Wildfire update: Electra Fire slows as crews hold acreage, containment overnight
The Electra Fire maintained its acreage and containment overnight Thursday, as crews took advantage of cool weather to tamp down hot spots at the blaze near Jackson.
The fire, which is burning along the Amador-Calaveras county line, is 4,227 acres and 40% contained as of Thursday morning, Cal Fire said. After roaring to life Monday, prompting widespread evacuation orders — and temporarily trapping around 100 people in a PG&E powerhouse — the blaze died down Wednesday, with officials lifting evacuation orders Wednesday and Thursday. Crews increased containment Wednesday from 10% to 40% and a number of evacuation orders and warnings were lifted.
Cal Fire expects full containment by July 18, according to the Thursday morning incident report.
In a morning briefing at the blaze, Cal Fire night operations manager Jeff Loveless called Wednesday a “very successful day.” Fire behavior specialist Brian Newman warned temperatures are supposed to rise and humidity is supposed to drop Thursday, but winds levels are also supposed to drop, allowing for “very similar fire behavior” Thursday compared to Wednesday.
The fire is burning in a canyon next to the north fork of the Mokelumne River. Crews have so far been able to stop the fire from spreading to populated areas outside of the canyon, but 1,217 structures remain threatened by the blaze, Cal Fire said Thursday.
Electra Fire map
Sources: U.S. Department of the Interior, IRWIN, NIFC, NASA, NOAA and Esri. Updated every 15 minutes.
Officials were able to lift a number of evacuation orders across Amador and Calaveras counties Thursday afternoon. In Amador County, evacuation orders were reduced to warnings in areas north of Tabeaud Road at Amador Lane, Ponderosa Way and East Clinton Road to Arrow Head Road. In Calaveras County, officials lifted evacuation orders for the Montgomery Lane area.
But numerous evacuation orders still stand in both counties. Both counties are running online maps to indicate the latest evacuation order and warning information. Amador County’s maps is available here, and Calaveras’ here.
On Wednesday, officials lifted some evacuation orders and warnings in Amador County as the containment grew. A road closure moved up Butte Mountain Road from the Lower Clinton Road Intersection to the Upper Clinton Road Intersection, reducing the evacuation order for the previously-closed stretch. The warning zone running east from Jackson, along Highway 88 to Previtali Road, was also removed Wednesday afternoon, allowing residents to return to their homes.
Evacuation centers are open at the at the Italian Picnic Grounds, 581 Highway 49 in Sutter Creek and at Calaveras County Mountain Oak School, 150 Old Oak Road.
Officials made two separate arrests inside the Amador County evacuation zone Wednesday, the Amador County Sheriff’s Office said in a social media post. Deputies arrested one man after he passed a roadblock without a reason, and then was found to possess drugs and be in violation of his parole. Later in the day, deputies arrested a different man who entered the evacuation zone without reason, and then was found to have a loaded gun in his car, as well as drugs and illegal fireworks. The second man fled on foot, but was eventually taken into custody.
Around 8,000 households in Amador and Calaveras counties remain without power, PG&E reported on social media Wednesday, as lines have been de-energized around the blaze.
A total of 1,864 firefighters were at the blaze Thursday morning, including 161 engines and 14 helicopters. One first-responder injury has been reported from the fire.
