CFN - CALIFORNIA FIRE NEWS - CAL FIRE NEWS : Inciweb: Zaca Wildland Fire - 229,433 acres

Thursday, August 23, 2007

Inciweb: Zaca Wildland Fire - 229,433 acres - 81 percent

Zaca Wildland Fire

INCIDENT UPDATED AM

Zaca Fire Perimeter 08/22/07
Credit: Zaca Fire GIS / FIO

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Summary

Zaca Fire

Wednesday, August 23, 2007 at 9:00 a.m.

U.S. Forest Service Command

www.fs.fed.us/r5/lospadres

www.inciweb.org

www.sbcfire.com

Zaca Fire Information Line: (805) 961-5770

Fire Status

Acres Burned: 229,433 acres

Acreage Increase (last 12 hours): 2,661 acres

Fireline to Build: 9 miles

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

Percent Contained: 81 percent

Expected Containment: September 7, 2007

Injuries: 40

Structures Threatened: 66

Structured Destroyed: 1 outbuilding

Cost to Date: $94.2 million

Resources

Crews: 64

Engines: 112

Helicopters: 18

Air Tankers: 8

Air Attack: 3

Dozers: 32

Water Tenders: 79

Total Personnel Assigned: 2,711

Headlines

·· Paradise Road is open from Highway 154 to First Crossing Day Use Area.

·· Highway 33 from Ventucopa to Ozena remains closed, except to residents. Tentatively, fire officials hope to reopen Highway 33 to thru traffic by Friday, August 24.

Current Situation

Firing operations continued today north along the Highway 33 corridor from Ozena to Rancho Nuevo Creek. Winds within the Brubaker Canyon stopped firefighters from completing the remaining fireline into the Cuyama River drainage. Light fire activity within the northwestern fire area in the San Rafael Wilderness created favorable conditions for crews to begin building handline south from the Sierra Madre ridge into the Sisquoc River Canyon. Additional crews will be flown into the wilderness late this afternoon and tomorrow morning to assist with handline construction adjacent to the fire edge.

Although, there are still some fuel islands burning out in Little Pine Mountain, the Live Oak Zone of the Zaca Fire has reached full containment. As a result the Live Oak Zone is now gearing into rehabilitation and restoration of those areas affected by fire suppression activities. Crews are being demobilized or transferred to the Richardson Zone of the fire or other active fires across the nation.

Weather conditions tomorrow are expected to range from 70 to 80 degrees with relative humidity above 14%.

State Highways, Forest Roads and Area Closures

Hwy 33 between Wheeler Gorge and Ventucopa will be closed to all traffic until Friday, August 24, except for residents.
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.
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 PRECAUTIONARY EVACUATION is in effect for residents along the west side of Highway 33 from the Ventura/Santa Barbara County line to Pine Mountain Summit.
The EVACUATION WARNING for Paradise Road, Los Prietos Boys Camp, and the Rancho Oso Guest Ranch has been lifted.
The EVACUATION WARNING for East Camino Cielo Road from Gibraltar Road east to Ventura County Line including Gibraltar Reservoir and Jameson Lake has been lifted.
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	Oplinger/ Hawkins

Current Situation

Total Personnel	2,711
Size	229,433 acres
Percent Contained	81%
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 actively burn back down slope. Richardson Zone: Active fire behavior increasing throughout the day, alignment with increasing wind and slope produced;a few spots, runs to ridge tops, and flare ups in hot spots.
Significant Events	Live Oak Zone: Fire line completed. Richardson Zone: : Continue firing operations east to Hwy 33 and from Ozena north, towards Brubaker Rd. Suppression actions on the northwest via aggressive air operations. 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. Hwy 33 remains closed.

Outlook

Planned Actions	Live Oak Zone:Patrol and mop-up. Continue Fire Suppression Rehab. Richardson Zone: Hold and Mop up burnout operations in Division BB, and FF. Continue with firing and holding operations in Div BB and FF as conditions allow. Road closure for Hwy 33. Continue to prepare strategy for long-term control lines in new Branch XXI. CIIMT1 assumed command @ 1600, August 22. Possible direct line construction from the sierra madre ridge South into the Sisquoc river this evening.
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 direct and indirect Strategy should succeed by 8/23/07. 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: Block 16: Total zone mileage calculated at 70.1 miles. Contained zone mileage = 35.8 miles. 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. The one reported injury was a wrist injury due to a fall.

Weather

Current Wind Conditions	9 (g17) mph SW
Current Temperature	91 degrees
Current Humidity	23 % Note: Largest Fire in sate History - CEDAR (HUMAN) October 2003 SAN DIEGO 273,246 acres

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