Lockheed Fire causes Bonny Doon evacuation
by Press-Banner staff
Aug 13, 2009 | 5797 views | 6 6 comments | 21 21 recommendations | email to a friend | print
Update: Cal Fire ordered mandatory evacauations in Bonny Doon at about 11:30 a.m. as the Lockheed Fire moves in the direction of more populated areas.

Law enforcement officers and firefighters are going door-to-door evacuating residents and their animals.

The American Red Cross has set up an evacuation shelter at Vintage Faith Church at 350 Mission St., in Santa Cruz.

As of 12 p.m., the fire had consumed 2,800 acres and was 0 percent contained.
A wildfire that started just after 7 p.m. Wednesday is still burning out of control this morning in the Bonny Doon area in Santa Cruz County.

Cal Fire reported at 8:30 a.m. today that a wildland fire north of Empire Grade Road in Bonny Doon in the mountains above Davenport has burned 2,300 acres, or or 3.6 square miles. It is at zero containment.

At 2 a.m., the fire had burned an estimated 1,000 acres.

Fire crews from all over Northern California have teamed with Cal Fire battalions to battle the blaze that continues to burn in the heavily wooded area north of Bonny Doon. There are more than 750 fire personnel on scene, including buldozers and hand crews from the Ben Lomond Conservation Camp.

Crews are attacking the blaze from helicopters and aircraft as it burns in heavily wooded areas with no homes.

The fire began at 7:16 p.m. Wednesday on the 500 block of Swanton Road above Davenport and just below the campus of Lockheed Martin at the end of Empire Grade.

About 250 homes and 25 businesses in the town of Davenport have evacuated and are threatened by the fire.

Voluntary evacuations have been ordered for many residents of Bonny Doon; however, mild winds in the morning hours have slowed the spread of the fire.

“The smoke is obviously blowing toward Bonny Doon,” Bonny Doon volunteer Glen Haimovitz said at 8:15 a.m. “There is no immediate threat, but there is a longterm affect in the next hours or days.”

Fire crews are staging in Davenport and at the Lockheed campus. A secondary staging area is at Bonny Doon Airport.

The American Red Cross has set up an evacuation shelter at Vintage Faith Church at 350 Mission St., in Santa Cruz. One person spent the night, but Red Cross volunteers are on hand to handle more evacuees.

Smoke from the fire can be seen billowing from the mountains from much of the north end of the county.

For information: www.bonnydoonfire.com.

Comments
(6)
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John Galt
|
August 17, 2009
THANK-YOU FIREFIGHTERS.

Your efforts are very much appreciated.
Steveonfire
|
August 13, 2009
Fires are named for nearby geographical features, not who caused them.
SV Res
|
August 13, 2009
Dustin,

You are an idiot.
Jim Graham
|
August 13, 2009
Hey all,

If you know of anyone evacuated as a result of the Lockheed Fire, we've opened our facility - Satellite Telework Center - in Felton for people who need WiFi or a place to work. It's free. 6265 Highway 9 (next to Don Quixote's)

Details are here: http://tinyurl.com/ndjq99

Jim Graham
Dustin Guinee
|
August 13, 2009
I wonder what a weapons developer like Lockhead Martin was doing with our tax dollars, to cause such a fire, hmmm? I hope the people in the area are safe, but with weapons manufacturers in your backyard how safe are you?
Greg Martin
|
August 13, 2009
May everyone be safe!

For Santa Cruz Lockeheed Fire updates posted on Twitter, try TipTop search for comments, news links, and maps.

http://feeltiptop.com/lockheed fire/

http://feeltiptop.com/santa cruz fire/



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