As of 7:00 p.m. three hundred firefighters were engaged in battling the Ballybunion fire and the blaze is currently contained by 10 percent and reportedly less than one hundred acres. However, fire officials believe that the blaze is under control. Fire department officials report that there was one injury of a Gilroy Fire Department firefighter and that no homes were in danger at the time. Cal Fire hopes to have the fire fully contained by Thursday, but more will be known in the morning.
Starting at daybreak Monday morning, eight Cal Fire air tankers were engaged in dropping fire retardant, while firefighters were two hours into the steep ridges, gullies and chamise chaparral, clearing brush to help contain the spread of the fire. Throughout the afternoon Cal Fire helicopters maintained a continuous bombardment of the fire with water scooped from Eagle Ridge Golf Course. As of Monday night, 70 firefighters were on the line near Ballybunion.
The GFD, with 12 firefighters, were first on the scene Sunday at 7:10 p.m. and continued to battle the fire until 7:00 a.m. as they continued to gain reinforcements from Cal Fire and fire departments from around the area. The GFD continues to work 12-hour shifts and many have not rested since before the fire broke out. As of this evening, firefighters have laid 5000 feet of water hose.
