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Yahoo!Thursday is turning out to be a crucial day on the fire line. Flames are now established in the upper ends of three canyons: San Roque, Mission, and Rattlesnake. The potential is for the fire to reach the top of the mountains in any of these locations if the wind pushes it uphill. Should the fire cross the crest in any of these locations, as it did in the 1964 Coyote Fire, this could expand its potential impact dramatically.
Ray Ford
Severe downhill winds later in the day could also push the fire back down into any of a number of the nearby foothill communities.
Firefighters will be holding their breaths as the 2PM hour approaches, hoping for the best but preparing for the worst.
Wednesday morning started off quietly enough. I headed up to the top of the San Roque staging area where hot shot crews were preparing cut a hand line around the western edge of the fire line. The winds were negligible and it was hot, but that didn’t seem to bother the Cachuma Lake hotshots whom I was embedded with that morning.
Ray Ford
Cutting line is a torturous job: the chain saws buzzed like a swarm of angry bees as they worked their way up step canyons and hillsides only a billy goat could climb. The ground was littered with debris, much of it still burning and all of it ash covered and smoking. However, the crew moved quickly up the hillside, protected by helicopters that were dropping 300 gallon loads of water on the few flare-ups that were popping up.
By noon the crew had made it up to Jesusita Trail near the fire’s origin. County Fire inspectors had cordoned off a section of the trail where they believe it had begun and were waiting for things to cool down a bit before starting their investigation. I headed back to the staging area thinking that all was well on this end of the fire.
Ray Ford
Knoll at top of Inspiration Point area is completely burned out.
On the Inspiration Point: Shortly after noon I headed east up towards Inspiration Point to join another hot shot crew — the Los Prietos crew — whose assignment was to start cutting line down the ridge just beyond Inspiration Point to upper Tunnel Road. As I made my way to the top of the knoll I passed a lookout who works for Montecito Fire. He cautioned me that things would be heating up later but right now there was barely a breeze. Above me a dozer crew was cutting a new ridgeline fire break and I could see spotters on a handful of high points that were monitoring conditions.
Ray Ford
When I reached Inspiration Point Iwas blown away: the brush for a hundred yards in every direction was burned away and most of the hilltop was nothng but mineral soil and the charred sticks of chaparral brush. Not too far from the Point I spotted the trail leading to what was the original site of Inspiration Point, a cluster of gracefully sculptured boulders that overlook the city. Nearby I could see the rock outlines of an old stone structure, something I’d never before noticed.
Ray Ford
As the LP hotshots moved down the ridgeline I meandered further east to a point where I could look down into the west fork of Mission Creek. I could see the narrows that form the fabled Seven Falls. A dozen or so small wisps of smoke told me that the fire was still alive on the ridge immediately above the falls. It is about 1:30PM and it appeared we were well on the way to seeing the end of this particular fire.
A few moments later I headed over to a spot where I could photograph the huge four engine planes that were covering the chaparral with the thick, gooey retardant that fire fighters were hoping would slow down the flames should the winds pick up. About 2PM the wind, as the weather forecasters had predicted, began to pick up. However, the breeze had shifted to an uphill mode, which seemed like a good omen for Mission Canyon residents, but not to the hot shots down on the lower ridge. Quickly they scampered back up the hill as the brush they were cutting began to catch fire.
Near Seven Falls, the shift in wind was causing the small smokes to heat up as well, and in minutes there were 40-to-50 foot flames pushing uphill on the ridge leading to Cathedral Peak. It appeared that the fire was heading towards the mountain crest. Just then one of the hot shots reached my position and I heard him utter an expletive. “We’re losing the Mission Canyon drainage,” he shouted. Just then a spot fire appeared cross canyon near the Tunnel Trail. I heard another expletive. I realized that this time it had come from me. The fire was heading toward the Rattlesnake Canyon drainage.
Ray Ford
On of the smaller helicopters popped up and doused the spot fire but it wasn’t long before another burst of flame appeared. Earlier this morning the fire crews had begged for the helicopters known as “heavies” — the Erickson Sky Cranes that can carry a 2,000 pound load of water. But apparently Fire Central, located in some distant location, didn't feel the homes down below were sufficiently threatened to give us the artillery needed on the front lines here.
Though four more helicopters quickly began swarmming around the Cathedral ridgeline in a valiant attempt to douse the flames, but it didn't appear that their 300-pound payloads were going to be sufficient to do the job. By now it was almost 2:30PM and the action was getting hot and heavy.
