CAL FIRE Fawn Fire Update
CAL FIRE Shasta Trinity Unit is in charge of the Fawn Fire. The fire has consumed approximately 5,500 acres and 25 structures were destroyed in the Stockton/Sunrise, Woodchuck Trail, and Poco Vista areas. Evacuation orders remain in effect in these areas. Read the latest updates below. Read on for updates on the fire. Until further notice, residents should avoid all affected areas.
Containment jumps to 65%
The Fawn Fire has grown by more than 1,000 acres since Wednesday and is now 85% contained. The fire began rapidly on Wednesday and grew slowly after it reached Shasta Lake. On Friday evening, the fire was mapped at 7,544 acres. The fire is encroaching west of Radcliff Road and near Juniper Drive and Bear Mountain Lookout Road. Live cameras show thick smoke that prevents aircraft from helping firefighters. Evacuations are ongoing and a map of the area is available on the Redding website.
On Tuesday, authorities arrested a woman who allegedly started the Fawn Fire in Northern California. She was arrested and is facing felony arson charges. Authorities believe Souverneva was responsible for the fire and are investigating whether she is linked to other fires in the state. Bridgett declined to elaborate. The incident management team is currently transitioning from California Interagency Incident Management Team 10 to Nevada Type 3 Incident Management Team 1 this week.
The Fawn Fire is still the state’s largest wildfire and has destroyed 131 structures. Forty-six percent of the fire’s total contained area is in California. In addition to the 165 structures that have been destroyed, there are also an additional 25 that have been damaged or destroyed. The fire has also been heavily damaged by wind, so the increased moisture should help fire behavior. Cal Fire has assigned 12 helicopters, 201 engines, 46 dozers, 49 hand crews, and 1,800 personnel to the area.
Hot spots still active
The Fawn Fire continues to burn north of Redding, California, as high winds and dry conditions continue to fuel the blaze. CAL FIRE has issued a red flag warning, meaning there is a high risk of new fires, until 8 p.m. Tuesday. Fire officials say residents living within the perimeter of the blaze should stay prepared to evacuate as fire activity grows. Here’s what you need to know.
As of Wednesday morning, fire behavior was largely consistent. There was minimal growth in the perimeter of the fire, and the occurrence of heat signatures declined each day. This pattern is expected to continue through Monday, when temperatures are predicted to reach the low 90’s and humidity will be less than 15%. Smoke production is expected to increase, however, as crews continue to bring water to hot spots.
The south-eastern flank of the fire was the least-active, with only a few hot spots. Because this part of the fire is so remote and sparsely populated, firefighting crews spent most of their time patrolling it. The firefighters positioned themselves on the flanks to mop up smoke and hot spots. This method also allowed them to get to the front of the fire easily and quickly.
131 structures destroyed
A new map shows that the Fawn Fire has burned 8,446 acres and destroyed 131 structures. The blaze, which started on Wednesday near the mountain gate in Redding, is now 50% contained. The fire has destroyed 131 structures and damaged 22 more. At last report, there were 2,340 structures under threat. As of Saturday afternoon, a CAL-Fire crew had completed 30% of its assessment of the fire.
Authorities said Saturday that 9,000 structures were threatened by the fire, but that number has since fallen to about 2,340. Still, residents of several communities north of Redding are not allowed to return to their homes, and are being evacuated. The fire has forced the evacuation of more than 4,000 residents. The number of structures destroyed is expected to continue to increase. Firefighters are working with air tankers to put out fires.
Alexandra Souverneva faces felony arson charge
The accused blazer in Northern California’s Fawn Fire is a Palo Alto yoga instructor. She’s currently in custody and is set to be examined by psychiatrists in the coming weeks. Alexandra Souverneva, who was arrested on suspicion of setting the fire, told authorities that she was trying to boil water that contained bear urine. The fire was a massive, eight-thousand-acre inferno and caused the destruction of 185 structures and injured three people.
The fire, which is 75% contained, displaced 185 homes and forced hundreds to evacuate. A total of nearly 1,600 firefighters are battling the blaze. According to officials, Souverneva has been arrested in connection with the fire and faces a maximum sentence of nine years in state prison. But, her charges are not the first to affect the area.
According to court documents, Souverneva graduated from the California Institute of Technology in 2012 with a degree in biology and chemistry. She had also worked as a chemistry and biology tutor in Palo Alto. She also had a job as a graduate research assistant at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse, N.Y. In addition, she was working in the field of medicinal chemistry.
The 30-year-old was arrested near Red Bluff in early September. She was booked into the Tehama County Jail on multiple charges, including driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, resisting arrest, and obstructing an officer. She is also suspected of setting more fires in the surrounding area and in Oregon. The outcome of these cases is unknown at this time. Souverneva told police she was hiking when the fire broke out and that she was dehydrated. She later claimed she found bear urine in a dry creek bed.
CAL FIRE’s emergency response air program
The Fawn Fire is burning in steep terrain about 12 miles north of Redding, California. Residents are being told to evacuate a 40-square-mile area. Winds are gusting to more than 20 mph. The National Weather Service says the high temperature will be 97 degrees Friday. Approximately 4,000 people have been evacuated, and an additional 30,000 are being impacted by the fire. As of Friday morning, CAL FIRE’s emergency response air program for the Fawn Fire was en route.
The Fawn Fire is now at more than 8,500 acres. It began Wednesday afternoon and has now consumed about half of the area. Several structures have been destroyed. Investigators believe that the fire was intentionally started and a 30-year-old woman from Palo Alto has been charged with felony arson. Firefighters continue to work to contain the fire.
CAL FIRE has a fleet of over 3,000 resource protection vehicles and emergency response aircraft. With 13 air attack bases and 10 helicopter bases, they are able to reach a fire in under 20 minutes. A helicopter is able to reach more than half a million acres in less than an hour. The Fawn Fire is the most destructive wildfire in California’s history, but officials warn that fire season is not over yet.
Evacuation orders issued in Mountain Gate area
The Fawn Fire has forced the evacuation of 4,000 residents in Mountain Gate, just north of Redding. The fire has burned nearly eight square miles in steep terrain and has destroyed more than 100 structures. Cal Fire says it has ten percent containment. But there’s no definite date for residents to return. As of Thursday afternoon, the fire was still consuming thousands of acres.
Authorities have arrested a woman suspected of starting the fire. She was reported acting irrationally and a neighboring worker said she approached firefighters for help. Souverneva, a Palo Alto resident, has been charged with arson to a wildland. There are more than 9,000 firefighters battling the wildfires throughout California. It is unclear whether there will be a full evacuation in Mountain Gate until the fire has completely burned itself out.
The Fawn Fire has destroyed at least 25 structures in Shasta County and is now a 5% containment. It has burned across Highways 299, Pine Grove Avenue, and Interstate 5. As of Thursday evening, the fire was five percent contained and was causing evacuation orders. It has already destroyed 25 homes and is still threatening 2,000 more. Redding Fire Department has stepped in to help with firefighting efforts.
