Firefighters work toward full containment of 600-acre River Fire in Colusa County
Firefighters on Wednesday had about 80% of the River Fire contained and were looking for any potential flare-ups after the blaze charred about 600 acres in Colusa County.
The River Fire started about 1:30 p.m. Tuesday near the Sacramento River, prompting law enforcement officials to notify residents of the fire burning near the town of Colusa. The wildfire burned on both sides of the river near Highway 45 and Brown Road.
In a Wednesday update, the Colusa County Sheriff’s Office said firefighters continued to make progress toward full containment and working to put out any smoldering hot spots and flare-ups in the area. The Sacramento River Fire District and Cal Fire’s Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit battled the River Fire, along with the Colusa Fire Department.
One man driving a privately-owned water tender was injured Tuesday afternoon while trying to offer his help at the River Fire, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The man was driving the water tender and heading to the area of the fire shortly after 4 p.m., when a rear wheel slid down a levee and the vehicle rolled over on River Road near Colusa Weir, said Officer Shelley Wilson, a spokeswoman for the CHP Williams Area Office.
Wilson said the driver was not wearing a seat belt, but he was not ejected from the vehicle. She said the driver suffered cuts to his head and hand. After he was examined at the scene, the driver denied further medical treatment. But medics took him by ambulance to a hospital as a precaution, Wilson said.
Colusa city officials on Wednesday morning asked residents to stay away from current River Fire areas to allow all agencies to fight this fire and quickly respond to spot fires or changes. They also said officials will go door-to-door and notify residents if any evacuations are needed but no evacuation orders were in place.
Three other wildfires started Tuesday in Northern California and burned dozens of acres amid a National Weather Service red flag warning the Sacramento Valley that expired at 11 a.m. Wednesday.
A fire near Davis in Yolo County sent a person to a hospital, briefly forced an evacuation of a dozen homes, and burned nearly 70 acres before crews controlled the blaze.
The Edward Fire in Glenn County burned about 50 acres before firefighters stopped its forward progress. The fire, which started just northwest of the town of Orland, destroyed one home and damaged landscape structures, fences and outbuildings on private property, the Glenn County Sheriff’s Office said.
The Wilder Fire, which started shortly before 11:30 a.m. southwest of the town of Red Bluff, burned 90 acres in Tehama County before firefighters had the blaze fully contained Tuesday afternoon.
The National Weather Service’s Sacramento Office asked Northern California residents to continue to practice fire safety this week, even as a red flag warning expired and winds had calmed. Those celebrating the Memorial Day weekend outdoors should avoid parking vehicles on dry grass, check local fire restrictions and make sure campfires are completely extinguished.
