The Loma fire started Monday afternoon (9/26) along Loma Chiquita Road in Los Gatos, CA and quickly spread along the ridgeline to the north and east. As the fire began growing, it threatened numerous structures and radio towers along Loma Chiquita Ridge. Subsequently, homeowners began to evacuate the area before any official evacuations were put in place simply due to the extreme fire behavior that was being observed. Concern over the fire’s extreme behavior prompted the diversion of fire crews that were originally en route to the Sawmill fire. Those crews were reassigned to become initial-attack resources on the Loma incident instead. Currently, fire officials are reporting that 7 structures were lost and 300 others are threatened by the blaze. As of midday Tuesday (9/27) the Loma Fire is 2,000 acres and 5% contained.
Loma Fire Perimeter from this morning’s IR flight
Loma Fire Outlook
The fire burned overnight and continues to spew smoke in the Santa Cruz Mountains today. The nearby Morgan Hill Webcam is showing the fire growing on the east side of the 3,700 ft. Loma Prieta Peak. As the fire moves into its second burn period, more resources are set to arrive to help contain the blaze. Fortunately, the hot and dry weather of the past few days Santa Ana influence will subside tomorrow. Coastal areas will see onshore flow return today and a cooling trend will arrive Wednesday and Thursday with a Pacific trough approaching the area. As a result, temperatures will substantially drop, RH levels will rise, and the extreme fire conditions should diminish (though strong NW winds are set to arrive). Furthermore, the forecast calls for a return to autumn-like conditions with highs in the 60s and 70s by the end of the week.
Loma Fire Facts
- As of: 1400 PDT, September 27, 2016
- Location: Los Gatos, CA
- Size: 2,000 acres
- Containment: 5%
- Fire Behavior: Rapid fire spread through tall grass and brush in steep, rugged terrain.
- Structures Threatened: 300 (reported)
- Structures Destroyed: 7 (estimated)
- Evacuations: Are in place
- Incident Page: Cal Fire Incident Page
- News Article: SF Chronicle
- Live Webcam: http://www.morganhillwebcam.com/
Sources:
Weather Underground
CALFIRE
NIFC.GOV
