UPDATE: Gilroy Highway Fire 95 percent contained
UPDATE 7/2/15 10:42 a.m.: Cal Fire said the Highway Fire off Highway 101, just south of Gilroy, is now 42 acres and is 95 percent contained.
UPDATE 7/2/15 7:52a.m.: Cal Fire reports the Highway Fire is 80 percent contained, and firefighters hope to have it completely out sometime Thursday morning. But crews there dealt with tough conditions because of the rugged terrain. Over the 24 hours, crews have been reduced from 200 firefighters to 100 Wednesday. Not a whole lot of smoke was in the sky but crews still have not yet contained the fire as they work through the hilly terrain.
“They’re working in amongst a lot of oak woodland and it’s just real dense and it’s hard to get into,” said Cal Fire official, Pam Temmermand.
Smoke not as thick Wednesday, but crews said they aren’t in the clear just yet. Ten engines and four inmate crews were being used to battle the fire.
“You could have the weather influences it, with the temperatures, the humidity, the wind that’s on it,” Temmermand said.
So far no structures have been threatened and no injuries have been reported. Cal Fire said they are thankful for that.
“I mean every vegetation fire that we respond to is always a learning experience, not everyone of them is the same, it never goes as the last one possibly did,” Temmermand said.
Cal Fire Santa Clara said the largest fire they’ve battled so far this year was Sunday on 83 acres near Metcalf Road. That fire was put out in a day, but the terrain was much different than this. The Highway Fire is burning on a private ranch land. Fire investigators have spoken to the ranchers but the cause of the fire has not been determined. Right now crews say the main concern is to extinguish the threat.
“It’s just going to be a matter of given the terrain and the brush that we’re working in its probably going to take awhile, simply because we want to go through the whole area, we want to make sure everything is out,” Temmermand said.
Something NewsChannel 5 has been told from every firefighter we talked to is to remind the public to be careful during this 4th of July holiday with fireworks. Don’t set them off if you really don’t have to and keep water handy.
UPDATE 7/1/15 1:28 p.m.: CAL FIRE reports the Highway Fire just south of Gilroy is 60 percent contained.
Crews said containment is taking longer than maybe others fires of the same size because of the hilly and rugged terrain.
Firefighters from the San Benito-Monterey County areas have been pulled off the fire. CAL FIRE said n Tuesday there were 200 firefighters on scene and on Wednesday there are 100.
UPDATE 7/1/15 9:28 p.m.: CAL FIRE reports the Highway Fire, just south of Gilroy, has reduced to 42 acres and is 50 percent contained.
On Tuesday night, firefighters said they faced 50 acres near Highway 101 and Monterey Frontage Road near a ranch. The fire was initially reported around 3:30 p.m.
Crews from San Benito, Monterey and Santa Clara Counties are trying to fully contain it on land and in the air.
CAL FIRE said there were 15 engines, 14 bulldozers, 4 water tenders and 8 inmate crews being used.
Fire crews will remained on scene throughout the night. They are still trying to determine how the fire started.
UPDATE 6/30/15 7:21p.m.: According to CAL FIRE crews in Gilroy the Highway Fire has grown to 50 acres but is also 50 percent contained. Crews will be there overnight to fully contain the fire and put out hot spots. There are still no structures threatened.
Santa Clara and San Benito-Monterey units have 15 engines, 8 inmate crews, 4 bulldozers, 4 water tenders on scene. The air attack on this fire is 3 tankers, and 2 helicopters.
UPDATE 6/30/15 4:52 p.m.: CAL FIRE reports the Highway Fire off Highway 101 near Monterey Frontage Rd is now 40 acres.
PREVIOUS STORY: Cal Fire crews are responding to a brush fire at Highway 101 and Monterey Frontage Road, just north of 25.
Crews said 5-10 acres of brush are burning, with potential to spread to 30 acres. The fire was reported around 3:20 p.m.
Air tanker, helicopter, two inmate crews, bulldozer being sent out.
Cal Fire Santa Clara, Cal Fire San Benito-Monterey County and Gilroy Fire responding
No structures are threatened and no injuries are reported.
