Southern California Megafire Nears San Luis Obispo in Wine Country
The Gifford Fire has destroyed four homes and injured seven people—including four civilians--since it ignited on Aug. 1, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
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Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Yahoo
Gifford Fire sent up a towering smoke plume on Tuesday. What happened?
After burning for more than a week, smoke from the Gifford Fire has become somewhat commonplace in San Luis Obispo County. But on Tuesday, a towering column of dark smoke dominated the sky, visible from around the county and prompting concerns from some that the fire — which reached upwards of 122,000 acres as it burned in the Garcia Wilderness on Tuesday morning — may be growing more quickly once again. Los Padres National Forest service representatives, however, said the changing smoke column wasn't cause for alarm. 'It's part of everyday fluctuation of the smoke column and fire intensity,' public information officer Flemming Bertelsen said Tuesday afternoon. 'You'll often see it ramping up and subsiding.' According to Bertelsen, it is normal for the smoke column to change day-to-day based off a number of variables like topography and wind patterns, as well as whatever is happening on the fire line. 'It's always changing,' he said. 'Strategic firing operation' helps cut off fire's forward progress The fire had burned 125,648 acres as of the latest update on Tuesday afternoon, according to the Los Padres National Forest. Containment remained at 33%. Later Tuesday, Gifford Fire officials said 'favorable weather conditions, manageable fire behavior and the full readiness of fire crews provided the ideal circumstances to begin a strategic firing operation today.' During that operation, ground crews ignited vegetation along established and reinforced containment lines around the border of the Garcia Wilderness. Helicopters also assisted in the more steep and inaccessible areas along the Garcia Ridge, a Gifford Fire representative wrote in an email to The Tribune. 'This action was taken to stop the fire's forward progress,' the representative said, noting that that was likely part of the reason for increased smoke around San Luis Obispo County on Tuesday. Officials anticipate having the firing operation done by Wednesday. How is air quality in SLO County during Gifford Fire? Meanwhile on Tuesday, the county's Air Pollution Control District said it was actively monitoring potential impacts of smoke from the fire. The agency said in a news release it expected SLO County skies to 'be hazy' with fine particulate concentrations and ozone 'higher than normal as long as the fire remains active.' It also warned for the potential for high levels of ash. Due to 'continued northwesterly flow aloft,' air quality was actually expected to be good across most of the county, the release said. Impacts were instead expected to be limited mostly to the southeastern portion of SLO County in the area of the Carrizo Plain and Cuyama. Those areas should expect an increase in smoke in the afternoon before clearing out overnight, the agency said. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Yahoo
Gifford Fire grows to more than 125,000 acres as it shifts west in SLO County
This is a developing story. Check back to for updates. To get breaking news alerts, click here The Gifford Fire grew nearly 3,000 acres overnight and then added another 3,600 Tuesday, reaching a total of 125,648 acres as of 4 p.m., according to the Los Padres National Forest. Northeastern winds after sunset Monday evening drove the fire to spread west along the Garcia Ridge, close to established containment lines along Hi Mountain Road, which runs between the Garcia and Santa Lucia Wildnerness areas. Crews worked overnight to remove vegetation in advance of the main fire to prepare for a 'strategic firing operation,' which is tentatively scheduled to take place Tuesday afternoon contingent on weather conditions, manageable fire behavior and complete readiness of resources. Firefighters established containment lines on the northeast side of the fire near Los Pelados and Midway roads. Crews laid hoses in the area and will work to extinguish any remaining hot spots Tuesday. Other parts of the perimeter were in mop-up and patrol status. Hot and dry conditions were expected to continue Tuesday, with poor humidity recovery in higher elevations through the night. Winds on the ridges were expected to shift from northeasterly Monday evening to northwesterly during the daytime on Tuesday, with gusts reaching up to 20 miles per hour in the afternoon and evening. Evacuation orders expanded Monday to zones SLC-193, SLC-194, SLC-221, SLC-224, which include the areas of Pozo Road, Santa Margarita Lake, Parkhill Road and River Road, and west of the Los Padres National Forest. Zones SLC-172 and SLC-192 were both added to the evacuation warning, which includes the areas north of Santa Margarita Lake, south of Las Pillas Road, west of Los Padres National Forest and east of Pozo Road. To view all areas under evacaution orders and warnings, visit Solve the daily Crossword
San Francisco Chronicle
19 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Gifford Fire smoke expected in Bay Area, air quality advisory in effect
A Bay Area air quality advisory is in effect as health officials expect smoke from the Gifford Fire to move into the area Tuesday. Bay Area residents may see hazy skies and smell smoke, but the Bay Area Air Quality Management District said it does not expect pollution levels to exceed federal 24-hour health limits. Ground-level smoke intensity, however, is difficult to predict. The United States Environmental Protection Agency's real-time smoke map shows clean air quality scores for much of the area, including San Francisco and Oakland. San Pablo at Rumrill Boulevard and San Jose at Jackson Street showed moderate air quality levels that suggest 'unusually sensitive people' consider limiting time outside and heading indoors if they experience symptoms. The Gifford Fire, burning through the rugged backcountry of California's Central Coast, has grown into the state's largest wildfire of the year and has reached 'megafire' status. The fire had burned 125,648 acres and was 33% contained as of Tuesday afternoon. Even brief exposure to wildfire smoke and its pollutants can harm people, the air district said. Smoke can irritate the eyes, throat and sinuses. People with asthma, emphysema or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease can begin to wheeze when exposed to high levels of wildfire pollutants.
