Wildfire updates: Electra Fire slows as new blaze flares in Yosemite National Park

The Electra Fire continued to slow overnight into Friday, as crews upped containment and kept spread to a minimum.

The fire, which is burning along the Amador-Calaveras county line, had charred 4,428 acres and was 65% contained by Friday 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 and has seen low rates of spread since.

Between Thursday and Friday, crews increased containment from 40% to 65% and kept wildfire spread to 200 acres. Officials in Amador and Calaveras counties took advantage of mild weather Thursday to control the spread and lift a number of evacuation orders and warnings. The number of structures under threat dropped to 891, per Cal Fire’s Friday morning update, compared to 1,217 the previous morning.

In the update, Cal Fire said the blaze saw “minimal” activity overnight, and attributed diminishing fire behavior to successful firing operations that cleared the area of remaining greenery. But in a social media post, the fire agency warned that the blaze is still “very active,” despite the progress crews have made.

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 Amador and Calaveras counties. Both counties are running online maps to indicate the latest evacuation order and warning information.

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.

The blaze originally knocked out power form 13,000 homes and businesses, and around 1,482 remain without power Friday, according to PG&E. Power is expected to return by Friday evening, the utility reported to state officials.

Washburn Fire

The Washburn Fire ignited in Yosemite National Park’s Mariposa Grove on Thursday, home to more than 500 mature giant sequoias.

The fire grew to 166 acres by Friday afternoon, with 0% containment, according to the federal government’s incident information system. More than 500 mature sequoias were threatened — forcing park officials to close the area — but there were no reports of severe damage to any named trees, such as the 3,000-year-old Grizzly Giant.

The cause of the fire was under investigation and the rest of the park remained open as nearly 300 firefighters tried to control the flames with the help of two water-dropping helicopters and an air tanker dumping flame retardant, Phillipe said.

A team was being sent to the Mariposa Grove to wrap some of the massive trunks in fire-resistant foil to protect them as the blaze burned out of control, Nancy Phillipe, a Yosemite fire information spokesperson, told the Associated Press.

The nearby village of Wawona, where about 600 to 700 people were staying in a campground, cabins and an historic hotel, was under an evacuation advisory. A community meeting was planned and visitors and residents were encouraged to be ready to leave.

“Our priorities are certainly the giant sequoias and the community of Wawona,” Phillipe said.

The National Park Service said the fire first started about 5:30 p.m. Thursday. Initial reports said flames had consumed about 8 acres, but later grew to 60 to 70 acres and remained active overnight

Smoke from the Washburn Fire could be seen from Fresno and other parts of the Central Valley.

The giant sequoias, native only to the western slope of California’s Sierra Nevada range, were once considered impervious to flames but have become increasingly vulnerable as wildfires fueled by a buildup of undergrowth from a century of fire suppression and drought exacerbated by climate change have become more intense and destructive.

Lightning-sparked wildfires over the past two years have killed up to a fifth of all sequoias, which are the largest trees by volume.

There was no obvious natural spark for the fire that broke out Thursday next to the park’s Washburn Trail, Phillipe said. Smoke was reported by visitors walking in the grove that reopened in 2018 after a $40 million renovation that took three years.

According to the park’s website, the Mariposa Grove was set aside as protected federal land in 1864 when then-President Abraham Lincoln signed legislation protecting Mariposa Grove and Yosemite Valley for “public use, resort, and recreation.”

“This landmark legislation holds an important place in our country’s history and was enacted at a time when the nation was embroiled in the Civil War,” the park service says. “For the first time in our nation’s history, the federal government set aside scenic natural areas to be protected for the benefit of future generations.”

The Mariposa Grove was added to Yosemite National Park in 1906.

Bay Fire

Authorities issued evacuations in northern Yuba County after a new blaze Friday caused a number of spot fires in the Loma Rica area.

The Bay Fire spread to 26 acres before crews stopped forward progress at 3:30 p.m.

Authorities issued evacuation orders for two zones east of Loma Rica, north of Marysville Road. A warning is in effect for several more zones, and advisories are in place up to Southeast Loma Rica. All orders, warnings and advisories remain in effect as of 3:35 p.m.

This story was originally published July 8, 2022 at 11:31 AM.