Canyon, Vandenberg Airforce Base

Canyon, Vandenberg Airforce Base Fire Department, DOD. IMT 2 (Mills) Four miles west of Lompoc, CA. Chaparral. Minimal fire behavior. Road and area closures in effect.

September 23, 2016 at 10:00 AM

As of 4:00 a.m. on Sep. 23, the fire on North Base is estimated to be 250 acres. At this time, the fire is controlled, but the exact containment percentage is unknown.

Only Mission Essential Personnel will report to work on 23 Sep. All other military personnel are requested to remain on 6-ring alert.

Base Housing is NOT in the path of the fire. Current weather forecasts call for winds from the north, which will continue to keep the fire away from residential areas.

Lompoc Unified School District will remain open. Bus schedules are unaffected.

CDC, Youth Center, Commissary, Gas Station and the Breakers Dining Facility will remain open for normal business hours.

The 30th Medical Group will be closed for patient care. All emergencies should be directed to your local emergency center. For other medical concerns contact the nurse advice line at 606- CARE (2273).

Santa Maria Gate, Lompoc Gate, Solvang Gate – Normal Operations

Utah Gate – Open for housing personnel, Crestview Elementary, Youth Center, and Child Development Center. Utah Gate will close at 9:00 a.m. and will resume normal gate operations.

Civilian Administrative Leave is authorized by order of the Wing Commander.

September 21, 2016 at 3:42 PM

It is with deep sadness and regret that the Ventura County Fire Chief announces the tragic loss of Fire Engineer Ryan Osler.

At approximately 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday, September 21, 2016, Engineer Osler died in a line of duty vehicle accident on the Canyon Fire in Santa Barbara County, Calif. A second firefighter was involved in the accident and transported to a local hospital with minor injuries. The crew was providing support as part of the fire fighting force operating on the Canyon Fire.

The accident is under investigation. No details are available at this time.

Families have been notified and department liaisons are assisting all family, friends, firefighters and coworkers affected by this tragedy. Osler is survived by his wife and two children.

Engineer Osler has been with the Ventura County Fire Department for the last 18 years. He began his career in 1998 as a member of the Ventura County Fire Handcrew and was hired as a Trainee Firefighter in 2006. After six years of service, he promoted to the rank of Fire Engineer at Fire Station 42 in Moorpark.

“Our collective hearts are broken at the loss of our friend and brother Ryan. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family,” commented Fire Chief Mark Lorenzen. “We are deeply moved by the outpouring of public support for Ryan and on behalf of all the men and women of the Ventura County Fire Department, thank you for your continued prayers.”

All flags are ordered to half-staff immediately and mourning bands will be worn until further notice. Funeral arrangements are pending and information will be made available as soon as detail are finalized.

September 21, 2016 at 7:42 AM

Crews will continue to provide point protection for Air Force structures and implement firing operations when appropriate to maintain objectives. Continue mop up where appropriate.

An approaching cold front will bring NW winds up to 40 MPH beginning Today with a potential for an off shore “Sundowner” event late in the week.

September 20, 2016 at 6:40 PM

Ranches and properties on La Salle Canyon Rd and Miguelito Rd south of the Miguelito County Park remain under evacuation warnings.

Vandenberg AFB South Base remains evacuated with only mission critical personnel remaining.

Fire will continue to burn to the North, West and South and will continue to grow due to forecasted weather conditions.

Fire will continue to burn to the Northwest and west towards Coast Road, active rocket launch facilities, rocket processing facilities, rocket fuel storage facilities, railway, several other DoD mission critical facilities, Union Pacific Railroad, Miguelito Canyon and La Salle Canyon

September 19, 2016 at 8:42 PM

Fire behavior increased under the effect of wind and terrain driven fire behavior, and critically dry fuels
Evacuation orders for Arguello Rd, Coast Rd and Evacuation Rd
The fire is burning to the North, West and South and will continue to grow in an area with no fire history and drought stricken vegetation
Fire is burning towards active rocket launch facilities and other DoD mission critical facilities
Fire is burning in an area with unexploded ordinances.

Due to predicted expansion of the fire through the course of the day, we are limiting access on Vandenberg South Base to emergency personnel only.

The Canyon Fire on south Vandenberg AFB grew to 4,528 acres Sunday night, continuing to burn at what responders describe as a “slow to moderate speed”.

In the early hours of Monday morning, fire teams used a helicopter to map fire lines and evaluate progress. Understanding the precise boundaries of the fire will allow the commanding fire chief to more effectively distribute fire personnel and resources.

As of 7:30 a.m. PDT, the fire is 0% contained, according to officials. However, Vandenberg AFB firefighters assisted by U.S. Forestry Service, CalFire and Santa Barbara County fire crews are making progress in their efforts to contain the fire as it moves towards the southern base boundary and the Sudden Ranch area.

The fire has caused power outages in several facilities on south base. Those buildings are currently operating on generator power. Civil Engineers will sustain the generators until downed electrical lines can be repaired and commercial power is restored to base facilities.

Vandenberg AFB fire fighter and security forces are assessing possible causes. However, at this time, the cause of the fire is unknown.