Urban Wildland Fire (Pebble Beach, CA - May 1987) » The Fire

The fire started in the heavily wooded Del Monte Forest located between two portions of the S.F.B. Morse Botanical Reserve. (It is therefore called the "Morse" fire.) Officials of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection believe that a fire in a trash can located at the campsite radiated heat through the metal to ignite pine needles on the ground in this area.

The campsite seemed to have been used on more than one occasion. No specific evidence as to the ages or number of people using the campsite was available. Evidence found at the scene included mattress box springs, a lounge chair, the metal frame for a camp stool, both empty and full beer bottles, and a metal pole for what may have been a lean to. In addition, two pits had been dug to contain trash in the area. Both pits contained beer bottles, cans, and other trash.

It appears that the property on which the fire started belonged to the Pebble Beach Company. Campfires or open burning in the area was illegal. The area was enclosed by a cyclone fence, but there were weak places in the fence where access could be gained into the area.

The area of origin was on a hill that faced northwest, with an average slope of approximately 11 percent, but then turning much steeper to an approximately 56 percent slope near the ridge to the southeast where the fire spread. Plants in the area include Monterey Pine, Gowen Cypress, Bishop Pine, Coast Live Oak, Blue Blossom, Manzanita, Huckleberry, Coyote Bush, Pampas Grass, as well as other forbs and grasses. Exact fuel loading is unknown, but estimates vary between 40 and 100 tons per acre. Much of the area of the fire had been kept in a natural state; the use of fire in the area was prohibited, as was any development, with the exception of some unmaintained roads.

Fuel moisture was extremely low due to the fact that rainfall in the area was 50-60 percent below normal for the 1987 season. In addition, rainfall had been below normal for the three years preceding the fire. This reduced fuel moisture would add not only to the intensity of the fire, but to the difficulty of control. The heavy growth in the area of origin also made access to the area and fire line construction extremely difficult.

Three major chimneys or canyons led up the slope from the area of origin to Los Altos Drive and Huckleberry Hill. These three canyons coupled with the steep slope and heavy fuel loading added to the intensity of the fire and funneled the fire into the residential area across Los Altos Drive.

Smoke was spotted initially by a local resident who called the Pebble Beach Security. They in turn contacted the Pebble Beach Fire Station at 1535. Three units were dispatched form the Pebble Beach Fire Station at 1537, including a mini-pumper squad, an engine company, and the duty battalion chief, Robert Townsend. Chief Townsend became the incident commander for the fire. This initial dispatch was to check on smoke reported to the fire station. At 1539, the mini pumper reported smoke visible and estimated that they were approximately one-half mile away from the fire. At 1541, a request for a wildland fire response was made by Chief Townsend. Dispatch and manning levels are preset according to weather readings. The dispatch level for the date of the fire was low and one wildland engine (type three pumperą) responded from the Carmel Hill Station. This unit was dispatched at 1542 and arrived at the scene at 1545.

Access into the origin area of the fire was limited; basically, the area could only be reached by foot. The mini-pumper was only able to get within approximately 200 feet of the fire and laid a hose line into the area of origin. The size of the fire was estimated at approximately onethird an acre upon the arrival of this unit. The mini-pumper expended its 90 gallons of water on the fire, but due to heavy brush and heavy fuel loading was unable to control the fire. The heavy brush and timber limited access and the ability to attack the fire directly. It should also be noted that the only wildland engine immediately available was the one dispatched from the Carmel Hill Station. The apparatus dispatched from the Pebble Beach Fire Station was structural firefighting equipment (type one pumpers).

At 1555, a request was made for two hand crews, which normally each contain 15 crew members. At 1602, a request was submitted for two additional engine companies. At 1610, a request was made for an air attack. An air tanker for this area would normally be dispatched from Hollister airfield; however, this unit was already committed on a fire in the Los Padres National Forest. The only uncommitted air tanker available in the state was dispatched from Chico airfield, approximately 210 miles north of the Monterey Penninsula. At 1615, a request was made for a bulldozer on the fire line. At 1618, a request was made for a helicopter with a water dropping bucket.

At this time, hand crews had still not arrived and the decision was made to start a back fire along a gravel haul road which ran north and south through the fire area.At approximately 1630 to 1635, hand crews arrived on the scene. At approximately 1640, two spot fires occurred about 200 feet up the ridge from the haul road. Equipment on the scene at this time included a mini-pumper, one "type one" engine company, three "type three" engine companies, two hand crews, and one helicopter. Hand lines were laid to the two spots above the haul road. Although fuel was continuous to the area west of the haul road and to the area east of the haul road, the terrain changed drastically from the haul road east. The slope to the west of the haul road was approximately 11 percent while the slopes to the east of the haul road in the direction the fire spread was approximately 56 percent.

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