SEATTLE – Smoke and haze from wildfires burning in Washington, Oregon, California and Canada has entered Puget Sound, with some areas under air quality alerts due to surface-level smoke.
Live photo of Downtown Seattle at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, September 3.
A number of wildfires are burning in Washington state as it faces heat advisories, excessive heat warnings and red flag warnings for dry, breezy conditions that could expand the fires’ acreage.
Keep reading to learn more about surface-level smoke and the elevated, or “upstairs smoke” caused by wildfires.
What is surface-level, or near-surface smoke?
According to NOAA, surface-level or near-surface smoke is wildfire smoke that lingers close to the ground, typically within about 26 feet. This is the type of smoke that is harmful to humans and animals, and is responsible for symptoms like burning, itchy eyes and worsening asthma.
What is Seattle’s air quality?
As of 8:30 a.m., Seattle’s AQI was 56, indicating “moderate” air quality. Most of the smoke causing that orange-tinted haze in the Seattle skies is considered elevated smoke, or what meteorologists call “smoke aloft” or “upstairs smoke”. That means the wildfire smoke is high in the atmosphere and usually does not impact people’s breathing at ground level – unless atmospheric conditions change.
Air quality alerts in WA
As of Wednesday morning, most of the air quality alerts were in effect for Eastern Washington, though some surface-level smoke is expected west of the Cascades.
What’s next:
“I’m not terribly worried about the Puget Sound area coming up over the next couple of days in regard to our air quality,” said FOX 13 Chief Meteorologist Brian MacMillan. “But east of the Cascades, we’re going to have some pretty thick smoke that’s going to be swirling around – and with that, we’ll have a dropping in the quality of our air.”
“With that, we have an air quality alert set up here for a lot of counties over on the east side of the state,” he said. “Again, don’t be exercising outside or running around outside if we start getting into that red area, that very unhealthy or even hazardous air. You just don’t want to be outside in that.”
Hoodsport has some of the worst air quality in the US
Big picture view:
According to IQAir, Hoodsport, Washington had some of the worst air quality in the United States at around 8:30 a.m. Wednesday morning. At the time, the Air Quality Index (AQI) was at 286 – categorized as “very unhealthy”.
Hoodsport, located along the Hood Canal about 5 miles southeast of Lake Cushman, is breathing in smoke from the Bear Gulch Fire. As of September 3, the fire is burning 9,406 acres and remains 10% contained.
According to the AQI to Cigarette Calculator, spending just 2 hours outside in Hoodsport, Washington with an AQI of 286 is equivalent to smoking one cigarette. Spending an 8-hour shift outside under these conditions is like smoking 3 cigarettes.
The Source: Information in this story comes from FOX 13 Seattle Chief Meteorologist Brian MacMillan, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, IQAir, AQI to Cigarettes Calculator and InciWeb.
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The Mojave Desert is facing a triple whammy of hazards this week as the National Weather Service warns of flash flooding, extreme heat and elevated wildfire risk.
The overlapping hazards are the result of monsoonal storms combining with tropical moisture linked to Hurricane Lorena, which is helping sustain unstable conditions across the region. Forecasters say the interaction of these systems will keep the risk of heavy rain elevated through the week.
What’s in the forecast?
A low-pressure system off the Central California coast is bringing enough moisture and atmospheric lift to generate fast-moving thunderstorms across the region. These storms could produce heavy bursts of rain on the desert’s hardened ground, where water runs off quickly instead of soaking in, creating a potential for flash flooding this week.
Even brief downpours may trigger flash floods in canyons and dry washes. The risk is expected to persist through the week, though chances for showers and thunderstorms will gradually decrease each day, according to the area forecast discussion from the San Joaquin Valley.
Moisture is expected to gradually retreat southeast through the end of the week and into the weekend. That shift has slowed due to Hurricane Lorena’s track toward Baja California, and with daytime heating and lingering upper-level energy, scattered showers and thunderstorms remain possible in eastern areas into the weekend.
Meanwhile, temperatures are expected to remain above 100 degrees during the day, with nighttime lows holding in the upper 70s. This extends an already dangerous heat wave and, combined with lightning from passing storms, could spark new wildfires.
Regional highlights
Increased chances for thunderstorms exist today and tomorrow, Sept. 3-4, along the Sierra Nevada and into the Kern County mountains, with a 15% to 30% probability of development this afternoon and a 15% to 25% chance on Wednesday, Sept. 3. These storms are likely to produce little rainfall but may result in dry lightning strikes.
There is at least a 5% chance of excessive rainfall in the Sierra Nevada, Kern County mountains and Mojave Desert today and tomorrow, Sept. 3-4, prompting a flood watch in those regions.
Moderate Heat Risk continues for the Valley and Mojave Desert through Wednesday, Sept. 3, with a 40% to 80% chance of triple-digit temperatures. Some areas in higher elevations approach a Major Heat Risk.
What is dry lightning?
Dry lightning occurs during “dry thunderstorms,” which produce little to no rainfall. According to the National Weather Service, the drier the storm and the drier the vegetation, the more likely lightning strikes are to spark wildfires. That’s because cloud-to-ground lightning can easily ignite parched fuel without rain to help dampen it.
Is lightning without thunder still dangerous?
Lightning is always dangerous, even if unaccompanied by thunder or rain.
Thunder is simply the sound produced by the rapid expansion of air heated by lightning, according to the National Weather Service. If a lightning strike is far enough away, the sound may not reach you, but the electrical discharge can still travel for miles and ignite fires or injure people.
How often does lightning cause wildfires?
Lightning-caused wildfires are much larger and consume more land (53% of the average acreage burned from 2018 to 2022) than human-caused fires.
However, the majority of wildfires are caused by humans (89% of the average number of wildfires from 2018 to 2022).
California weather watches and warnings
Stay informed. Get weather alerts via text
Brandi D. Addison covers weather across the United States as the Weather Connect Reporter for the USA TODAY Network. She can be reached at baddison@gannett.com.
TCU September Lightning Complex: Lightning-sparked fires force evacuations, destroy structures
