Fire crews make big gains against Southern California blaze

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (AP) — Fire crews made significant progress overnight against a wildfire burning for nearly a week in Southern California coastal mountains, officials said Sunday.

More than 1,600 firefighters were battling the blaze in the Santa Ynez Mountains west of Santa Barbara on land and by air. They were able to stop its forward growth, and the blaze was 78% contained, federal officials said.

The Alisal Fire started last Monday and has scorched nearly 27 square miles (69 square kilometers). It is threatening about 400 structures.

A 1 1/2-acre (0.6 hectare) spot fire that ignited outside a retardant line on the blaze’s northwestern corner was quickly contained by firefighters who used bulldozer and hand lines on the ground and doused the flames with water from the air. On Sunday, few hot spots remained, and fire crews were focused on increasing containment.



FILE - In this Oct. 13, 2021, file photo, an air tanker drops retardant on a wildfire in Goleta, Calif. Firefighters persisted in making progress Saturday, Oct. 17, against a wildfire burning for a sixth day in Southern California coastal mountains. The Alisal Fire in the Santa Ynez Mountains west of Santa Barbara grew only slightly since Friday to nearly 27 square miles (69 square kilometers). It was 50% contained. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu, File)


Read more: https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-mountains-fires-environment-and-nature-california-c672ac0e8524080a8f92c9a47d9e5713

[Hekate]

1. Just got off the phone with my evacuated daughter. Her little place still stands, but she won't ...

… be able to move back until probably January due to the potential for rock slides and mud slides. She and her significant other have a certain array of options, though, thank gods. And they are philosophical: California burns, and their area shouldn’t burn over again for a number of years.

[aggiesal]

2. If they have homeowners insurance ...

and they are under mandatory evacuation, their homeowners insurance may cover hotel stays.

I found that out when we were mandatory evacuated in one of the recent San Diego wildfires.

Have them look at their homeowners insurance if that have one.

[Hekate]

3. She does have renter's insurance, and her family is staying with friends in SB right now...

The septic tank at her rented home melted in the fire. She’s hoping to return there to the canyon with the same landlady, who’s been good to her, and live in the same manufactured home. Further up the road in the same canyon, her significant other (can’t bring myself to call a man in his mid-40s a “boyfriend ” ) works as a cook for a camp, and there’s more than one cabin empty, apparently, and they might be able to rent one for the duration. She acknowledges that road access could be a problem going forward, especially if there’s rain — altho the fire itself knocked loose a fair amount soil and rock.

I’m just so grateful they’re all safe and still have their animals and household goods.