Skip to content

Basin Complex Fire Turned the Corner Today

10 comments

Locals are buzzing about a potential midweek opening of the highway, or at least a re-entry for residents and business owners. The north head of the fire looks pretty cool judging by GeoMAC and Google Earth mapping software and fire command has signalled a thumbs up on the fire behavior in so many words to locals that are close enough to ask.

The fire is at 78,000 acres and is close to 20% contained. Tanker 910 has been working the fire supporting firing operations in the north as the fire ties in with the Indians Fire on the southeast.
The fire is not out or close to it, but those closest to the incident are starting to feel good.
There are a few more days of heat in the forecast so we will see how the open fire portions to the south and east fare tomorrow and Wednesday.


Kudos again to the Deitrich team.

Be Sociable, Share!
Posted by on July 8, 2008 • Filed under: 2008 Fire Season, Basin Complex, California Firestorm 2008 • Tagged:
  • Mike

    Interesting comments. I confess I only know the compound by pictures, relief maps and Google Earth flyovers.I can’t second guess the fire command, won’t but I agree some people need to get in their ears.I am certain their recon flights and continuous flyovers by air attack, tankers and other helicopters are keeping powers informed. Firefighters look forward to opportunities like this. Most live for this kind of battle.PS, this is not the same situation as the Apple Pie incident. This seems completely accessible/defensible and the ground has been prepped for days now.Good luck to those on the grounds!

  • Jane

    Mike, I was at Tassajara throughout the ’77 Ventana Cone fire, one of the residents who stayed in to fight it, successfully. What Joan says is true–right now there are only five Zen practitioners left there, no official fire crew people. These are very capable people, but they need HELP from trained firefighters.The official word from fire authorities is that no crew is there because they are worried they will be trapped if the road is closed by active fire. In ’77 this did happen–but we were still given fire crew help: they walked in from Arroyo Seco in order to be there when the fire arrived and help us with backfire when the main fire arrived at Tassajara.Having lived through this, I have my heart down that road with the five who remain. I repeat Joan’s request–ANYONE who has any pull or friends, please request of Commander Dietrich that Tassajara receive some on-ground assistance. Barring that, major water tanker support on the canyon’s perimeter, so that the fire will come in and down to our firebreak lines slowly rather than hot. We had 16 or so in ’77 to put out spot fires from the rolling debris. I know that Tassajara is defensible, having defended… but I know that five without assistance can’t cover the whole perimeter. There are safe places to shelter there. Even a “trapped” crew would not be in danger of life from the fire itself. I completely respect that any human life is to be valued above any building. But I really hope the five practitioners will receive some support, now, this moment, as the fire approaches.THank you for your up to date fire map postings, also. Google Earth is still showing the fire to be not at Tassajara’s rim, or at the road yet, but I can’t quite ascertain how up to date it is at any given time.Jane

  • Joan

    Mike: Please go to sitting with fire.com to see that unfortunately there are no fire crews at Tassajara. I was there in 1977 and Tassajara was saved by a top backburning crew. By now the road may be impassable.

  • Mike

    Joan, that would surprise me. I would like to hear confirmation of that. Abandoning the compound would be irresponsible. The folks there have done everything asked of them.It’s a cultural center and an important assett to the general community. I just cannot imagine they don’t have a dozer, a few engines and a crew on the grounds.

  • Joan

    Mike is right that Tassajara will survive if there are fire crew there. The site is well prepared. But the crews have apparently left with no plan to return. It feels like Tassajara has been abandoned. PLEASE, anyone who has any influence with fire officials, get a crew back in there to support the 5 residents who remain.

  • Mike

    Hi McBois, interesting thought. Too expensive to apply to the forest + any chemical strong enough to stop the fire on that scale would be toxic to the forest and environment.Individual homes might be a thought using presently available gels.Mike

  • McBois

    Thanks for your info Capt! We lived through a horrific (300k acre) and long lasting fire last year at my brother’s cabin in Idaho. This year, we been praying for an end to the Big Sur fires and carefully watching the maps to check out our friends’ very magical spot in the south Coast (that we couldn’t get to this year…).Here is a question for a fire pro… If retardant can be sprayed onto the forest, and retardant gel can be applied to a structure, could a retardant be sprayed onto a fire line (instead of hand carving or dozering it)? Just a thought…

  • Mike

    Hi Tony, thanks for the comment. I think the Tassajara complex will be OK if they have firefighters and engines there. Good road in and out so I’m hopeful they come out ok.Esalen will be OK IMO.Nutty weather/winds are affecting the entire state at the moment. Big Sur is one of many communities with similar concerns now.Best to all affected. I’m still watching closely, amazed how this is being fought with such limited resources.Mike

  • Tony

    Everything you say is accurate, AND the fire is NOT over for those along Hwy One from Julia Pfeiffer Burns Park South to Lucia — all still under mandatory evacuation. The fire is burning in Hot Springs Canyon around 100 yards from Esalen and flared up mightily last night. Hot temps and potential offshore winds will make such situations dangerous over the next two days. Also, inland, places like Tassajara are still very threatened.Please, don’t forget them!Thank you.

  • Tim

    For more on the impact of the East zone of the fire, I recommend people check out < HREF="http://sittingwithfire.blogspot.com/" REL="nofollow">Sitting with Fire<>