The Gap Fire was called 70 percent contained as of 6 p.m. on Thursday evening, July 10. With just 2.5 miles of fire line still to build, officials predicted that it would be fully contained by Wednesday, July 16. There are 16 dozers, four helicopters, and 64 engines at hand, but no air tankers, which have been called away to fires in northern California which are now higher priority. More than 1,000 firefighters are still assigned to the Gap Fire.
Neighborhoods west of Windermere Ranch on West Camino Cielo Road are still under a mandatory evacuation order. The other West Camino Cielo neighborhoods are on evacuation warning status.
The number of structures burned remains the same as it has for the past week, at four outbuildings, but the number of injuries had risen to six as of Thursday evening.
The suppression cost is counted at over $15 million. The Gap Fire’s cause is still under investigation and believed to be human-by accident or arson. The Los Padres National Forest Service continues to ask members of the public to call the 24-hour tipline at 805-961-5710 if they have any information.