The Cal Fire Incident Management Team and Unified Command fire officials hosted a Jesusita Fire Community meeting on Thursday, May 14, 2009, at La Cumbre Junior High School, 2255 Modoc Road, in Santa Barbara.

This is a fire information community meeting by state, federal and local fire and law enforcement officials was meant to provide the public with first-hand information about the Jesusita Fire and its status. A question and answer session was included in the presentation. This is a fire incident meeting only. Additional meetings that focus on recovery will be held separately.

Representatives from the Red Cross, Direct Relief International and the Fire Safe Council staffed information tables about their organization to help explain their roles during the fire.

The meeting was recorded and is being re-broadcast on both the government cable television channels for both the County (Ch. 20) and the City (Ch. 18) of Santa Barbara.


City TV will re-play the meeting on:

Monday, May 18 at 8 p.m.

Tuesday, May 19 at 6 p.m.


Check online at www.CountyofSB.org for a broadcast schedule on Channel 20 and at www.SantaBarbaraCA.gov for additional updated broadcasting schedule information.

Labels: Jesusita Fire

The County of Santa Barbara has established a Local Assistance Center (LAC) to provide assistance and recovery services for residents who have lost homes or otherwise have been impacted by the Jesusita Fire.

The County has requested the following Federal, State and local agencies to provide assistance including:

* Contractor's State Licensing Board (CSLB)
* Department of Insurance (DOI) -Consumer Assistance and Investigations Unit
* Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
* Department of Public Health - Vital Records
* Employment Development Department
* Board of Equalization
* Franchise Tax Board
* Internal Revenue Service
* Various Non-Profit Agencies
* County of Santa Barbara
* City of Santa Barbara

The LAC will be open beginning Monday, May 18, 2009 from 9:00 AM to 5 PM, Monday through Friday until further notice, at the County Administration Building Lobby, 105 E. Anapamu St., Santa Barbara, 93101.

Labels: Jesusita Fire

[ From "Extreme heat keeps fire going strong - Mandatory evacuations expand west to Turnpike," By DAILY SOUND STAFF -- May 8, 2009 ]

... 2:53 p.m. update: A somber Das Williams, Santa Barbara city councilmember, described a late-morning tour through parts of Mission Canyon ravaged by flames yesterday afternoon.

"It was really strange," he said. "It was different than what you'd expect. It wasn't one line of homes destroyed. It almost seemed at random. There would be one totally destroyed and right next to it there would be one totally untouched. It was really kind of a patchwork of destruction and salvation."

While he had yet to hear an official figure of homes destroyed, Williams said he personally saw more than 20 lost residences.

The councilmember visited hard-hit Palomino and Tunnel roads, as well as Skofield and Rattlesnake canyons, which appeared to have fared the firestorm somewhat better. He described narrow roadways with vegetation growing thick on both sides, seemingly wide enough for only a large car, much less a full-sized fire engine.

"You could see how dangerous it would be for firefighters to be in that area when the fire was threatening to engulf them," Williams said.

After speaking with fire officials, he said the emphasis remains on populated areas along the southern edge of the fire. The goal to the eastern and northern flanks appear to be holding flames to East Camino Cielo and Gibraltar Road, he said.

"Because the terrain is so difficult on the north and the east, they seem to be moving the lines to a very defensible position," Williams said.

Labels: Jesusita Fire

Friends,

This afternoon, the fight was aided by the use of a DC-10 jumbo jet tanker that made multiple runs and dropped thousands of gallons of retardant along ridge lines:



I spoke with local fire fighters today who expressly asked that people not stay and defend their homes when asked to evacuate. They understand the motives of people who are inclined to do so and are sympathetic, but the fire fighters emphasized that the risk of fatalities as a result of such action was just too great.

The map, updated 5/8, 10:15 a.m.:


( Please click to enlarge )

Thank you for reading and viewing. Please be safe.

DAS

Labels: Jesusita Fire

Map of Jesusita Fire data, as of Friday morning, 7:40 a.m.:


View Jesusita Fire - Santa Barbara in a larger map

Labels: Jesusita Fire

Dear Friends,

Evacuation and Evacuation Warning areas have been expanded, as of 7:48, this evening. Please read below and check the map:

( Please click to enlarge )


Evacuation Orders

North of Hwy 192(Foothill) from Morada Lane/Ontare Road, West to Hwy 154, North to Painted Cave area

HWY 154 is subject to closure

The overall mandatory evacuation order area now include: Morada Lane (Western Boundary) and Ontare Road North to Camino Cielo, Foothill Road and Morada to San Roque, San Roque, San Roque South to Calle Noguera, Calle Noguera to Alamar Road, Alamar South to State Street, State Street (All Business Free to Open) to Constance, Constance to Garden, Garden to Micheltorena, Micheltorena North to the end of the road, extending to Alameda Padre Serra, Alameda Padre Serra East to Sycamore Canyon Road (Eastern Boundary), North on Sycamore Canyon to HWY 192 West to El Cielito.


