Crozier Fire stays within footprint overnight. Cal Fire says burning operations ‘went well’
Firefighters were able to keep the Crozier Fire within its footprint overnight in El Dorado County as the wildfire continued to burn into its third day, scorching more than 1,500 acres in forest land northeast of Placerville.
But the wildfire started growing again Friday morning. Shortly before 6 p.m. Friday, Cal Fire measured the size of the Crozier Fire at 1,960 acres.
The Crozier Fire had burned 1,582 acres as of 7 a.m. Friday, according to Cal Fire. The state firefighting agency reported the fire was measured at 1,582 acres 12 hours earlier.
The wildfire’s containment has remained at 5% since Wednesday afternoon. The fire was threatening 1,625 structures in the area.
Firefighters conducted burning operations overnight that went well, and fire behavior was moderate, the Cal Fire Amador-El Dorado Unit announced Friday morning. Cal fire officials said fire crews were able to keep the wildfire within its current footprint.
More than 1,300 firefighting personnel have been assigned to tackle the Crozier Fire. Cal Fire was in unified command with U.S. Forest Service officials from El Dorado National Forest as they continued to battle the wildfire. The state agency announced Cal Fire Incident Management Team 5 has been activated and was expected to transition to begin overseeing the fire on Friday.
El Dorado County health officials warned residents on Friday that air quality is being intermittently affected by smoke from wildfires in the region and reminded them to take precautions if wildfire smoke affects areas where they live, work or recreate.
“Wildfires produce smoke that can cause health problems, particularly for children, older adults, and those with heart disease or respiratory issues,” Dr. Matthew Minson, the county’s public health officer, said in a news release. “Residents are advised to limit outdoor activity and exposure if they see or smell smoke, and to utilize available online tools and information to monitor air quality.”
The wildfire started about 1:20 a.m. Wednesday northwest of Slate Mountain. The Crozier Fire grew to about 244 acres Wednesday then nearly tripled its size by Thursday morning.
The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office announced on Wednesday night that the evacuation orders instructing residents in the area to leave immediately was expanded to the greater portion of the communities of Garden Valley, Georgetown, Volcanoville, Mosquito, Quintet and Swansboro. Those evacuation orders remain in place and now includes areas east of Highway 193, according to a Cal Fire Friday morning incident update.
Evacuation warnings have been issued for a large area around the Crozier Fire. Sheriff’s officials have asked residents to visit perimetermap.com to view the evacuation map. Residents can enter their address in the search bar to see the latest information.
Law enforcement officials were actively patrolling the areas under evacuation orders, and the Sheriff’s Office warned people to not enter the evacuated zone unless they’ve been authorized by authorities.
The Crozier Fire continues to burn in a remote part of the forest within heavy timber and thick brush, the Cal Fire Amador-El Dorado Unit reported.
Cal Fire officials said the area is difficult for firefighters to access, and crews were actively engaging in a full suppression strategy that includes air tankers, helicopters and ground crews. The hot weather, breezes and low humidity levels were creating elevated fire activity.
Road closures remained in place at Mosquito Road at Rock Creek Road, Rock Creek Road at Trail Gulch Road, Highway 193 at Shoemaker Road, eastbound Wentworth Springs Road at Citabria Lane and westbound Wentworth Springs Road at Stumpy Meadows Reservation, according to Cal Fire.
For those displaced by the Crozier Fire evacuation orders, a new temporary evacuation center has been opened at the Cameron Park Community Services District at 2502 Country Club Drive in Cameron Park. That location is an overnight shelter, and pets on a leash or in a kennel are welcome, El Dorado County officials said.
The El Dorado County Animal Services Shelter, 6435 Capitol Ave. in Diamond Springs will be open to house animals displaced by the evacuation order. If no one answers the door, please call 530-621-5795, sheriff’s officials said.
This story was originally published August 9, 2024 at 10:22 AM with the headline "Crozier Fire stays within footprint overnight. Cal Fire says burning operations ‘went well’."
