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Yahoo!This morning Incident Commander Jim Smith cautioned that this would be a critical day on the fire lines. Much was at stake. There were still active hot spots on the southern portion, especially in the North Patterson area; there were no guarantees that they could keep the fire from spreading down into San Jose Creek; and upslope winds promised to push the fire to the edge of West Camino Cielo.
By 5:30pm, as I headed back down the mountain the news was good.
Ray Ford
Updated 6pm map shows that the fire perimeter didn't expand much but containment line was added in Tecolote Canyon that provided relief to all homeowners in this and other nearby canyons.
On the crest, while the upslope winds did shift the smoke out of the valley and cause some concern, the engine crews were able to keep the fire from crossing over the crest. “The fire only hit West Camino Cielo in three places,” Dana D’Andrea told assembled fire fighters at the evening briefing, “and we were able to hold all of these.”
Ray Ford
While flames closed in on West Camino Cielo in several places, the lines held and there is optimism that they will continue to hold.
While 300-400 acres of unburned fuel still remain along a narrow sliver between Windermere and the Winchester Gun Club, it appears that fire fighters have secured a good portion of West Camino from Highway 154 to the gun club. “It is still day-to-day,” D’Andrea added, “but we’re in a much, much better situation than we were last night.”
Along Cathedral Oaks, D’Andrea stopped short of saying that the entire lower southern section had been contained, but he did say that operations were moving to as mop up stage. “While we aren’t able to get the larger Type 1 engines up onto some of the ranch roads to deal with the last of the hot spots, we are able to get the smaller trucks up there.”
Ray Ford
When flames such as those above built up, engine crews quickly extinguished them.
It appears there is optimism that the urban areas could see the mandatory evacuations lifted as early as tomorrow if this progress continues.
Along the eastern edge of the fire line near the Trout Club, the aerial pounding with retardant and water drops continued all day and this enabled several crews to begin establishing hand line along the west rim of San Jose Canyon. If conditions are as favorable tomorrow as today, the crews may be able to tie in to hand lines being added to dozer lines coming down from the Haney Tract.
This map is interactive; click on points or overlays for more info, click plus and minus to zoom in or out, move around by click-hold-and-drag, etc. For larger map, click here.
(Map updated 10:15 pm, July 5)
Remarkably, just two days ago on Thursday night it appeared that both the Haney area and Trout Club would be overrun with fire when sundowner winds kicked in and pushed the 300-foot-high fireball back.
By tomorrow, just 60 hours after residents were preparing themselves to losing their homes for a second time in the Trout Club, there may be room for cautious optimism.
Ray Ford
Just below the bedrock at Lizard's Mouth, the large helicopters worked to keep the falmes from advancing over the crest in this area.
There was also good news in the Rancho Embarcadero area as well on the far western edge of the fire perimeter. For the past several nights homeowners have spent anxious moments as they have watched the fire creep closer and closer to their community.
By late afternoon containment line had been constructed on both side of Tecolote Canyon. “We’ve closed the bottom west end of the fire line,” D’Andrea said. “The Rancho Embarcadero, Winchester, and Ellwood areas are now outside the containment lines.”
In the 12-hour period from morning to evening briefings, total acreage for the Gap Fire increased only 337 acres, consuming just over a half square mile over the entire fire line.
What remains a major concern to fire fighters now is the northwestern portion of the fire where the fire has made moderate uphill runs in Tecolote Canyon. The four dozers assigned to widening the Windy Gap fuel break east of Highway 154 have completed the job, and re-assigned to widening the ridge top fuel break on the rugged western portion of Camino Cielo.
While the incident plan has an objective of keeping the fire east of Dos Pueblos Canyon, D’Andrea also told fire fighters that they are looking at other options on the Gaviota side of Dos Pueblos to stop the fire from continuing to hop canyons as it has Ellwood and Winchester.
Ray Ford
In the distance, Condor Point stands shrouded in smoke. While there is cause for optimism, there is still much concern about this part of upper Tecolote Canyon because it is so remote.
Over the next few days this portion of the fire line could cause significant problems but for now, almost exactly 100 hours after the Gap fire began, there is good news.
Related Links
- More Gap Fire News
- Larger Gap Fire Map (updated 10:15pm, July 5)
- Get Fire updates on your cell phone
Double-clicking on any word or phrase in this story will open a reference window with definitions and links to other reference material.