WE BEGIN WITH BREAKING NEWS. AND THAT BREAKING NEWS IS OUT OF CALAVERAS AND TUOLUMNE COUNTY. RESIDENTS ARE EVACUATED AS FIRE CREWS BATTLE THE TCU SEPTEMBER LIGHTNING COMPLEX. WE SEE SOME OF THE VIDEO HERE BEHIND US RIGHT NOW. NOW THE COMPLEX IS MADE UP OF AT LEAST NINE FIRES THAT HAVE BURNED MORE THAN 12,000 ACRES IN TUOLUMNE COUNTY. EVACUATION ORDERS STRETCHED FROM THE DON PEDRO RESERVOIR UP THROUGH CHINESE CAMP TO MONTEZUMA AND YOSEMITE JUNCTION. WARNINGS SHOWN THERE IN YELLOW INCLUDE QUARTZ SOUTH OF JAMESTOWN. NOW ANOTHER PORTION OF THE LIGHTNING COMPLEX IS BURNING IN CALAVERAS COUNTY, JUST NORTH OF ANGELS CAMP. HERE’S A LOOK AT THE EVACUATION AREA RIGHT HERE. ORDERS RIGHT NOW. MARKED IN RED. THEY RUN FROM VALLECITO TO MURPHYS, WHILE AREAS IN YELLOW. THOSE ARE WARNINGS, MEANING RESIDENTS SHOULD BE READY TO LEAVE AT A MOMENT’S NOTICE. WE DO HAVE TEAM COVERAGE THIS MORNING. MELANIE WINGO GATHERING INFORMATION ABOUT THE AIR RESOURCES THAT FIRE CREWS ARE USING. CHIEF METEOROLOGIST OPHELIA YOUNG KEEPING AN EYE ON AIR QUALITY AS SMOKE DRIFTS FROM THOSE FIRES AS WELL. MIKE TESELLE IS IN TUOLUMNE COUNTY. THAT’S WHERE FLAMES HAVE RAVAGED A HISTORIC TOWN. WHILE TRAFFIC BRIAN HICKEY IS MONITORING THOSE ROAD CLOSURES THROUGHOUT BOTH COUNTY BUT COUNTIES. BUT LET’S BEGIN WITH THE VERY LATEST WEATHER CONDITIONS AND HOW THEY’RE IMPACTING CONTAINMENT EFFORTS WITH METEOROLOGIST TAMARA BERG, ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO TALK ABOUT THE WEATHER CONDITIONS IS TO DO A LITTLE SHOW AND TELL. I’M GOING TO TAKE YOU THROUGH A REWIND HERE OVER THE LAST 30 MINUTES. THIS IS COMING IN FROM. SONORA WEST, AND IT’S ACTUALLY LOOKING DOWN THE HIGHWAY 108 CORRIDOR AND OFF TO THE WESTERLY DIRECTION. AND THIS IS AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 2400FT. SO THE SONORA WEST CAMERA SHOWS YOU NOT ONLY JUST A BEAUTIFUL SUNRISE, BUT THESE SMOKY SKIES HERE AROUND SONORA. AND AT LEAST YOU AREN’T SEEING FROM THIS VANTAGE POINT ANY MAJOR HOTSPOTS CONDITIONS RIGHT NOW AROUND THE TCU LIGHTNING COMPLEX INCLUDE WIND SPEEDS OUT OF THE NORTHEAST 5 TO 10MPH, SO THEY’VE BEEN PRETTY LIGHT IN THESE OVERNIGHT HOURS. TEMPERATURES CURRENTLY IN THE LOWER 70. SO IT’S BEEN QUITE MILD. HUMIDITY HAS BEEN ABOUT 50%. AND THE AIR QUALITY SO FAR WE’RE GOING TO HEAR MORE ON THAT HAS BEEN DEEMED UNHEALTHY IN SEVERAL LOCATIONS. THERE ARE PARTS OF CALAVERAS AND TUOLUMNE COUNTIES. SO THE WIND FORECAST FOR THE MORNING AGAIN, PRETTY LIGHT, PRIMARILY EAST TO NORTHEAST. BUT NOW THAT THE SUN IS COMING UP, THOSE WIND CONDITIONS ARE GOING TO CHANGE. MOVING TO MORE OF A SOUTH TO SOUTHWESTERLY DIRECTION DURING THE DAYLIGHT AND CHARGE UP A LITTLE BIT IN THAT 10 TO 15MPH RANGE IN ANGELS CAMP CHINESE CAMP AREA AND IN THROUGH COLUMBIA. SO THAT WILL MEAN SOME CHANGEABLE AIR QUALITY AS WELL, ESPECIALLY AS WE HEAD THROUGH THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS ACROSS THE REGION. TODAY, TEMPERATURES DOWN. THAT’S GOOD NEWS. ALONG THE FIRE LINES, WE’RE LOOKING AT MID 70S WITH STORMS STAYING TO THE SOUTHERN SIERRA TODAY, ESPECIALLY SOUTH OF TAHOE. SMOKY SKIES, LOW 90S IN THE FOOTHILLS WITH HIGHS IN THE MID 90S ACROSS THE VALLEY. COMING UP IN THE NEXT TEN MINUTES, I’LL WALK YOU THROUGH THE EXTENDED FORECAST, NEIGHBORHOOD BY NEIGHBORHOOD. IT IS 703 RIGHT NOW. LET’S GET A CHECK OF THE HIGHWAY CONDITIONS WITH BRIAN. THANKS, TAMARA. START HERE ALONG HIGHWAY 50, COMING IN THROUGH WHITE ROCK ROAD. YOU CAN SEE THERE TRAFFIC IS CRUISING. WE’RE REALLY NO TROUBLE HERE IN THE 50 CORRIDOR. 80 COMING IN. JUST SOME MINOR DELAYS THROUGH GREENBACK. BUT OTHERWISE OVER THE TOP. ALL CLEAR AND JUST A MINOR SLOWDOWN. GETTING ON TO THE CAUSEWAY AS YOU’RE MAKING YOUR WAY NORTHBOUND ON 99. SEEING SOME HEAVIER TRAFFIC HERE AT FLORIN ROAD. AND THAT ALL STARTS A LITTLE BIT FURTHER BACK TOWARDS MACK. YOU START TO SEE A LITTLE BIT OF SLOWING, BUT RIGHT AT FLORIN YOU CAN SEE SOME RED ON THE SPEED SENSORS THERE, BUT THAT’S IT. NO INCIDENTS. AND IN STOCKTON WE’RE ALL CLEAR AS YOU HEAD EAST THOUGH, UP INTO THE COMPLEX FIRES THERE. THEY’VE GOT 120 AND 49 CLOSED JUST OFF OF 108 TOWARDS CHINESE CAMP WITH FIRE ACTIVITY IN THAT AREA. SO AGAIN AVOID THAT FOR NOW. 80 A 12 MINUTE RIDE OUT OF ROSEVILLE, 50 OUT OF FOLSOM LOOKING AT 16 MINUTES, 99 TO 12 MINUTE RIDE FROM ELK GROVE I5 11 MINUTES BACK TO YOU, BRIAN. THANK YOU. AS RESIDENTS DO LEAVE THEIR HOMES, OFFICIALS ARE NOW OPENING EVACUATION POINTS IN CALAVERAS COUNTY. A SHELTER HAS BEEN SET UP AT BRET HARTE HIGH SCHOOL THAT’S IN ANGELS CAMP ON MURPHYS GRADE ROAD. THEY’RE ACCEPTING PETS. THEIR LIVESTOCK CAN BE TAKEN TO THE CALAVERAS COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS ON FROGTOWN ROAD IN TUOLUMNE COUNTY. RESIDENTS CAN GO TO THE SONORA SENIOR CENTER THAT’S ON GREELEY ROAD. THEY’RE ACCEPTING PETS AS WELL. LIVESTOCK AND OTHER LARGE ANIMALS CAN BE TAKEN TO THE MOTHERLODE FAIRGROUNDS ON SOUTH GATE DRIVE. KCRA 3’S MIKE TESELLE JOINS US NOW LIVE WITH AN UPDATE FROM WHERE HE IS. MIKE. OF COURSE, WE KNOW THE SUN IS UP NOW AND THAT DOES GIVE A BETTER IDEA AND A BETTER LOOK AT WHAT HAS HAPPENED OVERNIGHT. YEAH, AND WITH THE SUN UP OVER THE HORIZON, WE ARE GETTING THAT BETTER LOOK OF THE DAMAGE. HERE WE ARE STANDING ON RED HILL ROAD JUST TO THE WEST OF HIGHWAY 120, AND THE SCENE SPEAKS FOR ITSELF. JUST EVERY DIRECTION YOU LOOK ON THE LEFT AND RIGHT, YOU CAN SEE A LOT OF DESTRUCTION, A LOT OF DESTROYED HOMES. THIS AGAIN, A LOOK FROM RED HILL ROAD. IF YOU’RE FAMILIAR WITH CHINESE CAMP ALONG RED HILL ROAD, MAIDEN CURRY, WASHINGTON, MAINE, THOSE ARE ALL THE CROSS STREETS WHERE WE’RE SEEING DAMAGE LIKE THIS THIS MORNING AS WE’RE GETTING THIS FIRST DAYLIGHT VIEW. NOW, I CAN TELL YOU JUST UP THE ROAD, A HOME AT THE 13 500 RED HILL, UNTOUCHED BY FLAMES. SO THAT HOME SAVED. AND THEN A LITTLE FURTHER UP THE ROAD, THE CHINESE CAMP SCHOOL, THAT ONE ALSO SPARED FROM ANY DAMAGE. BUT IT IS JUST OFF OF 120 UP TO THAT POINT OF 13 500. RED HILL, WHERE THIS IS THE SCENE, MANY STRUCTURES LOST. WE DON’T HAVE A FIRM COUNT AS OF NOW, BUT CLEARLY DOZENS OF STRUCTURES BURNED IN THIS FIRE. NOW, THIS IS YOUR DAYLIGHT. LOOK, LET ME GIVE YOU A QUICK LOOK OF WHAT OUR CREWS SAW WHEN THEY WERE HERE LAST NIGHT. A MUCH MORE ACTIVE SCENE AS FAR AS FIRE ACTIVITY. AND THAT FIRE ACTIVITY. UNFORTUNATELY, BURNING HOMES AND DOWNING POWER LINES. WE’VE SEEN MULTIPLE POWER LINES DOWN ALONG THIS ROAD AS WELL. NO HOMEOWNERS IN THIS AREA RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THIS IS AN EVACUATED AREA. SO AGAIN, IF WE CAN COME BACK OUT HERE, LIVE OUR FIRST DAYLIGHT, LOOK AT SOME OF THE ONE OF THE HARDEST HIT AREAS OF THIS SIX FIVE FIRE HERE ALONG RED HILL ROAD. AND THEN AGAIN, AS WE REPORTED EARLIER THIS MORNING, COMING IN ON 120, WE SAW A COUPLE OF HOMES AND STRUCTURES ALONG 120 THAT WERE BURNED COMING IN FROM THE NORTH. SO CLEARLY A LOT OF DAMAGE DONE IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. THIS SPECIFICALLY IS THE SIX FIVE FIRE OF THAT COMPLEX. WE WERE ALSO IN THE TWO THREE DROVE PAST THE TWO THREE COMPLEX. THAT’S WHERE WE SAW SOME ACTIVE FLAMES ON THE HILLSIDE THIS MORNING. BUT AGAIN, THOSE RELATIVELY WERE CONTAINED, JUST KIND OF MOVING SLOWLY DOWN THE HILLSIDE. AS FOR THIS AREA, WE HAVEN’T REALLY SEEN A WHOLE LOT OF ACTIVE FIRE HERE THIS MORNING. JUST A WHOLE LOT OF DAMAGE DONE BY THAT ACTIVITY YESTERDAY INTO THE EARLY HOURS OF THIS MORNING. LIVE IN CHINESE CAMP, TUOLUMNE MIKE TESELLE KCRA THREE NEWS. AND OF COURSE, MIKE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE WATCHED THESE KIND OF INCIDENTS HAPPEN BEFORE AND YOUR HEART JUST BREAKS WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE DEVASTATION FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THOSE AREAS. AND JUST THE RECOVERY IS GOING TO TAKE WEEKS, MONTHS, MAYBE EVEN YEARS AS WELL. WE’RE GOING TO CHECK BACK IN WITH YOU THROUGHOUT THIS HOUR AND KEEP US UPDATED, OF COURSE, ON WHAT YOU’RE SEEING OUT THERE. MEANTIME, IN TUOLUMNE COUNTY, THE BLACK OAK CASINO IS WORKING TO HELP THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN FORCED TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES. THEY SAY ANYONE WHO IS UNDER A MANDATORY EVACUATION ORDER CAN STAY WITH THEM FOR FREE. