Gap Fire (2008)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- July 1, 2008 –
- July 28, 2008
| Gap Fire | |
|---|---|
| Part of the 2008 California wildfires | |
 NASA satellite photo of the fire. | |
| Date(s) |
|
| Location | Santa Ynez Mountains, Goleta, California |
| Coordinates | 34°30′04″N 119°51′47″W / 34.501°N 119.863°W |
| Statistics[1][2] | |
| Burned area | 9,443 acres (38.21 km2) |
| Ignition | |
| Cause | Arson |
| Perpetrator(s) | A 16 year-old juvenile |
| Map | |
  Location of Gap Fire in Southern California | |
The Gap Fire was a fire that burned 9,443 acres (38.21 km2) of the Santa Ynez Mountains above Goleta, California between July 1 and July 28, 2008.
On July 1, firefighters from the Santa Barbara County Fire Department responded to a 911 call about a fire on West Camino Cielo Road, above the city of Goleta. They arrived at 5:32 to find a fire less than a quarter of an acre. The Sundowner winds stoked the fire, causing it to spread downhill towards Goleta and the neighboring Santa Barbara.[3][4] By July 3, the fire had grown to just over 300 acres (120 ha) acres; that evening, it increased to over 2,000 acres (810 ha) and the county declared a state of emergency.[3] Firefighting was complicated by the terrain and heavy vegetation, and nearby residents were evacuated.[4] By July 5, winds had started to weaken and evacuation orders lifted.[3] The fire itself was fully contained on July 28.[4]
