UPDATE: Better weather helps fire crews on Loma Fire

UPDATE 9/28/2016 9:45 PM:

Fire crews made progress on the Loma Fire on Wednesday, as extreme weather conditions let up. Fire officials say the lower temperatures and higher humidity prevented the flames from intensifying and allowed crews to build direct lines on the fire.

With aircraft in the skies and boots on the ground, crews were able to get a better handle on the fire, which started on Monday afternoon. As of Wednesday night, while the fire had grown to 2,865 acres, it was 22 percent contained.

Despite the progress, there are still threats to firefighter safety. The fire has the potential to once again burn in certain areas where the original flames weren’t as intense. Cal Fire also said because the Santa Cruz Mountains are rugged with steep slopes, it makes them susceptible to something firefighters call “roll outs.

“That’s where burning material from the top side of the hill, partially burned, the stumps, the pine cones, things like that, tumble down the hill and ignite the unburned fuel at the bottom of the hill,” Cal Fire public information officer Jordan Motta said. “If you’re a firefighter working mid-slope or driving on a mid-slope road, it’s one of the hazards we worry about in this terrain.”

The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office lifted evacuation orders on its side of the fire on Wednesday, however there were still road closures in effect for non-residents.

At one point, Stephanie Derylo’s home was at risk, under a voluntary evacuation. She had everything packed up and ready to go but decided to stay. She said she has seen fires burn through this area for years.

“I’ve been here my whole life, so we went through the 1985 Lexington Fire as well,” Derylo said. “That came down and burned our shed down, I mean it hit everything on our property. It burned our neighbor’s to the ground. And we were here for the last couple of fires, in 2008 I think and 2002. So, we’ve been through it.”

But some of her neighbors haven’t been as confident, calling the Loma Fire “nerve-wracking.”

Local businesses are stepping up and are trying to find ways to help the community. The Summit Store is hoping to raise money through a massive effort next week, the Meat Bonanza.

“We have a sale twice a year and a portion of that sale, on October 6th, is going to go to a fire relief fund,” manager Ben Abeln said.

One home and six outbuildings have been destroyed. Another home is damaged. Cal Fire said crews are assessing the damage now. It’s still holding at 10 percent containment, but crews hope to have full containment by Monday.

ORIGINAL POST:

Crews battling the Loma Fire in the Santa Cruz Mountains are surveying damage near Loma Prieta peak on Wednesday.

So far, the fire has burned about 2,200 acres and is 10 percent contained.

Cal Fire said crews plan to speak with residents who haven’t followed the evacuation order yet.

Evacuated areas include the following:

Mandatory evacuation orders for the Loma Prieta ridgeline area including all tributary roads along Summit Road from Soquel San Jose Road to Ormsby Fire Station. This includes Uvas Canyon County Park, Loma Chiquita, Casa Loma, Loma Prieta Way, Highland Road and Mount Bache Road.

Crews said portions of Croy Rd. are under an evacuation warning.