CFN - CALIFORNIA FIRE NEWS - CAL FIRE NEWS : Inciweb: Zaca Wildland Fire - 238,968 acres

Saturday, August 25, 2007

Inciweb: Zaca Wildland Fire - 238,968 acres - 83%

InciWeb: Zaca Wildland Fire:

Zaca Wildland Fire

INCIDENT UPDATED 3 MIN. AGO

Helicopter assisting with firing operation.
Credit: Casey Christie - The Bakersfield Californian

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Summary

Saturday, August 25, 2007 8:00 AM

Fire Status

Acres Burned: 238,968 acres

Acreage Increase (last 12 hours): 2732 acres

Fireline to Build: 6 miles

Date Started: July 4, 2007 at 10:53 am

Percent Contained: 83 percent

Expected Containment: September 7, 2007

Injuries: 40

Structures Threatened: 66

Structures Destroyed: 1 outbuilding

Cost to date: $101 million dollars

Resources

Crews: 52

Engines: 83

Helicopters: 17

Air Tankers: 8

Air Attack: 3

Dozers: 26

Water Tenders: 76

Personnel Assigned: 2,469

Headlines

·· Highway 33 from Wheeler Gorge to Quatal Canyon remains closed until further notice due to firefighting activities.

·· A RECOMMENDED EVACUATION remains in effect for the area from Ozena north to the Ventura/Santa Barbara County line west of Highway 33.

Current Situation

Crews worked overnight in the northeast area of the Richardson Zone to contain several spot fires that started yesterday, including a 250-acre spot fire in Brubaker Canyon west of Highway 33. Structure protection remains in place for threatened residences. Crews also widened an existing bulldozer contingency line to contain multiple spot fires near the confluence of Santa Barbara and Dry Canyons. Fireline north and south of the Sisquoc River on the northwest flank of the fire will continue to be improved and patrolled.

Crews continue to make progress with rehabilitation efforts along firelines and roads in the Live Oak Zone. Additional crews have been shifted to the Richardson Zone to assist with firefighting efforts there.

Road closures and evacuations associated with the Live Oak fire suppression activities on the south have been lifted, however, be aware that all areas and roads included within the Los Padres National Forest Closure Area remain closed to public entry.

State Highways, Forest Roads and Area Closures

Hwy 33 between Wheeler Gorge and Quatal Canyon will be closed until further notice.
Happy Canyon Road is closed at the Los Padres National Forest boundary.
Figueroa Mountain Road is closed at the Los Padres National Forest boundary.
East Camino Cielo Road is now open between Hwy 154 and Gibraltar Road. East Camino Cielo is still closed east of Gibraltar Road because it is within the Forest closure.
Paradise Road is open from Highway 154 to First Crossing Day Use Area.
The Zaca Fire Area Closure in Los Padres National Forest remains in effect. The closure includes lands in Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Kern Counties. The expanded closure encompasses approximately 888,000 acres including the entire San Rafael, Matilija, and Chumash Wildernesses, a portion of the Sespe Wilderness, and adjacent national forest lands. Detailed information on the closure can be found at www.fs.fed.us/r5/lospadres or www.inciweb.org or at a Los Padres National Forest office.

Evacuations

·· A RECOMMENDED EVACUATION remains in effect for the area from Ozena north to the Ventura/Santa Barbara County line west of Highway 33. A RECOMMENDED EVACUATION is issued when fire has advanced or is in a position relative to a particular area and poses imminent danger to life and property (i.e., time to leave).

Recreation facilities along Paradise Road between Highway 154 and First Crossing, including Forest Service campgrounds and Rancho Oso Campground, are now open. The Santa Ynez River Road, beyond the First Crossing and all associated recreation facilities are closed.

Basic Information

Incident Type	Wildland Fire
Cause	Human Caused
Date of Origin	07/04/2007 at 1053 hrs.
Location	9 miles north of Santa Barbara
Incident Commander	Opliger/ Hawkins

Current Situation

Total Personnel	2,469
Size	238,968 acres
Percent Contained	83%
Estimated Containment Date	09/07/2007 at hrs.
Fuels Involved	Heavy brush containing a high dead component. Some conifer at higher elevations. Live fuel moistures are at 49% which is well below critical levels. A continuous fuel bed lies ahead of the fire.
Fire Behavior	Live Oak Zone: Unburned fuel in the Santa Cruz drainage continued to slowly burn back down slope. Richardson Zone: Moderate fire behavior until humiditiess rise, then minimal.
Significant Events	Live Oak Zone: Progress is being made in the Suppression Rehab Branch. Richardson Zone: Containment deferred due to spot fire activity in DIV FF. Patrol and mop up in Branch XXIII, XXV along Sierra Madre Ridge. Maintain structure protection operations in Branch XXVII. Hold and patrol Div CC, DD and HH. Continue with firing and holding operations in Division BB and FF if conditions allow. A precautionary evacuation continues West of Hwy 33 from the Santa Barbara/Ventura Co. line south to Pine Mountain Inn and is being coordinated by Ventura County Sheriffs, assisted by Santa Barbara Sheriffs. Road closure for Hwy 33.

Outlook

Planned Actions	Live Oak Zone: Patrol and mop-up. Continue Fire Suppression Rehab. Richardson Zone: Mopup spot fire activity in Divisions DD and FF. Complete direct line construction from Pine spike camp towards Hurricane spike camp. Monitor and mop up in Branch XXIII, XXV along Sierra Madre Ridge. Continue structure protection operations in Branch XXVII. Hold and patrol Divisions CC, EE, GG and HH. Road closure for Hwy 33.
Projected Movement	Richardson Zone: West and north down Sisquoc River toward Sierra Madre Ridge. North to Dry Canyon, East to Hwy 33.
Growth Potential	Extreme.
Terrain Difficulty	Extreme.
Containment Target	Live Oak Zone: The Management strategy has succeeded. Richardson Zone: High on ability to anchor and hold on Sierra Madre Ridge toward Hwy 33 and moderate from Pine Mtn. summit toward Ozena. Moderate on West perimeter.
Remarks	Richardson Zone: A Precautionary evacuation Order is in place for the area west of Hwy 33 from the Santa Barbara/Ventura Co. line south to Pine Mountain Inn. Road Closure in effect on Hwy 33. Residents voluntarily evacuated from several ranches west of Hwy 33 in Brubaker Canyon.

Weather

Current Wind Conditions	6(g9) mph SE
Current Temperature	65 degrees
Current Humidity	23 %

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