Firefighters made substantial progress on the Loma fire west of Morgan Hill over the weekend, as the more than 4,400-acre blaze is now 81 percent contained and many residents formerly within the wildfire’s evacuation zone were allowed to return home.
Total acreage burned in the fire that started Sept. 26 near Loma Prieta and Loma Chiquita roads is 4,474, according to an Oct. 3 CalFire press release.
“Overnight, firefighters were able to reinforce existing fire lines,” CalFire reported. “Extremely drought stressed vegetation conditions still exist, however the potential for torching trees has decreased.”
Fighting the fire has been complicated by the area’s steep, remote and, at times, inaccessible terrain in the Santa Cruz mountains. The first few days of firefighting efforts were further hampered by hot, dry temperatures, according to authorities.
But as of late last week, cooler temperatures and higher humidity have worked in fire crews’ favor. Plus, with multiple firefighting agencies attacking the blaze, abundant resources have helped “mitigate” the threat of the Loma fire, according to CalFire Engineer Bryan Martin.
“We’re working on mop-up, doing repair and setting up for erosion control,” Martin said. “It hasn’t grown for a couple of days, and we’re not expecting it to.”
PG&E has entered the burned area to reset power lines and re-establish electricity to affected residents, Martin added.
Crews are targeting 100 percent containment of the Loma fire by Saturday, Oct. 8.
“Stumps and dead wood still have the potential to burn in these remote areas within the fire perimeter,” the Oct. 3 release continues.
A total of 12 homes and 16 unspecified “outbuildings” have been destroyed by the fire, according to authorities. Although 81 structures remain threatened, that number is down from more than 300 last week.
CalFire hosted an Oct. 1 community meeting on the Loma fire at the Morgan Hill Community and Cultural Center. Martin said this meeting was “well attended” by local residents and those displaced by the fire. CalFire officials offered information about the firefighting progress, resources for those who are affected and answered questions from the community.
Evacuation orders previously in place on Croy Road and within the Sveadal Swedish community on the way up to Uvas Canyon County Park were lifted Oct. 1. Furthermore, evacuation orders were lifted for residents on Summit Road from Loma Prieta Road to Highway 152 in Santa Clara County, authorities said.
These roads will remain closed to non-residents.
Remaining under evacuation orders are properties on the Loma Prieta ridgeline, including all tributary roads along Summit Road east of Soquel San Jose Road to Ormsby Fire Station. This includes Loma Chiquita, Casa Loma, and Loma Prieta Way.
Morgan Hill Presbyterian Church, 16970 DeWitt Ave., is serving as a Red Cross evacuation center for displaced residents.
CalFire officials also cautioned residents about scammers asking for money to donate to the state firefighting agency, which is not allowed to solicit donations. These individuals are reportedly requesting cash for operations related to CalFire’s base camp at Christmas Hill Park in Gilroy. Anyone contacted by these individuals should not donate to them.
“CalFire cannot, is not and will not accept donations for the Loma fire incident,” reads a CalFire statement. “It is against the law for California state agencies to solicit or accept any donation for its own use.”
