Continuation of tactics today...

July 9, 2008, about 7:00 am...

The road outside our door - Tassajara Road - is busy this morning. The on-ground fire crews that arrived recently are heading up to Chews Ridge and toward Tassajara in the National Forest to strengthen the firebreaks while the weather is favorable and before the day heats up.

This morning, I notice that those pesky bluejays, that come by to eat the cat food every morning and joust with Snackybutt (our cat), have disappeared. Wiser that we are, they've fled the smoke... where'd they go???  It's a mystery!

In town, last night and this morning, we visit the newly set up Fire Camp at the old Carmel Valley airstrip. It's packed with crew and equipment.

While discussing today's operations with some of the firefighters, they mention that today, they'll be setting backfires once again in order to defend the northeast containment boundary of the Basin Complex. This is the area that, if defenses fail, will allow the fire to threaten Cachagua, Jamesburg and ultimately Carmel Valley Village.

The wind is currently favorable to us, blowing from the northwest. But, if the wind should shift, and blow hard from the southwest, it could put the lines to the test.

The southern boundary is being held at Dolan Ridge, south of Big Sur, and the southeast area of concern - especially to us concerned with local landmarks, is Tassajara Creek, where the fire is moving slowly downhill toward Zen Mountain Center (see Sitting with Fire for more information on the defense of the Tassajara Hot Springs - Zen Mountain Center).

By the way, the merging of the Indians Complex with the Basin Complex is expected. It is stated goal of the IC, verbalized in a number of the community fire information meetings, to allow the two fire lines to merge, so that the fire may consume the remaining fuel (as long as no structures are threatened), and in order to shorten the overall containment boundary of the fire within the blacklines.

From this morning's U.S Forest Service News Release on the Basin Complex Fire:

- The fire is now 27% contained.

- The mandatory evacuation has been lifted for Big Sur residents living south of Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park to Lucia (Yay!!!! Congratulations and hopefully a happy homecoming for most!).

- East Zone (that's us!!!):

Increased fire behavior due to the high temperatures and low humidities with slope driven runs. Poor overnight humidity recovery will also contribute to fire spread.

Continue structure preparation on Carmel Valley Road/Cachagua areas. Helicopters were very effective in checking fire spread and assisting firing operations. Continue structure protection preparation in Cachagua area. Hold and improve line.

Additional 6 miles of line to build includes contingency line to the north near Carmel Valley. East Zone:High temperatures and low humidity continues to concern firefighters. A base camp moved from Fort Hunter Liggett to King City has been completed. The Greenfield spike camp has been closed and a new spike camp in Carmel Valley is open.