Bear Fire Update: Still at 271 acres, 10 percent contained
UPDATE 10/18/17 8:00 AM: Cal Fire says containment lines held overnight, and the Bear Fire remains at 271 acres. Containment has increased to 10 percent.
At a press briefing Wednesday morning, a spokesperson said six people have been injured. One firefighter sustained a fractured wrist. Another firefighter is hospitalized after suffering second degree burns overnight.
Cal Fire stressed that no areas outside the evacuation zone are threatened.
This morning, fire crews are concentrating their efforts to protect the densely-populated Las Cumbres area.
PREVIOUS STORY: There are some 600 fire personnel on the front lines of the Bear Fire burning in Santa Cruz County.
Cal Fire, which is the lead agency for the incident, has a number of resources from across the state responding. While there are crews from Monterey and San Benito Counties on the scene, others are coming as far north as Lassen and Modoc Counties and as far south as San Luis Obispo County.
Between the fires burning in Boulder Creek and the North Bay, local fire departments are stretched thin. Some are able to spare resources, but others just can’t.
Monterey Fire sent 13 firefighters to the Tubbs Fire burning in Sonoma County. Some may return home by Tuesday night. In the meantime, the department’s resources are stretched too thin.
“We’re pretty much at this point tapped out,” said Chief Gaudenz Panholzer. “Of course if (it was) a jurisdiction as close to Santa Cruz, we could send them an engine. We would probably work to find a way to send them at least an engine. That’s what we do and we would make it work here, to the best of our abilities.”
The department needs at least 22 people to cover the city’s needs.
Salinas and Hollister Fire have crews up north but are ready to send resources to Santa Cruz.
Many Santa Cruz County fire departments also have crews in both locations, including Watsonville Fire. Watsonville’s fire chief said they still have enough staff to cover the city.
“Our staffing levels have increased due to Measure G, so that’s helped us out a lot,” Chief Pablo Barreto said. “But a lot of personnel that are off duty have come in to help as well. And so they’re coming in on overtime to help the community as well as the county.”
