August 17 Morning Update
Incident: La Brea Fire Wildfire
Released: 8/17/2009
La Brea Fire Information
August 17 Morning Update
Los Padres National Forest
California Interagency Incident Management Team 3 / CAL FIRE
Jeanne Pincha-Tulley / Steve Heil, Incident Commanders
Acres: 87,490 Personnel: 2,078 Containment: 75%
Start Date: Aug. 8, 2009
For more Information: www.inciweb.org; or call (805) 961-5770 from 6am-10pm
There will be a community meeting today at 6:30 p.m. at the Cuyama Valley High School, 4500 Hwy 166, New Cuyama, to provide a fire update and plans for completing containment of the fire.
Overnight crews continued to mop up and patrol fire lines. Weather conditions on the northeast section were not favorable for the planned burnout operation intended to tie Schoolhouse Canyon in to Sierra Madre Ridge. The fire activity was quiet on the west, north, and northeast flanks of the fire. The fire grew by approximately 679 acres on the east flank.
Fire activity along the south flank, from the Sierra Madre Ridge southwest toward the Sisquoc River, has slowed as the fire has entered into an old burn area. Firefighters are taking this opportunity to try to contain the fire by use of thermal infrared imagery to identify hotspots for targeted hand crew and helicopter water bucket work.
Day Operations Plan: Today's focus will be on the east side of the fire to improve the Schoolhouse Canyon dozer containment line. This area represents some of the last uncontrolled fire line north of the Sierra Madre Ridge. Firefighter's goal is to push the active fire from the Cuyama Valley to the ridge and to hold it in the San Rafael Wilderness. Dozers and crews will continue to work on improving the fire lines and hope to conduct firing operations throughout the day if the weather permits. Mop up operations continue on the west side of the fire to reinforce the containment lines. Crews will continue to mop up and monitor the fires perimeter.
Weather: On the west side of the fire, temperatures will approach 70-80 degrees by afternoon. On the east side, drier conditions will create the potential for more active fire behavior with gusty winds in the afternoon. Yesterday, relative humidity levels fell below 10% for two consecutive hours and are expected to do so again today.
Evacuations: Evacuation Orders are still in effect as issued by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office. The Tepusquet Road and Buckhorn Ridge area are now open, but still under an Evacuation Warning. The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office and California Incident Management Team 3 will continue to evaluate the evacuation areas based on fire conditions.
Fire Investigation: U.S. Forest Service Special Agents, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office and fire investigators determined the La Brea Fire was caused by a cooking fire at an illegal marijuana drug trafficking operation within the forest. The La Brea Fire Tip Line is still open, and anyone with additional information helpful to this ongoing investigation is urged to contact 805-686-5074.
Closures: An emergency closure order is in effect for portions of the Los Padres National Forest in and around the fire. For more information, please contact Fire Information at (805) 961-5770 from 6am-10pm or http://www.inciweb.org/incident/1803/.
Resources: Engines: 126 Crews: 56 Dozers: 30 Water Tenders: 59 Helicopters: 12 Fixed Wing: 5
