- 1
- 2
- next
- | single page
An air tanker makes a drop of fire retardant on the Gap fire that is advancing south toward Goleta. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times / July 2, 2008) |
E-mail
Print
A fire has reached as close as 2 miles to populated areas of Goleta today after burning through 200 to 300 acres in Los Padres National Forest since Tuesday evening, authorities said.
Meanwhile, the stubborn Big Sur blaze jumped a containment line this morning, forcing more evacuations there and shutting down Highway 1 -- the area's chief road -- for 30 miles. The development was a setback not just for local residents but for a number of famed resorts and restaurants that had been in harm's way earlier but reopened in the past few days.
The community of Big Sur was evacuated, and landmarks like the Ventana Inn and the Post Ranch Inn shut their doors today as the notoriously unpredictable fire raged.
"It seems to be giving the fire guys conniption fits," said Darby Marshall, a spokesman for the Monterey County Office of Emergency Services. "It's doing things they normally wouldn't expect."
In Goleta, Santa Barbara County Fire Capt. Eli Iskow said light winds have helped firefighters this morning, but there's great concern about stronger winds forecast for this afternoon, and possibly powerful and erratic "sundowner" winds.
So firefighters are hitting the flames hard, with four helicopters and four air tankers.
"The wind is in our favor and we are taking advantage of that by dropping everything we've got on it," Iskow said. "We're trying to stay ahead of the flames before the winds arrive."
About 300 homes are downhill of the flames, Iskow said, but is burning entirely within national forest land.
Nearly 200 firefighters are battling the fire, including crews from the city of Los Angeles, and Los Angeles and Ventura counties.
"Everybody's helping each other without question, but we all know that if they have a fire in their own area they'll be taking off," he said while expressing gratitude for the assistance.
Today's fire is burning about two miles west of the path of the 1990 Painted Cave Fire, which burned 600 structures in 90 minutes.
Celia Breyfogle, 75, and her husband Newell, 78, walked up to the corner of Cathedral Oaks Boulevard and La Patera Lane to view the advancing flames this morning. Helicopters dropping fire retardant and water whirred above plumes of beige smoke.
"As long as the winds don't blow, I think we'll be all right," said Newell Breyfogle.
The Breyfogles said they have several friends who lost their homes in 1990, and that they have already boxed up clothing, pictures and documents in case they have to flee.
"They told us to be ready to evacuate," said Celia Breyfogle, who added: "It's been a terrible year. The Midwest is getting water, water, water, and we're getting fire, fire, fire. Wish we could all share," she said.
Motorists on the 101 Freeway this morning could see fingers of smoke working their way down the mountain.
The blaze, which is being called the Gap Fire, started about 5:45 p.m. Tuesday on a ridge in the Santa Barbara County city of Goleta but the cause remains unknown.
The evacuation order, still in effect today, was mandatory in Glen Annie and La Patera canyons, and an evacuation warning was issued for residents above Cathedral Oaks Road, between Glen Annie Road and Fairview Avenue.
Iskow said about 40 homes were evacuated. A shelter was opened at San Marcos High School in Santa Barbara for residents and their small pets.
Firefighters also continue to battle numerous wildfires that have burned more than 440,000 acres in Northern California, including a blaze that has charred homes and threatened tourist haunts along the Big Sur coast.
Meanwhile, the stubborn Big Sur blaze jumped a containment line this morning, forcing more evacuations there and shutting down Highway 1 -- the area's chief road -- for 30 miles. The development was a setback not just for local residents but for a number of famed resorts and restaurants that had been in harm's way earlier but reopened in the past few days.
The community of Big Sur was evacuated, and landmarks like the Ventana Inn and the Post Ranch Inn shut their doors today as the notoriously unpredictable fire raged.
"It seems to be giving the fire guys conniption fits," said Darby Marshall, a spokesman for the Monterey County Office of Emergency Services. "It's doing things they normally wouldn't expect."
In Goleta, Santa Barbara County Fire Capt. Eli Iskow said light winds have helped firefighters this morning, but there's great concern about stronger winds forecast for this afternoon, and possibly powerful and erratic "sundowner" winds.
So firefighters are hitting the flames hard, with four helicopters and four air tankers.
"The wind is in our favor and we are taking advantage of that by dropping everything we've got on it," Iskow said. "We're trying to stay ahead of the flames before the winds arrive."
About 300 homes are downhill of the flames, Iskow said, but is burning entirely within national forest land.
Nearly 200 firefighters are battling the fire, including crews from the city of Los Angeles, and Los Angeles and Ventura counties.
"Everybody's helping each other without question, but we all know that if they have a fire in their own area they'll be taking off," he said while expressing gratitude for the assistance.
Today's fire is burning about two miles west of the path of the 1990 Painted Cave Fire, which burned 600 structures in 90 minutes.
Celia Breyfogle, 75, and her husband Newell, 78, walked up to the corner of Cathedral Oaks Boulevard and La Patera Lane to view the advancing flames this morning. Helicopters dropping fire retardant and water whirred above plumes of beige smoke.
"As long as the winds don't blow, I think we'll be all right," said Newell Breyfogle.
The Breyfogles said they have several friends who lost their homes in 1990, and that they have already boxed up clothing, pictures and documents in case they have to flee.
"They told us to be ready to evacuate," said Celia Breyfogle, who added: "It's been a terrible year. The Midwest is getting water, water, water, and we're getting fire, fire, fire. Wish we could all share," she said.
Motorists on the 101 Freeway this morning could see fingers of smoke working their way down the mountain.
The blaze, which is being called the Gap Fire, started about 5:45 p.m. Tuesday on a ridge in the Santa Barbara County city of Goleta but the cause remains unknown.
The evacuation order, still in effect today, was mandatory in Glen Annie and La Patera canyons, and an evacuation warning was issued for residents above Cathedral Oaks Road, between Glen Annie Road and Fairview Avenue.
Iskow said about 40 homes were evacuated. A shelter was opened at San Marcos High School in Santa Barbara for residents and their small pets.
Firefighters also continue to battle numerous wildfires that have burned more than 440,000 acres in Northern California, including a blaze that has charred homes and threatened tourist haunts along the Big Sur coast.
Digg
Twitter
Facebook
StumbleUpon