KCOY Santa Maria, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo - News-Firefighters Gain Control of La Brea Fire

Firefighters Gain Control of La Brea Fire

8/17/09

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY- Fire crews are gaining control of the La Brea fire burning in the Los Padres National Forest.

Evacuation orders have been downgraded and some crews have been called off the fire, because as of 7 a.m. Monday the La Brea Fire was 87,490 acres and 75 percent contained.

Firefighters said the fire remains the most active on the east section near the School House Canyon area.

Flames along the south from the Sierra Madre Ridge toward the Sisquoc River has slowed as flames entered into an old burn area.

With more than two-thousand firefighters, five fixed-wing aircraft and 14 helicopters, teams are working to identify hot spots for targeted water-bucket work.

On Monday, the focus will be on the eastern, south-eastern edge of the fire to finish off the containment line there.

The section represents the last of uncontrolled fire line. The firefighters' goal is to push the active fire from the Cuyama Valley, and keep it to the San Rafael Wilderness.

"The real challenge is going to be the erratic winds that are in that area. And it's also going to be fairly hot and fairly dry today, but we do hope to do some burning out along the dozer lines already there, and we're going to hit her hard today," said David Olson, U.S. Forest Service information officer.

At other parts of the La Brea Fire, crews are continuing to mop up and monitor the fire's perimeter and protect homes along Foothill Road in the Cottonwood Canyon.

No containment date has been set, but members of the California Incident Management team said they want to put out the La Brea Fire as soon as possible.

A community meeting is planned for Monday at 6:30 p.m. at Cuyama Valley High School, located at 4500 Highway 166, New Cuyama. Firefighters will provide updated information and plans for completing containment of the fire.