Firefighters have lassoed much of the Cuesta Fire, according to a fire update from Cal Fire, released at 7 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 25.
“Crews continue to make outstanding progress in the Water Canyon staying direct on the fire’s edge,” said Cal Fire Spokesman Bennett Milloy. “Other areas of the fire are moving to a mop up and patrol status.”
With some 1,326 firefighters still on the front lines (down from 1,600 last weekend), Cal Fire now has 59 engines, 19 water trucks, six helicopters and a dozen dozers, manned by 56 crews, working on the fire, which was 85-percent contained with full containment still predicted for Wednesday, Sept. 26.
Also, with the weather clearing, airplanes have been able to better map the size of the blaze, that started Sunday, Aug. 16 about 6:18 p.m. The size was reduced to 2,446 acres from a previously estimated 3,500.
The fire acreage data gathered by aircraft was limited by dense tree canopy, heavy smoke, and fog, said Milloy. “Today crews were able to access areas of the fire that they previously couldn’t.”
The active part of the fire is burning hot in dense woodlands. “Safety measures were taken today to mitigate hot spots in dense vegetation, and steep terrain,” Milloy said, “which allowed for the opportunity for more accuracy in fire mapping.”
The dense vegetation is of course riddled with poison oak and firefighters are battling that too. “Among the challenges of the dense vegetation is the decadent poison oak that has impacted 122 firefighters,” Milloy said. “As high pressure continues to remain over the fire area, higher temperatures, lower Rh, and shifting winds still pose a threat for increased fire activity within the wilderness. Suppression repair is underway, crews and equipment continue to improve contingency lines.”
A Forest Closure Order is in effect for the Santa Lucia Wilderness Area of the Los Padres National Forest, where the fire is still burning. For more information see: www.Inciweb.nwcg.gov.
On another front, Cal Fire arson investigators are still looking for help in identifying the owner of the vehicle believed responsible for starting the Cuesta Fire, as well as a fire in the Nojoqui Grade, in Santa Barbara County and on an uphill section of Hwy 41 in Northern SLO County.
They’ve released a photo of a white, full-sized truck pulling a fifth-wheel travel trailer and a small vehicle behind that.
The vehicle was northbound on Hwy 101 on the Cuesta Grade “with an obvious mechanical issue,” or possibly dragging a chain, from 5:30-6:40 p.m. Aug. 16. Call investigators at the Cal Fire Arson Hotline, 1-800-468-4408 if you saw this vehicle that day. Anyone calling with information can remain anonymous. No word on whether there is a reward in the case at this time.
