Northern CA wildfires: Ponderosa Fire’s spread halted but evacuations remain
Firefighters on Monday morning were working to contain the Ponderosa Fire, which ignited Sunday afternoon near Oregon House and has burned more than 87 acres in eastern Yuba County.
The blaze, first reported around 3 p.m. near Ponderosa Way north of Sunset Road, was 26% contained as of 8 a.m., according to Cal Fire’s Nevada-Yuba-Placer unit. Officials said forward progress had been stopped overnight, though evacuation orders and warnings remain in place for several zones.
Mandatory evacuations cover zones YUB-E094-B and YUB-E093-A, according to the Yuba County Office of Emergency Services. Evacuation warnings remain in effect for YUB-E081, YUB-E089, YUB-E094-A and YUB-E093-B. Two zones previously under warning, YUB-E092 and YUB-E006, have been relaxed.
No structures have been damaged or destroyed, and no injuries have been reported.
Cal Fire said the flames erupted after a person working with an impact wrench caused enough friction to ignite dry grass, according to a news release. Firefighters classified the cause as accidental and said that the person tried to stamp out the fire with hand tools and water.
The individual called 911 after the unsuccessful efforts to stop the fire and was cooperating with Cal Fire’s investigation, according to the release.
Tiger Fire
In Amador County, the Tiger Fire was 30% contained as of 6 a.m. Monday, with its footprint holding at 118 acres, Cal Fire’s Amador-El Dorado unit said.
The wildfire began Friday afternoon on Tiger Creek Road in Pioneer near the North Fork of the Mokelumne River. All evacuation orders have been lifted, county officials said.
About 200 personnel continue to work on containment lines, mop-up and hazard tree mitigation, Cal Fire AEU said in a Monday update.
No injuries or structure losses have been reported. The cause is under investigation.
This story was originally published August 11, 2025 at 8:21 AM.