Crews worked overnight trying to catch head of San Rafael Fire

Crews took advantage of the decreased fire activity overnight and conducted fire handline construction ahead of the fire as a way to help slow the fire’s forward progress. This is a tactic used to reduce fuel in an area to potentially limit fire spread and growth. However, another round of Red Flag conditions Monday may hinder daytime fire suppression efforts as high winds, low relative humidity, and a dry fuel bed can create fast fire spread and erratic fire behavior, and likely unsafe fire conditions for direct suppression efforts. Predicted winds out of the southwest again can push the fire further to the north and northeast.Additional resources arrived on the fire Monday morning, include hand crews and engines. Nearly 120 personnel areassigned to the fire. Aircraft, including Large Air Tankers (LATs), Very Large Air Tankers (VLATs), and helicopters are alsoassigned, but high winds may limit the ability to use aircraft efficiently.On Sunday, the wind-driven fire pushed to the northeast twelve miles through a very dry grass crop. The fire was mapped Monday morning at 10,562 acres with no containment. The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office reports SET for residents northeast of State Route 83 and Forest Road 799. The area…
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