Weather was on the mind of everyone at Cal Fire on Friday evening.
Crews registered significant gains against the Jerusalem Fire on the day, ramping up containment from 52 percent to 71 percent over a 12 hour period. Hand crews and aircraft chomped at interior burns and threats along fire control lines so aggressively that the blazed gained only 500 acres Friday.
By 8 p.m., Jerusalem had consumed 25,054 acres, up from 24,555.
Still, triple digit temperatures and single digit humidity levels forecast for the weekend added up to a noticeable level of caution. Cal Fire also anticipated winds from the north to pick up during the night on Friday, with potential gusts up to 30 miles per hour.
Given expected conditions, Cal Fire’s Joshua Rubinstein said it was unlikely any resources would be pulled from the Jerusalem zone, even with the high containment level.
“They’re going to be extra cautious,” he said of those planning the attack. “Seventy-one percent containment at 75 degrees with no wind is a lot different than 71 percent with 30 mile per hour winds and 100 degrees.”
During the recent Wragg Fire, authorities redirected crews to other incidents once things seemed settled. But winds kicked up and the fire roared back to life.
Indeed, throughout the day Cal Fire sent additional resources against Jerusalem. As of Friday evening, the forces along the lines included 169 engines, 21 water tenders, 16 aircraft, 67 hand crews, 34 bulldozers and 2,451 men. The numbers represented an increase in almost every department.
Despite the recent successes containing first Rocky and now Jerusalem, Rubinstein pointed out that crews will remain vigilant and fight aggressively.
“It never gets routine,” he said. “In fact, you never want to get complacent, because a lot of times injuries occur because we let our guard down.”
So far, no serious injuries have been reported.
A further sign of improving conditions came on Friday afternoon, when Douglas Gearhart of the Lake County Air Quality Management District reported air quality within the “good” range, with the condition to remain through the weekend, perhaps longer.
In a milestone — yet not surprising — announcement, Cal Fire announced on Friday evening that Rocky was 100 percent contained. Fire crews remain on patrol through the area to kill hot spots and ensure the fire is completely cold.
“I would presume personnel will be on that for the foreseeable future,” Rubinstein said.
Cal Fire reported some unfortunate news on Friday evening, however. At 6 p.m., after surveying some of the blackened area within the Jerusalem burn, authorities counted four destroyed homes and 13 outbuildings scorched by the blaze.
