Fire crews have been battling a blaze
– the largest in San Benito County this wildfire season –
started by lightning Thursday afternoon south of Paicines that had
burned hundreds of acres.
Hollister – Fire crews have been battling a blaze – the largest in San Benito County this wildfire season – started by lightning Thursday afternoon south of Paicines that had burned hundreds of acres.
The fire had burned 440 acres of ranch land and was 50 percent contained as of Friday at noon, said Jan Bray, a unit information officer for CalFire. Bray said CalFire expected to have the blaze 100 percent contained by 6pm Saturday. It had threatened six structures, Bray said.
The lightning that caused the fire is uncommon for San Benito County at this time of year, according to the National Weather Service.
Firefighters responded to a blaze Thursday afternoon on Quien Sabe Road, but were then called to the larger fire with more potential south of Paicines and just north of Bear Valley on the ranch, CalFire Capt. Jim Dellamonica said Friday. Although the fire is not near Quien Sabe Road, CalFire kept the name, Dellamonica said.
Owners of the large, private ranch were unavailable for comment.
CalFire used 156 personnel, 19 fire engines, one bulldozer, five water tank trucks, many planes and one helicopter to battle the fire, Bray said. The helicopter was based out of the Bear Valley CalFire station in the south county.
Dellamonica said fighting the blaze has been difficult. Varying winds and high temperatures have caused spotting and flare-ups, the captain said. Dellamonica said that flames from the fire reached 100 feet.
And with temperatures of about 100 degrees Thursday and approaching that Friday again, the fire wasn’t the only worry for public safety officials.
“You start dehydrating really fast,” Dellamonica said of fire crews.
On Friday afternoon, the blackened, rolling hills of chaparral brush with oak and pine trees were being encircled by CalFire crews using flame retardant and bulldozer lines. Many of the firefighters had been there working through Thursday night.
Moist, unstable air from the south brought lightning strikes throughout the southern part of San Benito County for most of Thursday, according to the NWS. The county also has been in a drought this year, creating plenty of fuel.
CalFire Chief Curt Itson said Thursday that crews were on alert for the lightning strikes.
