OROVILLE, Calif. — A grass fire burning near the town of Oroville has been brought under control after temporarily prompting officials to issue an evacuation warning.
The 30-acre Nelson Fire was first reported around 12:50 p.m. Saturday along Nelson Avenue in the Butte County town of Oroville, according to Tweets from Cal Fire's Butte County Unit.
At 1:10 p.m., authorities issued an evacuation warning for residents along Golden Eagle Drive as winds pushed the fire from the south crossing over Nelson Avenue.
Officials said the fire had a moderate rate of spread but, crews were able to stop forward spread by 1:40 p.m.
Nelson Avenue has been closed from 6th Street to Gang Way as crews mop up after the blaze.
Evacuation Map
An evacuation map from the Butte County Sheriff's Office is available below.
FIRE MAP:
This map from the National Interagency Fire Center shows fire activity (this may take a few seconds to load):
WILDFIRE PREPS
According to Cal Fire, the 2021 fire season started earlier than previous years, but also ended earlier, as well. January 2021 saw just under 1,200 acres burned from nearly 300 wildfires. Fires picked up in the summer when the Dixie Fire burned in five Northern California counties — Butte, Plumas, Shasta, Lassen and Tehama. The Dixie Fire started on July 13 and wasn't contained until Oct. 25, burning nearly 1 million acres. It has since become the second-largest wildfire in state history and the largest non-complex fire.
Overall, 2.5 million acres were burned in 2021 from 8,835 wildfires. Over 3,600 structures were destroyed and 3 people were killed.
If you live in a wildfire-prone zone, Cal Fire suggests creating a defensible space around your home. Defensible space is an area around a building in which vegetation and other debris are completely cleared. At least 100 feet is recommended.
The Department of Homeland Security suggests assembling an emergency kit that has important documents, N95 respirator masks, and supplies to grab with you if you’re forced to leave at a moment’s notice. The agency also suggests signing up for local warning system notifications and knowing your community’s evacuation plans best to prepare yourself and your family in cases of wildfires.
Some counties use Nixle alerts to update residents on severe weather, wildfires, and other news. To sign up, visit www.nixle.com or text your zip code to 888777 to start receiving alerts.
PG&E customers can also subscribe to alerts via text, email, or phone call. If you're a PG&E customer, visit the Profile & Alerts section of your account to register.
What questions do you have about the latest wildfires? If you're impacted by the wildfires, what would you like to know? Text the ABC10 team at (916) 321-3310.
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