Tag: Wildfire

Branch Fire, SLO Co.

8:00 pm – 300-400 acres

7:00 pm – 150 acres

6:15 pm – update from A/A 07…..25 to 30 rapid rate of spread in grass an brush heading south….Forest service is sending equipment in also

6:00 pm – There is a new start at Branch Mountain Rd and Highway 58. It is 10-20 acres with the potential to go large. These resources are on their way …B3415, A/A 07, T 74, E43, 4694, 3460, 3476, 3466, 3472, med engine 40, D 3442, WT 43, Cuesta 1,2, an 3. Also heard a request for two more tankers.

Meanwhile, the Powerhouse Fire in So Cal near Lake Hughes just icecapped. That means there was a blow-up, in heavy brush. Icecapping is quite a sight, and once you’ve seen it, you will never forget. I have seen it up here. Major evacuations going on there. This fire started yesterday, but got a major push due to heat, low humidity and winds.

Here is what ice capping looks like. See that white cloud-like fluff?

20130601-182357.jpg

Fire. At SR 1 and shooting range in SLO Co.

@CALFIRE_SLO: Firefighters at scene a 15 acre wildland fire on Hwy 1 at the shooting range.

I see that shooting range all the time, so probably north of Morro Bay, but can’t remember.

Fire, Highway One and Harmony Ranch Rd.

I tried to update this earlier. Fire contained. Very suspicious, being investigated.

From one of my sources:

Hey Kate …just heard a dispatch for a fire….harmony ranch rd an hwy 1….large explosion an fire in veg…..B3411, T74 90 an 80, eng 14, 3483, 4151, 3484, 3480, 3141, D3440 an 3442, WT 43, Cuesta crews 1 an 3

White Fire, Day 2

2:30 pm – from wildlandfire:
“The White Fire appears to be taking off based upon this image from the only live streaming webcam I have found of the fire: http://levi.maaia.com/live-weather-data/#cam

This is the first time today smoke has been visible from this view… it has changed rather dramatically fast… according to various reports the fixed-wing have been pulled off the fire due to high winds.”

From this morning’s inciweb:

Incidents > California > Los Padres National Forest > White Fire
White Fire

Approximate Location

34.543 latitude, -119.801 longitude
Map data ©2013 Google – Terms of Use
Hybrid
Terrain
Incident Overview

The White Fire started Monday, May 27, 2013 at approximately 2:45 pm. Currently the fire has burned 1,800 acres and is threatening 50 residence, 5 commerical properties and 50 outbuildings and other structures. The fire is 10% contained. Paradise Road was evacuated yesterday afternoon. According to Sheriff Department officials, two to three thousand people were evacuated. A structure protection group is in place along Paradise Road. There is a hard closure of Paradise Road starting at the Forest Service kiosk. Today there will be 6 air tankers, 2 air attacks and 4 helicopters conducting aerial attack. The fire went through Sage Hill Campground but the damage is unknown at this time. The fire also went through the Forest Service compound and damaged one building and one privately owned vehicle and destroyed another.
Cooperating agencies include: US Forest Service, Santa Barbara County, Santa Barbara City, Carpinteria/Summerland Fire, Montecito Fire, Lompoc Fire, Santa Maria City Fire, Chumash Fire, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department, Santa Barbara County Search and Rescue, California Highway Patrol and the American Red Cross.
Resources currently assigned to the fire include: 13 crews, 45 engines, 4 dozers, 4 water tenders, 3 patrols and 80 overhead.

Basic Information
Incident Type Wildfire
Cause Under Investigation
Date of Origin Monday May 27th, 2013 approx. 02:30 PM
Location Santa Barbara
Incident Commander Mark Nunez
Current Situation
Total Personnel 563
Size 1,800 acres
Percent Contained 10%
Estimated Containment Date Monday June 03rd, 2013 approx. 12:00 AM
Fuels Involved
Chaparral, grass, brush and oak trees
Fire Behavior
Fire remains active on the north and east flanks.
Significant Events
A closure remains in effect for Paradise Road and the lower Santa Ynez recreation area involving multiple trails and campgrounds.
Outlook
Planned Actions
Continue suppression and begin mop up.
Growth Potential
Extreme
Terrain Difficulty
Extreme
Remarks
California Central Coast Incident Team 7 (Nunez) will assume command of the incident at 6:00 am today. Red Cross Evacuation Center is set up at the Wake Center, located at 300 North Turnpike, Goleta, CA. Large animal shelter is set up at the Earl Warren Showgrounds, Santa Barbara, CA. There were approximately 1,000 day use visitors and campers evacuated yesterday. The evacuation remains in effect.
Current Weather
Wind Conditions 25 mph NE
Temperature 78-84 degrees
Humidity 28%
UNIT INFORMATION

Los Padres National Forest
U.S. Forest Service
6755 Hollister Avenue
Suite 150
Goleta, CA 93117
INCIDENT CONTACTS
Andrew Madsen
Phone: 805-895-0841 ext. 759
more contacts »
INCIDENT COOPERATORS
Montecito Fire Department
San Luis Obispo County Roads Dept.
Santa Barbara City Fire Department
Santa Barbara County Fire
Santa Barbara County Sheriffs Department

White Fire

8:30 pm – @KSBY: The #WhiteFire has now burned 1,000 acres. An estimated 4,000-6,000 people evacuated in Paradise Canyon.

8:00 pm – Wind Warning overnight …

“The conditions near the “White fire” off the 154 in Santa Barbara county look challenging overnight, the area is under a wind warning:

Low temp 47-51 deg, Max RH 70-75% then falling to 50-55% after midnight, North wind gusts up to 55 mph.” Dave Hovde, Meterologist

20130527-191806.jpg

Here is a photo posted by Cal Fire PIO, unknown photographer.

7:00 pm – already up to 700 acres. Fixed wing from Santa Maria ordered grounded due to erratic winds – the most dangerous conditions, along with low humidity.

IC just ordered “four additional heavy helicopters” for tomorrow.

Also, SB Fire Department reporting one USFS outbuilding and two vehicles – one USFS, one private – destroyed.
Also 6 AT’s to be over the fire at 0800

6:30 pm – There is a 500 acre fire down on Paradise Rd in Rural Santa Barbara and the Los Padres National Forest that I have been following this afternoon, and it looks like it is taking off. Reports are three structures burned, two vehicles, one private, one USFS. 50 structures threatened. White Rock Campground has been evacuated.

Cal Fire SLO responds to fire E of Cayucos

5:30update – up to 30 acres, but expect containment in 30 minutes. Lots of retardant being dropped, and looks like it is doing the job!

@CALFIRE_SLO: Responding to a wildland fire east of Cayucos off Cottontail Rd. 2 acres reported by CHP aircraft.

A source for bigsurkate reports two tankers out of Paso sent, and heard on scanner of one dozer. No additional at this time.

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.

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.

20120924-095807.jpg

One can barely see Cone Peak through the drift smoke.

20120924-100343.jpg