Creek Fire contained slightly for the first time at 6% on 175,893 acres

For the first time since the Creek Fire started burning, a small portion of the fire has been contained.

Fire officials announced during a Thursday night news conference that the Creek Fire had 6% containment.

Authorities called it a turning point, saying crews had shifted from defensive positions to be able to go on the offensive against the wildfire.

The fire’s size was 175,893 acres.

Early Thursday morning, the U.S. Forest Service said the Creek Fire was at about 175,000 acres in size with 0% containment.

“Today was really the first day we really shifted from being on the defense to being on the offense,” U.S Forest Supervisor Dean Gould said. “Instead of reacting across the board to it, now we’re ... turning the tide back on it.”

Containment is defined as areas where the heat has been removed and are no longer a threat, according to Cal Fire official Mike Wink.

The U.S. Forest Service listed 60 residences, two commercial structures and 278 other mixed commercial and residential structures as destroyed. Six residences, two commercial and one smaller building were considered damaged.

The Creek Fire has been burning since Friday, affecting areas in both Fresno County and Madera County.

Cause of the fire remains under investigation.

There are about 1,600 firefighters along the lines in the two counties.

This story was originally published September 10, 2020 at 7:20 PM with the headline "Creek Fire contained slightly for the first time at 6% on 175,893 acres."