Evacuation warning lifted in SLO as containment holds on Lizzie Fire

Chloe Jones
·2 min read

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The evacuation warning has been lifted for residents near the Lizzie Fire in San Luis Obispo, the city said in a news release on Tuesday.

Containment of the fire remains at 35%, according to Cal Fire’s most recent incident report. No structures have been damaged, but one firefighter received minor injuries.

Evacuation warnings for residents south of Lizzie Street, east of Fixlini Street and north of Bishop Street were lifted around 3:30 p.m.

However, the Reservoir Canyon Natural Reserve hiking trail and access points will remain closed until further notice, the city said.

“This dangerous fire threatened both life and property, and I’m grateful for the quick work of our Fire Department, Cal Fire and many other responding agencies to protect the community,” city emergency manager James Blattler said in the news release. “SLO has not seen a fire of this magnitude in some time and we appreciate everyone doing their part to keep others safe and follow the directions of our emergency personnel.”

The fire did not grow overnight, the incident report said, and is still at 100 acres. It began Monday at around 2:45 p.m. behind the FFA building at San Luis Obispo High School.

Chad Allison, a firefighter with Cal Fire Shell Beach, extinguishes a hot spot on Lizzie Street, the morning after the quick-moving Lizzie Fire scorched 100 acres in the hills above San Luis Obispo High School on Oct. 30, 2023.
Chad Allison, a firefighter with Cal Fire Shell Beach, extinguishes a hot spot on Lizzie Street, the morning after the quick-moving Lizzie Fire scorched 100 acres in the hills above San Luis Obispo High School on Oct. 30, 2023.

4 fires scorch SLO County in a single day — bringing evacuations and closures

Firefighters worked overnight looking for lingering smoke around homes. Sometimes an ember would smolder in landscaping or decorative bark, they told The Tribune.

The shift change was underway Tuesday morning, with new firefighters subbing in for the overnight crews.

Around 300 firefighters were on scene “to continue strengthening containment lines and extinguishing hot spots,” Cal Fire said in a social media post.

Fast-moving wildfire puts a scare into SLO. See the photos and video

A reconnaissance flight was planned to fly over the fire at 8 a.m.

Smoke lingered in the neighborhood above San Luis Obispo High school as parents drove their kids to school down Johnson Avenue.

Meanwhile, power was restored for more than 3,000 PG&E customers who lost it last night, according to the PG&E outage map.

The Fire Department said the two fires that sparked near Cal Poly Monday are unrelated to the Lizzie Fire. The causes of all three fires are under investigation.

Firefighters rotate to news assignments the second day after the quick moving Lizzie Fire scorched 100 acres in the hills above San Luis High School Oct. 31, 2023.
Firefighters rotate to news assignments the second day after the quick moving Lizzie Fire scorched 100 acres in the hills above San Luis High School Oct. 31, 2023.