Canyon Fire: Evacuation orders issued for Tuolumne County vegetation fire
PER SE, BUT I WANT TO SHOW YOU. YES. OKAY. WE DO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT DELAY. SO WHAT I’M GOING TO DO IS JUST SHOW YOU WHY WE’RE IN A VERY REMOTE AREA. WE HAVE OUR LIVE TRACKER THREE SET UP. WE HAVE OUR CAMERA SET UP, AND WE’RE TRYING TO BRING YOU THIS SHOT OF THE CANYON FIRE, WHICH IS THIS WAY, A RETARDANT DROP. SEE, ONE OF THE TANKERS, THEY JUST STARTED HITTING THIS WITH AIR RESOURCES WITHIN THE LAST 15 OR 20 MINUTES OR SO, THE TERRAIN IS STEEP. THE VEGETATION IS THICK. AND JUST DOWN BELOW, FROM WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE NUMEROUS GROUND RESOURCES ALREADY ON THIS FIRE. AND WE WERE SEEING HAND CREWS WALKING DOWN REALLY STEEP GRADES, TRYING TO GET AT THE SOURCES OF THE FIRE. WE SAW ON THIS SIDE OVER HERE, WHERE IN THE DISTANCE YOU CAN SEE A BIT OF A BURN SCAR. WE ARE SEEING HOW THOSE CREWS ARE TRYING TO PROTECT HOMES THAT ARE ON THE HILLSIDE. THIS FIRE, AS WE’VE BEEN REPORTING THROUGHOUT THE MORNING, BROKE OUT LATE LAST NIGHT AND REALLY STARTED TO TAKE OFF VERY EARLY THIS MORNING IN THE OVERNIGHT HOURS, WHICH IS WHEN THOSE EVACUATION ORDERS AND WARNINGS WERE PUT IN PLACE. SO FAR, THIS FIRE IS AROUND 75 ACRES, AS REPORTED BY CAL FIRE, AND IT IS BURNING IN THIS STEEP TERRAIN FOR REFERENCE, WE’RE NEAR THE NORTH FORK OF THE TUOLUMNE RIVER, AND THAT’S DOWN AT THE VERY BOTTOM OF THE CANYON. IN FACT, WE SAW ONE OF THE HELICOPTERS DIP ON DOWN AND PICK UP SOME WATER FROM THE NORTH FORK OF THE TUOLUMNE RIVER. AND THEN IT WENT UP, AND IT’S GOING TO PUT SOME OF THAT WATER ON THE SPOTS THAT ARE BURNING. WE SAW LOTS OF FLAMES, POPPED ALL OVER THE HILLSIDE. IN FACT, IT’S ON BUCHANAN ROAD THAT RUNS BETWEEN THAT BIG HILLSIDE THAT YOU’RE SEEING AND WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW. AND BUCHANAN ROAD IS WHERE THIS FIRE HAS HOPPED ON BOTH SIDES. AND SO WHAT? ONE OF THE CAL FIRE CREW MEMBERS TOLD US IS TO BE CAREFUL WHEN WE’RE OUT HERE, BECAUSE HE SAID, SO MANY SPOTS OF HILLSIDE ARE UNSTABLE AFTER FIRE HIT IT OVERNIGHT, THAT THERE ARE PARTS OF THE HILLSIDE THAT ARE COMING DOWN AND THOSE HOT, ROLLING CHUNKS OF EARTH THAT ARE COMING DOWN AND HITTING BUCHANAN ROAD. ANOTHER REASON WHY THEY’RE TELLING FOLKS WHO LIVE IN THIS AREA TO EVACUATE. ALSO, FOR FOLKS WONDERING WHY, AT THE CRACK OF DAWN, WE DIDN’T SEE AIR RESOURCES OVER IT IMMEDIATELY. WELL, I GOT SOME INSIGHT AS WELL FROM CAL FIRE, AND THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE SHADOWS THAT FALL IN A CANYON AREA LIKE THIS. THIS LANDSCAPE MAKES IT SO IT WOULD NOT BE SAFE FOR FIRE CREWS TO IMMEDIATELY PUT THOSE AIRCRAFT UP UNTIL THE SHADOWS ARE SUCH THAT THEY’RE MOVED AWAY, AND THAT THOSE AIRCRAFT CAN REALLY MAKE ALL OF THEIR SKILLFUL MANEUVERS TO TRY TO DUMP THE RETARDANT AND OR WATER ON THE FLAMES THAT THEY SEE IN EXISTENCE OUT HERE. SO WE’RE TAKING A LOOK AT ALL THAT IS HAPPENING UP AND DOWN. THIS AREA. IT IS, UH, PRETTY, PRETTY SCARY FOR THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE LIVING NEARBY BECAUSE THE FIRE GOT VERY CLOSE TO THEIR PROPERTY, IN FACT, RIGHT UP TOWARD SOME OF THE HOMES THAT WE’RE SEEING ON A ROAD CALLED MIRROR MIRAMONTE. UM, UP AT THE TOP OF THE CANYON. SO WE KNOW THEY’RE GOING TO BE WORKING ALL DAY. THEY ORDERED THOSE AIR RESOURCES THAT YOU’RE SEEING NOW LATE LAST NIGHT, BECAUSE THEY KNEW THEY WERE GOING TO HIT IT AS SOON AS IT WAS SAFE TO DO SO. THIS MORNING. AND WE’RE GOING TO GET TO ANOTHER VANTAGE POINT, HOPEFULLY BRING YOU MORE PICTURES ONCE WE GET A STABLE SHOT. BUT FOR NOW, BRANDY AND MIKE, I’LL SEND THINGS BACK TO YOU. INCREDIBLE EFFORT. MELANIE WINGO OUT
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Canyon Fire: Evacuation orders issued for Tuolumne County vegetation fire
Evacuation orders have been issued for a vegetation fire burning in the town of Tuolumne, the Tuolumne County Sheriff's Office said.The Canyon Fire started around 10:55 p.m. Thursday in a canyon off Buchanan Road near Canyon Drive, officials said.As of 6:27 a.m. Friday, the fire has burned at least 85 acres, according to Cal Fire. The fire is 50% contained. Canyon Fire evacuations, shelter information and road closuresThe sheriff's office ordered evacuations in the following areas:Canyon DriveSunrise DriveFirst AveMira MonteBuchanan Road from Carter to the River CanyonAll residences within Ponderosa HillsGrizzly Mine RoadVine StreetBaker StreetCarter StreetMadrone StreetBirch StreetTuolumne Band of Mi-Wuk Indians Rancheria.Anyone in these areas must leave immediately because of the threat to safety. Evacuees can seek shelter in Sonora at the Tuolumne Enrichment Center at 102 Hospital Road and Sonora