Cone Peak, firefighters will be scouting the area for suitable trails or roads to re-engage. The point protection of structures in Hermitage will also be a focus.
Smoke will be visible, especially in the afternoon as the fog lifts. Fire activity will also increase as the marine layer lifts towards the afternoon. Road closures remain in place.
The fire continues to pose a risk to multiple businesses, parks, recreational sites, and communication infrastructure as well as the communities of Hermitage and Lucia in the south, and Partington Ridge in the north. Among natural resources threatened are the Ventana Wilderness, coastal watershed, and habitat for threatened and endangered species, including the California condor.
Fire activity in the western United States has caused a high demand for fire personnel and equipment. The nation is at the highest level, Preparedness Level 5 (PL5). In PL5 over 80% of the nation’s incident management teams and wildland firefighting personnel are committed to incidents. Currently, there are 82 large uncontained fires nationwide. Fires have burned over 2 million acres with over 1.1 million acres burned in California alone. Resource orders are being prioritized to fires across California and the west. Acreage reported here is an estimate and will be updated when IR images are available.
Dolan Fire
California Interagency Incident Management Team 2
Public Information Phone: 831-272-0222
Incident E-mail: 2020.Dolan@firenet.gov
Incident Website: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7018
