InciWeb: Rancho Wildland Fire

Monday, July 2, 2007

InciWeb: Rancho Wildland Fire

Rancho Wildland Fire

INCIDENT UPDATED 0600 hrs

Summary

Monday, July 2, 5:00 a.m.

The fire had very little to no forward rate of spread yesterday, except for some short uphill runs in the afternoon that were pushed by strong winds. Accurate mapping of the fire's perimeter was possible, and the result of that more accurate mapping showed the fire to be a total of 482 acres, rather than 700 acres. The fire is now 60 percent contained. No date or time has been set for full containment.

Five hundred and ninety-nine individuals are currently assigned to the fire, which has been burning in light grass and some heavy brush. Some crews will continue to build handline to connect with dozer line on the western edge of the fire, as other crews continue to build handline on the eastern side of the fire.

The demobilization of some resources is being evaluated this morning, for the possible release of some engines that have been in place for structure protection.

No structures have been damaged or destroyed, and no injuries have been reported.

A Red Flag Alert for heightened fire danger is still in place until 8:00 a.m.

Central Coast Type II Team Number 7, led by Incident Commander Jim Smith, took over management of the fire at 6:00 p.m. yesterday.

Anonymous tip hotline: Citizens can submit anonymous tips regarding wildfire starts to sbsheriff.org. Tips can also be submitted by phone to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Detective Bureau at 805-681-4150.

Basic Information

Incident Type	Wildland Fire
Cause	Under Investigation
Date of Origin	06/30/2007 at 1756 hrs.
Location	Five air miles north of Santa Barbara, in Santa Ynez River drainage, near Paradise Rd.
Incident Commander	Jim Smith

Current Situation

Total Personnel	599
Size	482 acres
Percent Contained	60%
Fuels Involved	Light grass to heavy brush
Fire Behavior	Several pockets burned out, short uphill runs in the afternoon pushed by strong winds.
Significant Events	Paradise Road remains closed at the Ranger Station. Red Rock and Upper Oso recreation areas are closed. Rancho Oso and recreation facilities west of the Ranger Station are open. Fireworks are prohibited in Los Padres National Forest. Campfires are restricted to fire usage sites.

Outlook

Planned Actions	Tie in handline to dozer line on the west flank. Continue handline on the east flank.
Growth Potential	High
Terrain Difficulty	Extreme
Remarks	The South end of the fire is lined. Good progress has been made along the west flank. Firelines are not yet completed on the east and north flanks.

Weather

Current Wind Conditions	12-15 mph NW
Current Temperature	88 degrees
Current Humidity	25 %

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Every year in California thousands of wildfires start throughout the state. In most cases, the dispatch center sending the initial resources to a wildland fire will designate a name for the fire, but the first on scene engine or fire official can also name the incident. Fires are usually named for the area in which they start – a geographical location, local landmark, street, lake, mountain, peak, etc. Quickly naming the fire provides responding fire resources with an additional locater, and allows fire officials to track and prioritize incidents by name. For example during the Southern California Fire Siege of 2003, the largest wildland fire in California history, the Cedar Fire in San Diego County, was named after the Cedar Creek Falls area where it started. The destructive Old Fire, which burned during the same time period in San Bernardino County, was named after the road along which it started - Old Waterman Canyon Road.

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Monday, July 2, 2007