Senior Center at 540 Greenley Road, which will accept small animals. Tuolumne County Animal Control in Jamestown also has a small animal evacuation site. The address is 10040 Victoria Way.Large animals and livestock are also being accepted at the Mother Lode Fairgrounds on 220 Southgate Dr. in Sonora.The following roads are closed:Buchanan Road at Carter StreetTuolumne Road at Gerber Road (Ponderosa Hills)People are being told to avoid the area as emergency responders work.Challenges in battling the Canyon FireSteep terrain makes access to the fire difficult for ground crews. KCRA 3 reporter Melanie Wingo observed hand crews having to use rope to descend along embankments.The steepness is also making it harder for crews to establish lines around the fire, Cal Fire Spokesperson Emily Kilgore said.Temperature is also a concern. Kilgore said when it gets hotter in the afternoon, fire activity could worsen.Vegetation such as brush, manzanita and oak are also helping to fuel the flames, Kilgore said.This story is developing. Stay with KCRA 3 for updates.Here are key websites that are important for all Californians during wildfire season.Cal Fire wildfire incidents: Cal Fire tracks its wildfire incidents here. You can sign up to receive text messages for Cal Fire updates on wildfires happening near your ZIP code here.Wildfires on federal land: Federal wildfire incidents are tracked here.Preparing for power outages: Ready.gov explains how to prepare for a power outage and what to do when returning from one here. Here is how to track and report PG&E power outages.Keeping informed when you've lost power and cellphone service: How to find a National Weather Service radio station near you.Be prepared for road closures: Download Caltrans' QuickMap app or check the latest QuickMap road conditions here.
TUOLUMNE, Calif. —
Evacuation orders have been issued for a vegetation fire burning in the town of Tuolumne, the Tuolumne County Sheriff's Office said.
The Canyon Fire started around 10:55 p.m. Thursday in a canyon off Buchanan Road near Canyon Drive, officials said.
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As of 6:27 a.m. Friday, the fire has burned at least 85 acres, according to Cal Fire. The fire is 50% contained.
Canyon Fire evacuations, shelter information and road closures
The sheriff's office ordered evacuations in the following areas:
- Canyon Drive
- Sunrise Drive
- First Ave
- Mira Monte
- Buchanan Road from Carter to the River Canyon
- All residences within Ponderosa Hills
- Grizzly Mine Road
- Vine Street
- Baker Street
- Carter Street
- Madrone Street
- Birch Street
- Tuolumne Band of Mi-Wuk Indians Rancheria.
Anyone in these areas must leave immediately because of the threat to safety.
Evacuees can seek shelter in Sonora at the Tuolumne Enrichment Center at 102 Hospital Road and Sonora Senior Center at 540 Greenley Road, which will accept small animals.
Tuolumne County Animal Control in Jamestown also has a small animal evacuation site. The address is 10040 Victoria Way.
Large animals and livestock are also being accepted at the Mother Lode Fairgrounds on 220 Southgate Dr. in Sonora.
The following roads are closed:
- Buchanan Road at Carter Street
- Tuolumne Road at Gerber Road (Ponderosa Hills)
People are being told to avoid the area as emergency responders work.
Challenges in battling the Canyon Fire
Steep terrain makes access to the fire difficult for ground crews. KCRA 3 reporter Melanie Wingo observed hand crews having to use rope to descend along embankments.
The steepness is also making it harder for crews to establish lines around the fire, Cal Fire Spokesperson Emily Kilgore said.
Temperature is also a concern. Kilgore said when it gets hotter in the afternoon, fire activity could worsen.
Vegetation such as brush, manzanita and oak are also helping to fuel the flames, Kilgore said.
This story is developing. Stay with KCRA 3 for updates.
Here are key websites that are important for all Californians during wildfire season.
- Cal Fire wildfire incidents: Cal Fire tracks its wildfire incidents here. You can sign up to receive text messages for Cal Fire updates on wildfires happening near your ZIP code here.
- Wildfires on federal land: Federal wildfire incidents are tracked here.
- Preparing for power outages: Ready.gov explains how to prepare for a power outage and what to do when returning from one here. Here is how to track and report PG&E power outages.
- Keeping informed when you've lost power and cellphone service: How to find a National Weather Service radio station near you.
- Be prepared for road closures: Download Caltrans' QuickMap app or check the latest QuickMap road conditions here.
