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%

Zaca Wildland Fire

INCIDENT UPDATED 47 MIN. AGO

Zaca Fire Perimeter 08/24/07
Credit: Zaca Fire GIS / FIO

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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: 5.6 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

Resources

Crews: 52

Engines: 87

Helicopters: 17

Air Tankers: 8

Air Attack: 3

Dozers: 26

Water Tenders: 76

Total Personnel Assigned: 2,469

Cost to Date: $ 101 million

Headlines:

Highway 33 from Wheeler Gorge to Quatal Canyon remains closed until further notice due to firefighting activities.
A PRECAUTIONARY EVACUATION in Ventura County has been upgraded to a RECOMMENDED EVACUATION for the area from Ozena north to the Ventura/Santa Barbara County line west of Highway 33. The Ventura County Sheriff's Department, with assistance from the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department, have notified residents in the area of the evacuation.

Current Situation:

Fire made a significant run north for several miles in the area between the Cuyama River wash and the eastern boundary of the Dick Smith Wilderness. A small slopover crossed a dozer line near Ozena and four small spot fires were located east of Highway 33. All four spot fires were contained.

Increased southerly winds resulted in embers crossing the Brubaker Canyon containment line to the north near Highway 33. Two spot fires combined and burned approximately 250 acres. Air tankers and helicopters were used heavily to slow the fire's eastern progression. Structure protection is in place for threatened residences. There is significant potential for the fire to spread to the north, but there is growing confidence of keeping the fire west of Highway 33, which is critical to containing this fire in the next 7 to 10 days. Firefighters made good progress in the San Rafael Wilderness at the northwest corner of the fire. Fireline was completed north and south of the Sisquoc River and aerial reconnaissance showed no fire spread in this area.

The Live Oak Zone has reached full containment and efforts continue to be focused on furthering rehabilitation and restoration of those areas affected by the fire and suppression activities.

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 PRECAUTIONARY EVACUATION in Ventura County has been upgraded to a RECOMMENDED EVACUATION for residents in the area from Ozena north to the Ventura/Santa Barbara County line west of Highway 33. The Ventura County Sheriff's Department, with assistance from the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department, have notified residents in the area of the evacuation. 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 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.
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	Road closure is in effect on Highway 33 from Wheeler Gorge to Ventacopa. Residents voluntarily evacuated from several ranches West of Highway 33 in Brubaker Canyon.

Weather

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

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