The Madre Fire is nearly contained, and firefighters say a prescribed burn that took place back in February of this year helped crews get a handle on the blaze.
The fire broke out along Highway 166 between Santa Maria and Cuyama just after 1 p.m. on July 2. It quickly exploded in size, burning more than 35,000 acres by late the same evening.
It continued to grow exponentially over the next few days, reaching nearly 53,000 acres by the following night, more than 70,000 acres by the end of day three, and surpassing 80,000 acres by day five.
WATCH: Footage from day 1 of the Madre Fire
But as the fire burned to the north and east, it entered the Carrizo Plain National Monument. That’s where, according to CAL FIRE SLO, it reached an area where a prescribed burn was conducted in late February.
More than 500 acres of brush were burned in that operation, which firefighters say played a critical role in stopping the Madre Fire.
“This is exactly why we do prescribed burns,” CAL FIRE San Luis Obispo Unit Forester David Erickson said in a press release. “They don’t just help the environment and improve habitat—they can be the difference between a contained fire and a disaster.”
Fire officials say that once the Madre Fire reached the previously burned area, flame lengths dropped from 4-5 feet to 1-2 feet, slowing down the fire’s progress so bulldozers and fire engines could move in, allowing crews to gain control.
In fact, since July 6, when the fire was reported to have burned 80,480 acres, it has grown by less than 300 acres.
Now at 80,779 acres, the fire is 97% contained. All evacuation orders and warnings have been lifted, and as of July 21, Bureau of Land Management lands within the Carrizo Plain National Monument that were previously closed are now open.