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS SHOW YOUR CALIFORNIA ID IT DOES HAVE TO LIST. YOUR ADDRESS IS IN THE EVACUATION ZONE. THE SEPTEMBER LIGHTNING COMPLEX, ALSO IMPACTING AIR QUALITY IN THE MOTHERLODE KCRA 3 METEOROLOGIST OPHELIA YOUNG. JOINING US NOW WITH THE LATEST ON THIS. AND OPHELIA, WE KNOW THAT AS THE WINDS SHIFT, PEOPLE WITH ALLERGIES WILL DEFINITELY BE AFFECTED BY THIS. YES. IF YOU HAVE RESPIRATORY ISSUES, DEFINITELY A GOOD DAY TO STAY INDOORS. WE ARE TRACKING THE RETURN OF SOME ONSHORE WINDS, WHICH IS BOTH GOOD AND BAD. IT IS GOOD BECAUSE IT DOES BRING IN SOME COOLER AIR WHICH WILL HELP OUT FIRE CONDITIONS AND FIREFIGHTERS. BUT IT’S BAD BECAUSE THE VARYING AND SHIFTING WINDS WILL POSE SOME CHALLENGES AND WILL EVENTUALLY DRIVE UP SOME AIR FROM THE SOUTH, WHICH DOES INCLUDE SMOKE FROM NOT JUST ONE, BUT SEVERAL FIRES THAT ARE BURNING AND ALSO SOME FIRES IN CENTRAL CALIFORNIA. HERE’S A PHOTO OF THOSE SMOKY SKIES SHARED YESTERDAY FROM TIFFANY OF, IN HER WORDS, THE DRAMATIC FIRE SKIES OVER MURPHYS, ANOTHER ONE OF THE SUN GLOWING THROUGH THE SMOKE AS A PLANE PASSES OVERHEAD BY JAMIE LANE. FOOTHILL RESIDENTS CAN EXPECT TO WALK OUT TODAY TO MORE OF THE SAME UNHEALTHY AIR, WHICH IS CURRENTLY WORSE. AS YOU CAN SEE IN TUOLUMNE AND CALAVERAS COUNTIES. THOSE AREAS ARE NOT ONLY BEING DEALT SMOKE FROM LIGHTNING FIRES THAT BROKE OUT YESTERDAY, BUT THE ONGOING GARNETT FIRE FURTHER DOWN SOUTH IN THE FOOTHILLS OF FRESNO COUNTY. SMOKE DRIFTING NORTH, COMBINING WITH THE SMOKE FROM THE SEVERAL VEGETATION FIRES THAT SPARKED YESTERDAY. THOSE WINDS OUT OF THE SOUTH WILL DRIVE ALL OF THAT SMOKE NORTH, WHILE THE DELTA BREEZE WILL BE LIGHT BUT STILL PUSHING IT FROM THE VALLEY, BUNCHING IT UP IN THE FOOTHILLS. ESPECIALLY TONIGHT, MORE SMOKE WILL WAFT BACK AND FORTH FROM THE VALLEY TO THE FOOTHILLS TOMORROW, DEPENDING ON FIREFIGHTING EFFORTS. OF COURSE, THE SMOKE FORECAST MODEL THEN THINKING THE SMOKE WILL MOVE UP INTO THE SIERRA, WILL BE MORE CONCENTRATED THERE ON FRIDAY. SO HEADS UP FOR FOLKS WHO ARE HEADED TO OR ARE IN THE MOUNTAIN. OF COURSE, THIS FORECAST CAN CHANGE VERY QUICKLY WITH A FEW MORE STORMS FORECAST FOR THE SIERRA LATER TODAY. TAMARA BERG WILL HAVE MORE ON THAT LATER ON IN THE SHOW. FOR NOW, WE’RE GOING TO GO BACK TO THE DESK. MIKE AND BRANDI, THANKS SO MUCH FOR THAT. AND OF COURSE, DURING FIRE SEASON, HAVING A GO BAG READY CAN REALLY MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE WHEN DISASTER STRIKES. OFFICIALS RECOMMEND HAVING ESSENTIALS READY LIKE THE FOLLOWING YEAR. PRESCRIPTIONS OR MEDICATIONS, A CHANGE OF CLOTHES, EXTRA EYE GLASSES OR CONTACT LENSES, A FIRST AID KIT, A FLASHLIGHT, A BATTERY POWERED RADIO WITH EXTRA BATTERIES, AS WELL AS CHARGERS FOR ANY ELECTRONICS. NOW, PET OWNERS SHOULD ALSO HAVE LEAS
TCU September Lightning Complex: Lightning-sparked fires force evacuations, destroy structures
Evacuations remain in effect after a series of fires sparked by lightning started in two Northern California counties.While Cal Fire, the state’s fire management agency, has not reported structure damage, KCRA 3 was able to visually confirm several structures either destroyed or damaged in the historic Tuolumne County gold mining community of Chinese Camp.TCU September Lightning Complex acreage, containmentThe series of fires, grouped together by Cal Fire as the TCU September Lightning Complex, has collectively burned at least 11,977 acres as of 7:42 a.m., up from the 9,383 acres reported at 9:45 p.m. Tuesday.Earlier Wednesday morning, Cal Fire listed the acreage at 12,473, but numbers can change with better surveying and mapping of the burn area. At least nine fires comprise this complex. Of the nine, the two largest ones are the so-called 6-5 Fire in Tuolumne County that sparked near the Don Pedro Reservoir and the 2-7 Fire that started near Highway 4 and Milton Road in Stanislaus County. Cal Fire listed the cause of both fires as lightning.Both of those fires are among many given similar names after thousands of lightning strikes hit parts of the Central Valley, Sacramento Valley, and the Foothills. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office on Tuesday afternoon said that in the first two days of September, California had recorded 9,619 lightning strikes.On Wednesday, the governor’s press office said it announced the state secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The state plans to use that funding to ensure enough resources are being put toward the 2-7 Fire.The KCRA 3 weather team anticipates more thunderstorm activity in the Sierra, especially south of Tahoe, on Wednesday.As of Wednesday, there is no known containment around the fire. Containment measures how much of a perimeter crews have established around a burn area to help prevent flames from continuing to spread. It does not actually measure how much of a fire has been extinguished.Wildfire conditionsOn Wednesday morning during the 6 a.m. newscast, KCRA 3’s Mike TeSelle was at Chinese Camp and noted that fire activity had moderated in comparison to conditions on Tuesday. However, there is still a lot of work to be done in extinguishing the flames.TeSelle also noted that among the buildings destroyed is the town’s historic post office, which has been standing since 1854. See when TeSelle featured Chinese Camp in his Explore Outdoors series in the video below.TCU September Lightning Complex evacuations, shelter informationEvacuation orders and warnings are in place for both the 2-7 and 6-5 portions of the complex. With evacuation orders, you are lawfully required to immediately leave. You are not required to leave under a warning but are recommended to be ready to do so in case conditions become dangerous.See an interactive map below for evacuation orders and warnings in Calaveras County for 2-7.Find a map of evacuations in Tuolumne County for 6-5 here. We also have them listed below.6-5 evacuation ordersChinese Camp TownSix Bit Ranch RoadSix Bit Gulch RoadRed Hill RoadDon Pedrro Dam RoadOld Don Pedro Dam RoadMenkee Hess RoadAll roads East of Highway 108 from Junction 59 to Highway 49Both sides of highway 120 from Chinese Camp to Highway 120 BridgeRojo Shawmut Road6-5 evacuation warningsAll Areas from Bell Mooney & Jacksonville RoadWest to Highway 49 and Highway 108 South to Old Jacksonville RoadShelter informationEvacuees seeking shelter or looking for a place to take their animals can go to the following locations based on county.Calaveras CountyBret Harte High School: 323 South Main Street, Altaville, CA 95221Calaveras County Fairgrounds Livestock Evacuation Center (Livestock only): 101 Frogtown Road, Angels Camp, CA 95222Small, domestic pets can also be taken to Bret Harte High SchoolTuolumne CountySonora Senior Center: 540 Greenley Road, Sonora, CA 95370Pets are allowed at the Sonora Senior Center, and animal control is on scene assistingAir quality in parts of Northern California is also experiencing unhealthier levels. Check air quality in your area with the interactive map below.This is a developing story. Stay with KCRA 3 as we work to gather more details.| MORE | A 2025 guide for how to prepare for wildfires in California | Northern California wildfire resources by county: Find evacuation info, sign up for alertsCal Fire wildfire incidents: Cal Fire tracks its wildfire incidents here. You can sign up to receive text messages for Cal Fire updates on wildfires happening near your ZIP code here.Wildfires on federal land: Federal wildfire incidents are tracked here.Preparing for power outages: Ready.gov explains how to prepare for a power outage and what to do when returning from one here. Here is how to track and report PG&E power outages.Keeping informed when you’ve lost power and cellphone service: How to find a National Weather Service radio station near you.Be prepared for road closures: Download Caltrans’ QuickMap app or check the latest QuickMap road conditions here.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
ANGELS CAMP, Calif. —
Evacuations remain in effect after a series of fires sparked by lightning started in two Northern California counties.
While Cal Fire, the state’s fire management agency, has not reported structure damage, KCRA 3 was able to visually confirm several structures either destroyed or damaged in the historic Tuolumne County gold mining community of Chinese Camp.
TCU September Lightning Complex acreage, containment
The series of fires, grouped together by Cal Fire as the TCU September Lightning Complex, has collectively burned at least 11,977 acres as of 7:42 a.m., up from the 9,383 acres reported at 9:45 p.m. Tuesday.
Earlier Wednesday morning, Cal Fire listed the acreage at 12,473, but numbers can change with better surveying and mapping of the burn area.
