Marine Moisture Slows Fire Near Coast
Gap Still Blazing West to Tecolote Canyon and Camino Cielo
As of 8 a.m on Monday, July 7, the Los Padres National Forest Ranger District’s information site Inciweb reports that the Gap Fire is 35 percent contained, and has burned 9,577 acres–down 347 acres since the last report due to updated mapping. The number of destroyed structures remains the same: four outbuildings such as sheds.
The fire passed under electrical lines yesterday evening, causing outages in Goleta and Santa Barbara.
No additional areas have been given evacuation warnings or orders.
Mature chapparal, up to 20 feet tall, is still the fire’s fuel of choice as it continues to burn at about the same rate at elevations above 1,500 feet. A marine inversion layer dampened its activity to some extent in most areas below that elevation, according to Inciweb.
There was increased activity between Ellwood Canyon and Tecolote Canyon.
The fire continues to progress west toward Tecolote Canyon and northwest toward West Camino Cielo Road, and toward Old San Marcos Pass Road where the Trout Club, Kinevan Tract, Haney Tract, and Windemere Ranch are. Winds are expected to be from the east during the day, but come from the north in the late afternoon and evening.
