CFN - CALIFORNIA FIRE NEWS - CAL FIRE NEWS : Inciweb: Ranch Wildland Fire

Thursday, October 25, 2007

Inciweb: Ranch Wildland Fire - 56,235 acres 81%

Ranch Fire Wildland Fire

INCIDENT UPDATED 36 MIN. AGO

ANNOUNCEMENT

Emergency Closure of Los Padres National Forest - October 23, 2007
6755 Hollister Ave. #150 - Goleta, CA 93117 - CONTACT: Joe Pasinato (805) 961-5745 - www.fs.fed.us/r5/lospadres - GOLETA, Calif.- In conjunction with the Cleveland, San Bernardino, and Angeles... more

Lake Piru in the Ranch Fire burn area on October 24, 2007
Credit: Alexis West

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Summary

The Santa Ana winds have stopped and given way to more seasonal winds. A few smokes are visible from the fire but no major active fire behavior was observed today. The less intense fire behavior has allowed crews to aggressively pursue mopping-up hot spots and continue to improve and build containment lines. Structure protection resources are still in place along the perimeter of the fire near communities and structures. The improvement in the fire conditions has allowed the re-assignment of crews to other fires in need of resources. Resources are being sent to the Santiago, Poomach, Witch, Harris, Rice, and Ammo fires.

The three twenty-person hotshot crews that were inserted into the western area of the fire near Little Sespe Creek continued to construct fire line intended to halt the western spread of the fire. An additional crew was also rappelled into the area. Helicopters continued to drop water and retardant to cool any hot spots near the area of line construction from water and retardant bases located near the town of Fillmore and Lake Piru. Crews on the eastern fire perimeter began rehabilitation of recently constructed dozer lines. Structure protection continued around the communities of Fillmore, Blue Point, Dominguez, Hollister, Piru Canyons and Sespe area north of Fillmore city limits.

As a result of extreme fire activity, the Angeles and Los Padres National Forests have implemented forest wide closures. Please call the Los Padres National Forest 805-961-5770 or the Angeles National Forest 626-821-6700 for additional information.

All evacuations from the Ranch Fire within Los Angeles and Ventura Counties have been lifted. Residents are now allowed back into their neighborhoods but are urged to remain cautious and should keep informed about current conditions. The fire has not crossed highway 126 nor has it progressed any closer to the communities of Piru and Fillmore.

The Incident Command Post is located at Castaic Park. The fire is under the command of California Interagency Incident Management Team 3, Jeanne Pincha-Tulley commanding.

The Ranch Fire started October 20^th at 9:42 pm near Townsend Peak, southwest of Templin Highway and Interstate 5, in the Angeles National Forest. The Ranch Fire has now involved 56,235 acres and is 81% contained. There are 492 people assigned to the fire along with 45 fire engines, 8 dozers, 12 water tenders, 9 twenty-person hand crews and 3 helicopters.

Over the last ten years, 2,324 fires have burned a total of 201,914 acres on the Angeles NF; some areas, mostly along roadsides, have burned multiple times in the past decade.

Fire Danger Levels (FDLs) on the Angeles NF are based on environmental conditions such as weather and fuel moisture in vegetation and on human factors such as availability of firefighting resources and national forest visitation (for example, busy holiday weekends increase the chances of a human-caused fire.)

Basic Information

Incident Type	Wildland Fire
Cause	Under Investigation
Date of Origin	10/20/2007 at 2142 hrs.
Location	6 miles north of Castaic CA
Incident Commander	Jeanne Pincha - Tulley

Current Situation

Total Personnel	492
Size	56,235 acres
Percent Contained	81%
Estimated Containment Date	10/31/2007 at hrs.
Fuels Involved	The fire is burning in heavy chaparral and oak woodland.
Fire Behavior	Little activity observed overnight.
Significant Events	Mop up and patrol the existing firelines.

Outlook

Planned Actions	Fly crews in to a helispot on the west end of the fire to construct direct line in the Hopper Mountain, Oat Mountain and Little Sespe Creek areas. Mop up and patrol areas that have been contained.
Projected Movement	No fire movement anticipated.
Growth Potential	Due to the decreased wind speed, and rising relative humidity, the growth potential is considered to be low.
Terrain Difficulty	The difficulty of the terrain is extreme, owing to steep slopes and inaccessible terrain.
Remarks	The prospects for containment of the fire in the near term are very promising. Resources are being released for use on other fires in the region.

Weather

Current Wind Conditions	Not available
Current Temperature	Not available
Current Humidity	Not available

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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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