By Khalida Sarwari
Fire crews this afternoon are continuing to battle a raging fire in the Santa Cruz Mountains that has burned 2,800 acres and forced the evacuation of up to 2,200 residents, fire officials said.
More than 300 firefighters are battling windy conditions to attack the blaze, known as the Lockheed Fire, according to Cal Fire Engineer Mike Mohler.
Additional fire crews from throughout the state have been called to assist with the fire, which is working its way toward the Bonny Doon area.
The fire broke out at about 7:15 p.m. Wednesday and was burning out of control this afternoon, Mohler said.
Approximately 250 structures are threatened, though none have been damaged, Mohler said.
Mandatory evacuations were ordered last night for about 660 residents on Last Chance Road, Swanton Road, Warrella Truck Trail and Rancho del Oso.
Cal Fire Battalion Chief Michael Borelli said this morning that 1,288 additional households in the Bonny Doon area were notified at about 10:50 a.m. today that they would have to leave. Those residents are in the areas of Pine Flat Road, Empire Grade, Alba Road and Warnella Road.
The American Red Cross has established a shelter for evacuees at Vintage Faith Church located at 350 Mission St. in Santa Cruz.
An evacuation center that was established at Pacific Elementary School in the community of Davenport Wednesday night has since moved elsewhere due to fear that the fire would head in the direction of that community, the school’s principal/superintendent Sharon Smith said.
Smith said she will have to find a place to stay tonight after being forced to leave her home on Last Chance Road Wednesday night, where she has lived for the last 38 years.
Smith described the blaze as an out-of-control and quickly progressing “wall of fire.”
“If you can imagine the very largest grove of redwood trees completely on fire, that’s what we were seeing,” Smith said.
Smith said, however, that she is not worried about her house, and commended Cal Fire crews who she said are making every effort to protect homes.
Cal Fire has requested additional engines, dozers, hand crews and aircraft.
In June 2008, the Martin Fire burned 520 acres and forced the evacuation of 1,500 Bonny Doon residents. Three homes and eight outbuildings were destroyed in that fire.