Fires

Update: 445-acre Shell Beach fire is 90% contained; Cal Fire expects full containment today

Update, Thursday 9 a.m.:

A vegetation fire in the Pismo Beach that spread up to 445 acres is now 90% contained as of 8 a.m. Thursday, according to Cal Fire.

One structure was damaged as of Thursday morning.

According to Cal Fire public information officer Adan Orozco, about a 12-inch-by-12-inch square was smoldering near the fireplace of a home close to the fire line. Orozco said firefighters removed the square to avoid the rest of the house from burning. No other damage has been reported.

Cal Fire officials expect the fire that sparked Monday afternoon to be fully contained by 6 p.m. Thursday.

Original story:

A vegetation fire that reached about 400 acres in the Pismo Beach area was 50% contained as of 9 p.m. Tuesday, according to Cal Fire.

Containment did change overnight into Wednesday, and crews expect to reach 100% containment by 6 p.m. Thursday, a Cal Fire incident report said.

The Avila Fire broke out near Gragg Canyon Road in Shell Beach around 2:48 p.m. Monday and spread quickly through the area, leading to evacuations and the closure of Highway 101 lanes.

All evacuations issued Monday had been lifted as of Tuesday, according to Cal Fire. All roads that were closed have been reopened, however Cal Fire advises caution in the area.

As of 7 a.m. Wednesday, no one has been injured and no structures have been lost or damaged by the fire.

Fifty engines, 18 hand crews, four water tenders and three bulldozers responded to the fire Wednesday, according to Cal Fire.

This story was originally published June 17, 2020 at 12:28 PM.

Cassandra Garibay
The Tribune
Cassandra Garibay reports on housing throughout the San Joaquin Valley with Fresnoland at The Fresno Bee. Cassandra graduated from Cal Poly and was the breaking news and health reporter at The SLO Tribune prior to returning to the valley where she grew up. Cassandra is a two-time McClatchy President’s Award recipient. Send story ideas her way via email at cgaribay@fresnobee.com. Habla Español.
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