The southern end of California’s Central Valley saw several major wildfires erupt during the recent hot, dry weather.
Meanwhile, the growth of the Lake and Shelly fires has slowed considerably this week, and their evacuation zones have been reduced.
The map above shows the location of this week’s most active fires. Information below is from July 18.
1/ Shelly, 15,460 acres (24 square miles), started July 3. It’s 100 acres shy of the No. 3 spot this season; containment was at 18%. The mandatory evacuation zone in the mountains of Siskiyou County was reduced Wednesday, July 17, from almost 200 square miles to about 65 square miles. This map has a recently updated perimeter; for more details of evacuations and warnings, see the Genasys Protect map.
2/ Hill, 4,033 acres, started July 15. Evacuation orders and warnings have been issued (see the Genasys Protect map), and a closure is in effect for part of Six Rivers National Forest.
3/ Trout (8,721 acres, started July 13) & 4/ Long (4,069 acres, started July 16). These are the two biggest of the SQF Lightning complex in the Sequoia National Forest. No containment has been reported for either, the Forest Service’s fire managers said on July 18. Forest closure orders have been issued.
5/ Rancho, 9,950 acres, started July 13. The evacuation order was downgraded to a warning on July 17.
6/ White, 5,646 acres, started July 13. An evacuation order remains in place (see the Genasys Protect map or Kern County Fire X updates.
7/ Hurricane, contained at 12,703 acres, started July 13. The fire moved from Bureau of Land Management land in San Luis Obispo County to grasslands in Kern County. The evacuation order was lifted on July 15, and containment was declared July 17.
8/ Lake, 38,664 acres (60.4 square miles), started July 5. The biggest fire of California’s season was 63% controlled on July 18, and its evacuation border had been reduced to only a little larger than its perimeter.
9/ Vista, 2,936 acres, started July 7. A closure order including Mount Baldy resort was in effect in Angeles and San Bernardino national forests.
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