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Friday Ponderosa Fire Update: 68% contained; Fire burns 28,098 acres, destroys 64 homes, 20 outbuildings

FRIDAY UPDATE: The Ponderosa Fire has burned 28,098 acres and has destroyed 64 homes and 20 outbuildings. The fire is 68 percent contained.

The Red Cross Shelter at Big League Dreams is scheduled to close at noon today.

Firefighters continue to utilize hand crews, aircraft, bull dozers and engine crews in a concerted effort to control the fire in the confluence of the Battle Creek and Panther Creek drainages.

The fire is approximately 2 miles west of A-line road at Hwy. 36, where contingency lines to the east of the fire are being constructed.  Although firefighters made considerable progress in their effort to contain the fire today, the threat to the community of Mineral remains a concern. Evacuations north of the fire were lifted, allowing residents to return to their homes.

Canyon View Loop North of Highway 36 remains evacuated. An evacuation warning is issued for residents who live adjacent to Hwy 36 from Oasis Springs Road to Mineral. An evacuation warning alerts the residents of the potential for evacuation orders.

All areas within the fire perimeter are closed to all persons, including residents and property owners.

 

 

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THURSDAY EVENING, PONDEROSA FIRE: Today, firefighters utilized hand crews, aircraft, bull dozers and engine crews in a concerted effort to control the fire in the confluence of the Battle Creek and Panther Creek drainages. The Ponderosa fire has burned 27,978 acres, and has destroyed 64 residences and 20 outbuildings. Nine hundred residences, 10 commercial properties and 30 outbuildings remain threatened. The fire has resulted in four injuries.

The fire is approximately 2 miles west of A-line road at Hwy. 36, where contingency lines to the east of the fire are being constructed. Although firefighters made considerable progress in their effort to contain the fire today, the threat to the community of Mineral remains a concern.

Evacuations north of the fire were lifted, allowing residents to return to their homes.

Canyon View Loop North of Highway 36 remains evacuated. An evacuation warning is issued for residents who live adjacent to Hwy 36 from Oasis Springs Road to Mineral. An evacuation warning alerts the residents of the potential for evacuation orders. All areas within the fire perimeter are closed to all persons, including residents and property owners.

Roads leading South off Highway 44 from Richards Lane to Viola are closed except the following:

•Long Hay Flat to Fires edge

•Rock Creek Road to Bailey Creek

•Forward Road east of Cedar Ridge

•Rock Creek Road at Ponderosa Way

•Ponderosa Way at Rock Creek road

•Canyon View Loop North of Highway 36

The Red Cross Shelter at Big League Dreams is scheduled to close tomorrow, Friday, August 24, at 12 p.m.

Fire resources: Total Fire Personnel: 2,419 (1,494 CAL FIRE), 249 engines (93 CAL FIRE), 48 fire crews (42 CAL FIRE),  11 helicopters, 84 dozers (21 CAL FIRE),  and 54 water tenders.

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THURSDAY A.M. PONDEROSA FIRE: The fire continued to burn in the Battle Creek and Panther Creek areas with some burning in the Blue Ridge area over Wednesday evening.

The fire is approximately 2.25 miles west of A Line road. Due to the concern that the fire may burn out of the Panther Creek area to the northeast, the contingency line to the east of the fire continues to be strengthened.

Residents continue to return to their homes and efforts are being made to open some of the remaining evacuated areas to the north of the fire. Most of the utilities in the fire area have been restored for the residents returning home.

Roads used during the fire are starting to be rehabilitated. Up to 300 structures inside the fire area were saved. Firefighters will be keeping a close eye on the weather with higher winds predicted on Thursday.

Firefighters continued to make progress containing the fire today.

The fire continues to burn in the Battle Creek drainage towards the town of Mineral, with some extension into the Blue Ridge area. Resources are still being ordered to strengthen fire efforts.

Steep and rugged terrain is making access difficult for fire crews. Spotting is still a factor with the fuels being extremely receptive to ignition.

The Shasta County Sheriff’s office opened Highway 44 to through traffic and residences north of the Highway returned to their homes. Several schools that were closed due to the fire activity are scheduled to re-open soon. (Mineral School has been closed until further notice.)

Road Closures:

Roads leading South off Highway 44 from Airport Way to Viola

Forward Road east of Cedar Ridge.

Grace Resort / Manton Ponderosa east of Wilson Hill Road.

Rock Creek east of Wilson Hill Road off Manton Road.

Power is anticipated to be restored to Manton and some of the surrounding areas this morning.

Roads remain closed leading south off Highway 44 from Airport Way to Viola.

Forward Road east of Cedar Ridge.

Grace Resort / Manton Ponderosa east of Wilson Hill Road.

Rock Creek east of Wilson Hill Road off Manton Road.

Power is anticipated to be restored to Manton and some of the surrounding areas this morning.

Ponderosa Fire photo by Matthew Henderson.

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WEDNESDAY: The Ponderosa Fire, located off Ponderosa Way, southeast of Manton, is 50 percent contained. It has burned 24,323 acres and destroyed 50 structures, including some residences. The fire continues to threaten 200 residences, 10 commercial properties and 30 outbuildings. There have been two injuries.

