Creek Fire live updates: Dad seeks daughter; China Peak munitions a concern; 163,000 acres burned
Creek Fire still 0% contained
The Creek Fire remained at 0% containment and its size expanded to 166,965 acres, Cal Fire announced during a 7:30 p.m. news conference.
There are 1,036 people on the work fire, Cal Fire added.
4 p.m.: Helicopters making drops off Highway 168
Visibility has increased, though less than officials would have hoped. They had one or two helicopters doing water drops near Meadow Lakes to the north of Highway 168 and some to the south of the highway as well.
Other fixed wing aircraft were flown over the area but did not make drops, according to Capt. Chris Vestal, incident information officer.
Vestal said there may have been some fire growth along the northern, sparsely-populated part of the fire. He added there had been no big flare-ups or growth for the day.
There was small growth near Highway 168 and Tollhouse Road where a backing fire was burning into a control line. Vestal said he would not speculate on acreage but noted there was no threat to structures.
As for the munitions situation at China Peak, Vestal said there had been no change and people are still being kept away until an ordinance disposal team arrives.
On the plan moving forward: It’s dependent on weather and possible flare-ups on Wednesday night.
It’s also early in the processes, with crews and equipment still arriving.
“We’re still setting up,” Vestal said.
There is a nightly livestream update on the Sierra National Forest Facebook page scheduled for 7 p.m.
2:30 p.m.: 2 arrested in Madera County in closed area with bomb-making material
Madera County Sheriff’s detectives Wednesday arrested a man, 27, and a woman, 26, in an area closed due to the Creek Fire after they found in possession of prohibited weapons, some type of bomb-making material and methamphetamine.
The arrests took place after their truck was pulled over by the detectives near Quail Hollow Court and Road 224.
Sheriff’s spokeswoman Sarah Jackson said the truck was searched because both parties were sought on warrants — one for driving under the influence and the second for a suspended license.
Jackson did not immediately have additional information about the bomb material or whether it was related to recent fires.
2:25 p.m.: Madera County launches evacuation map
The Madera County Sheriff’s Office has created an interactive map that shows what areas in the county that are under evacuation orders and evacuation warnings due to the Creek Fire.
2 p.m.: Four of largest wildfires started this year
At 163,138 acres the Creek Fire is closing in as one of the top 15 largest in the state, and four of the top 20 on record started this year.
The Mendocino Complex fire in 2018 is the largest at 459,123 acres.
The August Complex fire in Tehama County, which started Aug. 16 in the Mendocino National Forest, is second at 421,899 acres. As of Wednesday, it was 24% contained.
The SCU Lightning Complex fire, which started Aug. 18 in multiple locations in Stanislaus, Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa and San Joaquin counties, is third at 396,624 acres. It is 96% contained.
And, the LNU Lightning Complex fire, which started Aug. 17 in Sonoma, Lake, Napa, Yolo and Sonoma counties, is third at 363,220 acres. It is 92% contained.
The Creek Fire is 16th, according to Cal Fire, and is 0% contained.
1:15 p.m.: Scotts Valley father looking for daughter
Jess Craig of Scotts Valley is likely one of many family members seeking news of loved ones who were in the Sierra when the Creek Fire erupted.
On Wednesday, he told The Bee that he last spoke to his daughter, Heather Craig, 29, on Saturday. She was hiking with her boyfriend, Curtis Fox, 30, at a favorite spot on the South Fork of the San Joaquin River and called before she was aware of the fire.
Jess Craig said he has been going to Portal Forebay Camp 61 on Kaiser Pass Road for years, and his daughter was familiar with the site as well. His daughter learned how to hike in the Sierra at a young age, and Jess Craig was concerned, as any parent would be, that he has not heard from her.
12:45 p.m.: Fairgrounds seek donations for livestock
The Fresno Fairgrounds, designated by the Office of Emergency Services as an evacuation site for livestock animals impacted by the Creek Fire, is seeking donations for volunteers and animals including alfalfa, grass hay, oat hay and other items.
Also on the list:
- Shavings
- 70 gallon buckets
- Wheelbarrows
- Cases of bottled water
- Cases of Gatorade/sport drinks
- Packaged food – protein bars, granola bars, etc.
- 50 foot hoses
Donations can be dropped off at the Fresno Fairgrounds at the Gem & Mineral Building. Enter the Fairgrounds from Chance Avenue, just south of the Administration Building.
For additional information, contact Taylor Childers at 559-994-3129 or tchilders@fresnofair.com
The fairgrounds is working with the Fresno County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office, which is overseeing the care of all animals that are evacuated to the fairgrounds.
12:15 p.m.: China Peak avalanche explosives a concern
At Huntington Lake, the back side of China Peak ski resort where the fire hit is off limits even to firefighters due to some munitions storage.
China Peak staff use the munitions, reported by Cal Fire to be about 1,000 pounds, for avalanche control during the ski season.
Firefighters are waiting for bomb disposal units to arrive.
The entrance to the ski resort sits in the midst of orange haze and smoke smoke as ash fell.
At the lake itself, crews are fighting on the backside and looking to protect critical infrastructure.
