- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
Rocky fire edges up to 62,000 acres; resources work on spot fires north of highway
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – While firefighters held the Rocky fire to a less-dramatic acreage gain on Monday, the fire jumped Highway 20, leading to a new focus on preventing it from advancing farther north.
The Rocky fire had burned 62,000 acres as of Monday evening – an increase of 2,000 acres over the course of the day – with containment holding at 12 percent, according to Cal Fire.
The main development on the fire on Monday was its afternoon crossing of Highway 20, with spot fires reported on the highway’s north side.
“The fire has crossed Highway 20 in multiple spots,” Cal Fire public information officer Rick Frawley told Lake County News.
Frawley didn't have an acreage estimate of those spot fires available early Monday evening.
“We're pouring significant resources into creating control lines in that area,” Frawley said.
The growing fire is now the largest burning in California.
Resources are continuing to come into Lake County to fight the fire from agencies all over California and the Western United States, according to comments officials made at a Sunday community meeting held to discuss the fire.
There also have been reports that some firefighters are being sent from the East Coast to assist.
The incident command, based at the Lake County Fairgrounds, is overseeing a force of some 3,145 firefighters, 285 engines, 72 fire crews, 57 dozers, 40 water tenders, 19 helicopters and four air tankers.
On Monday, Cal OES Director Mark Ghilarducci, California National Guard Brigadier General Matthew P. Beevers and Natural Resources Agency Undersecretary Janelle Beland visited the Rocky Fire Incident Command center to get an update on the situation.
Cal Fire said no additional structures have been destroyed, with the count remaining at total of 50 destroyed – 24 homes, 26 outbuildings – and three additional structures damaged.
The fire's growth resulted in an increase in the number of structures threatened, which rose by more than 650 to a total of 6,959, according to Frawley.
The mandatory evacuations implemented in recent days remain in effect, according to officials.
After the fire jumped Highway 20, the sheriff's office issued a second mandatory evacuation order late Monday afternoon for the Spring Valley and Double Eagle Ranch communities east of Clearlake Oaks.
Those communities previously had been placed under an evacuation order, with authorities making another sweep through on Monday to attempt to get the last holdouts to leave.
On Monday evening, radio reports indicated engines and other resources were staging in the Double Eagle Ranch subdivision.
Evacuation advisories remain in effect for areas near Lower Lake and on the east side of Highway 53 in Clearlake, north to Highway 20, and Highway 53 west to Sulphur Bank Road along Highway 20 near Clearlake Oaks.
In total, all evacuations impact approximately 13,118 citizens living in more than 5,530 residences. Frawley could not say on Monday evening how many people have actually left their homes due to mandatory evacuation orders.
Frawley said residents near the fire are encouraged to remain vigilant.
The weather conditions continue to be a challenge for firefighters, although a break in the hot temperatures is forecast.
The National Weather Service is predicting cooler temperatures – down into the high 80s – in the fire area over the next few days.
However, the winds in the area have been erratic, and radio reports on Monday night indicated firefighters were concerned that the wind could once again create issues on Tuesday.
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