At least nine fires comprise this complex. Of the nine, the two largest ones are the so-called 6-5 Fire in Tuolumne County that sparked near the Don Pedro Reservoir and the 2-7 Fire that started near Highway 4 and Milton Road in Stanislaus County. Cal Fire listed the cause of both fires as lightning.
Both of those fires are among many given similar names after thousands of lightning strikes hit parts of the Central Valley, Sacramento Valley, and the Foothills. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office on Tuesday afternoon said that in the first two days of September, California had recorded 9,619 lightning strikes.
On Wednesday, the governor’s press office said it announced the state secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The state plans to use that funding to ensure enough resources are being put toward the 2-7 Fire.
The KCRA 3 weather team anticipates more thunderstorm activity in the Sierra, especially south of Tahoe, on Wednesday.
As of Wednesday, there is no known containment around the fire. Containment measures how much of a perimeter crews have established around a burn area to help prevent flames from continuing to spread. It does not actually measure how much of a fire has been extinguished.
Wildfire conditions
On Wednesday morning during the 6 a.m. newscast, KCRA 3’s Mike TeSelle was at Chinese Camp and noted that fire activity had moderated in comparison to conditions on Tuesday. However, there is still a lot of work to be done in extinguishing the flames.
TeSelle also noted that among the buildings destroyed is the town’s historic post office, which has been standing since 1854. See when TeSelle featured Chinese Camp in his Explore Outdoors series in the video below.
TCU September Lightning Complex evacuations, shelter information
Evacuation orders and warnings are in place for both the 2-7 and 6-5 portions of the complex. With evacuation orders, you are lawfully required to immediately leave. You are not required to leave under a warning but are recommended to be ready to do so in case conditions become dangerous.
See an interactive map below for evacuation orders and warnings in Calaveras County for 2-7.
TUOLUMNE COUNTY, Calif. — A quick-moving wildfire scorched thousands of acres Tuesday and burned homes in a California Gold Rush town settled around 1850 by Chinese miners who were driven out of a nearby camp.
The fire rapidly grew to 6.25 square miles (16.1 square kilometers) in size, forcing the evacuation of the Chinese Camp Town and surrounding highways, according to CalFire, the state’s chief fire agency. There were no immediate reports of injuries or deaths, but the fire remained uncontained Tuesday night
At least five homes were burning in the rural town, which has a mix of freestanding and mobile homes.
Outside one house on Tuesday evening, seven people quickly moved large tree branches away from the structure and shoveled sand onto the fire in a desperate attempt to keep the blaze from spreading from the house next door. They worked for about 30 minutes until firefighters arrived. An RV on the property was damaged by the fire.
Fire officials have requested additional resources such as fire engines, dozers and an aircraft.
The blaze, known as the 6-5 Fire, was caused by lightning, according to CalFire. It is one of more than a dozen blazes that erupted Tuesday across California, according to CalFire.
Thousands of Chinese came to California during the Gold Rush and faced persecution that included an exorbitant Foreign Miners Tax designed to drive them away from mining.
Chinese Camp Town, about 57 miles (92 kilometers) east of Stockton, was settled by Chinese miners after they were driven out of a nearby camp, according to Visit Tuolumne County. Originally called Camp Washington, its name was soon changed to reflect the thousands of people from China who settled there.
The Pickett Fire burning in Napa County since Aug. 21 is at 90% containment and holding at 6,819 acres, Cal Fire said Monday evening.
The blaze began by Pickett Road near Calistoga and about 2,441 firefighters and other first responders have been assigned to it, Cal Fire said.
Last week, damage inspection teams confirmed four outbuildings and a single-family residence were destroyed in the fire.
The single-family home burned in the fire was found within the perimeter of the blaze, according to Cal Fire, but was believed to be abandoned due to its remote location and lack of access routes.
Evacuation orders remain for zones NPA-E107-B, NPA-E114, NPA-E115, NPA-E122-B and POP-E002-C, with evac warnings for zones POP-E002-D and POP-E001-B.
Figures from a Napa County Agricultural Damage Assessment Survey begun on Aug. 25 show reported fire-related damage to about 1,500 acres, or over 3% of Napa Valley’s produce acreage, the county said.
Losses are estimated to impact growers, vintners and other agricultural producers. The majority of damage is to winegrapes and beehives.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Multiple wildfires are burning across Washington state, producing smoky air quality for certain areas. Here’s a roundup of the latest progress made on the wildfires.
The familiar late-summer wildfire haze is creeping its way into areas around Puget Sound, and many are wondering if the smoke is coming from a nearby wildfire.
The Puget Sound region may be experiencing smoky air from the Bear Gulch Fire in Mason County, and other wildfires burning north in Canada.
Why is it smoky in Seattle?
You’ll notice the haze in our skies: there are light amounts of smoke near the surface with higher amounts in the higher levels of the atmosphere. This is called “upstairs smoke” when it’s elevated. This will continue through at least Wednesday and will need to be monitored.
Washington wildfire map
Map showing active wildfires in Washington state as of August 26, 2025. (InciWeb)
According to InciWeb, a U.S. government website that tracks wildfires and controlled burns across the country, firefighters are actively working on two major wildfires: The Bear Gulch Fire and the Pomas Fire. Other wildfires, like the Kinkaid Creek Fire, the Hope Fire, the Bear Creek II Fire, the Castle Rock Fire and more, are either contained or nearly contained.
Keep reading for a breakdown of each wildfire currently burning in Washington state.
Map showing where the Bear Gulch Fire is burning in Washington state. (InciWeb)
The Bear Gulch Fire burning in WA’s Olympic National Forest
The Bear Gulch Fire, burning in Washington’s Olympic National Forest, has grown to 9,080 acres and remains 13% contained, according to the latest update on Aug. 29. When this story was initially published on Aug. 5, the fire was nearing 5,000 acres.
Level 3 “Go Now” evacuations remain in effect for parts of Mason County due to increased fire activity near Lake Cushman.
Firefighters en route to the fireline on Bear Gulch Fire. Photo taken 8/13/2025. (InciWeb)
The Bear Gulch Fire, which has been burning since July 6 in the Olympic National Forest near the Mt. Rose Trailhead, was reportedly human-caused and remains under investigation.
Map showing where the Pomas Fire is burning in Washington state. (InciWeb)
Firefighting helicopters lined up near the Pomas Fire. (InciWeb)
The fire, burning about 10 miles west of Lake Chelan, has reached 3,533 acres and remains 0% contained, according to an Aug. 29 update. When this story was initially published on Aug. 5, the number of acres burned was 3,465.
Map showing where the Stud Horse Fire is burning in Washington state. (InciWeb)
Stud Horse Fire burning near Winthrop, WA
The Stud Horse Fire burning near Winthrop in Okanogan County is now 100% contained, prompting officials to lift all evacuation levels in the area. Note that full containment of a wildfire does not mean the fire is fully extinguished; rather, it means that crews have established a perimeter around the fire to prevent further spread.
Credit: Okanogan County Emergency Management
The fire, which burned about 532 acres near Stud Horse Mountain – nearly two miles east of Winthrop – was ignited by a lightning strike last Thursday, officials said.
Map of Kinkaid Creek Complex Fire burning in Washington state. (InciWeb)
Kinkaid Creek Fire burning in Okanogan County, WA
The Kinkaid Creek Complex Fire in Okanogan County has been renamed the Kincaid Creek Fire, indicating that the fire is no longer part of a group of merged wildfires.
As of Aug. 15, the Kincaid Creek Fire is 100% contained and has reached 254 total acres.
Officials say there are 216 firefighting personnel working on this fire that ignited from a lightning strike on July 31.
Bear Creek II Fire burning in Okanogan County, WA
The Bear Creek II Fire, burning just north of the Kinkaid Creek Fire, started on July 31 due to a lightning strike. As of Aug. 18, the wildfire has reached 267 acres and is 70% contained, which is a 38% increase in containment compared to Aug. 13’s report.
Hope Fire burning in northeast WA
The Hope Fire burning near Kettle Falls in northeast Washington burned more than 8,000 acres and is now 100% contained. Note that full containment of a wildfire does not mean the fire is fully extinguished; rather, it means that crews have established a perimeter around the fire to prevent further spread.
Map showing where the Hope Fire is burning in Washington state. (InciWeb)
139 firefighting personnel worked on the fire, which started on July 8. Crews are still investigating to determine what caused it.
Map showing where the Castle Rock Fire is burning in Washington state. (InciWeb)
Castle Rock Fire burning in northeast WA
The Castle Rock Fire, burning about six miles northeast of Colville, Washington, has burned 58 acres and is 99% contained, according to an Aug. 15 update.
Officials say the fire was caused by a lightning strike on July 31.
Central Ferry Fire burning in southeast WA
The Central Ferry Fire, burning west of Pullman in the Palouse, is burning 6,597 acres and is 99% contained.
Central Ferry fire is located approximately 26 miles west of Pullman, WA. The fire started on the afternoon of 8/13/25. The change in acreage is due to updated mapping, not from fire growth. (InciWeb)
Officials say the wildfire ignited on Wednesday at around 12:41 a.m. due to a car fire. 127 firefighting personnel are currently working on this fire.
There are no road closures, and all evacuation levels have been lifted.
Crescent Road Fire burning in northeast WA
The Crescent Road Fire, burning along the Pend Oreille River about seven miles north of Reardan, sparked on Wednesday evening at around 4 p.m.
According to an Aug. 18 update, the fire has burned 883 acres and is 27% contained. 200 firefighters are currently working on the fire.
Crews say the fire was human-caused and remains under investigation.
Grande Fire burning in northeast WA
The Grande Fire is burning in a remote area south of Uncle Sam Mountain, about 12 miles north of Colville, Washington.