Crews are using dozers to keep fires burning away from structures.
11:15 a.m.: Cal Fire update for Madera County
Cal Fire provided an update on the Creek Fire in Madera County, noting a strong inversion is expected to continue on the west side of the wildfire. It will hold smoke over the area, providing shade and a buffer from the gusty winds at higher elevations.
Also:
- Hand crews and equipment operators are making progress on a containment line from the San Joaquin River northwest toward Castle Peak.
- Bulldozers continue to work to reduce vegetation in the vicinity of structures at Cascadel Woods and to the north along the western flank of the fire.
- The Red Flag Weather Warning has been extended through 8 p.m. Wednesday.
- The temporary evacuation center for Madera County has been relocated to the Mariposa County Fairgrounds in Mariposa.
The fire has burned more than 163,000 acres and still is 0% contained.
10:50 a.m.: updated evacuations from Cal Fire
Evacuation orders
Madera County: Bass Lake Basin including Wishon, Bass Lake Annex, and Manzanita; the town of North Fork and surrounding area
Fresno County: Tollhouse, Bourrough Valley, Cold Springs Rancheria, Watts Valley Road from Pittman Hill to Maxon Road, Maxon Road to Trimmer Springs Road, Pittman Hill from Humphreys Station to Sample Road to include all tertiary roads
Evacuation warnings
Fresno County: Prather. South of Little Sandy/Lodge Road, North East of Tollhouse Road, North of Millerton Road/Nicholas Road, East Auberry Road
Madera County: Oakhurst, O’Neals, Walker Grade, Chukchansi, Indian Lakes, and the portion of Coarsegold east of Highway 41
10 a.m.: Disaster distress helpline
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has set up a disaster helpline to provide immediate counseling to anyone with mental or emotional effects caused by wildfires burning across the state.
The line – 1-800-985-5990 – is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and connects callers to trained professionals from the closest crisis counseling center and will provide confidential counseling, referrals and other needed support services..
9:30 a.m.: Firefighters still concerned about fire’s Southern area
Firefighters at the incident command center at Sierra High School in Tollhouse were in a wait-and-see mode.
There were no new areas of concern and no new evacuations orders or warnings.
“It doesn’t sound like anything happened over night,” said Capt. Chris Vestal, the public information officer for the Creek Fire.
Firefighting crews are still in life safety and structure protection mode and that’s partly why the containment number is at zero, he added. There are some bulldozers out working, but they are slow and hard to use in some areas.
Concerns remain about the southern area of the fire, and that the inversion layer and thick smoke have prevented firefighters from using aircraft that they normally would.
The damage inspection unit is now up and running, and Vestal said a better tally of structural damage would be available soon.
“Now you’re going to start getting that detailed information,” he said.
On the way up Highway 168 through the foothills, smoke hung in the air, looking like a foggy winter day. Traffic was light in both directions.
Signs warning of fire season dot the highway: “Wildfires are coming. Are you ready?”
9:25 a.m.: Poor air forecast for Fresno
Wildfire smoke is impacting air quality across the state and several communities dealing with the Creek Fire are reporting some of the worst air quality ratings in the west, reaching hazardous levels.
The Air Quality Index for North Fork Wednesday morning was 492. It was as high as 449 in Oakhurst and 444 at Yosemite Turtleback Dome.
Silverton, east of Salem, Ore., had an AQI of 579.
A reading of 201 or higher is considered very unhealthy. A reading of 301 or higher is considered hazardous.
Fresno had an AQI of 159, an unhealthy level. But a forecast by IQAir is projecting it will reach a very unhealthy level on Saturday.
8:30 a.m. Creek Fire has burned more than 160,000 acres
A Creek Fire status report Wednesday morning from Cal Fire now lists acres burned at 163,138 with containment still at 0%.
There have been 365 structures destroyed, and 5,296 remain threatened by the wildfire, which continues to burn on both sides of the San Joaquin River and around Shaver and Huntington lakes.
7 a.m.: PG&E restoring power following shutoff
PG&E started inspecting power lines and restoring power on Wednesday morning in portions of 22 California counties that were impacted by a Public Safety Power Shutoff triggered by the significant fire risk posed by dry, hot weather and high winds.
The shutoff impacted about 172,000 PG&E customers in Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado, Humboldt, Kern, Lake, Lassen, Mariposa, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Sonoma, Tehama, Trinity, Tuolumne and Yuba counties.
Wind gusts as high as 66 mph were reported during the shutoff in Butte, Sierra, Sonoma, Siskiyou and Placer counties.
An “all clear” for a portion of a few remaining counties is expected by 9 a.m. Wednesday.
6:30 a.m.: New Cal Fire incident in Stanislaus County
Cal Fire is working a new wildfire that has broken out west of Patterson at Interstate 5 and Sperry Road in Stanislaus County.
The Sperry Fire had burned 45 acres and was 0% contained.
This story was originally published September 9, 2020 at 9:08 AM with the headline "Creek Fire live updates: Dad seeks daughter; China Peak munitions a concern; 163,000 acres burned."