The California Department of Forestry reports that fire deep in
the Henry Coe state Park northeast of Morgan Hill is fully
contained after burning 200 acres.
The California Department of Forestry reports that fire deep in the Henry Coe state Park northeast of Morgan Hill is fully contained after burning 200 acres.
High humidity and low winds have allowed the firefighters to keep the fire at bay the past two days, even though the area burning is so remote firefighters are being taken into the forest by helicopters due to lack of roads forcing firefighters to camp out near the fire.
At the peak, more than 600 firefighters, eight helicopters and three air tankers were sent in to battle the flames.
The number was scaled back Thursday to less than 400. Members of the California Youth Authority were called into duty to fight the fire. According to CDF Dispatcher Bruce Shomaker, 30 from CYA fought alongside the firefighters clearing brush and setting up a fire line.
Personnel battling the blaze stationed at Christmas Hill Park. All eight helicopters and fighting the flames are using the South County Airport in San Martin as a base.
“This area is very remote,” said Jason Estes, an acting spokesman for the CDF. “We’ve only been able to get two engines back there.”
Located in the Stanislaus County portion of the park one mile east of Mississippi Lake, the lightning-sparked fire is not threatening any homes or structures. No injuries have been reported.
A fire near that area burned more than 1,500 acres in late July.
