Evacuation zones scaled back as Gifford Fire containment increases

Humidity helped the Gifford Fire’s containment jump to 73% on Saturday morning and increase downgrades and cancellations of evacuation zones, according to an incident update by the Los Padres National Forest.

According to the update, higher humidity slowed the fire activity and limited fuels to carry the fire at lower elevations.

Strong winds after midnight on Friday tested containment lines, but water dropping helicopters suppressed hot spots.

Firefighters are currently patrolling, holding and deepening containment lines on the Gifford Fire’s northwestern edge. Improved weather and active mop-up anticipate the number of hot spots to drop significantly, according to the Los Padres National Forest’s Facebook post.

On the southern side of the fire, crews were doing repair work and stabilizing roads and disturbed areas to reduce erosion and restore the landscape.

The Gifford Fire’s behavior over the next 24 hours should be limited to smoldering well inside its perimeter, the post said.

According to the Los Padres National Forest’s update, evacuation orders were downgraded to warnings for zones SLC-259, SLC-260, SLC-311, the western portions of LPF-018, SLC-261, SLC-262, SLC-297 and the northern portions of LPF-011, LPF-014 and SLC-239.

Zones released from evacuation warnings and can return to normal occupancy are SLC-258, SLC-293, SLC-295, SLC-296, SLC-334, SLC-335, SLC-195, SLC-196, SLC-225 and SLC-240.