The Day fire costing over $74 million is still burning; however, it was declared controlled on Oct. 2 after burning 246 square miles in the Los Padres and Angeles national forests.
The fire, which started on Sept. 4, affected Bakersfield College students in many ways with everything from on-call firefighters, volunteers at evacuation centers, ashes on cars to the Bakersfield College women’s golf team having to take a detour around the fire on Sept. 12.
Today, the Forest Service will be looking into conditions to allow the fire closure area to be reduced.
The areas closed that pose a danger to the public will be evaluated to see how dead trees, smoldering stumps, emergency vehicles, firefighters and firefighting aircraft worked on the general fire and hot spots.
The areas in question that are closed include the Angeles National Forest west of Interstate 5, and large areas of the Los Padres National Forest that include Kern, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.
Campfires and charcoal barbecue fires are prohibited except within facilities managed by concessionaires.
The fire from day one has plagued firefighters, according to Margie Clack, day fire public information officer for the Forest Service who said that it seemed that control of the fire was in sight, but weather conditions hampered efforts.
The efforts were hampered in particular on Sept.16 when the fire nearly doubled due to Santa Ana winds.
The Santa Ana winds caused the fire to increase to 80,011 acres threatening the communities of Ojai, Fillmore and Santa Paula.
“We don’t want to have this fire get out of control again,” said Clack.
While the Day fire was the fifth biggest fire in the state of California, there were no deaths.
However, the scariest moment, according to Clack, was on October 1, at 11:05 a.m. in Rose Valley when a Heli-tanker went down. However, both pilots sustained only minor injures. In total there were only eight additional injuries to firefighters ranging from a bee sting to minor burns.
In 2003, the biggest fire in California resulted in 273,246 areas burned, killing 15, with a total of 4,847 structures damaged or destroyed. In the Day fire only one residence was damaged, and one was destroyed.
Other structures ranging from outhouses, barns, and cars were damaged or destroyed; three structures were damaged and a total of 10 structures were destroyed.
Total control of the fire is expected within weeks; however, the public should expect to see more smoke.
With 30 percent precipitation expected for Friday, there are hopes that this late stage of firefighting will progress quickly as total extinguishing of the fire is expected with the first real rain fall or snow fall.
Brenda Turner from the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District indicated that the AQI Accurate Quality Index has been mild.
The biggest concern was when the AQI hit 101 to 150, which commonly occurs any way when fireplaces or control burns are high.
There is always a concern for the elderly or those with poor health, Turner said.
“There is an impact to the people close to it (fire),” said Turner. “Nothing off the charts with this fire.”
The effects to the environment are not as bad as they seemed to be.
The $74 plus million to fight the fire primarily incurred by the use of helicopter and other aircraft are a concern; however, some of the cost will be covered by a grant through the FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency.
F.E.M.A. expresses concern for further fires as Karen Armes Regional Director for F.E.M.A. Region XI said, “The Day fire is just another example of how this active season is far from over.”
This Saturday from noon until 4 p.m., the Frazier community will celebrate “End of the Day after Day after Day Fire Party” a mountain-wide block party to say thanks to the firefighters with food, musical talent, and open microphone at Frazier Mountain Community Park. The barbecue is from noon to 2 p.m. and costs $3 a plate.