Firefighters are slowly getting a handle on the 88,650-acre La Brea fire, and are claiming 75% containment. Here is information from an update they provided Monday night:
Monday’s Operations: Dozers and crews worked on improving the fire lines on Sierra Madre Ridge and in Cottonwood Canyon. Due to unfavorable conditions, fire crews were unable to conduct burning operations along the Schoolhouse Ridge dozer line. Firefighters worked to construct direct line above Cottonwood Canyon. Hot Shot crews entered the wilderness north of the Sisquoc River near Manzana Schoolhouse and began work on hot spots and cold trailing at the edge of the fire. Mop up operations continued on the west side of the fire.
Firefighters are applying “light on the land” tactics known as MIST (Minimum Impact Suppression Tactics) in the wilderness to limit the impacts in the wilderness.
Monday night Operations Plan: Focus will be on the upper end of Cottonwood Canyon just below Sierra Madre Ridge. Dozers and crews will continue to work on improving fire lines and hope to conduct firing operations throughout the night, weather permiting. Mop up operations continue on the west side to reinforce the containment lines. Crews will continue to mop up and monitor the perimeter of the fire.
The map of the La Brea fire below shows heat detected by satellites at 3:30 a.m. PT on August 18. It only shows one area where heat was detected in the previous 12 hours, in red.
