This is a developing story.
UPDATE Wed. Sept. 27, 3:25 p.m.: According to a PolyAlert, the fire is no longer on Cal Poly property and is moving away from the campus. Cal Fire firefighters are still on scene and firefighting aircraft are still dropping fire retardant on the fire. The fire is expected to be contained soon.
UPDATE Wed. Sept. 27, 9:22 a.m.: According to a PolyAlert, the area behind Sierra Madre and Yosemite residence halls is still an active fire scene and that it is a restricted area.
UPDATE Wed. Sept. 27, 8:40 a.m.:
According to Cal Fire PIO Chris Elms, the fire is 60 percent contained and did not grow overnight. Cal Fire expects full containment by tomorrow and will reassess the later this evening.
#Polyfire (update) fire holding at approx 97 acres. 60% contained. Crews will continue working on containment and hot spots today. pic.twitter.com/QRvXyhMJv9
— CAL FIRE SLO (@CALFIRE_SLO) September 27, 2017
UPDATE 8:01 p.m.: According to a PolyAlert, evacuations have been lifted for Sierra Madre and Yosemite residence halls and homes on Slack Street. All evacuees can return to their homes. The Grand Avenue entrance has been reopened.
UPDATE 7:59 p.m.: According to San Luis City Fire Department, the main body of the fire is under control, but many hot spots remain.
4 hours later, main body of fire is controlled. Still many hot spots. Great effort by MANY regional Fire Depts! More work through the nite. pic.twitter.com/tFXlw5QLCc
— SLO City Fire (@SLO_City_Fire) September 27, 2017
UPDATE 7:19 p.m: According to Cal Fire SLO, firefighters have put up a fire retardant line to prevent the fire from spreading to Slack Street. The fire is currently not threatening any structures. Due to high winds and only 20 percent containment, firefighters will stay onsite throughout the week to ensure the fire is fully contained.
UPDATE 6:59 p.m: According to Cal Fire PIO Chris Elms, firefighters will be working throughout the night to contain the fire. Firefighters will work throughout the week until it is completely out. The firefighting helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft will not fly at night, but will fly first thing tomorrow.
UPDATE 6:53 p.m: According to a PolyAlert, University Safety Escort Vans will not run tonight due to the brush fire.
UPDATE 6:50 p.m: According to Cal Fire SLO PIO Chris Elms, the fire has reached 97 acres in size and has been 20 percent contained.
#Polyfire (update) 97 acres. 20% containment. Fire holding to retardant line on the right flank. Crews making access to head of the fire
— CAL FIRE SLO (@CALFIRE_SLO) September 27, 2017
UPDATE 6:24 p.m: There is no update on when students will be let back into the residence halls, according to Armstrong.
“We are working hard to understand exactly where the fire is now; it is moving away from Cal Poly,” Armstrong said. “We are comfortable that Cal Poly is safe and we just hope everyone downwind of the fire is safe.”
According to Armstrong, there has been no damage to the residence halls.
UPDATE 6:08 p.m.: According to Cal Fire SLO’s Twitter, the fire has grown to 80 acres.
#Polyfire (update) now 80 acres. Crews dealing with steep terrain. pic.twitter.com/DHbyP48pP2
— CAL FIRE SLO (@CALFIRE_SLO) September 27, 2017
UPDATE 6:00 p.m.: The fire has not yet been put out. Cal Fire, San Luis Obispo County Fire Department and San Luis Obispo City Fire Department are still fighting the fire.
UPDATE 5:42 p.m.: According to a PolyAlert, Sierra Madre and Yosemite residents who are currently off campus are being advised to check in with University Housing at (805) 756-1226.
@SLO_City_Fire, @CALFIRE_SLO , & @LosPadresNF crews getting upper hand on stubborn #PolyFire. Reminder: create defensible space @ your home! pic.twitter.com/ooRzU97ZvA
— SLO City Fire (@SLO_City_Fire) September 27, 2017
UPDATE 5:30 p.m.: The SLO Transit bus stop at Foothill Boulevard and Casa Street is closed due to rerouting.
