Inciweb: Zaca Wildland Fire - 220,863 acres - 77 percent

Zaca Wildland Fire
2nd largest Fire in modern California history

220,863 acres

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INCIDENT UPDATED 16 MIN. AGO

Summary

ZACA FIRE UPDATE

Tuesday, August 21, 2007 9:00 AM (0900 hours)

Joint Unified Command: U.S. Forest Service and Santa Barbara County Fire Department

www.sbcfire.com/ or www.fs.fed.us/r5/lospadres or www.inciweb.org/

Zaca Fire Information Line: (805) 961-5770

Fire Status

Acres Burned: 220,863 acres

Acreage Increase (last 12 hours): 5,171 acres

Fireline to Build: 3 miles

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

Percent Contained: 77 percent

Expected Containment: September 7, 2007

Injuries: 39

Structures Threatened: 581

Structured Destroyed: 1 outbuilding

Resources

Crews: 72

Engines: 139

Helicopters: 20

Air Tankers: 8

Air Attack: 3

Dozers: 55

Water Tenders: 80

Total Personnel Assigned: 3,162

Cost to Date: $ 87.5 million

Current Situation

Update in progress.....please standby !

Forest, Road and Area Closures

• Hwy 33 between Wheeler Gorge and Ventucopa will be closed to all traffic except for residents.
• 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 Warning Area and is currently open to residents only.
• The Zaca Fire Area Closure in Los Padres National Forest has been expanded to include additional lands in Santa Barbara, Ventura and Kern Counties. The expanded closure now 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 http://www.inciweb.org/ or the Forest Service.

Evacuations

• A PRECAUTIONARY EVACUATION for residents along the west side of Highway 33 from the Ventura/Santa Barbara County Line to Pine Mountain Summit.

• The EVACUATION ORDER for Paradise Road residents, Los Prietos Boys Camp, and the Rancho Oso Guest Ranch has been downgraded to an EVACUATION WARNING.
• An EVACUATION WARNING has been issued for East Camino Cielo Road from Gibraltar Road east to the Ventura County Line including Gibraltar Reservoir and Jameson Lake.
• The Santa Ynez River Road campgrounds, day use areas and trailheads remain closed.

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	Oplinger/ Childers/ Dietr

Current Situation

Total Personnel	3,144
Size	220,863 acres
Percent Contained	77%
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: The Fire is holding at the Monte Arido Fuel Break and the Pendola Jeepway. Smoldering and creeping occurred within the Caliente drainage with little active fire spread. Unburned islands continue to burnout in several drainages.Richardson Zone: A Red flag Warning is in effect through 2000 Wednesday 8/22. Strong winds, high temps, and extremely low relative humidity combined with exceptionally dry, heavy fuels in alignment with wind and slope produced intense fire behavior.
Significant Events	Live Oak Zone: The Paradise Road and Santa Ynez River Recreation remain under an evacuation warning, open to residents only. Existing fire line held. Unfavorable winds caused discontinuation of back firing. Crews and Dozers are constructing direct line from Hildreth Jeepway and Pendola Jeepway into Agua Caliente Canyon. Richardson Zone: Monitor burning in DIV EE West from DP 104 and in DIV FF East to Hwy 33. Patrol burning from GG/FF break towards DP110. Hold and monitor Divisions CC, DD and HH. Increasing fire activity in Divisions AA & BB; with Northwest fire spread. A precautionary Evacuation is in progress and is being coordinated by Ventura County Sheriffs, assisted by Santa Barbara Sheriffs. Hwy 33 remains closed. Ventura Zone: Provided a strike team and a task force of type 3 engines to Richardson Zone to support suppression actions on Highway 33 near Pine Mountain. Completed backfiring from Pine Mtn. Summit North to Ozena.

Outlook

Planned Actions	Live Oak Zone: Patrol, mop-up, and improve existing control lines. Construct direct handline and dozerline operations along the Hildreth Jeepway and Pendola Jeepway into Agua Caliente Canyon when conditions permit. Perform recon, planning and contingency line construction in the Live Oak Contingency Branch and the Santa Barbara front country from Romero Canyon to Lake Casitas. Fire suppression Rehab has begun. Richardson Zone: Continue burnout operation in Division FF north toward Division EE, along Hwy 33 West of Cuyama river. Continue to prepare strategy for long-term control lines in Branch XXIII. Ventura Zone: Reevaluation of contingency operations
Projected Movement	Live Oak Zone: Continued smoldering within the Caliente drainages with short uphill runs. Burnout will still be needed and active threat to containment lines in Caliente Canyon. Active fire spread in the unburned islands North of little pine mountain. 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 direct and indirect Strategy should succeed by 9/7 with success of the backfire. Richardson Zone: High based on ability to anchor and hold on Sierra Madre Ridge toward Hwy 33 and moderate from Pine Mtn. summit toward Ozena. Poor on West perimeter in Div AA/BB.
Remarks	Live Oak Zone: The fire is in a smoldering condition in Agua Caliente Canyon. A Direct attack with Crews and Dozers are continuing. 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; Closed to all traffic from Pine Mountain Summit to Ozena. All other areas are open to residents.

Weather

Current Wind Conditions	8 (g-16) mph NE
Current Temperature	63 degrees
Current Humidity	32 %