Evacuation Warnings

The Evacuation Warning Area has been expanded to the Southeast and now includes: La Cumbre Road (Western Boundary) to State Street, State Street to De La Vina, De La Vina to Anapamu, Anapamu to Anacapa, Anacapa South to De La Guerra, De La Guerra to Milpas, Milpas South to Quinientos Street (New Boundary), Quinientos Street to Clifton Street to Barker Pass, Barker Pass to Hwy 192 (Sycamore Canyon Road), Hwy 192 (Sycamore Canyon Road) West to Stanwood Drive.


There are several ways to follow the latest information and public notices on the Jesusita Fire:


The Internet:

Jesusita Fire Information: http://www.countyofsb.org/ceo/dept0.aspx
City of Santa Barbara website at www.SantaBarbaraCA.gov
County of Santa Barbara website at www.CountyofSB.org


Television:

CityTV Channel 18
County of Santa Barbara TV Channel 20
KEYT-TV Channel 3


Radio Stations:

KCSB-FM, 91.9
KSYV-FM, 96.7
KTYD-FM, 99.9
KSBL-FM, 101.7
KRAZ-FM, 105.9
KTMS-AM, 990
KZSB-AM, 1290
KUHL-AM, 1410
KINF-AM, 1440
KSPE-AM, 94.5
KIST-AM, 107.7


Telephone:

County of Santa Barbara's Call Center at (805) 681-5197 for more information.


Thank you for reading and please be safe.

DAS

Das @ Facebook

Labels: Jesusita Fire

Dear Friends,

There are new mandatory evacuations of some areas between San Roque and the Upper East. Please reference the map and return home if you are not already. Areas near this should get prepared. I am, for instance, removing Jennifer (still in her wheel chair recovering from knee surgery) because she can't move fast to Goleta because we live a block outside the mandatory evacuation area.

( Please click to enlarge )

There are several ways to follow the latest information and public notices on the Jesusita Fire:


The Internet:

Jesusita Fire Information: http://www.countyofsb.org/ceo/dept0.aspx
City of Santa Barbara website at www.SantaBarbaraCA.gov
County of Santa Barbara website at www.CountyofSB.org


Television:

CityTV Channel 18
County of Santa Barbara TV Channel 20
KEYT-TV Channel 3


Radio Stations:

KCSB-FM, 91.9
KSYV-FM, 96.7
KTYD-FM, 99.9
KSBL-FM, 101.7
KRAZ-FM, 105.9
KTMS-AM, 990
KZSB-AM, 1290
KUHL-AM, 1410
KINF-AM, 1440
KSPE-AM, 94.5
KIST-AM, 107.7


Telephone:

County of Santa Barbara's Call Center at (805) 681-5197 for more information.


Thank you for reading and please be safe.

DAS

Das @ Facebook

Labels: Jesusita Fire

A Message From DAS, 5 May 2009

Dear Friends,

I wanted to take a moment to give everyone some information on the fire that began this afternoon. Everyone is montioring the fire closely and moving quickly to contain immediately.

The Jesusita Fire began around 2:00PM this afternoon in the San Roque Canyon area near Tunnel Road north of Santa Barbara. The fire is estimated to be 150 acres in size. The fire is burning in a north-easterly direction, but winds may change the direction soon. Please read and follow the evacuation orders below. In addition, folks living in or close to Mission Canyon should PREPARE for the possibility of evacuation.

Authorities are issuing an informational reverse 911 call for people east of Highway 154, north of Foothill Road and west of Mission Canyon Road. It is only to let people know there is a fire near them so they can start preparing.

Fire officials are ordering outside resources including hand crews, and 14 type 1 crews from across Southern California. The public can call the emergency operations center at 681-5197 Red Cross has set up a Red Cross Shelter at the First Presbyterian Church at 21 E. Constance Rd. in Santa Barbara.


Mandatory Evacuations:

All locations north of Foothill Road from Morada Lane and Ontare Road to El Cielito Rd./Gibralter Road to E. Camino Cielo. Mandatory evacuations have been issued for North of the Santa Barbara Botanical Gardens. Roads include: Tunnel Road, Holly Road, Spyglass Road, Orange Grove and Mission Canyon Road, Las Canoas Rd. Notification only from Highway 154 to Gibraltar Road north of Foothill Road. Large animals at Earl Warren Showgrounds are being evacuated. Marymount School officials in Santa Barbara have confirmed the school has been evacuated. All students have been sent home safely.

All traffic on La Cumbre north of State St. and Foothill Rd is shut down.


Here's the status of the fire as of 5:30 p.m., via KEYT-TV:
http://www.keyt.com/news/local/44397807.html

Thank you for reading and please be safe.

DAS

http://www.legendarysurfers.com/das/blog/blogger.html
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1486308258

Labels: Jesusita Fire, San Roque Canyon