Edhat Staff
Update by the Los Padres Forest Service
August 31, 2023
Plant Fire Update: Fire is now 100% contained.
Aliso Park Campground remains closed while firefighters continue to mop up and mitigate hazards.
#PlantFire Update
Fire is now 100% contained.
Aliso Park Campground remains closed while firefighters continue to mop up and mitigate hazards. pic.twitter.com/TryMk2qqAk— Los Padres NF (@LosPadresNF) August 31, 2023
Update by the Los Padres Forest Service
August 24, 2023
95% contained. Mop up continues.
Meet Santa Lucia Crew 7 and Sundowner Crew 8 of the Los Padres National Forest, our brave firefighters who have been working diligently to put out the fire.
Update by the Los Padres Forest Service
August 23, 2023
Fire is 80% contained.
Forest Service crews are working in steep terrain on the southern end to continue mop up and suppression repair.
Plant Fire 75% Contained as Funnel Clouds Form Overhead
Update by the edhat staff
3:00 p.m., August 21, 2023
The Plant Fire is 75% contained at 5,464 acres in New Cuyama as of Monday afternoon.
A total of eight outbuildings have been destroyed, but no residential homes have been affected. Highway 166 is open but drivers are asked to be cautious of equipment in the area.
There has been no noticeable fire growth overnight Sunday into Monday, according to Santa Barbara County Fire Captain Scott Safechuck. Although fire activity such as creeping and smoldering has been observed in the uncontained south end of the fire.
Firefighters are engaged in perimeter control and mop up to extinguish remaining hotspots in rugged steep terrain with 10 to 12-foot tall brush.
Tropical Storm Hilary continues to bring a threat of rain, thunderstorms, 40 mph erratic winds, and funnel clouds over the burn area through Monday night, Safechuck says.
Crews are hiking 4-5 hours at the south-end of the fire to the unsecure edge in order to construct a control line with hand-tools.
Full containment is to be determined.
Photos: SBCFD
Photo: Los Padres Forest Service
Update by the Santa Barbara County Fire Department
5:00 p.m., August 20, 2023
In coordination with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office, all evacuations related to the Plant Fire in Cuyama are lifted as of 4:30 p.m. August 20, 2023. Shortly after the fire started Saturday, August 19, an evacuation order was issued for Aliso Canyon to Wasioja Canyon and the Cottonwood Canyon area. Residents returning home are advised to do so with caution and be aware of slick, wet roadways.
Despite erratic winds and challenging terrain, firefighters were able to make progress controlling the fire. As of 4:30 p.m. Sunday, containment of the fire increased to 60 percent. Rain in the area of the fire due to Tropical Storm Hilary also helped to diminish fire activity Sunday.
The fire has burned approximately 5,464 acres. A total of 636 personnel are assigned to the incident. With the increase in containment and decreased fire activity, some resources are being released.
The Santa Barbara County Type 3 Incident Management Team remains engaged with ground resource fire suppression efforts.
Update by the edhat staff
8:00 a.m., August 20, 2023
The Plant Fire is now 5% contained at 5,464 acres in New Cuyama, Santa Barbara’s north county.
Evacuation orders remain from Aliso Park Road to Cottonwood Canyon.
Highway 166 closed in both directions.
The cause is under investigation.
Evacuations Ordered as Plant Fire Grows to 5,500 Acres in New Cuyama
Aerial attack on the Plant Fire (Photo: Santa Barbara County Fire Department)
Update by the edhat staff
5:15 p.m., August 19, 2023
Multiple agencies are responding to a massive wildfire in New Cuyama, residents ordered to evacuate from Aliso Canyon Road to Cottonwood.
At 1:21 p.m., Santa Barbara County firefighters responded to the Aliso Canyon area for a report of a growing brush fire with heavy smoke.
Air Support helicopter 964 and ground crews responded and called for additional resources that were diverted from the smaller Hapgood Fire in Buellton.
