Creek Fire live updates: Wildfire reaches 20% containment, spreads to 246,756 acres
As of Thursday evening, the nearly 2-week-old Creek Fire encompasses 246,756 acres and was 20% contained.
That’s a daily increase of almost 20,000 acres, while containment improved by 2 percentage points.
Full containment of the wildfire in the Sierra National Forest and foothill communities of Shaver Lake, Huntington Lake and North Fork isn’t expected until October.
Earlier in the day, the Creek Fire was at 244,756 acres and 18% containment.
On Wednesday night, the fire was at 228,025 acres and 18% containment.
▪ The Bullfrog Fire continues to burn on the eastern fringe of the Dinkey Lakes Wilderness west of Courtright Reservoir. At last update, it was at 900 acres and had zero containment after starting Sept. 9.
▪ The Sequoia Complex Fire, which has been burning in the Golden Trout Wilderness Area of Sequoia National Forest since Aug. 19, remained at 122,835 acres and 12% containment as of Thursday night. It was the same statistics reported in the morning.
Tulare County will be doing structure damage assessments when it is safe to access areas impacted by the fire. Homeowners will be contacted directly once these assessments are completed, but need to register with the county online.
3 p.m.: Evacuation warnings lifted
The Madera County Sheriff’s Office announced evacuation warnings lifted for the following areas:
M13 (Carmen Ranch Road)
M14 (Ciatana Creek Road)
M27 (Wyle Ranch Road)
M28 (Road 224 area)
M34 (Road 200 and Road 221 area)
M35 (Road 221 and Road 226 area)
M42 (O’Neals)
M43 (Walker Grade)
In addition, evacuation orders for M4A was reduced to evacuation warnings.
Residents are advised there’s still a potential for evacuations and need to be prepared to evacuate at a moments notice.
The following areas are open only to residents:
M4A (Italian Bar Road between Road 225 and Madera/Fresno County Line including all spur roads such as Road 235, Tooth Acres Way, Redinger Way, Italian Bar Road, Happy Oaks Lane, Old Oaks Court, Whiskey Trail). There will be no access into Fresno County.
In Fresno County, the Sheriff’s Office there announced two zones (F1A, F5A) were reduced to evacuation warnings. Nearly a dozen other zones (F1B, F1C, F1D, F1E, F1F, F1G, F1H, F1I, F3M, F3N, F3O) are clear of evacuation warnings.
Evacuation Map: http://bit.ly/creekfireevacmap
For specific questions about your zone, please call 844-668-3473.
1:30 p.m.: Heavy machinery moves into Shaver area
Ground fire crews worked deep in the wilderness above Shaver Lake to carve out “safety zones” meant to stop flames from advancing.
Heavy machinery was seen working up and down Forest Route 9S09, a road off the highway where several trees had been uprooted and some cut in half. The trees in the area appeared charred, but there were many left untouched by fire. Only a few weakening small fires were visible burning at the edge of the rocky dirt road.
Ground crews are key for the effort to contain the fire since they communicate with those in the air about the conditions below, according to fire spokesmen.
Up and down Highway 168 through Shaver Lake, big rigs hauled bulldozers into the area.
Meanwhile, Shaver Lake village was silent. Some business, although shut down, flashed neon signs that said “open.”
10 a.m.: Crews prep for fire growth this weekend
Fire crews will focus on protecting at-risk communities and infrastructure in the areas most likely to see fire growth from increased wind into the weekend, according to CalFire’s Thursday morning update.
The lifting smoke inversion occurring through Friday may allow aircraft to be deployed, but will also provide more preheating of fuels on the south and southwest slopes of the fire zone. With predicted winds, there could be increased fire activity, spotting and spread.
Crews along the eastern perimeter are using built and natural barriers to strengthen the line around the Rock Creek and Bald Mountain, and work is being done to fully establish containment lines around China Peak.
Structure protection is the priority near Shaver Lake, where additional structures could be damaged if the fire moves east and north from the southernmost portion of the fire into Blue Canyon towards the threatened communities around Bretz Hill Road.
There was increased fire growth along the north and northeastern flanks Wednesday due to the dry air, paired with increased winds and weakening of the inversion.
Containment lines were extended north from Cascadel Woods to an area just south of Peckinpah Meadow. Work continues on the west flank to fortify contingency lines and to protect Central Camp and the Bass Lake area.
Preparations continue for the community of Mammoth Lakes as winds push the Creek Fire to the northeast.
9:35 a.m.: Winds expected Thursday night
Winds gusts of up to 40 mph are forecast for the northern region of the Creek Fire on Thursday night. Winds in the southern zone of the fire are forecast for up to 20 mph.
Those winds could produce enough force to carry the fire to new areas, as smoke begins to lessen and the sun peeks through the fire region. The blaze grew by 20,000 acres from Wednesday night to Thursday morning.
As visibility slightly improved in recent days, air crews have been able to make progress on containing the fire from above. Chris Thompson, a spokesman on the Creek Fire, said 16 helicopters and some fixed-winged aircraft were in the air Thursday helping to secure containment lines with water and retardant.
While the Creek Fire has not been as explosive as it was in its early days, firefighters are aware of the possible dangerous situation, Thompson said.
He said due to the extreme smoky conditions, the fire has been able to grow at a slower pace, but is still dangerous and crews are trying to contain the danger as more people are allowed into zones that were previously evacuated. Thompson said they are working on removing hazardous trees and power lines.
8:30 a.m.: Treasured Fresno Pacific getaway cabin lost
Among the structures destroyed by the Creek Fire was the Casa Pacifica near Shaver Lake.
The three-floor, 3,600-square-foot cabin was owned by Fresno Pacific University, built by faculty in the early 1980s and used primarily as a weekend retreat facility during the academic year and more fully in the summer. The cabin was also popular with non-school groups and scheduling was reserved up to three years in advance.
The cabin burned during the first weekend of the fire.
“Casa held a special place in the hearts of the FPU community, including countless alumni,” Fresno Pacific President Dr. Joseph Jones said in a history of the cabin written on the university’s news site.
8 a.m.: Air quality improves in northern Valley counties
The weather forecast remains much as it has for the week: thick smoke over most of the central Valley region.
The National Weather Service is predicting increasing clouds over the region Thurdsay and Friday, due to mid- and high-level moisture associated with tropical storm Karina. A weak trough is expected through the area Thursday night, bringing more wind in the higher elevations, but “the stubborn smoke and haze will continue.”
There is the possibility of light showers or sprinkles in the Sierra with the trough passing, but this system is not expected over area wildfires.
The air quality index remains unhealthy for the majority of the area, though the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District is forecasting improvement in some north Valley counties. San Joaquin and Stanislaus County are expected to have moderate air quality on Thursday.
The quality in Fresno is improved, if only slightly. As of 7 a.m., the PM 2.5 particulate level had dipped to its lowest level since Sunday. Still, sensitive individuals should exercise indoors and everyone should avoid prolonged or vigorous outdoor activities.
This story was originally published September 17, 2020 at 8:36 AM with the headline "Creek Fire live updates: Wildfire reaches 20% containment, spreads to 246,756 acres."