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When day turns to night
| Monday, Sep 18 2006 11:20 PM
Last Updated: Monday, Sep 18 2006 11:20 PM
The Day fire continued to rage Monday, burning up more than 80,000 acres and bringing a contingent of more than 2,000 firefighters to the area.
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Kern County Fire Capt. Doug Johnston said Monday evening that the fire was still miles from the Frazier Park area, but it was noticeable even in Bakersfield as a hazy orange glow descended on the city late Monday afternoon.
About 75 Kern County Fire Department personnel were among those working to stop the Day fire before it reached the town of Ojai, which was not considered immediately threatened, Johnston said Monday. “Some have been there from the very beginning,” Johnston said. “It’s the way the system works once a fire gets to a certain size.”
As of Monday night, the fire was only 15 percent contained and had cost almost $18 million to fight, according to InciWeb, an interagency wildland fire incident information management system.
The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office issued a recommended evacuation for Lockwood Valley Road between Highway 33 and Frazier Park Road.
As the fire grew, the Frazier Park Community Center opened up Monday afternoon to provide shelter for evacuees.
No homes or structures had been destroyed by the fire, according to a representative from the Ventura County Fire Department.
The fire began on Sept. 4 and has required the closing of several roads. There are no roads in Kern County affected, according to the Ventura County Fire Department. But Kern County residents heading south should avoid Highway 33 because it is closed from Fairview to Wheeler Gorge.
Pyramid Lake, Hungry Valley State Recreational Area, Oak Flat area, Golden Hill Road and Smoky Bear Road at Interstate 5 are also closed, but I-5 is open.
The wind worked with firefighters battling the fire near Fillmore and Santa Paula Sunday night and Monday morning, according to the fire information center in Goleta.
Forest Service firefighter Galen Young, one of the organizers of the air attack against the fire, said there were 11 heavy helicopters, 12 medium-sized aircraft and four light aircraft in the area to help contain the fire. The heaviest helicopters are capable of carrying 2,000 gallons of water and can fill their tanks in less than a minute by suctioning water from rivers and lakes.
The helicopters were grounded Monday because heavy smoke reduced visibility to levels where pilots would be putting themselves at risk by flying toward the fire. The sky was a dull yellow by 3:30 p.m. in Frazier Park and the surrounding area, and a mild smoky smell drifted along the air.
Firefighter Jason Megowan of the San Bernardino National Forest Service was watching over the heavy helicopters with other Forest Service firefighters stationed at a private airstrip on Lockwood Valley Road located miles from the fire. He said typically they’ll work from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., providing support and following the helicopters on their runs and making sure operations are running smoothly.
Fire crews from different counties lined Lockwood Valley Road, listening to updates and waiting in case they were called into action. Benny Austin, a Forest Service task force leader, said the only spot where the fire had spread to near their location was Mutau Flats, about 12 miles away.
Smoke from the fire is now creating air pollution problems in the San Joaquin Valley and will likely do so for the next several days, according to the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District.
The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District warns people with heart or lung diseases to follow their doctors’ advice for dealing with episodes of unhealthy air quality when smoke is present. Additionally, older adults and children should avoid prolonged exposure, strenuous activities or heavy exertion. Everyone else should reduce prolonged exposure, strenuous activities or heavy exertion.
The fire is primarily affecting burning areas of wild land in the Los Padres and Angeles National forests. For more information, check out www.inciweb.org/incident/475/.