Ojai Fire Watch: Containment!
Forest Service / Inciweb.org
The Day Fire was declared fully contained at 6:00 p.m. this evening. Firefighters completed construction and improvement of 163-miles of fireline to surround the 254-square-mile fire. Containment is a very important first step in eventual control of the fire and means that the fire has been surrounded. The objective is to establish a break in the vegetation that is wide enough to prevent fire from spreading outside of the lines.
In the days and weeks ahead, firefighters will “mop up” any remaining hot spots within the fire interior that could potentially cross the line. When all fire that could potentially jump containment lines is out the fire will be declared “controlled.” Full report after the jump...
Key Events in the Day Fire Chronology
September 4: Fire started in remote rugged terrain on the edge of the Sespe Wilderness. Helicopters and air tankers dropped more than 20,000 gallons of water and retardant. Ground crews could not be placed near the fire due to limited access, steep slopes and extreme fire conditions. 600 acres burned.
September 12: Fire spread rapidly to Interstate 5, closing it temporarily for firefighter and public safety. Total acres burned: 24,943. 1,427 personnel assigned.
September 16: Pushed westward by strong Santa Ana winds, the fire nearly doubled in size and potentially threatened Upper Ojai, Fillmore and Santa Paula. Total acres burned: 80,111. 2,062 personnel assigned.
September 25: Extremely low relative humidity and dry fuels contributed to rapid spread of a 1,000-acre spot fire in Lockwood Valley. Faced with extreme fire behavior, ground crews, airtankers and helicopters protected 40 homes, a Boy Scout Ranch and a wildlife sanctuary and kept the fire from spreading into the Chumash Wilderness and communities to the north. One modular home, 2 barns, 1 cabin, 2 outbuildings and 3 camp trailers were destroyed. Total acres burned: 139,720. 3,525 personnel assigned.
September 27: Calm wind conditions allowed firefighters to “go direct” and construct containment lines next to the fire. Total acres burned: 159,281; 4290 personnel assigned.
October 2: Fire is declared contained. Total acres burned: 106,752; 1,537 personnel assigned. Estimated suppression cost to date: $73,505,408.
Emergency Fire Closure and Fire Restrictions
A large area of Los Padres National Forest in Ventura, Kern and southern Santa Barbara counties remains closed to the public entry due to continued fire danger, presence of emergency equipment and hazards on trails. The portion of Angeles National Forest west of Interstate 5 is closed. The closure prohibits all public entry to forest lands, trails, roads and recreation sites. Forest managers hope to reduce the size of the closure by this weekend. Campfires and charcoal barbecue fires are prohibited in all areas of Los Padres National Forest except within facilities managed by concessionaires.
For More Information
For updated fire information, contact the Los Padres National Forest Fire Information Center at 805-961-5770, or visit: www.inciweb.org or www.fs.fed.us/r5/lospadres/conditions/.
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Comments (2)
Tyler, any word on how the fire started and is anyone being held responsible?
Comment #1 Posted by: Lisa Snider | October 3, 2006 07:45 AM
The fire started by someone burning trash in a campground out near the 5 freeway. That person is identified and in a world of hurt, basically. No word that I've heard on what the charges are or will be.
Comment #2 Posted by: Tyler | October 3, 2006 10:33 AM