Full Containment Of Bear Fire Expected On Thursday

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CA — Full containment of the Bear Fire in unincorporated Santa Cruz County is expected on Thursday, according to a Cal Fire official. Cal Fire Division Chief Angela Bernheisel said one firefighter is still in a hospital with injuries caused by the fire that started on the night of Oct. 16, has burned 391 acres and is 85 percent contained as of this morning.

Eight other firefighters with injuries from the blaze have returned to work, Bernheisel said. All evacuations are lifted and roads are open around the fire area, but Cal Fire officials advise that the roads in the area are private, and only those with official business should be entering the area. Temporary closures of roads may occur during fire containment efforts.

Cal Fire officials said today's temperatures are expected to be between 80-85 degrees with a humidity of 20-25 percent and light winds of 3-6 mph. Bernheisel said a burn ban is still in place since temperatures
and dry conditions have sparked smaller fires in the region in recent days, but that firefighters have kept those blazes to less than an acre.

She said reminded residents to avoid being careless with the warm and dry weather. The one firefighter that is still in the hospital was identified on Cal Fire's Facebook page last Wednesday as Andy Goodson, who fell 50 feet down an embankment near the start of the fire.

The Facebook post said Goodson's fellow firefighters "sustained broken bones from falling rocks as they worked to get him up the steep mountainside."

"Despite their own pain and the active fire front, they did not let go of the ropes or seek care for their own injuries until Andy was safely out of harm's way," the Cal Fire Facebook post from Wednesday said.
Bernheisel said Goodson suffered an injured wrist and facial injuries.

The Facebook post said he was recently visited by Cal Fire Director Ken Pimlott, Chief Deputy Director Janet Barentson and Northern Region Chief Scott Upton at Stanford Hospital.

By Bay City News

Photo via Shutterstock