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Thankyou for your exceptional coverage. While KEYT-3 diligently covers General Hospital and Informercials and the News Press tells us the latest as of yesterday, you're giving us nearly real-time news. We're rural and we need to know what's going on right now. You're right up there with the scanner in terms of useful information. Excellent work!
wjclinton (anonymous profile)
July 5, 2008 at 11:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
For a map with all of the current evacuation areas, visit:
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&a...
I am updating with the evacuation order and warning areas, extent of the fire, information kiosks, and other points of interest. Feel free to leave comments on the map if there are any features you would like to see.
ErikaB (anonymous profile)
July 5, 2008 at 11:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It's early Sunday morning, July 6, and I'm sitting at my desk at my home in Surrey in the south of England. I am looking out looking out at a heavily overcast sky and rain coming down lightly but persistently. My thoughts are very much with you anxious folk over there in rather different circumstances, with the sky overcast with smoke and ash. I know what it's like for you, because I grew up in Australia. I well recall as a teenager helping to fight huge wildfires near our home east of Melbourne Victoria. Fires advancing at 80 mph, soot falling all around our house, and that sickening fear that we would soon lose our home.
I spent a week in Santa Barabara in April this year, and I just loved your picturesque and fascinating city. I met many folks there and found them overwhelmingly hospitable and great people. I'd like to post a greeting to Pastor and Mrs Skov of Emanuel Lutheran Church, Modoc Road, and to the many kind members of that church who made me feel so welcome. My prayers are with you at this time of anxiety. My greetings also to Jim and Patty of Arguello Road, thanks so much for opening your home to me during my week there - your're great people! And of course to my special friend Loeee who lives off Cliff Drive near the coast, greetings and hugs from Neil.
NeilinEngland (anonymous profile)
July 5, 2008 at 11:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Yep - looks like we are lucky...great fire protection line in place here in Goleta for the fire seasons to come,,,
GoletaResident (anonymous profile)
July 6, 2008 at 12:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If you feel so moved, please take a moment to go to
http://www.thanksgapfirefighters.com
and submit a message of gratitude for the firefighters who have been working this fire.
Thanks.
Bargs (anonymous profile)
July 6, 2008 at 12:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)
We did feel 'moved'....great link...serving the community and beyond,,,you are next,,,
GoletaResident (anonymous profile)
July 6, 2008 at 1:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
We are stronger than those 'demons', Goleta won't burn down...sba might be a different story....
GoletaResident (anonymous profile)
July 6, 2008 at 2:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Thank you so much for your diligence and excellent coverage of this horrific fire. My son, wife and grandaughter live in Santa Barbara and we are on the East Coast so it's diffcult to find detailed reports . We truly appreciate your efforts to keep the news current.
doggielover (anonymous profile)
July 6, 2008 at 5:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I have lived in fire-prone areas of California for over 20 years, but never have I seen the excellent fire coverage that this site provides! You guys should hire yourselves out as consultants to other, big-town newspapers whose websites are paultry compared to yours! Thanks!
BobG (anonymous profile)
July 6, 2008 at 6:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Last night we watched the fire creeping west, it appeared to be approaching the northern reaches of Dos Pueblos canyon. Lets hope we can get that D.C. 10 on that today. That is some rugged terrain and it would be a shame to see the Gaviota coast burn. Dos Pueblos canyon is one of the largest and signifigant riparian habitates on the coast, lets save it. Thanks to the Independent for the best coverage of the fire, and thanks to the firefighters.
farwestgoleta (anonymous profile)
July 6, 2008 at 6:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Only white smoke hanging over the mountains is visible from the Fairview area; I guess that is good news for the city. Do we know if the Gap fire made it over the ridge to the other side (yet)?
GoletaResident (anonymous profile)
July 6, 2008 at 8:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)
thanks for your excellent coverage - I can only reiterate what other people have said -- the KEYT, Newspress coverage is pathetic and appalling - if it weren't for the Independent and Ray Ford's and others' reports we in Goleta wouldn't have a clue what's going on. Even the so-called Information channel 20 can't seem to keep up to date....and this in the technology age!
GoletaMom (anonymous profile)
July 6, 2008 at 10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree - the Independent has done a fantastic job. Everyone I've talked to has expressed extreme frustration with the news (mostly repeated, nothing new) coming out of KEYT and Channel 20. We don't even look to the News-Press to find out the latest on anything, so I can't say how they've been doing. In the future, we will look to the Independent first for all the latest news.
vsmith (anonymous profile)
July 6, 2008 at 10:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
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