Officials say the fire was caused by a lightning strike on Aug. 25. It is currently burning 22 acres and is 15% contained.
Lake Spokane Fire burning northwest of Spokane, WA
The Lake Spokane Fire, which officials believe was human-caused, remains under investigation.
Map of Lake Spokane Fire in Washington state. (InciWeb)
The wildfire, burning 12 miles northwest of Spokane, ignited on July 19 and burned about 2,506 acres. 262 personnel were assigned to the fire, which is now 100% contained.
The Source: Information in this story came from InciWeb, a government website that tracks and monitors wildfires burning in the United States.
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Here’s a look at fires reported in the Bay Area and Northern California NBC Bay Area is aware of.
Vegetation fire blocks I-580 lanes on Altamont Pass
All eastbound Interstate 580 lanes were blocked due to a brush fire Friday in the Altamont Pass near Livermore, according to the California Highway Patrol.
No other information was immediately available.
BREAKING Alameda County Fire Department (ACFD) is on scene of working a vegetation fire on Eastbound 580, East of Grant Line and Midway in the Altamont in Livermore.
Peter Fire prompts evacuation warning in Kelseyville
AlertWildfire
AlertWildfire
A wildfire burns in the Kelseyville area of Lake County. (Aug. 29, 2025)
A wildfire that has burned over 45 acres in the Kelseyville area of Lake County prompted evacuation orders and warnings on Friday afternoon, officials said.
The incident was reported near the 9500 block of Adobe Creek.
View the latest updates on this fire at fire.ca.gov.
#PeterFire UPDATE: The fire is holding at approximately 20-25 acres. It is now five percent contained. Additional ground resources continue arriving at scene to assist with the construction of control lines around the fire. pic.twitter.com/8dES1JUPyl
A three-alarm fire destroyed the vacant former MACSA youth center in San Jose early Friday.
At about 1 a.m., San Jose firefighters responded to a large fire at the vacant building at 600 Sinclair Drive in the city’s Mayfair district, officials said.
SEATTLE — Two firefighters who were part of a 44-person crew fighting a wildland blaze on Washington state’s Olympic Peninsula were taken into custody by U.S. Border Patrol agents during a multiagency criminal investigation into the two contractors they worked for, federal authorities said Thursday.
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management asked the Border Patrol to help check the workers’ identities Wednesday when crews were working in a remote area, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Border Patrol said in a statement. Border Patrol agents found two workers who were in the U.S. illegally and detained them, the agencies said.
Federal authorities did not provide information about the investigation into the contractors, and they did not immediately respond to questions seeking details about the criminal case.
The BLM terminated the contracts with Table Rock Forestry Inc. and ASI Arden Solutions Inc. — both from Oregon — and escorted the 42 workers off federal land, the release said. The two arrested were taken to the Bellingham station on charges of illegal entry and reentry, authorities said.
Email and phone messages left Thursday for the two businesses seeking comment were not immediately returned.
Initial reports saying firefighters had been arrested by federal agents sparked outrage from U.S. Sen. Patty Murray. Several firefighters who witnessed the incident had told The Seattle Times anonymously that federal agents took two firefighters into custody.
“Here in the Pacific Northwest, wildfires can, and have, burned entire towns to the ground,” the Democrat said in a statement. “This new Republican policy to detain firefighters on the job is as immoral as it is dangerous.”
Dennis Lawson, president of the Washington State Council of Fire Fighters, told the AP that firefighters work as a team, and losing a member for any reason hurts their ability to serve their communities.
U.S. Border Patrol Blaine Sector Chief Patrol Agent Rosario Vasquez said in the statement that the effort highlights the coordination between federal agencies to ensure the integrity of government operations.
“U.S. Border Patrol steadfastly enforces the laws of the United States and unapologetically addresses violations of immigration law wherever they are encountered,” Vasquez said.
The crews were helping with the Bear Gulch Fire, which has burned about 14 square miles (36 square kilometers) on the north side of Lake Cushman in the Olympic National Forest and National Park. It was 13% contained by Thursday afternoon.
Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden posted on the social media site X that one of the arrested firefighters was from Oregon and denounced the arrest, saying it makes communities less safe. The man is represented by lawyers with the nonprofit Innovation Law Lab, who said he was unlawfully detained and they have been unable to locate him.
“We demand that they allow him to access counsel as is his right afforded by the U.S. Constitution,” lawyer Rodrigo Fernandez-Ortega said in an email. “We have seen entire towns burned to the ground and it is outrageous that the US border patrol unlawfully detained the brave individuals who are protecting us.”
Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson said he was “deeply concerned” about the news, adding that firefighters help keep communities safe. He said his team has reached out to the federal agencies to get more information and “to question why the Trump administration’s cruel immigration policies now extend to individuals fighting forest fires.”
Jennifer Risdal, a spokesperson for the U.S. Forest Service’s Incident Management Team overseeing the firefighting efforts, said they were aware of the Border Patrol activities at the fire site but offered no information about what happened.
“The Border Patrol operation is not interfering with firefighting activity and Bear Gulch firefighters continue to make progress on the fire,” Risdal told The Associated Press in an email.
During the first Trump administration, DHS issued a statement during the 2020 wildfire season saying CBP and Immigration and Customs Enforcement were concerned about the impact the fires could have on Western states and said their highest priority was “the preservation of life and safety.”
“In consideration of these circumstances, there will be no immigration enforcement initiatives associated with evacuations or sheltering related to the wildfires, except in the event of a serious public safety threat,” the statement said.
Commissioner of Public Lands Dave Upthegrove, whose agency oversees Washington’s wildland firefighting efforts, said he was aware of the enforcement actions at the Bear Gulch Fire.
“While we don’t have all of the details yet, this is all occurring at a time when the Trump administration’s crude and inhumane approach to immigration enforcement has intentionally and unnecessarily stoked fear and mistrust among members of the public — including firefighters putting their lives on the line to protect our state,” he said.
ATHENS, Greece — Climate change that has driven scorching temperatures and dwindling rainfall made massive wildfires in Turkey, Greece and Cyprus this summer burn much more fiercely, said a new study released Thursday.
The study by World Weather Attribution said the fires that killed 20 people, forced 80,000 to evacuate and burned more than 1 million hectares (2.47 million acres) were 22% more intense in 2025, Europe’s worst recorded year of wildfires.
Hundreds of wildfires that broke out in the eastern Mediterranean in June and July were driven by temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius (about 104 Fahrenheit), extremely dry conditions and strong winds.
WWA, a group of researchers that examines whether and to what extent extreme weather events are linked to climate change, called its findings “concerning.”
“Our study finds an extremely strong climate change signal towards hotter and drier conditions,” said Theodore Keeping, a researcher at Centre for Environmental Policy at Imperial College in London.
“Today, with 1.3 degrees C of warming, we are seeing new extremes in wildfire behaviour that has pushed firefighters to their limit. But we are heading for up to 3 degrees C this century unless countries more rapidly transition away from fossil fuels,” Keeping said.
The study found winter rainfall ahead of the wildfires had dropped by about 14% since the pre-industrial era, when a heavy reliance on fossil fuels began. It also determined that because of climate change, weeklong periods of dry, hot air that primes vegetation to burn are now 13 times more likely.
The analysis also found an increase in the intensity of high-pressure systems that strengthened extreme northerly winds, known as Etesian winds, that fanned the wildfires.
Gavriil Xanthopoulos, research director at the Institute of Mediterranean Forest Ecosystems of the Hellenic Agricultural Organization in Greece, said firefighters used to be able to wait for such winds to die down to control fires.
“It seems that they cannot count on this pattern anymore,” Xanthopoulos said. More study is needed to understand how the wind patterns are reaching high velocities more often, he said.
Flavio Lehner, an assistant professor in Earth and atmospheric sciences at Cornell University who was not involved in the WWA research, said its summary and key figures were consistent with existing literature and his understanding of how climate change is making weather more conducive to wildfire.
Climate change is “loading the dice for more bad wildfire seasons” in the Mediterranean, Lehner said.
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FRESNO, Calif. — Firefighting crews tried to corral a fast-growing blaze churning through central California’s Sierra National Forest as forecasters warned Tuesday that lightning strikes from thunderstorms could spark new ignitions.
Since breaking out Sunday afternoon, the Garnet Fire has scorched 14 square miles (36 square km) of grass, chaparral and timber in a remote area known for camping and hiking about 60 miles (97 km) east of Fresno. There was no containment.
Firefighters were aided by scattered rain showers as they worked to protect the tiny Balch Camp community and nearby hydroelectric facilities along the Kings River, according to a Tuesday incident report.
“However, continued strong, erratic winds on top of dry, heavy vegetation will likely test containment efforts,” the report said.
Parts of central and northern California are under red flag warnings for increased fire threat from dry lightning that could accompany thunderstorms, the National Weather Service said.
The 10-square-mile (26-square-km) Pickett Fire in Napa County wine country saw little growth Monday as crews kept flames contained to canyons about 80 miles (130 km) north of San Francisco. It was 17% contained on Tuesday.
There have been no reports of damage to any vineyards from the fire, a spokesperson for the trade group Napa Valley Vintners said Monday.
In central Oregon, rain and cooler temperatures helped crews make progress against the Flat Fire, which has charred 34 square miles (88 square km) of rugged terrain in Deschutes and Jefferson counties since igniting in dry, hot weather last Thursday. It was 7% contained on Tuesday.
“The incident, for the first time in the last three days, is really beginning to stabilize,” Travis Medema, the state’s chief deputy state fire marshal, told a community meeting Monday night.
