3:00 pm – I reproduce this report from the Interagency Fire Center because of the percentage of growth from yesterday. What a jump!! Also note the # of acres is inaccurate, as inciweb was sayin 20,622 early this morning, and I am sure it continues to grow, as we can all attest from the increasing smoke. One, unconfirmed, report was that there was a blow-up some time this morning.
Fire Information Report for La Brea
Wildland Fire Incident
Report Date: 11-AUG-09
Burnt Area: 14,778 Acres (491% increase from yesterday)
Location: Santa Barbara County, CA (21 miles East of Santa Maria)
Cause: Under Investigation
Incident Team Type: IMT Type 1
Team Leader: J. Pincha-Tulley
Containment Status: 0% contained)
Expected Containment: Unknown
Fuels: Also present in some areas are Fuel Model 1 Sh 0.00 1634
Fire report information is based on the most recent Incident Management Situation Report (IMSR) provided by the National Interagency Fire Center and is subject to change. The USDA Forest Service Remote Sensing Applications Center is not responsible for the accuracy of this information.
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2:00 pm – Effective at 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, August 11, 2009, an Evacuation Order was issued by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office for the following areas due to fire activity of the La Brea Fire: Western Boundary: Sierra Madre Road. Southern Boundary: Cottonwood Road · Eastern Boundary: Highway 166 · Northern Boundary: Spoor Canyon This area includes Moon and Eckert Canyons. Fire officials contacted the 14 occupied ranches in the area last night and they are moving livestock as necessary. The majority of the area is very lightly populated. The new mandatory Order replaces the previous Evacuation Warning for the same area issued earlier today. An Order is defined as instructing community members in a defined area to leave the area immediately due to a threat to life and property from an emergency incident. In addition. the Evacuation Warning area is now moved to include areas bounded by Cottonwood Road and Wasioja Road, between Highway 166 and Sierra Madre Road. Evacuation Warning means people in the warning area need to be prepared to leave should the situation change. Fire managers will alert the Sheriff Office if fire behavior in the future requires a change to the warning status.
Fire officials contacted the 14 occupied ranches in the area last night [re: the evacuation warning] and they are moving livestock as necessary. The majority of the area is very lightly populated.
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A great video of the event yesterday by the local NBC affiliate can be seen here:
7:00 am – from this morning’s inciweb update:
Current Situation
Total Personnel 1,062
Size 20,622 acres
Percent Contained 10%
Fuels Involved
Primarily Chaparral with with areas of short grass and timber.
Fire Behavior
Fire has sloped over the line in the Timber Peak area along Sierra Madre Ridge. There is 290 acre slope over in Moon Canyon.
Significant Events
Closure order no. 09-13-5100-10 is in effect for areas in and around the fire.
Outlook
Planned Actions
Crews with improve and construct line on the southeast side of the fire and hold and mop up on the Sierra Madre Road and construct direct line along Horse Canyon. Self sufficient crews will build fire line until the end of their operational period and remain at or near the point while off duty and begin building fireline during their next shift where they left off. This is referred to as “Coyote Tactics”.
Growth Potential
Extreme
Terrain Difficulty
Extreme
Remarks
California Interagency Incident Management Team 3 has assumed command of the fire. (Pincha-Tulley’s team)