Road Status - Friday 09/18/2009

Road remained closed and will be closed for the weekend. Security guards manned the gate round the clock to keep the general public out. US Forest Service personnel stated the road opening depended on the full containment of the Station Fire. I spoke with the guard Adrian at 4:30 pm Friday. Closed for the weekend.

The Station Fire Incident Commander Mike Wakoski requested additional helicopters to cover the hot spots over the hot dry weekend. Expect increases in aviation activity as well as smoke into next week.

The Station Fire is now at 93% containment. When referring to a fire, the difference between a fire being contained or controlled can be unclear. When a fire is contained a fuel break had been completed around the fire manually by hand line, and/or mechanically by dozer line. These breaks may also include the use of natural barriers such as rocky outcroppings. When a fire is controlled, it has been extinguished completely, including hot spots. When a fire has been controlled, the fireline is secure enough so that flare-ups within the fire perimeter will not break through the line. Therefore, just because a line is contained does not mean that the fire is controlled. The estimated containment date is now September 22, 2009.

I am more than ready for this fire to be over.