Authorities at one point ordered evacuations for more than 4,000 homes but lifted orders for some areas on Monday.
A slowly growing, nearly contained wildfire burning on Colorado’s Western Slope is now the fourth-largest on state record, according to fire officials.
As of Monday night, the 90% contained Lee fire had scorched 138,844 acres between Meeker and Rifle. It grew by 1,086 acres on Monday, after multiple days with minimal to no growth.
The new acres consumed by the Lee fire bumped the wildfire from fifth-largest to fourth-largest in Colorado history, passing the 137,760-acre Hayman fire that sparked in 2002, according to the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control.
The Lee fire is now less than 200 acres away from becoming the third-largest wildfire on state record. Currently, that ranking belongs to the 2020 Pine Gulch fire that burned 139,007 acres.
Rain showers and thunderstorms are forecast across the Western Slope again on Tuesday, bringing much-needed moisture to the state, fire officials said. Previous hot, dry and windy conditions fueled rapid fire growth in multiple counties across western Colorado, charring thousands of acres outside of the Lee fire.
A wildland firefighting truck heads down a road through a hillside burned from the Lee fire near Colorado 64 in Rio Blanco County, west of Meeker, on Friday, Aug. 8, 2025. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Lee and Elk fires, near Meeker
The largest wildfire burning in Colorado — now the fourth-largest ever recorded in the state — consumed more than 1,000 new acres after a week of slow growth and increased containment, fire officials said.
As of Monday night, the 138,844-acre Lee fire burning between Meeker and Rifle was 90% contained, fire officials said.
All mandatory evacuation orders were lifted Saturday, and areas on pre-evacuation status were downgraded to monitoring status on Monday.
No new evacuation orders were issued overnight Monday, despite the new fire growth. An updated evacuation map for Rio Blanco and Garfield counties is available online.
The Lee fire and nearby Elk fire, which consumed more than 14,500 acres before reaching full containment last week, have together destroyed at least five homes and 14 outbuildings, fire officials said.
Extreme drought, high temperatures and strong winds fueled rapid growth on both fires, which were sparked by lightning west and east of Meeker on Aug. 2.
Thunderstorms are most likely near Meeker and Rifle between 9 a.m. and midnight on Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service. Rain showers, which are also expected in that period, could continue through 3 a.m. Wednesday before a brief reprieve.
Rainy weather is expected to continue on Wednesday and Thursday, forecasters said.
While the rain is helpful, afternoon thunderstorms also increase the risk of gusty winds, frequent lightning and flash flooding along burn scars, fire officials said.
Road closures tied to the smaller Crosho fire near Yampa were lifted Monday afternoon. That fire has burned 2,073 acres and is 81% contained.
A plane drops fire retardant on the Derby fire burning in Eagle County on Aug. 22, 2025. (Photo provided by Derby Fire Information)
Derby fire, in Eagle County
A wildfire burning on the edge of Eagle and Garfield counties has scorched more than 5,300 acres, fire officials.
The Derby fire is burning on 5,346 acres with no containment, up roughly 100 acres from Sunday and 1,200 acres from Saturday, fire officials said Monday. No size update was available Tuesday morning.
“We have totally changed the pattern from hot and dry,” said meteorologist Ryan Fliehman in a Monday evening briefing. “I’m afraid we might get too much rain. We are still having chances of precipitation six days out.”
Rain has forced some fire crews to pull back, and crews need to take extra care to avoid damaging dirt roads, which have turned muddy, Operations Chief Ben Patton said.
No containment has been reported on the fire, but officials hope to start solidifying the first bits of containment in the coming days.
The Derby fire was discovered on “remote, rugged terrain” in the White River National Forest, about 15 miles from Dotsero in Eagle County, on Aug. 17, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
It differs from the others burning in Colorado in that it started at higher elevations and has tried to push downhill at night.
Mandatory evacuations and pre-evacuations are in place for the northwest corner of Eagle County, including the town of Gypsum, and an eastern section of Garfield County.
Evacuations were lifted for Sweetwater Valley and Sheep Creek at 10 a.m. Monday, allowing limited access for residents to return home, according to fire officials. Those who need to access Sweetwater Valley and Colorado River Road are being asked to limit their driving to between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to avoid disrupting emergency operations.
At least one building has been destroyed by the wildfire, but it’s unclear what type of building it was.
Parts of White River National Forest remain closed in Eagle and Garfield counties, including southwest of Sweetwater Lake to the west rim of Deep Creek Canyon, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Some BLM lands are also closed, including north and west of Gypsum, north of Coffee Pot Road, west of the Colorado River, east of the White River National Forest boundary and south of Derby Creek.
A wildfire burns near the Golden State Freeway. (File photo courtesy OnScene.Media)
Wildfires in California wine country and Central Oregon grew overnight, prompting hundreds of evacuations as firefighters worked Sunday to try to contain the blazes amid dry, hot weather.
About 190 people were ordered to leave their homes, while another 360 were under evacuation warnings as the fire threatened about 500 structures near Aetna Springs and Pope Valley, said Jason Clay, spokesman for Calfire Sonoma Lake-Napa Unit.
More than 1,230 firefighters backed by 10 helicopters were battling the fire, which began Thursday after a week of extremely hot weather. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Residents of the Western United States have been sweltering in a heat wave that hospitalized some people, with temperatures forecast to hit dangerous levels throughout the weekend in Washington, Oregon, Southern California, Nevada and Arizona.
Clay said the weather has moderated since the fire broke out, with Sunday’s high expected to be 94 degrees. But as the day goes on, humidity levels were expected to drop and the winds to pick up in the afternoon.
“That’s been a driving factor in the afternoons since we’ve seen the fire activity pick up for the last three days,” Clay said, adding that “support from all up and down California has been critical to our efforts.”
The fire began in the same area as the much larger Glass Fire in 2020, which crossed into Sonoma County and eventually burned about 105 square miles and more than 1,500 structures.
That fire was driven by wind, while the current fire is fueled by dry vegetation on steep slopes — some of it dead and downed trees left over from the Glass Fire and some of it grass and brush that grew back and then dried out again, said Clay.
In Oregon, the Flat Fire in Deschutes and Jefferson counties had grown to almost 34 square miles – with no containment – and threatened nearly 4,000 homes, according to the state Fire Marshal’s Office. About 10,000 people were under some sort of evacuation notice.
The fire began Thursday night and grew quickly amid hot, gusty conditions. Fire officials were keeping an eye on isolated thunderstorms in Southern Oregon that could drift north on Sunday, spokesman Chris Schimmer said in a video posted to Facebook.
Although it’s difficult to directly tie a single fire or weather event directly to climate change, scientists say human-caused warming from burning fossil fuels like coal and gas is causing more intense heat waves and droughts, which in turn set the stage for more destructive wildfires.
Ten structures — including four homes — have been destroyed by a wildfire sweeping through central Oregon, where thousands of residents remained under evacuation orders on Monday, while a blaze in Northern California wine country has so far spared some of the state’s most famous vineyards.
Officials said Oregon firefighters working in rugged terrain amid dry, hot weather saved hundreds of other buildings from the 34-square-mile (88-square-kilometer) Flat Fire spanning Deschutes and Jefferson counties. It was 15% contained.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of homes and personal property and extend our sympathy to those affected,” Deschutes County Sheriff Ty Rupert said in a statement.
Flames still threatened nearly 4,000 homes, fire spokesperson Gert Zoutendijk said Monday. He said crews were taking advantage of slightly cooler temperatures that dipped into the high 80s (31 C), and even some scattered rain.
“A little bit of rain does some good right now, but later, if the sun comes out, it doesn’t take long to dry everything out again,” Zoutendijk said.
A heat advisory was in place through Wednesday, and forecasters warned that potential thunderstorms could create erratic winds that would challenge firefighters.
Meanwhile, the Pickett Fire in Northern California has charred about 10 square miles (26 square kilometers) of remote Napa County, known for its hundreds of wineries. It was 13% contained on Monday.
Flames spared the home and adjacent vineyards of Jayson Woodbridge of Hundred Acre wines, but he said it was a close call on Thursday when the fire broke out and raced along nearby slopes.
He and his son grabbed hoses and futilely began spraying down the steep hillsides. “The water was evaporating as fast as we were spraying it out there,” Woodbridge recalled Monday. “It was just a hot funnel of air. Fire was just engulfing everything.”
Before long, crews with bulldozers and air support arrived to protect the property. Water-dropping helicopters continued their flights on Monday, keeping the flames contained to remote canyons about 80 miles (130 kilometers) north of San Francisco.
With about a month to go before harvest, Woodbridge said his grapes won’t be damaged because of the “pure luck” of wind direction.
“The smoke won’t affect the fruit because the wind’s coming in from the west, thankfully,” Woodbridge said. That wasn’t the case in 2020 when toxic smoke from the Glass Fire caused Woodbridge and other wineries to scrap much of that year’s crop.
There have been no reports of damage to any vineyards from the Pickett Fire, said Michelle Novi with Napa Valley Vintners, a nonprofit trade association.
Firefighting resources have been put in place to protect wineries, especially as winds pick up later in the day, according to the California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection, or Cal Fire.
“With the weather over the last 48 hours, we’re seeing high temperatures, low humidity paired with some increasing wind in the late afternoon, which was giving our troops some additional work on the eastern side of this incident,” Cal Fire spokesperson Curtis Rhodes told The Associated Press on Monday.
The man, who was not immediately identified, was among more than 700 firefighters working on the lightning-caused fire in the Tobacco Root Mountains about 15 miles (24 kilometers) north of Virginia City, Montana.
