Update: Evacuations ordered for 1,000-acre fire near New Melones Lake in Calaveras County

Read the latest update here ==> Firefighters report progress overnight on Washington Fire between Jamestown and Sonora

7:40 p.m. update

The blaze has been named the Airola fire. According to the Cal Fire Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit in a 7:30 a.m. update on its Facebook page, the fire is about 700 acres.

Crews will construct fire line throughout the night, and there is currently 0% containment, Cal Fire reported.

5:40 p.m.

Evacuations have been ordered in Calaveras County as firefighters battle a fast-growing blaze near New Melones Lake.

The fire began around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday and reached 1,000 acres in about two hours, the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office said. It is located in the Stanislaus River Canyon near the Parrotts Ferry Bridge.

Evacuations are in place for all of Parrotts Ferry Road between Parrotts Ferry Road, near the county line with Tuolumne, and Highway 4, the sheriff’s office said. This includes Moaning Cavern and Camp Nine Road areas and areas east of Red Hill Road to Parrottts Ferry Road.

Douglas Flat and Murphys were under evacuation warnings only as of 5:40 p.m.

Mark Twain Elementary School in Angels Camp is serving as an evacuation center.

We will have more on this story as it develops.

This story was originally published August 25, 2021 at 6:07 PM.

Lydia Gerike

The Modesto Bee

209-425-1724

Lydia Gerike began covering breaking news for the Modesto Bee in February 2021. She graduated from Indiana University with degrees in journalism and international studies. Lydia has previously reported as a fellow or intern at the Indianapolis Star, Hartford Courant and Oregonian.