The fire is burning in an east and northeast direction in the Battle Creek Drainage, extending into the Blue Ridge area. Water supply infrastructure for the community of Manton was damaged. Resources are still being ordered to strengthen fire efforts. Steep and rugged terrain is making access difficult for fire crews. Firefighters are working aggressively to build approximately 11 miles of line and strengthen existing containment lines. Structures damaged or destroyed continue to be assessed. As additional resources arrive, firefighters will continue to diligently defend structures, construct containment lines and build bulldozer perimeter lines.

The Ponderosa fire has burned 27,978 acres and is 57% contained.  The fire has destroyed 84 structures,  threatens 900 residences, 10 commercial properties and 30 outbuildings, and has caused four injuries.

Evacuations are in effect for the following areas in the Manton, Shingletown, Viola & Mineral:

•Canyon View Loop north of Hwy 36.

•Forward Mill Rd from Rock Creek Rd to Forward Camp Rd

•Rock Creek Rd from Manton Rd to Long Hay Flat Rd

•Forward Rd at Yuen-Veritas Ln to the C Line

•Southside of Highway 44 from S-Line and A-Line including S-Line, P-Line, Long Hay Flat Rd, Rock Creek Rd & Viola Rd

•Evacuation Warnings: – Hwy 36 at Oasis Springs Ranch Rd to Lassen Lodge on both sides of the Highway including Ponderosa Sky Ranch and Lassen Lodge. Hwy 36 from Lassen Lodge east to, and including, the community of Mineral.

At 12:30 p.m. Wednesday many of the evacuations for the Shingletown, Lake McCumber area and roads north of Hwy 44 were lifted.

 

 

 

 

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 The Ponderosa Fire near Manton is about 30 percent contained, and burned about 16.280 acres. Seven structures were destroyed, and the fire still threatens 3,065 residences, 20 commercial properties and 300 outbuildings.

In addition to the previous closure of Manton School, Plum Valley School in Paynes Creek is also closed until further notice.

Evacuations remai for the following areas in Manton, Shingletown & Viola areas:

•Forward Rd at Graham to the C Line

•Forward Mill Rd from Rock Creek Rd to Forward Camp Rd

•Rock Creek Rd from Manton Rd to Long Hay Flat Rd

•All of Long Hay Flat Rd and Woodcutter Way

•Southside of Highway 44 from Viola to Brush Oak

•Northside of Hwy 44 from Viola to Alward

•Hazen Rd area and South Power House Rd south of Manton

•Hwy 44 at Brush Oak east to and including Viola, Plateau Pines, Starlight Pines and Lake McCumber area

•South side of Hwy 44 from Viola to Brush Oak and on the north side of Hwy 44 from Viola to Alward.

Ponderosa Fire at sunset photo by Duane Langshaw.

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Authorities are alerting people to the potential threat to life and property in the areas of Hwy 36 at Oasis Springs Road to Lassen Lodge on both sides of the highway, which includes Ponderosa Sky Ranch, Canyon View Loop area and Lassen Lodge.

An evacuation warning considers the probability that an area will be affected and prepares people for a potential evacuation order.

Hwy 36 has one-way traffic control with pilot car from 6 miles east of Payne’s Creek to Ponderosa Way that began at 2 pm and will continue throughout the day due to fire-suppression operations.

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A lightning-caused fire that began Saturday at Ponderosa Way, southeast of Manton and Shingletown in Eastern Shasta County has consumed 15,000 acres and is just 5 percent contained.

Highway 299 should be used as an alternate route, due to Highway 44 closures, and closures of State Hwy 44 from Brush Creek Road to Viola, and on Forward Road at the “Y” in Manton. Hwy 44 in Shingletown and Viola areas and all roads south are in controlled traffic mode.

Manton School has been closed until further notice.

Evacuations include the following roads in the Manton, Shingletown & Viola areas:

Forward Road at Graham to the C Line.

Forward Mill Road from Rock Creek Road to Forward Camp Road.

Rock Creek Road from Manton Road to Long Hay Flat Road.

All of Long Hay Flat Road and Woodcutter Way.

The south side of Highway 44 from Viola to Brush Oak.

The north side of Hwy 44 from Viola to Alward.

Hazen Road area and south Power House Road south of Manton.

Hwy 44 at Brush Oak, east to and including Viola, Plateau Pines, Starlight Pines and Lake McCumber area.

The Red Cross has opened up an evacuation shelter at Big League Dreams – 20155 Viking Way – Redding.

The video below is courtesy of Duane Langshaw, taken close to the fire line on Forward Road by Ringtail Vineyards.

The fire is being managed by the CAL FIRE Tehama-Glenn Unit. Cooperating Agencies include CAL FIRE, Tehama and Shasta County Sheriff, CHP, CDCR, CAL TRANS, SPI, PG&E. More than 1,4o9 personnel are working on the fire, including 937 from CAL FIRE. Fire-fighting resources include 122 engines, 33 fire crews, 2 helicopters, 47 dozers and 27 water-tenders.

The fire has expanded to the east and west. The fire is burning in both Tehama and Shasta Counties. The firefighters are experiencing increased fire activity in the afternoon hours as winds in the drainages shift direction.

Video by Duane Langshaw.

Press Release

-from press release

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