Stand
3 - The Overlook
After failing to control the fire through direct attack near Oleta
Point, Fire Boss Ewing made a new plan in consultation with Lafferty.
The plan consisted of:
- Control the head of the fire along Rattlesnake Ridge
- Construct line and burn where needed along Rattlesnake Ridge
to the west to High Point (there was an existing old fuel break
along Rattlesnake Ridge)
- Construct line and burn from High Point down a ridge in a northeasterly
direction to a point on Alder Springs Road near Powder House Turn
- Use Alder Springs Road and burnout going west until meeting
up with the burnout coming from Powder House turn
Although two attempts were made to construct line down to Alder
Springs Road (Figure 1 - Points 22 & 23) neither were successful.
At around 18:40 a handline was completed between High Point and
Powder House Turn. Burning up the road from Oleta Point, and firing
out from High Point down to Powder House Turn both began around
19:20. Casaurang with his crew, supported by tanker equipment, were
bringing the burning operation up the road, while a crew was burning
down from High Point was under the direction of Robert Werner. When
burning operations began on the ridge winds were upslope, out of
the east-southeast and the crew was having a tough time getting
the brush to burn. Just prior to 20:00 "a local wind of wind of
considerable turbulence developed for a brief period" caused 7 or
8 spot fires below Alder Springs Road near the old car (Figure 1
- Point 11), just west of this location. At 20:15 burning was suspended
along Alder Springs Road in order to take action on the spot fires.
It is at this time that Forest Supervisor Thomas discovered the
Missionary Spot Fire across Powder House Canyon from the old car. |
