Edhat Staff
Update by the edhat staff
August 11, 2023
The Santa Barbara County Fire Department is still extinguishing a dump fire near Buellton that sparked on Monday.
Captain Scott Safechuck stated crews have been applying 100,000 gallons of water daily in an attempt to put out the fire and insure it doesn’t spread to surrounding vegetation.
Hand crews, bulldozers, and excavators have been working 24 hours per day.
Safechuck said they expect to be on the scene for the next 48 to 96 hours.
Mail Incident Update: Fire still smolders. SBC firefighters on scene 24/7 since Aug 7, applying 100k+ gallons daily, using bulldozers & excavator to insure that it does not spread to the surrounding vegetation. Overhaul and mop-up operations continue for the next 48-96 hrs. pic.twitter.com/6Cfc41xJoQ
— Scott Safechuck (@SBCFireInfo) August 10, 2023
Update by the edhat staff
August 8, 2023
The brush fire off Highway 246 near Buellton was contained on Monday afternoon.
County Fire Captain Scott Safechuck reports the fire reached 1.5 acres and started in a 15-year-old dump site filled with debris piles up to 30-feet high.
The proximity to the State Responsibility Area (SRA) dry brush raised a threat and crews worked through the excavators, a Batallian Chief, handcrews and engines to ensure containment.
Crews will continue to work through Tuesday to insure that the 1.5-acre fire does not escape to the surrounding brush as it still poses a major threat to the SRA, said Safechuck.
Update by the edhat staff
1:00 p.m., August 7, 2023
Santa Barbara County Firefighters are on the scene of a growing brush fire near Buellton.
At 12:22 p.m., crews received a report of a brush fire in the 600 block of Mail Road off Highway 246, between Buellton and Lompoc.
The first arriving crew reported a 100 x 100 foot fire with the potential to grow up to three acres.
Although it was initially moving at a slow rate of spread, crews noticed it was moving downhill towards heavier fuels, said Captain Scott Safechuck.
Air resources have been called in to assist ground crews with helicopters making water drops and fixed wing tankers staging an air attack.
This is a developing story.
Reported by Bob on the Scanner
12:30 p.m., August 7, 2023
Brush fire growing in the 600 block of Mail Road between Lompoc and Buellton, but closer to the Buellton side. Mail Road is off Hughway 246.
Happened just before 12:30p (Mon). A Lot of resources are responding to this. Sounds small but potential to grow.
I can’t monitor this fully, hope someone else can jump in.
Fire is under control as of 1400 Hrs. About 2 acres total.
I was at this fire today just as it was starting. Best I can tell there was lots of old and dried out plant material that had been dumped into this ravine repeatedly making for a lot of fuel. We’re lucky the winds were mild today and helicopter h964 was on hand.
Wow! “… crews have been applying 100,000 gallons of water daily … ”
I certainly hope they are using recycled water and not potable water that seems now to be in such short supply.