UPDATE 5:22 p.m.: A SLOPD officer located on Graves Avenue is alerting people near the street to have their bags ready because they do not know how long until the fire is contained. Only Slack Street is being evacuated.
UPDATE 5:19 p.m.: According to a PolyAlert, Sierra Madre and Yosemite residents are being asked to check in at Mott Athletics Center for the university to account for all evacuated residents.
UPDATE 5:13 p.m.: According to a PolyAlert, San Luis Obispo Regional Transit Authority routes 9 and 10 are detoured to Robert E. Kennedy Library, effective immediately.
UPDATE 4:59 p.m.: According to SLO Transit, as of 4:30 p.m., bus routes 3A, 3B, 4A and 4B will service O’Neill Green for Cal Poly routes.
UPDATE 4:41 p.m.: According to a PolyAlert, Cal Fire is evacuating students from Slack St and Mott Athletics Center has been opened as an evacuation center. In addition, the Grand Avenue entrance of Cal Poly is closed.
Emergency personnel on site above Sierra Madre. All students are safe. pic.twitter.com/xbqqjBhzMr
— Jeffrey D. Armstrong (@CPPrezArmstrong) September 26, 2017
UPDATE 4:37 p.m.: According to university spokesperson Matt Lazier, there is no time frame for when the Yosemite and Sierra Madre residence halls will be reopened.
UPDATE 4:32 p.m.: According to Cal Fire Public Information Officer Chris Elms, the fire started at about 3:30 p.m. and has spread over 40 acres.
“We got about 15 fire engines, four hand crews, two water tenders, two bulldozers, multiple aircrafts on scene working to contain the fire,” Elms said.
Cal poly P is up in flames right now pic.twitter.com/1YRKhZF2Fq
— Joe Schutz (@JoeGannonSchutz) September 26, 2017
According to Elms, the fire is spreading away from the university and slowing down. There is no word on containment at this time.
UPDATE 4:30 p.m.: Cal Fire Public Information Officer Chris Elms said the fire is moving northeast towards Highway 101 down the other side of the P.
UPDATE 4:22 p.m.: According to San Luis Obispo Transit, as of 4:15 p.m., bus routes 3A, 3B, 4A and 4B will not be servicing Cal Poly at this time.
UPDATE 4:04 p.m.: A plane has sprayed fire retardant on the flames and a helicopter is circling the scene.
UPDATE 4:02 p.m.: Cal Poly President Jeffrey Armstrong, Vice President of Student Affairs Keith Humphrey, and Dean of Students Kathleen McMahon are at the scene managing the situation.
UPDATE 4:00 p.m.: A PolyAlert was sent out instructing people to stay away and that fire personnel are on scene.
@SLO_City_Fire & @CALFIRE_SLO battling fast moving wildfire behind Cal Poly. pic.twitter.com/WnXjvJjpZP
— SLO City Fire (@SLO_City_Fire) September 26, 2017
UPDATE 3:57 p.m.: Students in Sierra Madre and Yosemite are being evacuated to Mott Athletics Center which is located in Robert E. Mott Physical Education (building 42).
Original Story
A fire broke out behind Fremont Hall and Sierra Madre. The flames have reached the trees behind Sierra Madre.
Students have been evacuated from Sierra Madre and Yosemite, according to university spokesperson Matt Lazier.
“I had no idea the fire was right there,” electrical engineering freshman Karina Aplan said. “I thought it was a drill. I didn’t think there was actually a fire outside.”
Firefighters from Cal Fire, San Luis Obispo County Fire Department and San Luis Obispo City Fire Department along with University Police Departement are on the scene. Emergency officials are instructing people to get off the sidewalk and move across the street to the Performing Arts Center.
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