CACHAGUAFIRE.COM
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Basin Complex Fire Update This update was prepared at 00:00 hours 7/31/2008. INFO HOTLINE: (805) 961-5770 fire map http://www.geomac.gov fire map info http://www.co.monterey.ca.us info Back-burning operations went very well on Thursday: Cachagua's Torch 77 crew, composed of Skee Stanley, Terry Bishop, Tim Koster, Cassidy Johnson, and Dane Bonsper successfully "created some heat" with Terry's new TerraTorch that he built. It uses gasoline and a gelling agent to create the perfect flame-thrower. Using the torch, our crew moved along the dozer line so efficiently that air operations asked us to slow down, so we stopped and waited for the helicopters to catch up. Thanks to the US Forest Service, Cal Fire and cooperating agencies, all fire crews on the lines were always safe. The operation ran smoothly. It was nice to see the system working so well. 100 ft. flames danced and swirled as they slowly, and then more rapidly, moved down the ridge away from our community. TerraTorch 77 a.k.a. Terry'Torch 77 was a stunning success. It created fire instantly and a heat draw that drew in the fire below, created later by the amazing helitorches. It was like an air-show and ballet combined, well maybe not... You'll have to see the photos (coming soon to this website). Now, following Thursday's burn, there is no fuel load to support a fire of any kind on the "black" side of the dozer lines. "Lower" and "Upper" Cachagua are now relatively safe from this fire. The final quarter mile of hand line from below the Stahl cabin to the reservoir was back burned "by hand." Engineer Kevin Dixon from Cal Fire and Engineer Dane Bonsper from Cachagua Fire made access via canoe over the lake, reached the bottom of the hand line, and made their way, on foot, up the steep embankment. Using a gun that launches small flares and a drip-torch that uses a mix of gas and diesel, they began the back burn where the earlier bigger burn had stopped. Dixon and Bonsper made their way down the steep hand line toward the reservoir, lighting fire as they descended. Branch 23 gave the order to get back to the canoe, so they did, well in time to see the fire show that followed. The helitorches came in to finish the job a few minutes after the two had reached their designated safety zone across the reservoir. The drainage was burned, successfully completing the back burning operations in the containment efforts of this incredible fire, now a household name forever, The Basin Fire of '08. It is looking good, folks. We've put this baby to bed! Good job everybody! Many thanks go out to all of you who made this difficult situation better. You know who you are! We all deserve a pat on the back, and be sure to thank those who helped you during these past 5 weeks. Good browsing: Life in the Fire Lane by Kelly Erin O'brien (KUSP 88.9 and 91.7 FM) Sitting with Fire by The Jamesburg Crew Crews Wait for the Basin Fire to Approach by Kera Abraham
Please continue to drive carefully and slow down, even after the big Basin Complex has been extinguished completely. It will be better.
A special thanks goes out to CA-CFC-Task Force 7756 Lima, which is composed of the district's Heavy Equipment Division: 7756
Lima Leader, Fire Chief Skee Stanley The district's dozer task force put in over 45 miles of firing and containment lines. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ More Info: http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/lospadres/conditions/ You are encouraged to call the Cachagua Fire Department with any concerns, questions, suggestions, and compliments by calling (831) 659-7700. This update was prepared at 00:00 hours 7/31/2008. Cachagua Fire Protection District ~ P.O. Box 2090,Carmel Valley, CA 93924 on District ~ P.O. Box 2090, Carmel Valley, CA 93924 |
