SANTA MARGARITA, Calif- So far the cost for putting out the Calf Fire, which includes everything from personnel to air tankers is at about 1-million dollars. Fire officials expect that number to grow to 1-point 5-million when all is said and done.
Fire crews still have a lot more work to do even in their "mop up" phase. "When you hear the fire is 100-percent contained or controlled that's not the end for us," says Cal Fire Battalion Chief, Matthew Jauregui. About 2-hundred fire fighters are still out today "mopping up" after the fire. Basically making sure fire fighters don't have to start all over again if the fire re-ignites.
"Currently we have someone walking the whole perimeter to gives us the exact acres," says Battalion Chief Jauregui. Fire crews check each and every acre putting out hot spots because one ember can char a whole mountainside like the one off highway 58. Crews are all the way up the mountain laying hose for potential hot spots and ash pits. A helicopter is also still on standby to make air drops. Fire fighters are cutting trees that have fire and embers in them.
Cal Fire will start to scale back resources as days go on and by Sunday Cal Fire expects to be on patrol status. "What we will do is put 2-3 engines each day on the fire during a day, and we'll do that for another 3 or 4 days," says Battalion Chief Jauregui. Those crews will be out patrolling until fire fighters are 100-percent sure they can let the area stand alone.
Cal Fire says they should be able to relieve all the out of town crews by Saturday leaving only San Luis Obispo County on scene.
