Cuesta Air Attack-Eye View In Three Images

Earlier this evening this wildfire called the 300-acre Cuesta Fire (initially it was the "Grade Fire") broke out on the Cuesta Grade in three different spots of which the top-most (or northern-most) two fires burned together. Early reports indicate an automobile driving northbound on Highway 101 dragging chain or other accidentally started it along with another fire earlier on the northbound shoulder of the freeway on the Nojoqui Grade in Santa Barbara County and in the Cottonwood Pass along the shoulder of Highway 41 near the Kern County line. In any case the fire has thus far escaped initial attack and is well into extended attack with no significant containment late tonight. This sequence of three images captured from Air Attack 340 (based out of CALFIRE's Paso Robles Air Attack Base) show the progression of the fire over the course of the first few hours.

All three images courtesy of CALFIRE San Luis Unit.