Ray Ford
The Winds Shift: Then without warning, the wind shifted, catching everyone by surprise. The shift was sudden and intense. Within a minute it switched from a 10-to-15MPH steady uphill breeze to 50MPH storm force winds heading directly down canyon. The wind held steady in excess of 40MPH with gusts to 60MPH for minutes at a time, then it would calm to a more reasonable 20MPH, before pushing back up to the +50MPH range.
I joined the other hot shot crews near Inspiration Point as we all prepared to head back down into San Roque Canyon. However, we found we were cut off from going down the road by huge walls of flames fuled by the chaparral that hadn't burned the previous night.
Ray Ford
We were safe up where we stood, surrounded by several hundred yards of burned out brush but we were stuck nevertheless. We hunkered down to wait out the wall of fire below. Gust after gust hit us and in minutes the field radios carried by the firefighters began reporting houses burning.
Then came the sounds of huge blasts. One of the hot shots explained that propane tanks were blowing up. For these firefighters it was a tough two hours, unable to reach the ground below. Heartbreaking.
Later that evening we were able to make our way down to the staging area in San Roque Canyon. By 7PM the winds calmed down again, just as they had the night before, and the sense of panic lessened. However, this calmness was tempered by the many columns of black smoke dotting the horizon, all signaling that homes were on fire.
Ray Ford
I worked my way over to Spyglass Ridge to see how the house of Glenn Griffith had fared. I had sat with him the night before on his stone wall watching the fire creep over the top of Inspiration Point. His house had survived, though an outbuilding was totally gone. Above, the hillsides were bare. A 15-foot-tall ceanothus covering has been totally burned away.
The owners of homes on the next ridge east of Spyglass were not as fortunate. One firefighter told me, “It came at us so hard and so quick, there was little chance to do much to save these homes.”
Ray Ford
Topographical Influences: Meanwhile, with the winds calming down, topographic influences began to reestablish themselves. Without the downhill winds, the spot fires began to work their way uphill. In San Roque and Mission Canyon flames followed the ridges on either side of Cathedral Peak. Across Seven Falls the fire expanded over Tunnel Trail and dropped down into upper Rattlesnake Canyon.
Along the San Roque edge of the fire line, crews took advantage of the calmer conditions and easterly flow to fire out along the canyon and open up a wide expanse of black area in order to protect residents across canyon in the event that the winds should shift to the west.
Now, on Thursday, all the crews are preparing in case the same conditions should hit Santa Barbara again.
UPDATE, 1:30 p.m.: Shortly after the posting of this article, Ray Ford called in with an additional report. He’s in San Roque Canyon at the Arroyo Burro Ridge Line. He reports that the fire has firmly established itself in down in the canyon, about a quarter mile above the Moreno Ranch. It has gone up to the west in the upper end of the western fork of San Roque Canyon. Helicopters are going back and forth. Should a downhill wind start blowing, there’s a possibility that the fire would be pushed over Arroyo Burro and west into the next canyon — possibly either San Antonio Creek Canyon or Barger Canyon. The breeze was blowing around 5-10 miles per hour but was beginning to pick up, as expected.
The other major fire activity Ford reported was that the fire was beginning to take off to the east, near Cathedral Peak. “There’s a good fire going uphill [toward] the Mission Creek Drainage,” he explained. Ford didn’t think the fire has yet gone up Mission Creek towards the top, but he could see what he termed “good-sized flames” there. “It’s about the time now when everything starts getting active,” Ford said. “Toward Rattlesnake Canyon, things are staying pretty calm. The big concern now is over in SanRoque, but that doesn’t mean it won’t change later.”
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You can watch live streaming video footage of the fire from the vantage point of the rooftop of Make It Work offices above Hamburger Habit in the La Cumbre Plaza at www.makeitwork.com - click the Jesusita Fire link and follow directions to the live video footage feed.
feleay16 (anonymous profile)
May 7, 2009 at 12:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Ray! Your photos are incredible. Thank you for your commitment.
