Yahoo Movies Rices Fire in Northern California grows minimally, but gusty afternoon winds possible
Firefighting crews continue to make steady progress on the Rices Fire in Nevada County, adding to containment lines as the fire burned minimally Thursday and early Friday morning amid improving weather conditions.
Forward progress has been halted on the wildfire, which ignited Tuesday afternoon in steep terrain near Rices Crossing, with no increase in reported acreage since Wednesday evening.
The blaze stood at 904 acres as of a 7 a.m. Friday incident report from the Cal Fire Nevada-Yuba-Placer Unit. Containment increased to 22%, after Cal Fire reported the blaze 20% contained Thursday evening and 12% that morning.
The Rices Fire has destroyed one main structure and three outbuildings, and continues to threaten about 250 structures. Sheriff’s officials in Nevada and Yuba counties on Thursday lifted several mandatory evacuation orders or downgraded them to warnings.
Cal Fire’s Friday morning report warned that lower temperatures and improved humidity in the forecast may be accompanied by swelling southerly winds, which could gust up to about 18 mph in the afternoon. Authorities advised residents to stay alert and prepared to evacuate if necessary.
One civilian and 13 firefighters have been injured; Cal Fire Nevada-Yuba-Placer spokeswoman Mary Eldridge said all of the firefighter injuries have been related to heat illness or dehydration. Nearly 1,500 personnel remained assigned to the fire as of Friday morning.
Emergency authorities on Thursday lifted evacuation orders in two zones — NCO-E383 and NCO-E029-A, in the Buttermilk and French Corral areas — while maintaining evacuation orders in two other zones in the Bridgeport and French Corral areas. The Bridgeport area of South Yuba River State Park is also closed, Cal Fire said Friday morning.
Road closures also remain in place on Birchville Road at Highway 49 and Pleasant Valley Road at Bridgeport. Highway 49 remains open.
Sandra Fire
A 250-acre vegetation fire that ignited Thursday afternoon east of Oroville is now 60% contained, Cal Fire’s Butte Unit said in a Friday morning incident update.
“All threats have been mitigated,” and evacuation orders and warnings lifted for the Sandra Fire, Cal Fire said in Friday’s incident report.
No injuries or structure damage were reported.
