4-day-old blaze spreads to nearly 24,000 acres as firefighters dig in to keep flames from advancing east

By Janene Scully, Noozhawk North County Editor

With the Alamo Fire still raging out of control east of Santa Maria on Sunday, the 4-day-old battle was focused on keeping flames corralled on the west side of Tepusquet Canyon and out of Los Padres National Forest.

That effort was largely successful, although one structure, a residence, was destroyed by the wildfire.

As of Monday morning, officials say, the fire had burned more than 28,926 acres, with containment remaining at 15 percent.

One structure has been destroyed but Cal Fire public information officer Bryson Keener did not know the location.

An air tanker drops retardant onto the Alamo Fire – Photo by Mike Eliason SBC Fire

“The fire progressed a little bit,” he said Sunday evening. “We did have a little bit of a rise in the humidity and a lowering in the temperature, but due to the high fire danger, the low fuel moistures and the large amount of grass we have, the fire continued to burn in an easterly southeasterly direction.”

Hotter days expected later this week have firefighters concerned.

“At this point with the lower temperatures and the higher humidity, we’re going to try to make a more active attack on the fire when we can,” Keener added. “Weather permitting, of course.”

Increased humidity helped keep the blaze from growing dramatically overnight after seeing large growth Friday and Saturday.

“There’s still plenty of opportunity for this fire to grow,” Chris Elms, another Cal Fire public information officer, said earlier Sunday.

“As of this morning, it was pretty much holding to the west side of the Tepusquet Canyon area. The goal is to keep the fire on the west side of that canyon.”

Contingencies are in place if flames reach Los Padres National Forest, he added.

Highway 166 and Tepusquet Road remained closed Sunday.

Evacuation orders were still in place Sunday for Tepusquet Road from Blazing Saddle Drive to Santa Maria Mesa Road, Blazing Saddle Drive and White Rock Lane, plus Colson and Pine canyons, Buckhorn Ridge and White Rock Road.

About 200 houses are within the evacuation area, with roughly half of the residents declining to leave, Elms said.

As of Sunday evening, Cal Fire said the fire remained a threat for 133 structures.

The wildfire started Thursday afternoon near Twitchell Reservoir off Highway 166, and it grew Friday after jumping lines created by retardant. The blaze raced over ridges with flames visible around the Santa Maria Valley.

On Saturday, the fire moved east-southeast. Firefighters were stationed at several residences to protect them from the flames.

As of Sunday evening, firefighters did not have an estimated date of containment or cost of battling the blaze.

“We still have a lot of work to do,” Elms said. “A lot of open fire lines, still very active out there.”

Vineyards and other fields with crops to the west and south will help aid efforts to reach full containment.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

At least one tasting room in the area closed Saturday and Sunday due to the fire, with charred areas seen adjacent to some vineyards.

The firefighting force totaled 1,664 on Sunday, but that number is expected to remain essentially the same due to other wildfires burning throughout California.

On Saturday, crews were stretched after the Whittier Fire ignited near Lake Cachuma on Highway 154.

Cal Fire also battled the Tower Blaze that started Friday on the Cuesta Grade north of San Luis Obispo before being contained.

At least two other fires sparked Saturday in Atascadero and San Miguel in northern San Luis Obispo County.

“We’ve had a string of fires all over the place,” Elms said. “We’re doing our best to share resources to make sure that all that stuff is being handled.”

For a time Sunday, a half-dozen helicopters were assisting the small army of firefighters on the ground at the Alamo Fire.

The Stone Fire, which was burning east of Santa Margarita on Sunday, forced some aircraft to be diverted to San Luis Obispo County, however.

“Those resources are going back and forth between the fires, depending on needs,” Keener said.

In all, California has 5,000 firefighters battling 14 blazes, Cal Fire officials said.

The post Crews Overcome High Winds, Low Humidity to Make Gains on Corralling Alamo Fire appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

Under a cover of smoke from the fire, the 7 am briefing takes place at the incident base camp.
Photo by Mike Eliason SBC Fire

SYV Star Staff Report

This morning the Alamo Fire has doubled in size to more than 6,000 acres and evacuation orders have expanded, according to fire officials.
This photo was taken this morning from Solvang looking towards Santa Maria by photographer George Rose.

The Alamo fire continues to grow in significant size as it is now burning more than 6,000 acres and only 10 percent contained and the hot weather with wind expected in the forecast for today isn’t helping firefighters.

Morning winds were from the north and north east in the morning hours, but fire weather forecasters were anticipating a shift more to the west in the afternoon, which would push flames toward Tepusquet Canyon, Zaniboni said.

The fire started on July 7 near the Twitchell Reservoir, and prompted the closure of Highway 166, according to Cal Fire San Luis Obispo County.

The fire then jumped to the south side of Highway 166, which forced ​Caltrans crews to close the roadway completely between U.S. Highway 101 (Santa Maria) and Tepusquet Road, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Highway 166 links the Central Coast and the Cuyama Valley.

Incident Map provided by file officials.

Updates from fire officials Saturday mid-morning showed a map where the fire had jumped containment lines, crossed Oak Creek and is now threatening more than 100 homes in the Tepesquet area.

As the fire grew to more than 3,400 acres on Friday afternoon it caused evacuation warnings and then mandatory evacuations for folks living in the Tepqesquet Canyon area. Those evacuation mandates are now including Blazing Saddle Drive to Santa Maria Mesa Road, Blazing Saddle Drive and White Rock Lane, plus Colson Canyon, according to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.

A young bear seeks refuge Friday after being driven away by the Alamo Fire burning east of Santa Maria. (Mike Eliason / Santa Barbara County Fire Department photo)

Five helicopters and four fixed-wing aircraft were assigned to the blaze along with more than 1,000 firefighters that includes 10 hand crews. On order are four dozer teams, five type III engines and five water tankers.

The American Red Cross opened an evacuation center at the Minami Community Center at 600 W. Enos Drive in Santa Maria.

The Santa Maria Elks/Unocal Event Center at 4040 Highway 101 was designated as the shelter for evacuated large animals, while the Santa Maria Animal Shelter, 548 W. Foster Road, was available to house small animals, Santa Barbara County Animal Services officials announced.

Additionally, evacuated animals previously registered for the Santa Barbara County Fair Junior Livestock Auction next week were allowed to take them to the fairgrounds in Santa Maria on Friday, two days earlier than the planned arrival.

No injuries were reported, and the cause of the fire remained under investigation.

— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully contributed to this report and can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. 

The post Alamo fire grows to more than 6,000 acres overnight appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.