Cleanup was under way Wednesday in a wooded, desert area of Ventura County after about 420 gallons of crude oil flooded a waterway, authorities said, and crews were working to beat the coming storm.
The last tank above the carbon-powered california spilled oil into the Sisar Creek desert near Ojai, according to animal welfare officials.
Although the waterway and the spill are small compared to other large oil spills, “said Kristina Meris,” said a spokeswoman for the Department of Fisheries and Califormia for prevention and response.
“There’s wildlife, there’s nature, and people live in these places,” she said. “We want to clean up everything we can as quickly as we can safely.”
The first reports of the oil spill were received Tuesday afternoon, Meris said. But the steep terrain, limited road access and the approaching bad weather make for a clean-up.
Crews arrived at the creek bed Wednesday and “hit it hard today,” Meris said, setting up a perimeter around the site. Authorities will also conduct air quality tests to assess health risks.
“It’s a very difficult and difficult place to get to,” Meris told me. “The only concern with the response tomorrow will be severe weather moving in, so the safety of our responders could be an issue.”
The spill came from a damaged gas tank owned by Carbon California, an oil and gas company in Ventura County. Authorities said the flower continued to be investigated, but the company was released by the responsible department and the Department of Environmental Protection, including the Department of Environmental Protection, which is also the Ventura County Sheriff’s.
Cleanup crews drain and pump oil from the Tributary and send suction booms and scoops to recover oil stuck in the Creek bed. Crews were able to contain most of the spill, Meris said, but storm conditions could hamper their efforts.
They expect to begin reporting total recovery rates on Thursday morning, although those numbers may indicate a “oily water mix,” not pure pure water. “Sometimes it can be a little bit higher than the number [of gallons spilled] Because there will be mixed water,” he said.
No wildlife had been reported injured as of Wednesday evening, but Meris stressed that a quick response was essential to prevent injury.
“The sooner you respond, the sooner you get this clean, better environment,” she said.
The spill site is far from major roads, part of what officials describe as a hairpin bend for the feeder extension to Sisar Creek. Cleanup operations will be suspended overnight for safety reasons but are expected to resume Thursday morning, weather permitting.
Authorities did not provide a timeline for a complete cleanup but said the response will continue until the Creek meets “available oil products.