Around 3:00 p.m. the fire, now called the Plant Fire, was estimated to be around 400 acres and growing steadily.
California Highway Patrol has closed Highway 166 from Highway 101 to New Cuyama.
As of 5:15 p.m., the Plant Fire was estimated to be at 5,500 acres and growing.
This is a developing story.
Scanner Traffic Reports
By Tagdes
Vegetation Fire Hwy 166 and Perkins Rd. Cuyama
Multi agency response.
By Geo Duarte
1:20 PM, Hwy 166 at Perkins Rd. Cuyama, CA. Structures threatened, evacuations ordered, law enforcement requested. Also law enforcement req. due to spectator traffic.
Initially estimated at 1000 to 1500 acre burn area.
1:55 PM, Fwd. progress of fire stopped.
1:57 Reports of a person trapped in a camper filling up with smoke. Turned out to be an optical effect from the smoke of the Plant Incident / Fire in the background.
2:31 PM, Incident Command, requesting CHP due to fire approaching and impacting vehicle traffic on Hwy 166.
2:40 PM, Requesting animal evacuation.
2:40 IC, estimating 4 Hours on site. Requesting more engines.
2:50 PM, Current acres more than 300 acres potential for 3000 acres.
2:52 PM, Requesting several more air tankers including 2 additional trainees, one from Cilumbia, CA. and another from Ramona, CA.
2:58 PM, Extensive evacuations requested. Need at least 10 more sheriff’s officers to evacuate
4:42 PM, structures on fire, 2955 Wasioja Rd.
Calling for 6 air tankers and at least 3 copters. Evacuations in progress.
The evacuations and tankers are for the Hapgood Fire at Hwy 246 between Lompoc and Buellton.
Group are running from the barn in the Hapggod Incident.
Now switching 3 or 4 S2 tankers to the Cuyama Fire.
They are splitting resources, with Copter 964 to Cuyama.
https://alertca.live/cam-console/2265 Looks pretty bad
Have a person trapped in a vehicle in the 5000 block of Foothill Rd.
Person trapped is now safe.
Need to change this to the Hapgood Incident for the primary.
Caltrans shutting down Hwy 166 from Hwy 101 to Chumash Gas at Cuyama. Also need several strike teams for 5 structures near the Alisos Fire.
300 to 400 acres. Cal Fire Tankers 73, 74, 75, 76, 78, 79, and 80 all assigned to the fire. Two VLAT DC10 tankers also responding. 10 SO deputies requested to assist in evacuations
Tanker 82 also responding. VLAT Tankers 911 and 912 responding. Additional air attack 2CG is on scene and Intel 12 will be overhead soon
Requesting 2 additional Type 1 water dropping helicopters
Missed this post about the DC10 responding looks like one of them is almost there
Wild to see the air tankers on Flightradar24 fight this fire…is the DC-10 headed to the fire? TNKR911
Yes DC10 Tankers 911 and 912 are assigned
You know it’s bad when one DC 10 is assigned let alone two….
Caller at 7950 Foothill Road stating that there are railroad ties with kerosene in them and the fire is about 50 feet away from it
“Railroad ties with kerosene”? Probably creosote, which is not as flammable.
RP was maybe confused, it was creosote.
Fire has jumped, extending evacuations from Alisos to Cottonwood Cyn.
That is Aliso Cyn Rd.
2 additional tankers ,103 and 210, assigned, and en route from Sacramento. 2 additional helicopters, 8PJ (CH-47D) and 903 (Calfire S-70) responding.
Firefighters are trying their hardest to prevent the fire from jumping Wasioja Road. Due to the smoke it’s hard to tell where exactly the head of the fire is so to be safe they are now extended the evacuation region. This is from aliso canyon to cottonwood canyon
They also have the NSW RFS 737 in the air there. This is the Rural Fire Service plane.
Air attack reporting general acreage is 5,500
The tropical storm should snuff it soon enough
It’s now 60% contained and all closures have been opened.
Dayum, amazing photos.