Chimney Fire 97 percent contained as more crews are released

As containment on the Chimney Fire nears completion, crews are being released and primarily local resources remain to mop up and perform other follow-up duties, Cal Fire spokesman Bennet Milloy said Sunday.

The fire was 97 percent contained Sunday; the remaining 3 percent that’s considered a threat to the containment lines is on the northern portion of the fire, Milloy said. He added that there’s no flaming front anywhere on the fire.

As of Sunday evening, 875 personnel were listed as working on the 46,344-acre fire. Milloy said he wouldn’t be surprised to see the personnel number drop below 400 by Monday and taper off from there. A large demobilization happened Saturday, with another earlier Sunday morning.

“There’s a lot of other fires in California that need resources,” Milloy said.

While the fire’s expected containment date is Tuesday, crews could be working in the area for months, Milloy said. Projects include fixing areas where a fire road or bulldozer line crosses a stream or waterway to prevent runoff, and working to fix roads such as truck trails or fire roads that were damaged by the high amount of traffic the fire created.

Cal Fire received many calls from concerned residents late Saturday afternoon and evening because of significant smoke visible in the greater Heritage Ranch area, Milloy said. The smoke drifted from the Soberanes Fire in Monterey County and was not a result of any new local fires.

Light, wispy smoke will likely be visible in the area as a result of the Chimney Fire, Milloy said. He added that if the smoke is inside the footprint left from the Chimney Fire and light and wispy, it’s likely not a concern. However, if it’s outside of the recent fire footprint or is a heavy, dark column, residents should call 911.

This story was originally published September 4, 2016 at 9:00 PM with the headline "Chimney Fire 97 percent contained as more crews are released."