Small amounts of backfires were set Monday, more a part of the regular work to push the northern end of the Gifford Fire back rather than the large-scale back-firing operation anticipated, though fire crews worked through the night to remove vegetation along containment lines. Weather, personnel, and fire behavior aligned by Tuesday mid-day when the “firing show” commenced. A full complement of ignition teams, crews to hold the fire within the lines, water-dropping helicopters to check the fire, and meteorologists to provide spot forecasts were on hand.
The Gifford Fire totaled 125,272 acres on Wednesday morning, with containment lines reaching 37 percent of the way around the fire. Altogether, 4,946 firefighters are on the fire, 157 dozers, 104 hand crews, 382 engines, and 777 support personnel. Resources and personnel are being moved to the north from the south today. A half-dozen hand crews remain in the San Rafael Wilderness area of Santa Barbara County, where they’ve achieved containment lines that are close to connecting. They dig by hand in the remote area, with food, water, and supplies dropped in by helicopter, generally on 14-day assignments, said Mark Ruggiero, a spokesperson for Incident Command. Along all containment lines, crews are in “seek and smother” mode as they mop up and patrol any spots that remain hot with embers.
The fire broke out near the Gifford Trailhead of State Route 166 on August 1, growing over two weeks into a “megafire,” or an extreme fire of greater than 100,000 acres. Black plumes of smoke rose high in the sky today, both from the back-firing work and the flames that continue to rise from the interior of the fire.
The coming days should bring improving conditions, with temperatures dropping and humidity increasing, though gusty winds are expected out of the southwest.
Four structures have been destroyed in the southern part of the fire, said Ruggiero, three outbuildings and one residence. Three civilian and seven firefighter injuries were confirmed.
