Shaver Lake, CA…Fire activity picked up overnight with highs. The fire continued to grow under extreme conditions. The Red Flag Warning for strong winds will impact the fire in the early morning, with stronger winds to come. The fire made wind driven runs and increased spotting distance. Red Flag Warning in effect until 11 pm Tuesday for high temperatures, low humidity and high winds.
Great Basin Incident Management Team 1 has assumed command of the North Zone of the Creek Fire today in conjunction with CalFire Incident Management Team 1 on the South Zone. The San Juaquin River (the Fresno/Madera County line) is the dividing feature between the two zones. The Creek Fire nearly doubled in size in the last 24 hours. The fire continued to grow in all directions with large increases to the south and east on Monday. Northeast to east winds are expected at 25 to 35 mph, with gusts above 50 mph. Continued extreme fire behavior is forecast, with crowning, wind- driven runs, and long-range spotting. With the forecast winds and erratic fire behavior, the Madera County Sheriff issued numerous evacuation notices and road closures near the southwestern fire front to protect the public. The hot, dry weather, high winds, and high concentrations of dead trees are all expected to continue rapid fire growth. A Red Flag Warning is in effect through 11pm Tuesday; high temperatures, low humidity, and high winds will persist in the area, creating explosive fuel conditions. Firefighters and law enforcement resources are working on safely evacuating citizens. Crews and equipment operators are working long shifts in extreme heat to construct containment line and implement structure protection measures.
·Damage inspection teams are in the process of evaluating structures. These numbers will be updated as information becomes available.
· Single Residences: 60 Destroyed 0 Damaged
· Other Minor Structures: 20 Destroyed 0 Damaged
· Commercial Structures: 02 Destroyed 0 Damaged
Forest Closures issued by the USDA Forest Service: US Forest Service temporarily closes Southern California Forests, including the Sierra National Forest. Regional order number 20-07 Emergency Forest Closure.
For information on how you can prepare for wildfire please visit: www.readyforwildfire.org
Please register for evacuation alerts by signing up at
Fresno County: Fresno County Sheriff Office, sign up with Everbridge. https://t.co/Otack9NyKc?amp=1
Madera County: Madera County Emergency Warning Systems: mcalert.org
Mariposa County: Mariposa County Sheriff Office, sign up with Everbridge: msoalert.com
For missing persons contact: Fresno County Sheriff 559-600-3111
Madera County Sheriff 559-658-2555
Incident Information
Basic Information
| Current as of | 9/8/2020, 2:27:00 PM |
| Incident Type | Wildfire |
| Cause | Under Investigation |
| Date of Origin | Friday September 04th, 2020 approx. 06:00 PM |
| Location | Both sides of San Joaquin River near Mammoth Pool and the communities of Shaver Lake, Big Creek and Huntington Lake. |
| Incident Commander | Unified Command,IC N. Truax CAL FIRE Team 1,M.Adell Great Basin Team 1,the and USFS |
| Coordinates | 37.333 latitude, -119.444 longitude |
Current Situation
| Total Personnel | 1,060 |
| Size | 143,929 Acres |
| Fuels Involved | Large expanses of beetle kill, 80-90 percent of stand. Timber, Brush, Understory Litter |
| Significant Events | Extreme, Crowning, wind driven runs Long range spotting. The fire continues to grow under extreme conditions. The fire has had strong winds with upper level winds from the northwest and variable lower level winds. The fire continued to grow in all directions with large increases to the south and east. The progression has threatened new communities in the foothills, especially with the winds predicted for today. Extreme fire behavior is still being observed with the critical fuels and weather. Evacuations and Road Closures. Hwy 168 is closed. |
Outlook
| Remarks | The Creek Fire a fast-moving fire burning on both Districts of the Forest. The fire which started near the communities of Big Creek and Huntington Lake, moved very quickly prompting several evacuations. Early Saturday afternoon the fire crossed the San Joaquin River and made a run into the Mammoth Pool area. Prompting some members of the public to shelter in place near Wagner’s Store and Campground.
With assistance of the California Army National Guard, 207 people were safely evacuated and assessed for medical needs. The fire burned actively overnight. Crews will be challenged today by steep rugged terrain, heavy fuel loading and high temperatures. Additional resources have been ordered including a Type 1 Incident Management Team. Evacuations and closures remain in effect. |
Current Weather
| Weather Concerns | Hot and very dry conditions will remain over the Region through Labor Day. RH will be very low, expected terrain driven winds, with temperatures overnight 70-75 degrees and day time 90-95 degrees. |
Source = USFS, CAL-FIRE, Inciweb
Creek Fire Continues Its March, Now 143,929 Acres, Burning Through Huntington Lake Area Today added by admin on
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