OROVILLE — Half a dozen new wildfires that broke out Tuesday across Northern California and the Central Coast are burning little or no containment Wednesday morning as an unforgiving heat wave blankets the state.
The largest of them, the Thompson Fire in Butte County, ignited around 10:50 a.m. Tuesday at Cherokee and Thompson Flat roads in Oroville. By Wednesday morning, the fire had consumed 3,002 acres and was 0% contained, according to the Cal Fire Butte Unit.
Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in Butte County on Wednesday morning to support the response to the Thompson Fire. The Federal Emergency Management Agency approved a Fire Management Assistance Grant for Butte County to provide more resources in suppressing the fire.
“Our first priority is holding the fire at Oroville Dam and keeping it out of Kelly Ridge,” said Cal Fire Unit Chief Garrett Sjolund.
Around 13,000 residents were under evacuation orders, according to Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea. The Chico Enterprise-Record reported 12,000 structures are threatened by the fire, most of which are houses in evacuation areas.
In San Benito County, the Airline Fire started just before 2 p.m. Tuesday on Panoche Road in the unincorporated community of Paicines. The Cal Fire San Benito-Monterey Unit said the fire had scorched 1,150 acres and was 55% contained as of Wednesday morning. One injury was also reported by Cal Fire.
Four other blazes broke out Tuesday, but they were all less than 100 acres as night fell.
They included the Moccasin Fire in El Dorado County, which ignited around 3:40 p.m. Tuesday on Moccasin Trail west of the unincorporated community of Somerset. As of Wednesday morning, the blaze had scorched 51 acres and was 25% contained, according to the Cal Fire Amador-El Dorado Unit.
Authorities warned residents living in areas bordering the fire to be prepared to evacuate, as of Tuesday 3:59 p.m.. Evacuation shelters were set up at Placerville Library at 345 Fair Ln. in Placerville and Cameron Park CSD at 2502 Country Club Dr. in Cameron Park. Charging stations and water was available at Placerville Library and Cameron Park CSD served as an overnight shelter.
Crews were also working to quell the Toll Fire in Napa County. The Cal Fire Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit said the fire ignited around 9:45 a.m. Tuesday on Old Lawley Toll Road northeast of Calistoga and had burned about 41 acres as of Wednesday morning. It was 20% contained.
Evacuations were also ordered in two areas around the fire: north, south and east of lake County Highway and west of Palisades Road, and north of Old Lawley Toll, south of Highway 29 and Oat Hill Road and east of Lake County Highway.
“Temperatures remained at mid-80s overnight. Control lines were wind-tested with 18-25 mph gusts, but firefighters held the fire in its current footprint at 40.6 acres,” the unit said in a social media post around 8:45 a.m. Wednesday.
In Solano County, the Denverton Fire started around 1:15 p.m. on Tuesday at Creed and Denverton roads. As of Wednesday morning, the blaze had burned 25 acres and was 0% contained, according to the Cal Fire Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit.Smoke from the Denverton Fire spurred officials to issue a Spare the Air Alert for a second day in a row.
Finally, the Yolla Fire in Shasta County broke out around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday at Yolla Bolla and Wintun roads. The Cal Fire Shasta-Trinity Unit said it had burned 19 acres and was 70% contained as of Wednesday morning.
“Firefighters have made significant progress overnight on the Yolla incident,” Cal Fire said in on its Incident page. “Crews will continue working hard today, strengthening control lines and extinguishing hot spots to ensure the safety of our community.”
Check back for updates.
