UPDATE: 101 Freeway Reopens Following Solimar Fire
Fire is 10% Contained and has burned 1,250 Acres Burned
POSTED: 12:13 AM PST Dec 26, 2015
UPDATED: 02:24 PM PST Dec 26, 2015
2pm Solimar Fire Update
UPDATE: The 101 freeway in Ventura County reopened at
1:54 p.m. Saturday, after an hours long closure due to the Solimar
Fire. One lane is closed for emergency crews.
According to Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management, mandatory evacuations at Solimar Beach and voluntary evacuations at Faria and Emma Wood State Park will be lifted by 5 p.m.
________________________________________________________________________________
A major brush fire is burning in Ventura County along U.S. 101 near Solimar Beach that began at approximately 10:42 p.m. Christmas Day. Cal Fire says The Solimar Fire is 10 percent contained and has burned 1,250 acres.
U.S. 101, between Highway 150 and Highway 33 has been closed. Union Pacific Railroad has shut down all inbound trains.
Over 42 mph winds in the area, and light grass are fueling the fire that has already jumped Highway 101. Capt. Mike Lindberry with the Ventura County Fire says that residents in the affected area should be ready to leave at a moment's notice.
Capt. Lindberry says that about 30 homes in the Solimar Beach community are threatened. Mandatory Evacuation is currently in effect for the Solimar Beach residents and campgrounds in the area.
Voluntary Evacuation is currently in effect for the Faria Beach residents.
All evacuees are being directed to head north towards Carpinteria.
A Red Cross shelter is currently activated at the California Veteran Memorial Building located at 941 Walnut Avenue in Carpinteria.
The blaze is primarily burning in oil field areas, according to Capt. Lindbery. Witnesses tell NewsChannel 3 that they believe the fire may have begun in the hills near an oil field.
Ventura County Fire has crews stationed throughout the area including on the Pacific Coast Highway. Multiple agencies are assisting. Los Angeles air ships have been requested to help fight the fire.
Two helicopters have begun to make water drops on the fire.
The California Highway Patrol advises motorists on the following detours:
Stay with NewsChannel 3 and KEYT.com for the latest information on this developing story.
end quote from:
According to Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management, mandatory evacuations at Solimar Beach and voluntary evacuations at Faria and Emma Wood State Park will be lifted by 5 p.m.
________________________________________________________________________________
A major brush fire is burning in Ventura County along U.S. 101 near Solimar Beach that began at approximately 10:42 p.m. Christmas Day. Cal Fire says The Solimar Fire is 10 percent contained and has burned 1,250 acres.
U.S. 101, between Highway 150 and Highway 33 has been closed. Union Pacific Railroad has shut down all inbound trains.
Over 42 mph winds in the area, and light grass are fueling the fire that has already jumped Highway 101. Capt. Mike Lindberry with the Ventura County Fire says that residents in the affected area should be ready to leave at a moment's notice.
Capt. Lindberry says that about 30 homes in the Solimar Beach community are threatened. Mandatory Evacuation is currently in effect for the Solimar Beach residents and campgrounds in the area.
Voluntary Evacuation is currently in effect for the Faria Beach residents.
All evacuees are being directed to head north towards Carpinteria.
A Red Cross shelter is currently activated at the California Veteran Memorial Building located at 941 Walnut Avenue in Carpinteria.
The blaze is primarily burning in oil field areas, according to Capt. Lindbery. Witnesses tell NewsChannel 3 that they believe the fire may have begun in the hills near an oil field.
Ventura County Fire has crews stationed throughout the area including on the Pacific Coast Highway. Multiple agencies are assisting. Los Angeles air ships have been requested to help fight the fire.
Two helicopters have begun to make water drops on the fire.
The California Highway Patrol advises motorists on the following detours:
- To get from Ventura to Santa Barbara: Northbound U.S. 101 at Highway 33 is diverted onto the 33 over to Highway 150.
- To get from Santa Barbara to Ventura: Southbound U.S. 101 at Highway 150, at the base of Carpinteria, traffic is diverted from there up and around to Highway 33.
Stay with NewsChannel 3 and KEYT.com for the latest information on this developing story.
end quote from:
UPDATE: 101 Freeway Reopens Following Solimar Fire
I was watching the video accompanying this article and it was pretty wild to see the embers blowing into the cameraman and his vehicle. He was lucky he wasn't burned by embers this close up because I have been burnt being this close to burning embers myself during fires when I grew up. It's a pretty scary thing to be this close in this high of a wind. You don't want your gas tank on your vehicle to blow up and you don't want embers in your eyes. So, being in these kinds of conditions without eye protection is kind of stupid because you are going to have holes in your clothes from blowing embers at the very least so you don't want your face, hands and eyes burnt too. This is what a high wind fire is like if you survive it if you are downwind from the blaze.
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