7 Wildfires Burn 80,000 Acres

Seven wildfires continued to burn across the northeast rim of California on Monday after charring nearly 80,000 acres, destroying at least 17 buildings and forcing the temporary closure of a major stretch of Interstate 80.

Most of the fires began last week when a lightning storm set blazes in national forests.

Elsewhere in the West, fires were ravaging parts of Nevada, Oregon, Washington and Idaho. Between mid-Sunday and mid-Monday, 445 new fires were reported in the region, most in Nevada, according to officials at the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho.

Drought conditions have made the California fires that were burning Monday some of the largest and most widespread in recent years, authorities said.

Because of the drought, the fire season in California started earlier than usual this year and probably will last longer, said Don Smurthwaite, spokesman for the fire center in Boise.

“Northern California [has] been waiting to burn for several months,” he said. “The only thing lacking until recently was a form of ignition.”

That came last week with dry lightning storms moving west to east, he said, “leaving behind a trail of fire.”

The largest of California’s blazes was centered about four miles from the hamlet of Ravendale in Lassen County, near the Nevada border. That fire had scorched 55,000 acres by nightfall Monday. The blaze was about 30% contained, said Jeff Fontana, spokesman for the Susanville Interagency Fire Center.

Dozens of lightning-triggered fires were burning around the Warner Mountains in the Modoc National Forest, in the northeastern corner of the state.

“It’s like the world is burning up here,” said Nancy Gardner, a Modoc Forest spokeswoman.

The Modoc fire clusters, started by about 1,400 lightning strikes last Thursday, were burning in two groups, the Modoc complex and the Blue complex.

The Blue complex had claimed more than 16,000 acres and was no more than 10% contained by Monday night. More than 1,200 firefighters were called to the blaze, which narrowly avoided a campground near Blue Lake. The fire burned down one cabin, Gardner said, and campers were evacuated.

The Modoc complex included nearly 50 separate fires, making it difficult to estimate its total acreage.

About 1,260 firefighters were concentrating their efforts on seven major fires in the Modoc complex, each burning between 150 and 500 acres, Gardner said.

In the Tahoe National Forest 20 miles west of Truckee near I-80, 600 acres burned near Emigrant Gap; 350 firefighters responded, and an evacuation alert was issued Monday, forcing out sightseers, hikers and Boy Scouts.

I-80 was shut down between Sacramento and the Nevada border just after noon Monday. CHP officers did not know late Monday afternoon when the highway would reopen.

The smoke from the Emigrant Gap fire could be seen as far as 50 miles away in the Sacramento Valley, said Tahoe National Forest officer Carol Kennedy. Firefighters hope to have the Gap fire contained by today, she added.

In the Mendocino National Forest near Stonyford, 12,000 acres had burned in the Trough fire, which was about 50% contained. Rough terrain and 100-degree temperatures made it difficult for the 1,500 firefighters battling the blaze, said U.S. Forest Service spokesman Gil Knight.

“It’s hot, dry, dusty and very dangerous work, even when the temperatures aren’t 100 degrees, so we’re very aware of what we’re up against,” Knight said.

Sixteen buildings, 10 of them houses, had been destroyed in the Mendocino fire.

Large fires were also reported Monday near Eagleville in Modoc County and Coulterville in Mariposa County near Yosemite National Park. At least 3,000 acres had burned in those fires, authorities said.

Officials said a number of firefighters had suffered minor injuries since all the blazes began, most related to heat and dehydration.

No civilians have been injured in the blazes.

Twenty major fires were reported in Nevada, some of which were burning partially in California, forcing evacuations and causing millions of dollars in damage.

Four major fires were reported Monday in Oregon, including a 4,500-acre blaze burning out of control southwest of Ashland, near the California border. Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber on Monday declared a state of emergency to free up National Guard troops for fire duty in his state.

Idaho reported three major fires while eastern Washington is contending with new wildfires set by lightning.

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Associated Press contributed to this story.

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Northern California Fires

Modoc Complex: 4,500 acres in Modoc National Forest, several combined fires.

Buzz Complex: 2,500 acres on public land.

Observation Fire: 55,000 acres on public land.

Trough Fire: 12,000 acres in Mendocino National Forest.

Gap Fire: 600 acres in Tahoe National Forest.

Coulterville Fire: 150 acres on public land.