Soberanes Fire Update [MAP] – Blaze Now 18% Contained; Fire Fighters Use Backfires to Extinguish the Wildfire
Soberanes Fire is still blazing with south side firefighters battling scorching hot temperatures and difficult terrain; backfires now started in the area.
The Soberanes Fire has destroyed more than 40,000 acres of land, burned down 57 homes and is still making its way through communities, brush and roads. The massive fire started in the Garrapata State Park July 22 and has moderately grown into an uncontrollable beast. From Sunday night till Monday, firefighters struggled to contain the blaze, which had easily covered 618 acres of land overnight. CalFire reported Monday that the fire is 18 percent contained.
Why the fire is just too hard to contain
Firefighters relentlessly fought the fire and have used numerous techniques to do so. The ground crew fought the blaze head on in scorching hot temperatures with hoses and axes, and faced risks of smoke inhalation. The aerial crew, on the other hand, used helicopters and planes to carry water from the ocean to be dropped over the flames. They continued to do so until they were able to control the blazing areas that were too difficult for ground crew to access.
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Fighting fire with fire
The ground crew set up backfires in an effort to contain the blaze. Backfires are controlled fires that are lit in the areas along the path of the blaze. This stops the fire's progress and burns it out eventually. Backfires have been lit along the south end of the blaze where it is suspected to move considering the unfavorable wind and weather conditions.
Dry and hot weather to continue
Dry and hot weather conditions will prevail in the area over the next days with a few clouds on Friday. The rest of the week will have temperatures of 60 to 70 degrees, while humidity is at 75% and winds up to 12 mph, which are feared to worsen the blaze.
Firefighters working along the north end of the blaze are experiencing better weather conditions compared to those along the south end where winds are stronger. The south end of the fire is also steep, thus making it very hard for ground crew to work their way in. More than 5,000 ground and aerial firefighters are on the scene with three base camps set up in Pfeiffer State Park, Rancho Canada and in Toro Park.
More evacuations ordered
Over the weekend, more mandatory evacuations were ordered by authorities. Evacuation orders were given for the residents in some areas of Carmel Valley, those living along Cachagua Road and Nason Road, as well as the areas near the intersection of Cachagua Road along Tassajara Road.
Residents that are located on Tassajara Road along the intersection of Tassajara Road and East Carmel Valley Road at the Hot Springs Zen Center are also included in the evacuation orders. Meanwhile, residents close to the Carmel Highlands have been given a clearance by the Sheriff to return to their homes. Evacuation orders were lifted from the Carmel Highland area Friday.
At the moment, the fire is moving faster towards the southeast end towards communities of Rancho San Carlos and White Rock.
