August 19 Morning Update
Incident: La Brea Fire Wildfire
Released: 8/19/2009
La Brea Fire Information
August 19 Morning Update
Los Padres National Forest
California Interagency Incident Management Team 3/CAL FIRE/Santa Barbara County Fire
Jeanne Pincha-Tulley / S. Heil/ M. Schmitt Incident Commanders
Acres: 89,015 Personnel: 1,505 Containment: 75%
Start Date: Aug. 8, 2009
For more Information: http://www.inciweb.org/; or call (805) 961-5770
Please Note: Beginning today, there will be no evening updates for the La Brea Fire. The morning update will continue to be distributed daily. Additionally, the Los Padres National Forest fire information line will be unstaffed but an updated recorded message will be available at the same number, (805) 961-5770.
Due to the fire emergency, effective today, the Forest Service is expanding the closure area of forest lands on the southeast side of the La Brea Fire. For more information, see http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/lospadres/ or http://www.inciweb.org/incident/1803/.
Containment is now complete on all fireline outside the wilderness. Last night crews continued to hold and mop up 300 feet inside the contained line. Within the wilderness, extreme burning conditions will challenge crews today. The fire may continue to put up plumes of smoke due to islands of brush in the interior of the fire igniting and making uphill runs. These flare ups are not a threat to the established containment line.
Last night, firefighters spotted a bear cub on Tepusquet Road.
Day Operations Plan: Today's focus will be containing fire within the wilderness. Eight hotshot crews will work in this steep, rugged terrain supported by air operations. Crews will also focus on fire suppression rehabilitation, including addressing impacts to private land. Suppression rehabilitation efforts will also focus on building water bars, and placing dead vegetation back on indirect firelines to reduce risk of erosion due to rain.
Weather: Today weather will be hot and dry. On the west side of the fire, temperatures will be 82-92 degrees and on the east side 88-98 degrees. Winds will be from the north to northeast 8-14 mph with local gusts of 20 mph.
Evacuations Information: An Evacuation Warning remains in effect for the area bound by Sierra Madre Road on the west, Cottonwood Road on the south, Hwy 166 on the east, and Spoor Canyon on the north. All other evacuation orders and warnings are rescinded including Pine Canyon, Tepusquet Canyon, and the area bound by Cottonwood Road and Wasioja Road between Hwy 166 and Sierra Madre Road.
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 expanded emergency closure order is now in effect for portions of the Los Padres National Forest in and around the fire. For more information, see http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/lospadres/ or http://www.inciweb.org/incident/1803/.
Resources: Engines: 55 Crews: 49 Dozers: 14 Water Tenders: 23 Helicopters: 11 Fixed Wing: 0
