Spot fire makes trouble for Cal Fire
Blaze grows 150 acres in 24 hours near South Fork area of Feather River
OROVILLE » Cal Fire crews fighting the North Complex West Zone fire in Butte County are receiving extra help Monday in the form of approximately 140 national guard troops, said Deputy Chief of Operations in the Tehama/Glenn Unit Dave Russell Sunday. Russell said crews will be able to assist with holding fire lines, constructing lines, as well as mop and patrol.
“That’s a big boost to our numbers on the incident” Russell said. “It will also allow us to get some relief and rotation to the crews on the line (of the fire) asmany of the crews have been working with the Butte unit for a minimum of 35 days, most 37 days.”
Russell said his crews battling the fires today “had a great day” and the progress they made constructing fire lines went will in steep and rigid terrain. However he said there are still concerns in the SouthFork area of the Feather River and in the canyon.
Fire growth was minimal again Sunday as fire lines continue to hold on all areas of the fire with the exception of a small area in the south, asRussell mentioned.
The new acreage burned in the West Zone is now 80,00 acres and is now 56 percent contained. The size of the fire has increased by just 150 acres over the last 24 hours as crews continue to increase containment.
Deputy Operations Section Chief Ron Bravo said that spot fire started near the South Fork area again pushed west but crews were able to finish hose lines tying to the creek. Additional dozier and secondary hand lines are being put in as crews attempt to control the now 150-acre fire.
“We’re not out of the woods yet,” Bravo said, citing challenging changes in wind direction and smoke settling in the valley.
As a whole, the North Complex fire has burned 293,843 acres and is 64 percent contained.
Incident Meteorologist Steve Hannah said that weather crews launched a weather balloon into the sky Sunday to ensure there will be no upcoming significant weather or wind events. Hannah expects to see continued hazy skies and light winds with no major spike in temperature.
As expected skies were not clear enough for aircraft to fight fires on the front lines Sunday morning, however, it cleared up in the afternoon enough for aircraft to drop water directly on the fire’s edge.
A local assistance center will be opening Tuesday at the Oroville Gymnastics Academy, 1875 Feather River Blvd in Oroville.
The center will provide those affected by the North Complex West Zone fires with assistance on how to replace important documents like drivers licenses, social security cards, deeds to homes and tax documents. Sifting kits will be available so when residents are permitted back to their property they can search through the rubble.
The center will remain openMonday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for at least threeweeks beginning Tuesday.
A representative from FEMA as well as other Butte County representatives encouraging fire victims to register for FEMA as the first step to help in recovery.
You can register by calling 800- 621-3362, visit disaster assistance.gov or download the FEMA app.
FEMA Media Field Rep Troy York reminded victims that his organization does not intend to return one to the place they were before the incident.
“FEMA does not intend to make you whole. We do intendtodo all that we can through every program that is available to get you well down the road of recovery and back into your homes as fast as is possible,” York said.
A website has been established to find lost pets and animals in the North Complex West Zone fire. The website petharbornothcomplex. com features photos of each animal found and owners are not required to pick up their animals, simply claim them.
There are still animal services in Butte County, with small animals being taken at 521 Cal Oak Rd. in Oroville, and large animals being accepted at Camelot Equestrian Center located at 1985 Clark Road in Butte Valley.
There were no new changes to the evacuation warnings or orders issued Sunday.
For a list of complete evacuation orders and warnings in Butte County, visit www. buttecounty. net/sheriffcoroner.
Cal Fire Public Information Officer Steve Kaufmann announced that there has been 1,635 destroyed structures and an additional 97 damaged since the start of the North Complex West Zone fire.
Cal Fire has set up a damage inspection website where homes are evaluated by crews and listed at different levels of structure damage at tinyurl. com/ y3jmzxnj. Russell said Sunday that crews have inspected about 70 percent of homes, and if your home is not listed it is because crews have not reached your location. He anticipates 100 percent of homes being inspected by midweek.
Saturday morning the evacuation warning for the area of Cherokee Road from Thompson Flat Road, north to Highway 70 and east to Lake Oroville was lifted.
The Butte County Sheriff call center for evacuation information is still open at 552-3010.