Crews work quickly to slow a pair of Fresno County wildland fires on Sunday afternoon

Firefighters battling a wildfire that broke out early Sunday afternoon in northeast Fresno County reported it appeared to be in check after earlier threatening “multiple” structures.

Dubbed the Ruth Fire, it was burning in the 36000 block of Ruth Hill Road in the Squaw Valley area, according to Cal Fire. It was one of two wildland blazes that the agency began fighting within about an hour, with the other breaking out in rural Clovis.

Cal Fire reported that the Ruth Fire was seen on both sides of Ruth Hill Road and did pose a threat to structures in the area, though it was not clear if any homes were at risk.

A positive update was posted within about an hour.

“Forward progress has been stopped. Fire is held at 20 acres,” Cal Fire/Fresno County Fire tweeted about 3 p.m.

Owens Fire burns along Auberry Road

Crews responded to the other fire in northeast Clovis.

The Owens Fire was burning in the 17000 Block of Auberry Road, with a potential to expand to up to 50 acres.

Forward progress was stopped there, too, Cal Fire reported, with the burn area holding at about 30 acres.

Madera County fire

Cal Fire’s busy Sunday afternoon extended to the Buck Fire northwest of Coarsegold. An evacuation warning was issued for the area but lifted around midnight; Monday morning, the fire was reported to be 50% contained at 50 acres.

This story was originally published June 6, 2021 at 2:46 PM.