The Cuesta Grade is on fire and near Buellton the 101 is down to one lane due to fire

[emsimon33]

The word we got is that the fire near Buellton is on both side of the 101. I am not sure how dangerous the Cuesta Grade fire is but a friend in San Luis Obispo says she can see the fire from her home.

If you are traveling on the central coast of California, be careful. The 5 may be a better option.

[Cleita]

1. Blimey that's getting close. eom

[Newsjock]

2. Another idiot driver?

"According to the CHP traffic log, the fires were caused by a Ford pickup that was dragging a chain.

http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2015/08/16/3765253/3-fires-burning-on-cuesta-grade.html

[Liberty Belle]

3. This should be required reading for all drivers:

Prevent your vehicle from causing wildfires:
http://www.eastcountymagazine.org/prevent-your-vehicle-causing-wildfires

Any CA legislators reading this thread? Perhaps you can introduce a bill and make this part of the driver license renewal process so everyone has to learn these important facts. So many of our fires have been caused by vehicles, including one last year that killed a firefighter in Yosemite and another that burned over 100 homes on Mt. Laguna.

[Nac Mac Feegle]

4. Part of my job involves interacting with Forest Service people

A conversation with a watch tower guy brought this up. People that have the safety chains dragging on a well travelled highway going through his area are the main source of incidents that he has to report. At night, he can see the sparks even better.

Very few campfire, a few lightning, and a LOT of vehicle caused fires.

Those chains do any good if they're not attached properly. I've had an incident where they saved things from going quite badly. Knowing how to properly set up the tow is important.

[catchnrelease]

5. My daughter and the kids drove through there today

She posted a short video to FB that the kids took from the highway, lots of smoke and some flames, lots of traffic. At that time she thought it appeared to be contained. But her friend responded that they were also going from Avila to SLO later this evening and it was bigger then.

I make the drive from Long Beach up 101 to their place in SLO every month or so and I hate to think of how dry it's been the year. If either of those fires really gets out of control they can burn for miles and miles.

[LompocDem]

6. It was so hot...

Yesterday, Saturday, I rode from Lompoc to Heritage Ranch for a family reunion. Once past the Cuesta Grade the temperature on HWY 101 was somewhere around 110-130 F depending on the road surface. I hope to Cod and the Noodly one that the pending El Nino will be kind to us left coasters!

On another note, just now, for the first time in my life, I've donated to a presidential candidate. Bernie Sanders, I think, is what America needs. DU's policy regarding post count and the ability to create a thread in certain forums is probably necessary to keep the trolls out but is frustrating nonetheless. No matter who is our choice to run against the last clown that survives from the rights clown car, (apologizes to the progressive professional clowns), my support will be there even though I may not be able to give any more cash.

[Hekate]

8. Welcome to DU, LompocDem!

[LompocDem]

9. Been here a very long time!

I'm really just a lurker using info gleaned from DU to counter all my RW idiot friends BS!

[Hekate]

7. I'm out in Goleta, 30 miles South on the 101 from Buellton. All you folks stay safe.

In our particular region once you get south of Buellton on through Carpinteria, there is no alternative to the 101.

Anyway, this is probably where I start checking the Air Quality Index daily....