Big Creek ravaged, Auberry threatened as Creek Fire rages unrestrained in Fresno area
Continuing to impress for all the wrong reasons, the Creek Fire on Monday extended a devastating and uncontained run through the foothills and mountains of Fresno and Madera counties.
One popular outdoors getaway after another — Bass, Huntington and Shaver lakes, Mammoth Pool, even the southern end of Yosemite National Park — came under direct or potential threat as the fire ballooned past 75,000 acres within 48 hours.
“This is the longest flame front I have ever seen … and the closer I got to the Mammoth Pool turnoff, the fire was just insanely orange,” said Mikki Terzian, matriarch of the family-owned Minarets Pack Station, which was among the businesses in the evacuation zones. “It was so sprawled out.”
While fortunately there were no reports of lives lost, second and subsequent rescue efforts had to be undertaken at Mammoth Pool, livelihoods and homes were destroyed in Big Creek and the rapid spread of the fire forced California Gov. Gavin Newsom to declare a state of emergency for Fresno, Madera and Mariposa counties.
Containment remained stubbornly stuck at 0% on Monday, despite the best efforts of a firefighting force that had grown to nearly 1,000. The cause of the fire was still under investigation.
What shaped up to be one of the worst days in California’s most recent heat wave added to the challenge, with high temperatures again soaring well past 100 degrees on the Valley floor and expected to approach 90 in Shaver Lake.
A slight break in the weather was expected in the next few days, but near triple-digit highs were back in the forecast for the end of the new week.
Auberry was under assault late Monday morning, with a mandatory evacuation order issued for all residents in the area bounded by Auberry Road to Powerhouse Road, Highway 168, Lodge and Little Sandy roads.
More than two dozen mandatory evacuation orders (signifying an immediate threat to life and property) or warnings (indicating a potential threat) combined had been issued by the Fresno and Madera county sheriff’s departments.
Yosemite National Park on Sunday issued a fire advisory for the area south of Chinquapin, including Wawona.
Full containment? Cal Fire issued an update Monday predicting that might not happen until Oct. 15.
Fire heads south, creating own weather
Edwin Zuniga, a spokesman with Cal Fire, said about 12:30 p.m. Monday that winds were moving in an easterly direction and pushing the Creek Fire south.
Firefighters were focusing primarily on Shaver Lake and the surrounding areas. Some in Shaver Lake, including firefighters and journalists, were not able to leave town early Monday afternoon because of fire activity.
Zuniga said the Creek Fire continues to create its own weather, which makes it dangerous and unpredictable.
Firefighting resources increased overnight, going from over 800 Sunday to more than 970 on Monday, with more firefighting resources on the way.
He asked that people be patient and also heed evacuation orders, because if officials have to conduct additional rescues, that takes away from firefighting progress.
“We understand the emotions they must be going through right now,” Zuniga said of evacuees worrying about the safety of their homes. “So please just be patient with us. We’re going to continue to work as hard as possible around the clock to try to put this fire out as soon and as safely as possible.”
Big Creek — from ‘Mayberry’ to ‘devastation’
Thirty-plus structures in and around Big Creek, the remote company town of 200 residents north of Shaver Lake, were destroyed.
“About half the private homes in town burned down,” said Toby Wait, principal and superintendent of Big Creek School and among those who lost homes. “Words cannot even begin to describe the devastation of this community. And it is a very close-knit community.
“Big Creek is Mayberry. It’s paradise. It’s a throwback to the ’50s. ...”
At Mammoth Pool Reservoir, scene of a Saturday night rescue by helicopter of more than 200 people who had hoped for a long holiday weekend break from the heat and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, another 20 people were driven out after smoky conditions thwarted another air operation.
Col. David Hall, commander of the 40th Combat Aviation Brigade with the Army National Guard based in Fresno, said Monday morning that his brigade did not have any new requests from sheriff’s offices in Fresno or Madera counties for air evacuations.
Power lines at risk
The electrical grid, already strained by the heat wave and at risk of shutdown in high winds to avoid lines falling and sparking new fires, was under increased threats as are the employees needed to maintain power.
Reggie Kumar, spokesperson for Southern California Edison, said that 2,504 customers were without power in the Shaver Lake area, and that the fire was threatening transmission lines.
“Since the fire was spreading rapidly, SCE’s Big Creek Generation facility, the community of Big Creek and Camp Sierra Campground were evacuated,” Kumar said. “Three employees that were sheltering in place at the Big Creek Control building next to the Big Creek Administration Building were escorted out safely by the U.S. Forest Service. One employee is safe and cooking meals for firefighters at the Shaver Lake Community Center.”
This story was originally published September 7, 2020 at 1:44 PM.