Firefighters Make Progress On Sherpa Fire, But High Temps Could Renew Flames
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Firefighters battling the Sherpa Fire for a sixth day near Goleta got a break overnight when winds from the north pushed the flames into previously burned areas, U.S. Forest Service officials said Monday.
The Forest Service said the fire was now 54 percent contained and the number of acres burned remains as 7,893 acres. Officials say 1,936 firefighters from the U.S. Forest Service, Cal Fire and Santa Barbara County Fire remain at work.
The fire sent smoke over large sections of Los Angeles County last week.
In most brush fire battles, firefighters try to hold their fire lines during the day and extend containment during the night hours when humidity rises and wind and temperatures drop, the Forest Service's Nancy Arkin said. But fighting the Sherpa fire has been the opposite, with lower humidity and Sundowner winds propelling the blaze after dark.
With Monday's temperatures forecast to be even hotter and drier than Sunday, there was a high potential for active fire, officials said.
Firefighters planned to continue to build and reinforce containment lines along the north and east sides of the fire and along the Camino Cielo Ridge, officials said.
A red flag warning was scheduled to remain in effect through 10 a.m. Tuesday, according to the Forest Service and Joint Information Center.
Five firefighters have suffered injuries, 270 structures are still threatened by the blaze and one small water treatment building at El Capitan state beach has burned. There are no new evacuations.
The 101 Freeway remained open Monday morning, but a potential for closures does exist, the Forest Service said. There was one road closure on Calle Real that stretched from El Capitan to Refugio Road at Cathedral Oaks, the Forest Service reported.
Southern California Edison reported that 19 customers near El Capitan Canyon lost power and it will likely not be restored until Tuesday.
An estimated containment date is midnight Thursday, according to the Incident Information System.
Santa Barbara County has established an email helpline for farmers and ranchers impacted by the Sherpa Fire at sherpaag@co.santa-barbara.ca.us that connects people with the Agricultural Commissioner's Office.
(©2016 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)
