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| Fire fully contained, 3 homes destroyed | | Print | |
| Written by Press Banner | |
| Tuesday, 17 June 2008 | |
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Tuesday update: The Martin Fire in Bonny Doon was declared fully contained Monday night, with three homes and eight outbuildings destroyed.
 A tree bursts into flames on Martin Road in Bonny Doon as a Felton firefighter operates the pump on his engine. Lucjan Szewczyk/Press Banner The blaze, which started Wednesday, has covered an estimated 520 acres. The size was revised downward from an earlier estimate due to more accurate mapping. "Containment" means a firebreak has been built around the entire fire area, but "control"--confidence that the fire won't jump the firebreak--isn't expected until June 28. Evacuation orders have been lifted and all roads opened. Also, some engine companies, especially local ones who were first on the scene last Wednesday, were sent home. More than 40 horses and an assortment of dogs, cats, chickens and other animals had been evacuated by Santa Cruz County Animal Services. Horses were taken to the Graham Hill Showgrounds at Graham Hill and Sims roads. About 30 evacuees signed in Wednesday at the Red Cross evacuation center set up at San Lorenzo Valley Middle School in Felton. Ten spent the night on cots while many others slept in their cars with their animals.  At the temporary animal evacuee’s shelter on Graham Hill Road, Bonny Doon resident Bonnie Millard stayed with her horses and dogs while helping to maintain other people’s stables. She didn't even know if her house has been saved in the Martin fire. Lucjan Szewczyk/Press Banner  Firefighters drag a hose line into the Martin Road fire in Bonny Doon as a Cal Fire bulldozer attempts to clear a firebreak. Lucjan Szewczyk/Press Banner Some 526 firefighters and civilian workers are on the scene today. The long-closed Bonny Doon Airport has been turned into a base camp, with a tent city, eating and bathing facilities and parking for dozens of fire engines and other vehicles including helicopters.  A firefighter approaches a Cal Fire dozer tender on Martin Road in Bonny Doon. Just after this photo was taken, the fire jumped the road. Lucjan Szewczyk/Press Banner So far, supression costs have reached $4.9 million. Officials have not determined how the fire started, but first-arriving firefighters reported it in the "moon rocks" area off Martin Road, a frequent partying location for youth and illegal campsite for transients.  Television crews set up in the Taqueria Vallarta parking lot in Felton to catch the Martin Fire on tape. The billowing cloud of smoke could be seen from Felton as it rose from Bonny Doon on Wednesday. Peter Burke/Press Banner  Martin Road resident Doug Stewart is evacuated from his house, which is being protected from the first wave of fire by crews using water from his swimming pool. Thinking the worst is over (shown here), a new wave of fire appears from another direction . Lucjan Szewczyk/Press Banner
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Hits: 2022 Comments (7)
  written by Lynn, June 11, 2008
Once again the Press Banner scoops the Santa Cruz Sentinel. Thank you Press Banner - Amanda, Chuck, Peter, Lucjan, and staff. I may disagree with some of your editorial positions...but you ALWAYS come through with the urgent emergency situations.
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written by Lynn, June 11, 2008
http://www.ktvu.com/video/16578579/index.html Fascinating footage...
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