Washington Fire fully contained, work on Airola Fire continues
As firefighters continue to work on the Airola Fire, Tuolumne County is beginning cleanup on the fully-contained Washington Fire.
The Airola Fire near Parrotts Ferry Road in Calaveras County is 89% contained at 639 acres as of Thursday, the Cal Fire Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit said.
As of Wednesday night, the Washington Fire had reached 100% containment after growing to 100 acres.
Both Tuolumne County and the city of Sonora have issued local states of emergency to request state assistance for cleanup. A total of 18 structures were destroyed by the fire, and another was damaged.
Human remains were also found near Silver Pine Drive, although the sheriff’s department as of Wednesday had not released the person’s identity and had not determined how the individual died.
Evacuation centers for both people and animals have closed.
People returning to burned areas should use extreme caution because of toxic materials and physical hazards, the Tuolumne County Office of Emergency Services said. They should not remove ash or debris.
Anyone in these areas should wear respirator masks rated N-95 or P-100, the office said. It additionally recommends wearing gloves, goggles, long-sleeved shirts and long pants to limit exposure and avoid possible chemical burns or skin irritation from wet ash.
The causes of both fires remain under investigation, Cal Fire said.
This story was originally published September 2, 2021 at 3:46 PM.