Coryell (anonymous profile)
May 7, 2009 at 12:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
As someone who grew up in Santa Barbara and still have family and friends there, thank you so much for the great coverage. I began checking your site with the Tea fire and hands down you are the one site to go to for any up to the minute perspectives. Now I check your site all the time. Sure beats the other "print paper" in town!! Awesome coverage- I will continue to check back often!! Thank you
longwayfromhome (anonymous profile)
May 7, 2009 at 12:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The link to www.makeitwork.com did not work. Looks like they moved it to another server. Seems nobody can make it work. Not even our local make it work people
cal23 (anonymous profile)
May 7, 2009 at 12:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Update on the live streaming video footage of the fire at www.makeitwork.com - click the Jesusita Fire link and follow directions to the live video footage feed. Currently it is viewing Catherdral Peak (mid frame), Arlington Peak (low right) and La Cumbre Peak (high right). We are working on more camera angles for a more comprehensive look at the burn areas so check back often.
delightguru (anonymous profile)
May 7, 2009 at 1:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I am watching the MIW live video now. It doesn't flow as fluidly as we all want but it's great of them to offer it. Thanks so much. Good luck out there everyone, help your neighbors and stay safe!
HawaiiFemme (anonymous profile)
May 7, 2009 at 1:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
www.makeitwork.com works for me. But the first time you use it, you have to download some software. So maybe your popup blocker might be blocking it.
GoletaResident (anonymous profile)
May 7, 2009 at 1:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
My son lives near the 154 on Calle Real. He graduates next month from UCSB. It's wonderful to have a paper like the Independent. I'm in San Diego and it's great to have such up to date info and pics. Our stations down here get all the facts messed up. I'm comforted by the information all of your hard working journalists provide. Thanks so much for being on top of things. Can't wait to get my boy back home! I was there last summer with the car packed when the fire in Goleta happened. My prayers are endless and often. My heart goes out to everyone in SB. Be safe everyone!
3Cooper (anonymous profile)
May 7, 2009 at 2:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
MakeItWork, citrix webinar is about the dumbest way EVER to "steam video". It works in a pinch, but its ghetto, just embed the feed and refresh it every few sec.
Not to mention the makeitwork feed is streaming am radio from los angeles?? At LEAST carry a local feed like AM 990, 1290, 1490 or something.
blackcell (anonymous profile)
May 7, 2009 at 2:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
the live footage at www.makeitwork.com is a webinar so it requires you to enter login info. We have the new camera up that pans the burn area.
delightguru (anonymous profile)
May 7, 2009 at 2:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Hi all,
For those of you that know Make It Work, we are not in the business of streaming video. We have retrofitted our surveillance camera and our video conferencing equipment so we can provide video as a community service. The use of GoToWebinar was required as our feed is limited to 25 users and Webinar allows 1000 users concurrently. It’s a great solution when you have no other choice and hundreds of users logged in.
delightguru (anonymous profile)
May 7, 2009 at 3 p.m. (Suggest removal)
the Make It Work live video feed is Not Working due to meeting being full. Can they Make It Work?
montecitomama (anonymous profile)
May 7, 2009 at 3:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
montecitomama and sb...we are very sorry. We did this in a pinch and used our existing equipment that serves a very different purpose. We are looking into other options. We have invested a ton of time into this and the staff has their job to do, so bear with us.
THE SITE HAS BEEN REFRESHED AND YOU CAN LOG BACK IN NOW.
www.makeitwork.com
P.S. I am personally a Tea Fire survivor (by the skin of my teeth) and our home is again threatened, so forgive us if we go down again.
edgmiw (anonymous profile)
May 7, 2009 at 4:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
www.ksby.com has some live aerial footage that is pretty intense. The fire is burning up the ridge. It looks like it has gotten into some unpopulated areas and they are letting it burn.
delightguru (anonymous profile)
May 7, 2009 at 5:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Ray Ford you are awesome. We are out of state and our house sitters just got the call to evacuate. It may be unecessary, but it's scary as hell to be a continent away while this happens. Our dogs will be safe, the back up hard drives and photo albums have been whisked out of harm's way... but it's a weird feeling to be so powerless so far away. God willing we will come home to a house, yet one more time. Thanks for the on-the-scene reporting.
maximum (anonymous profile)
May 7, 2009 at 9:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
People need time after this disaster - time to heal, time to celebrate the response of the community, the survival of their homes (and their lives), others time to mourn and come to grips with the loss of their homes, pets and possessions. However, a serious discussion needs to begin soon thereafter about the strategies employed to fight these fires, including things like the decision to move the tankers from the Santa Barbara airport first to Santa Maria and then Paso Robles, and a host of other issues.
