COLFAX, Calif. — Cal Fire reports containment is now up to 65% on the River Fire. In a Sunday update, the agency noted that at least 88 structures have been destroyed, 20 have been damaged. 66 of those destroyed structures were residential, two were commercial, and 20 were classified as "other." Three people have been injured, one of which was a firefighter.
On Sunday afternoon, fire officials lifted evacuation orders for multiple addresses on Hillcrest Boulevard and one address on Madrone Lane.
According to the Placer County Sheriff's Office, about 100 people are still displaced.
Kris and Kristina Mayfield were some of the many people who left their home in Nevada County knowing there was nothing more they could do. They learned their home survived, but the same couldn't be said for some of their neighbors.
"It was a bittersweet feeling knowing that we have a house and are able to be here, but it's also sad to know that our next-door neighbors aren't," Kristina Mayfield said.
Even as firefighters make progress on the River Fire in Nevada and Placer counties, other dangers have kept hundreds of people away from their homes.
While the orders are easing, evacuees of the River Fire may have to wait a little longer before police remove road barriers and let them back into their homes. That’s because fire crews are now facing new dangers. Trees and branches are falling along roads and fire lines.
Fire crews call the falling branches and trees "widow makers," or snags. After wildfires rip through a forest, small embers burn tree roots or the tree trunk itself. Over time the embers burn through the tree and they fall over without notice.
Firefighters continue to build and improve containment lines for the fire, which they said has kept it from increasing in acreage.
Fire crews are walking the fire-scarred roadsides and neighborhood to try and preemptively cut potential snags and widow makers down. Utility crews are also working to repair infrastructure damaged in the fire.
Placer County Public Health and the Placer County Air Pollution Control District issued a joint air quality advisory for the area due to the smoke impacts from the River Fire through Sunday, Aug. 8. Learn more about the advisory by clicking here.
Despite the evacuation warnings being lifted, Placer County proclaimed a local emergency due to the River Fire. The proclamation requests state and federal help to assist the county in their response to the fire.
"We are tremendously grateful to our public safety partners for so capably attacking this fire and protecting our residents,” Placer County Emergency Services Director and County Executive Officer Todd Leopold said in the press release. “We’re fully committed to doing everything we can to support our residents who’ve been so deeply affected by this disaster and this proclamation is a key step in making sure we’ve got access to all available resources that can help.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom said today that California was able to secure a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) for extra resources from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help fight the River Fire. The FMAG will allow local and state agencies fighting the fire to apply for 75% reimbursement of their eligible fire suppression costs. Cal OES will also provide "rapid financial assistance" to those impacted by the fire.
Accounts to follow for latest information:
Evacuations:
Nevada County: Check the Community Zone Haven for updates.
Placer County: For evacuation orders and warnings, visit ArcGIS Web Application.
Road closures:
- Placer County: http://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/
- Nevada County: https://community.zonehaven.com/
Maps of evacuations
Click HERE for Placer County's public evacuation map.
Click HERE for a map of the wildfire area
WILDFIRE PREPS
According to Cal Fire, 2020 was one of the most severe fire seasons on record as 9,917 wildfires burned 4.2 million acres. Over 9,000 structures were destroyed, and 31 people (civilians and firefighters) were killed.
California also experienced its first "Gigafire" because of the August Complex Fire, burning over 1 million acres by itself. Four of California's top five largest wildfires in state history happened in 2020.
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, 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 know 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, 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.
