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Photograph by Paul Myers
Mike Stonum, California Department of Forestry battalion chief, walks along a hilltop near Highway 17 where a fire occurred the day before.
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Quick action by firefighters spares house
By Gloria I. Wang
Flames that recently charred about three acres near Montevina Road in Los Gatos and came close to burning down a house, signal the increased fire danger resulting from this summer's extraordinarily dry conditions.
The fire, which started at around 6:12 p.m. on July 4, was stopped by firefighters from the California Department of Forestry (CDF) and the Santa Clara County Fire Department. The fire was about 25 feet away from an unoccupied house when the CDF helicopter released two bucketfuls of water and doused the flames. The rest of the blaze was extinguished with hoses.
Battalion Chief Mike Stonum of the CDF said that while the cause of the fire is still unknown, authorities do know that it started approximately 30 feet west of a turnout on Montevina Road. Within three minutes, the flames began to spread up toward the house, burning brush and trees. "Everything just burned at once," Stonum said. "[It] shot to the top of the hill."
According to Stonum, the CDF received the call at 6:15 p.m. The crew did a "van attack" in which crew members drove to the scene, and the helicopter flew to Lexington Reservoir, where it picked up the 600 gallons of water that it dropped, stopping the flames from advancing at approximately 6:20 p.m.
In the meantime, county fire firefighters and the CDF worked with hoses to put out the flames farther downhill. After the fire was extinguished, the firefighters spent time making sure that all the embers were doused. They removed any grass or brush so that only dirt was left; in the event that another fire started, it would have nowhere to go. Crews stayed on the scene until about 9 p.m.
Hal Hendrix, county fire battalion chief and the first person on the scene, estimated that the engines used 2,500 to 3,000 gallons of water. In total, six engines, one helicopter, two fire crews and two bulldozers assisted in putting out the fire.
Stonum said that the fire was unusual because it was a "crowning" fire; instead of running underneath the trees, as is often the case, this one moved into the trees. Crowning fires, Stonum said, are rare, especially for this early in the summer. Usually crowning fires occur when there is an abundance of heat in the air and the timber is especially dry, typically at the end of August. This year, two other such crowning fires have occurred, increasing the need for residents to take extra fire-prevention measures.
According to Stonum, Los Gatos, and the rest of California, are high-risk fire spots because of the "mix of wildlife and structures." In Los Gatos, houses are built near clumps of trees that can catch fire anytime. Making the situation worse, Stonum said, is that this year has been an unusually dry one, sucking the humidity out of timber and making trees more susceptible to fire. "We're at an all-time critical point that we might not see again for 20 years," Stonum said.
To decrease a chance of fire, residents can take some practical steps. When camping, people need to make sure they follow all the posted rules--breaking any of them could lead to disaster. Stonum said that drivers should avoid off-roading, because certain car parts rubbing against brush are potential fire starters.
At home, Stonum advises homeowners to mow their lawns before 10 a.m., before the humidity level drops. In addition, Stonum said that homeowners should make sure they leave 30 feet of "defensible space"--100 feet if the home is on a slope--between any structures and the timber on the property.
Hendrix added that residents should try to replace old wood roofs with non-combustible ones. New regulations prohibit wood roofs from being used on new homes, but existing structures may use them.
At the same time, Hendrix said that most mountain residents "are pretty wary" of fires and have learned to call 911 at the first sign of smoke.
The most essential thing, Stonum said, is timing. "We just gotta punish the fire early," Stonum said. To do that, the fire department must be notified of a fire as soon as it begins. With the growing popularity of cell phones, citizens are now able to call the fire department as soon as they see flames, he noted.
A CDF investigator continues to examine the July 4 fire. Neither the origin nor the cause of the fire have been discovered, but weather-related factors have been ruled out.
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Los Gatos, California Since 1881