The fact that there weren't more homes lost and no loss of life is wonderful and we all are deeply indebted to and appreciative of the firefighters' heroic efforts and dedication but the reality is that by the time they were able to get on these fires, the fires were already too large and the battle one of attrition, lasting for days and at an enormous cost, monetary and otherwise, to everyone. Some experienced and knowledgeable people believe that had there been a rapid response by air to this fire (and others including the Tea Fire) they could have been knocked down and controlled without becoming the massive and highly destructive events they did.
The pattern has been to ignore these issues, close off any such discussion and simply celebrate our good fortune once these fire events are over, with little or no examination of the bigger issues. I hope this won't happen this time. Two fires in six months with a substantial number of homes lost, firefighters injured, residents badly shaken and almost one third of the entire city displaced, should not be dismissed nor accepted as the price to be paid for living here. Once the celebrating is over, I hope some serious re-thinking, evaluation and discussion will begin - otherwise, we will continue to experience these disasters over and over, perhaps even sooner and with more dire consequences.
Justice (anonymous profile)
May 9, 2009 at 12:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Very good points, Justice, and well expressed; the debate is ongoing and needs to be revisited.
This, however, I take issue with:
::: "Some experienced and knowledgeable people believe that had there been a rapid response by air to this fire (and others including the Tea Fire) they could have been knocked down and controlled without becoming the massive and highly destructive events they did."
The "some believe..." trope is deceptive, weak, and unpersuasive because of its vagueness and lack of attributable authority.
And at the bottom of such cocksure statements is the ignorance of the complexities in life: limited time, resources, and control always conspire against the desired 100% solution.
binky (anonymous profile)
May 9, 2009 at 1:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
binky - My family's home burned down in the Tea Fire. Since that time, I have met and discussed these issues with many, many people, including both city and county fire officials, and have spoken with individual members - and appeared and spoken before meetings - of the City Council and the County Board of Supervisors. I see no point in trying to attribute particular points of view to any of the many people with whom I have spoken and couldn't do so even if I thought there were some value in it, which I do not.
The point is that these issues and strategies need to be discussed and considered. I do not pretend to have the answers and your suggestion that my statements are "cocksure" or reflect an "ignorance of the complexities in life" is groundless, unproductive and if you are really honest, a subtle suggestion that the discussion should not or need not take place for those more aware or accepting of those "complexities." No offense, but I perceive that as the kind of close-minded (debate-stifling) attitude which seems to prevail after these incidents - a repetition of the events of this past week or of last November are not in anyone's interest but, rest assured, they will happen again unless something different is done.
Justice (anonymous profile)
May 9, 2009 at 1:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Justice:
I opened my comment by stating "the debate is ongoing and needs to be revisited"; can't get clearer than that.
You seem to want to stifle debate, revealing in your final sentence: "a repetition of the events of this past week or of last November are not in anyone's interest but, rest assured, they will happen again unless something different is done." That certitude is what I challenge.
It will happen no matter how extreme the preparation, no matter what the effort and expense -- as long as Santa Barbara citizens live adjacent and within wildfire zones they will be affected.
The debate is mitigation, not elimination, and it's ripe for discussion. Your obvious thoughtful nature is of benefit; just don't pursue an unachievable objective.
binky (anonymous profile)
May 9, 2009 at 2:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
binky - you first criticized my having failed to cite sources for some of the views expressed in my earlier post but appear to have dropped the matter - not a big deal but puzzling. Now you accuse me of "stifling debate" and challenge my "certitude" that fire events like those in November and now May will happen again but then yourself insist they "will happen no matter how extreme the preparation, no matter what the effort and expense". Or do you simply reject out of hand my hope and belief that anything can be done to change the outcome in some instances - calling it, as you do, "an unachievable objective"? Sounds pretty close-minded and defeatist. Nonetheless, it's an opinion to be considered as part of an open and robust debate. Unfortunately, despite your assurances, I don't see much debate and discussion going on among those with the power to do anything about the matter (as opposed to those of us commenting here).
I simply am not prepared to rule out "elimination" as an achievable objective in some cases, particularly when some of the strategies being suggested haven't been tried. I raised these same concerns and ideas in various settings following the Tea Fire, as I mentioned, but they largely fell on deaf ears. Six months later, another disastrous fire has struck, destroying more homes and disrupting the city in even more devastating ways. I doubt I changed any minds and certainly don't see that any of the changes I suggested were implemented but I simply refuse to believe we are destined to go through this devastating cycle again and again and are powerless to do anything meaningful to change the outcome.
Justice (anonymous profile)
May 9, 2009 at 4:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
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