Creek Fire updates: Containment tops 50%; near-record heat, critical fire weather predicted

Firefighters took advantage of weather conditions on Saturday and Sunday in their battle against Creek Fire, which has been burning since Sept. 4.

As of Monday morning, the fire has burned 333,350 acres and is 55% contained.

Full containment is expected on Halloween.

Crews should continue making headway on containment if cooler weather holds through Tuesday, though critical fire weather conditions are possible by Wednesday, as mid-week temperatures are expected to climb. Near-record heat is possible in Fresno, Bakersfield and Merced on Friday, according to the National Weather Service.

▪ The SQF Complex Fire (the Castle and Shotgun fires) is now at 70% containment. The fires have been burning near Sequoia National Park since Aug. 19 and have destroyed 167,388 acres.

The smoke inversion cleared over the wildfire Saturday, allowing helicopters to drop water and retardant.

A mobile retardant base was set up in Three Rivers, enabling aircraft to reload closer to the fireline. Residents will continue to see and hear helicopters in the area.

Sequoia Crest and Cedar Slope are being evaluated and monitored by crews and aircraft for potential return of residents. Crews and aircraft will continue to monitor these areas.

▪ There continues to be little change in the Bullfrog Fire. According to incident reports, the fire is still at 1,185 acres and is 50% contained.

Helicopters relocated to Mammoth Lakes airport

Crews continue work on Monday to repair 350 miles of suppression line along the southern zone of the Creek Fire. Ten percent of the lines have been repaired.

The Shaver Lake community will see heavy equipment such as loaders, excavators and bulldozers working in and around the Dinky Creek area.

In the fire’s northern zone, several helicopters have been re-located to the Mammoth Lakes airport. This allows for faster/easier access to the northeast side of the fire and provides an option for helicopters to fly when conditions become too smokey at the other helibases.

The air was clear for part of Sunday and helicopters were able to support the firefighters on the ground.

Morning air quality looks good in Fresno

The smoke gray skies seem to be gone for the time being. Monday should be another moderate day for the air in the San Joaquin Valley, according to the Air Pollution Control District. The forecast map is full of yellow and green — meaning moderate air quality through the bulk of the region with an Air Quality Index under 50 (or good) in San Joaquin, Stanlisaus and Merced counties.

In parts of Fresno, the AQI remained below 50 on Monday morning, while reporting stations at Bulldog Stadium and Roosevelt High School showed levels in the mid-50s, according to the website iqair.com. The PM2.5 concentration in Fresno hasn’t changed much since Sunday, according to the Real-Time Air advisory Network. It remains at level one.

This story was originally published October 12, 2020 at 8:54 AM.