Creek Fire containment stays at 6%, while blaze grows to 182,225 acres.

A day after firefighters successfully contained a small percentage of the Creek Fire, containment remained stagnant Friday.

Cal Fire during an evening news conference announced that the Creek Fire remained at 6% containment while growing to 182,225 acres.

The wildfire, which is burning in the Sierra National Forest, was at 6% containment and 175,893 acres on Thursday night, the first time containment was not listed at zero since the wildfire broke out Friday night near Big Creek and Huntington Lake

U.S. Forest Supervisor Dean Gould continued to point to the fire’s slowing growth.

“This is now the first time in this last period that it’s been less than 10,000 (acres),” Gould said of the fire’s daily increase. “We’re still trending in a very good condition.”

The Creek Fire ranks as the 16th biggest fire in California since modern records began being kept in 1932. It would be pushing the top 10, except there are four largest fires just this year, including three of the all-time top four.

There were 1,811 firefighters combating the Creek Fire as of Friday, according to Cal Fire. That’s an increase of about 200 since the Thursday night update.

Evacuation warnings and orders, meanwhile, remain the same in Fresno and Madera counties, officials said.

The cause remained under investigation.

Protecting, assessing homes

One person was arrested for failing to obey a roadblock, Fresno County Sheriff’s Lt. Ryan Gilbert said. Two people were arrested Wednesday.

Madera County residents whose homes have been destroyed began being notified, Madera County Sheriff’s Cmdr. Bill Ward said.

Structures destroyed inculde 60 single residents, 277 mixed commercial residential, five nonresidential commercial and 27 other minor structures.

Another seven single residences, two nonresidential commercial and three minor structures are damaged.

Damage inspection teams had completed assessments on about 5% of affected buildings, Cal Fire reported Friday.

How smoky conditions are helping

Temperatures have remained on the cooler side of late.

And while the heavy smoke has meant bad news for the air quality, such conditions have helped keep winds in check, incident meteorologist Matt Mehle said.

The area will transition out of a high-pressure zone Sunday, which will mean higher temperatures and a greater chance of wind that could fan the flames.

But in another good news, bad news switch, crews might be able to make more use of aircraft should the smoky conditions subside and visibility improve.

Bass Lake status

Cal Fire said the wildfire is 4 miles from Bass Lake and that natural structures could help firefighters in containing the blaze from going toward the lake.

This story was originally published September 11, 2020 at 7:18 PM with the headline "Creek Fire containment stays at 6%, while blaze grows to 182,225 acres.."