The Bivens Creek fire has burned approximately 3 1/2 square miles (9 square kilometers) since Aug. 13 in a remote area with thick timber and numerous dead trees.
Residents of the western United States have been sweltering in a heat wave that hospitalized some people, with temperatures hitting dangerous levels throughout the weekend in Washington, Oregon, Southern California, Nevada and Arizona.
After a weekend of triple-digit temperatures, authorities in Multnomah County, Oregon, said they were investigating the death of a 56-year-old man as possibly heat-related.
The area of the Oregon fire is in a high desert climate, where dried grasses and juniper trees are burning and fire is racing through tinder-dry canyon areas where it’s challenging to create containment lines, said Deschutes County sheriff’s spokesperson Jason Carr.
In central California, the state’s largest blaze this year, the Gifford Fire, was at 95% containment Monday after charring nearly 206 square miles (534 square kilometers) of dry brush in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties since erupting on Aug. 1. The cause is under investigation.
Although it’s difficult to directly tie a single fire or weather event directly to climate change, scientists say human-caused warming from burning fossil fuels like coal and gas is causing more intense heat waves and droughts, which in turn set the stage for more destructive wildfires.
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Webber reported from Chicago, and Walker from New York. Associated Press writer Christopher Weber contributed from Los Angeles.
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The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.
BILLINGS, Mont. — A firefighter died after suffering a cardiac emergency while battling a wildfire in southwest Montana.
The firefighter was conducting suppression work on the ground, and a paramedic gave him medical aid, authorities said. However, attempts to resuscitate him failed, and he died Sunday afternoon.
The man, who was not immediately identified, was among more than 700 firefighters working on the lightning-caused fire in the Tobacco Root Mountains about 15 miles (24 kilometers) north of Virginia City, Montana. Gov. Greg Gianforte referred to the firefighter as a “fallen hero” in a statement offering condolences.
Further details of the incident were not immediately released.
The Bivens Creek fire has burned approximately 3 1/2 square miles (9 square kilometers) since Aug. 13 in a remote area with thick timber and numerous dead trees.
Colorado’s fifth-largest wildfire on record is 90% contained as rain showers and thunderstorms continue across the Western Slope, fire officials said.
As of Monday morning, the Lee fire had consumed 137,758 acres, equal to roughly 215 square miles. The burn area is just two acres short of Colorado’s fourth-largest wildfire on record — the 137,760-acre Hayman fire that sparked in 2002.
Other wildfires burning on Colorado’s Western Slope have scorched thousands of additional acres. Fire officials across the state have said hot, dry and windy conditions fueled the flames’ rapid growth.
Storms over the next several days will bring much-needed rain to the drought-stricken Western Slope, according to the National Weather Service. But those storms also increase the risk of lightning and strong winds — weather that can start fires and fan the flames of those already burning.
A wildland firefighting truck heads down a road through a hillside burned from the Lee fire near Colorado 64 in Rio Blanco County, west of Meeker, on Friday, Aug. 8, 2025. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Lee and Elk fires, near Meeker
Growth on the largest wildfire burning in Colorado — the fifth-largest ever recorded in the state — has slowed over the past week as firefighters increase containment around the flames.
As of Monday morning, the 137,758-acre Lee fire burning between Meeker and Rifle was 90% contained, fire officials said.
“Minimal work” remains to fully contain the wildfire, Incident Commander Brent Olson said in a Sunday afternoon briefing.
All mandatory evacuation orders were lifted Saturday, but multiple areas around the fire remain on pre-evacuation status. An updated evacuation map for Rio Blanco and Garfield counties is available online.
The Lee fire and nearby Elk fire, which consumed more than 14,500 acres before reaching full containment last week, have together destroyed at least five homes and 14 outbuildings, fire officials said.
Extreme drought, high temperatures and strong winds fueled rapid growth on both fires, which were sparked by lightning west and east of Meeker on Aug. 2.
Rain showers and cooler temperatures helped mitigate the flames last week, which allowed firefighters to steadily increase containment. More showers and thunderstorms are expected in the days ahead as Colorado braces for a monsoonal weather system.
Rain showers and thunderstorms are most likely near Meeker and Rifle between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday, according to the National Weather Service. Chances of precipitation range from 30% to 50%, forecasters said.
Chances of rain greatly increase later this week in both areas, jumping to 90% Tuesday afternoon and remaining there until 11 a.m. Wednesday, according to hourly forecasts from the weather service.
While the rain is helpful, afternoon thunderstorms also increase the risk of gusty winds, frequent lightning and flash flooding along burn scars, fire officials said.
Heavy rains caused flash flooding in the Lee fire burn area on Sunday afternoon. The water caused a debris flow, which was blocking Piceance Creek Road, officials said in a Sunday afternoon update. It’s unclear if rain caused flooding in the Elk fire burn scar.
A plane drops fire retardant on the Derby fire burning in Eagle County on Aug. 22, 2025. (Photo provided by Derby Fire Information)
Derby fire, in Eagle County
A wildfire burning on the edge of Eagle and Garfield counties has scorched more than 5,300 acres, fire officials said Monday.
The Derby fire is burning on 5,346 acres with no containment, up roughly 100 acres from Sunday and 1,200 acres from Saturday, fire officials said.
Thunderstorm activity and gusty winds have driven the fire south in recent days, meteorologist Ryan Fliehman said in a Sunday afternoon briefing.
Rain showers and thunderstorms started Sunday afternoon and are expected to continue through Wednesday as a “strong monsoonal push of moisture” hits the Western Slope, Fliehman said.
The storms will help dampen the quickly spreading wildfire but may create other problems on the newly charred landscape, like flash flooding, fire officials said.
The Derby fire was discovered on “remote, rugged terrain” in the White River National Forest, about 15 miles from Dotsero in Eagle County, on Aug. 17, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
Mandatory evacuations and pre-evacuations are in place for the northwest corner of Eagle County, including the town of Gypsum, and an eastern section of Garfield County.
Evacuations will be lifted for Sweetwater Valley and Sheep Creek at 10 a.m. Monday, allowing limited access for residents to return home, according to fire officials. Residents will be required to present proof of address at checkpoints along Colorado River Road.
That area will remain on pre-evacuation status and people may be required to re-evacuate if conditions change, fire officials said. Livestock will not be allowed to return yet. The wildfire’s activity remains unpredictable.
“This is not a full repopulation, as the risks are still very high and residents should remain prepared to vacate at any time,” Eagle County Sheriff James Van Beek said in a statement on social media.
Travel within the restricted area must remain extremely limited to protect both residents and fire crews, sheriff’s officials said. The best window for essential travel is between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when conditions are safest and least disruptive to emergency operations.
The Eagle County Sheriff’s Office is working on a plan to allow some evacuated residents to access their homes, specifically “those who own property or depend on it for their livelihood,” sheriff’s officials said Sunday. Exact details of that plan were not available, and the evacuation orders remain in place.
At least one building has been destroyed by the wildfire, but it’s unclear what type of building it was.
The U.S. Forest Service also expanded closures in the White River National Forest in Eagle and Garfield counties, including southwest of Sweetwater Lake to the west rim of Deep Creek Canyon. Some BLM lands are also closed, including north and west of Gypsum, north of Coffee Pot Road, west of the Colorado River, east of the White River National Forest boundary and south of Derby Creek.
The Stoner Mesa fire burns in southwestern Colorado’s San Juan National Forest on Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025. (Photo provided by Stoner Mesa Fire Information)
Stoner Mesa fire, near Dolores
The Stoner Mesa fire is burning on 10,233 acres in a remote section of the San Juan National Forest, fire officials said Sunday.
Multiple areas around the fire — including Mavreeso, Gobble Creek, Fish Creek, Johnny Bull Creek, Dunton, Lizard Head, Horse Creek, Rico and Sulfer Creek — remain on “monitor” status, the step before pre-evacuation orders, according to the wildfire’s evacuation map.
All pre-evacuation orders were lifted Saturday, but sections of the San Juan National Forest remain closed for the wildfire.
As of Sunday, the lightning-sparked Stoner Mesa fire was 41% contained.
A Meeker fire department truck stations itself at an out building across from W. Highway 64 as smoke billows on a ridge above it from the Lee fire in Rio Blanco County just outside of Meeker on Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Air-quality impacts
Air quality alerts for wildfire smoke near the Derby and Stoner Mesa fires were issued Sunday morning by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
The warnings, which include southeastern Dolores County, northeastern Montezuma County, western Eagle County and eastern Garfield County, will remain active through at least 9 a.m. Monday.
Smoke will be heaviest in the areas near the fires, especially during the overnight and early morning hours, state health officials said. Incoming storm systems should help improve air quality near the fires.
Smoky conditions are most hazardous for young children, older adults and people with heart disease or respiratory illnesses, according to state health officials.
All residents should limit outdoor activity when heavy smoke is present. If visibility drops to 5 miles or less, the smoke has reached unhealthy levels.
Thousands of homes in Northern California wine country and central Oregon were under evacuation orders and warnings Sunday as firefighting crews battled wildfires in dry, hot weather.
The Pickett Fire, which had charred about 10 square miles (26 square kilometers) of Napa County, was just 11% contained by Sunday evening, according to the California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection, or Cal Fire.
About 150 people were ordered to leave their homes, while another 360 were under evacuation warnings as the fire threatened 500 structures near Aetna Springs and Pope Valley, 80 miles (127 kilometers) north of San Francisco, said Cal Fire spokesperson Jason Clay. Some evacuation orders were later lifted.
