CFN - CALIFORNIA FIRE NEWS - CAL FIRE NEWS : Inciweb update: Zaca Wildland Fire

Sunday, August 5, 2007

Inciweb update: Zaca Wildland Fire - 56,200 acres -70%

Zaca Wildland Fire

INCIDENT UPDATED

Smoke from the Zaca Fire visible from Cuddy Valley in Kern County, Aug.4
Credit: Karen McKinley

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Summary

Morning Update - Sunday August 5, 2007

Location: 15 miles northeast of Buellton, Santa Barbara County (where fire started)

Joint Unified Incident Management Teams: Los Padres National Forest and Santa Barbara County Fire Dept

Start Date & Report Time: July 4, 2007 at 10:53 AM

Acres: 56,200

Percent Containment: 70

Estimated Containment September 7, 2007

Hand Crews: 66

Bull Dozers: 15

Fire Engines: 120

Water Tenders: 27

Helicopters: 7 Type-I, 6 Type-II and 4 Type-III (operational during daylight hours only)

Fixed Wing Air Tankers: 8 (operational during daylight hours only)

Fixed Wing Air Attack Aircraft: 2 (operational during daylight hours only)

Structures Threatened: 515

Fireline-to-Build: 36 miles

Estimated Cost-to-Date: $47,100.000

Injuries: 12

Number of Personnel Currently Assigned to the Fire: 2,302

Significant Events: An EVACUATION ORDER for Paradise Road and Lower Santa Ynez River Road to Gibraltar Dam remains in effect. The Evacuation Order includes the Paradise Road Community, Santa Ynez Road Recreational Areas to Gibraltar Dam, Los Prietos Boys Camp and the Rancho Oso Guest Ranch. An EVACUATION ORDER continues for the Peachtree Community. An EVACUATION WARNING remains in place for Happy Canyon Road north of Baseline Avenue, including the ranches between Lake Cachuma and McKinley Ridge. The Los Padres National Forest expanded closure is in effect. The closure area is approximately 649,000 acres and is between Hwy 166 in northern Santa Barbara County and Highway 33 and Matilija Canyon in Ventura County. Detailed information on the closure can be found at http://www.inciweb.org/ or at your local Forest Service Office.

Current Situation: The fire reached Happy Hollow, Old Man Mountain and Alexander Peak on the southwest side, and is continuing to burn to the northeast and south. Fire line to north continues to hold along the Mission Pine trail with the support of air tankers and hand crews. Due to the spread of the fire in both directions, and increasing complexity, two Type-1 National Incident Management teams and an Area Command Team have been ordered. A second fire camp will be set up in New Cuyama to support fire suppression efforts in the northeastern part of the fire. A section of Highway 154 remains closed. Smoke columns will be visible throughout the Central Coast. The fire line at the head of Peachtree Canyon continues to hold. Dozers continue to reinforce contingency lines in the existing fuel breaks near Paradise Rd. Structure protection groups are in place in the Peachtree and Paradise areas and continue working on improvements around structures. Engine companies and hand crews will begin working in the communities of Camino Cielo today to familiarize themselves with the area.

Current Forest and Road Closures:

· Happy Canyon Road is closed at Los Padres National Forest boundary.

· Figueroa Mountain Road is closed at the Los Padres National Forest boundary.

· East Camino Cielo is closed between Painted Cave Road and Gibraltar Road due to fire equipment traffic.

· Paradise Road is within the Evacuation Order Area and is currently closed.

· Hwy 154 is closed to general traffic between Foothill Road and Hwy 246. Residents in and around the San Marcos Pass (Hwy 154) area, should tune to 1040 AM.

· Los Padres National Forest closure information and map are available at on this website, and at local Forest Service offices.

Safety Message: Travelers near the area of the fire are asked to please be cautious of firefighting equipment and personnel.

Additional Information: Smoke from the Zaca Fire may be visible over a wide area, with occasional drift smoke as far away as Santa Barbara, Goleta or other areas of the county.

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Basic Information

Incident Type	Wildland Fire
Cause	Human Caused
Date of Origin	07/04/2007 at 1053 hrs.
Location	15 miles NE of Buellton
Incident Commander	Aaron Gelobter/ Mark Schm

Current Situation

Total Personnel	2,302
Size	56,200 acres
Percent Contained	70%
Estimated Containment Date	09/07/2007 at hrs.
Fuels Involved	Chaparral. Oak,Conifer woodland,and brush, contain a heavy dead component. Live fuel moistures are at 51%, and are below critical levels. A continuous fuelbed lies ahead of the fire's dominant spread direction.
Fire Behavior	Fire activity diminished somewhat during the evening,as an inversion layer set in.
Significant Events	The fire continued to advance south and east during the night. Extreme fire behavior and poor access prevented direct handline construction along the east side of the fire.

Outlook

Planned Actions	Direct line construction will continue where possible in all Divisions where there is active fire. Indirect line construction and preparation for burnout operations if necessary, will continue in portions of the west and south east sides of the fire. Bull Dozers are continuing to clean up of existing fuelbreaks that are to be used as contingency lines. Peachtree and Paradise Road structure protection groups have been re-inforced and continue improvements around structures.
Projected Movement	There is high potential for the fire to increase in size by several thousand acres this afternoon, after the inversion layer dissipates.
Growth Potential	Extreme.
Terrain Difficulty	Extreme.
Containment Target	The lack of access and rugged terrain require a long term strategy of both direct and indirect attack with contingency planning that is being implemented over a 5 to 6 week period.
Remarks	Not available

Weather

Current Wind Conditions	4-10 mph W
Current Temperature	67 degrees
Current Humidity	21 %

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