In Oregon, the 29-square-mile (75-square-kilometer) Flat Fire in Deschutes and Jefferson counties had about 4,000 homes under various levels of evacuation notice, including 1,000 with orders to leave immediately, according to the state Fire Marshal’s Office.
Firefighters were able to cut containment lines and continued to suppress fires in some residential areas. However, they faced significant challenges with difficult terrain, low humidity and triple-digit temperatures in some areas, officials said.
Some homes have burned, and officials said they were working to confirm the status of structures.
More than 1,230 firefighters backed by 10 helicopters were battling the California fire, which began in a remote area Thursday after a week of hot weather. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Residents of the western United States have been sweltering in a heat wave that hospitalized some people, with temperatures hitting dangerous levels throughout the weekend in Washington, Oregon, Southern California, Nevada and Arizona.
Clay said the weather has moderated since the California fire began, with Sunday’s high about 94 Fahrenheit (34 Celsius). But humidity levels were expected to drop with increasing winds later in the day.
“That’s been a driving factor in the afternoons since we’ve seen the fire activity pick up for the last three days,” Clay said, adding that “support from all up and down California has been critical to our efforts.”
The Pickett Fire began in the same area as the much larger Glass Fire in 2020, which crossed into Sonoma County and eventually burned about 105 square miles (272 square kilometers) and more than 1,500 structures.
The 2020 blaze was driven by wind, while the current conflagration is fueled mainly by dry vegetation on steep slopes — some of it dead and downed trees left over from the Glass Fire and some of it grass and brush that grew back and then dried out again, said Clay.
The area of the Oregon fire is in a high desert climate, where dried grasses and juniper trees are burning and fire is racing through canyon areas where it’s challenging to create containment lines, said Jason Carr, Deschutes County sheriff’s spokesman.
The fire began Thursday night and grew quickly amid hot, gusty conditions. Fire officials were keeping an eye on isolated thunderstorms in southern Oregon that could drift north on Sunday, state Fire Marshals spokesman Chris Schimmer said in a video posted to Facebook.
“If we get thunderstorms that roll through, it can … cause the fire to jump (containment) lines,” said Carr, adding the downdrafts can push fire in multiple directions.
In central California, the state’s largest blaze this year, the Gifford Fire, was at 95% containment Sunday after charring nearly 206 square miles (534 square kilometers) of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties since erupting on Aug. 1. The cause is under investigation.
Although it’s difficult to directly tie a single fire or weather event directly to climate change, scientists say human-caused warming from burning fossil fuels like coal and gas is causing more intense heat waves and droughts, which in turn set the stage for more destructive wildfires.
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Associated Press writer Christopher Weber contributed from Los Angeles.
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Fire officials said aerial resources dropped water onto the flames. Because of this, there is a temporary flight restriction in place over the Bear Gulch Fire. “If you fly, we can’t,” read a section of the Before You Fly government page.
Ground crews have been actively patrolling, using sprinklers, and mopping up hot spots. To prepare for further defense, personnel are felling trees to create fuel breaks and installing sprinkler systems around properties.
How big is the Bear Gulch Fire?
By the numbers:
As of Sunday morning, the fire has burned 8,517 acres since sparking on July 6 and is 13% contained.
There are 481 fire resources deployed to fight the blaze, including seven helicopters. No structures have been damaged.
The Public Information Team with Fire Net reports that potentially record-breaking heat and unstable atmospheric conditions will bring in fresh, hot air to the fire zone and increase activity. For this reason, the area remains under a Red Flag warning through Monday.
Lake Cushman closures and evacuation notices
Local perspective:
The Mason County Sheriff’s Office is also helping with firefighting operations on the north end of Lake Cushman. Homes near Dry Creek Trail remains restricted with a Level 3 “GO” evacuation status as of Aug. 24. The MCSO is keeping the area south of Dry Creek at a Level 2 “BE SET” notice.
The southern half of the lake is open for recreation as of Aug. 24.
Additionally, all outdoor burning is banned in Mason County. Many roads, trails, and campgrounds are shut down in the Olympic National Park area. More information is available at the National Park Service fire conditions and updates page.
What caused the Bear Gulch Fire in Mason County, WA?
The Mason County Sheriff’s Office said the fire was human-caused, and the Olympic National Forest is seeking tips for how the fire started on July 6. Tips can be submitted to the Forest Service Tipline by calling 541-618-2154 or by email at SM.FS.R6TipHotLine@usda.gov. Tips submitted via email should have the subject “Bear Gulch.”
The Source: Information in this story came from the Mason County Sheriff’s Office, National Park Service, United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service and InciWeb.
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The late-summer heat wave took a turn overnight Friday and into Saturday, when a lightning and thunderstorm moved through Southern California, sparking multiple fires in the Angeles National Forest and elsewhere.
Forest officials reported separate lightning fires southwest of Little Rock, near Table Mountain, an area of Sunset Peak west of Mt. Baldy and near Old Ridge Route south of state Route 138. There was no indication that any of the fires posed an immediate danger.
The National Weather Service issued a special weather statement warning of a strong thunderstorm impacting northeastern Los Angeles County through the morning.
Farther south, firefighters knocked down a small vegetation fire in Trabuco Canyon that was ignited by a lightning strike, according to the Orange County Fire Authority. No homes were threatened.
In Riverside County, firefighters were battling the Vail fire, which burned at least 55 acres Saturday in a canyon northeast of Temecula. The fire was reported just before 8:30 a.m. near Vail Lake Dam, north of Highway 79.
By noon, the fire was 25% contained and burning deep in remote terrain. The cause of the fire was not immediately known, but there were reports of lightning in the area, said Maggie Clone De La Rosa, public information officer for the Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department.
The thunderstorm was expected to pass by the early afternoon, but the foothills of LA County remained under a red flag warning for fire danger until at least 9 p.m. Saturday, and elevated fire conditions were expected until Monday night.
The NWS also predicted a risk of further thunderstorms through Tuesday, especially over mountains and deserts.
Extreme heat warnings were in place until at least 9 p.m. Sunday in the Santa Clarita Valley, western Santa Monica Mountains Recreational Area, Calabasas, Agoura Hills, San Fernando Valley, San Gabriel Mountains, Antelope Valley, Antelope Valley Foothills, San Gabriel Valley and the 5 and 14 freeway corridors.
Those areas could see temperatures of over 100 degrees, forecasters said.
“Temperatures are definitely trending cooler today, in some areas as much as 4-8 degrees cooler than yesterday at this time,” the NWS said. “However, humidities are up 15-30 percent over yesterday with the monsoon moisture in the area so while it will be cooler, the added humidity will make it feel warmer and more uncomfortable.”
Staff writer Sydney Barragan and City News Service contributed to this report.
The Pickett Fire near Calistoga in Napa County grew by over 1,100 acres Saturday to 5,862 acres, or about five times the size of Golden Gate Park.
Cal Fire said containment increased to 11%, from 7% earlier in the day.
Additional evacuations were ordered Saturday afternoon as more than 1,200 fire personnel continued to battle the wildfire.
The new evacuations orders, according to Alert Napa Valley, were for three zones:
— POP-E001A, west of Butts Canyon, north of Pope Valley Road and East of Aetna Springs Lane. — NPA E107B, west of Aetna Mine Road, north of Aetna Springs Road and east of Oat Hill Mine Road, in the Cedar Canyon area. — NPA E108A, west of Aetna Springs Lane, north of Aetna Springs Road, east of Aetna Mine Road and south of James Creek creek bed.
In addition, James Creek Road was closed at Butts Canyon Road, according to Alert Napa Valley.
The fire started northeast of Calistoga at 2343 Pickett Road about 3 p.m. Thursday.
By Saturday morning, Cal Fire said the size of the fire was 4,690 acres, with 7% contained.
In addition to 1,230 personnel, 80 engines, 35 hand crews, seven helicopters, 29 dozers and 23 water tenders were committed to the fight, according to Cal Fire.
The Pickett Fire near Calistoga nearly doubled in size Thursday night, reaching 2,131 acres with no containment, according to Cal Fire. Pete Suratos and Jeff Ranieri report.
The Pickett Fire near Calistoga in Napa County expanded to 3,993 acres Friday night as firefighting efforts continued with night-flying helicopters and containment held at 7%, Cal Fire said.
“While the fire grew in size, it remained within the control lines,” Cal Fire said. Firefighters continued to attack with hand crews, engine strike teams, dozers and water tenders.
The fire, reported shortly before 3 p.m. Thursday near Pickett Road, was estimated at 2,133 acres Friday morning and 3,235 acres by late afternoon.
Firefighters issued new evacuation orders and warnings Friday night for the wildfire.
Evacuations were ordered for zones POP-E001-B, south of James Creek and west of Pope Valley Road; NPA-E121-C, the upper third of Dutch Henry Canyon Road, and NPA-E122-B, north of Freisen Drive.
Evacuation warnings were issued for NPA-E122-A and POP-E001-A and continued in effect for NPA-E107, NPA-E121-A, NPA-E122, POP-E002-B and ANG-E001. People can find their zone at https://protect.genasys.com/.
The flames have been burning in remote areas where crews have limited access from the ground, according to Cal Fire. About 435 fire personnel have responded to battle the blaze.
The Bay Area Air District extended an air quality advisory through Saturday because of smoke caused by the Pickett Fire and advised people particularly in Napa, Sonoma and Solano counties to avoid exposure if possible.
The Pickett Fire near Calistoga nearly doubled in size Thursday night, reaching 2,131 acres with no containment, according to Cal Fire. Pete Suratos and Jeff Ranieri report.
