SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – Northern California firefighters battled a new wildfire that erupted Monday east of Sacramento at a recreational area jam-packed with Fourth of July celebrations and forced a number of evacuations.
As the fire quickly spread, 85 to 100 people celebrating their vacation at a recreation area known as Vox Beach along a river in the area had to be taken to a nearby Pacific Gas & Electric Co. facility, the sheriff said. of Amador County, Gary Redman, said.
Those people were safe at the facility Monday night, but could not leave due to the fire hazard, Redman said.
“We can not get in there. “Fire cannot get in there,” Redman told The Associated Press late Monday. “The trees keep going down. The whole place is on fire. ”
The fire that broke out in Amador County quickly spread to 959 acres (388 acres) as of Monday just after 7 p.m., according to Cal Fire. The fire department said just hours earlier on Twitter the fire was 75 acres (30 acres) large and “was burning at a dangerous rate of spread in dry grass.”
Redman said the pace of the fire’s spread slowed to 10pm on Monday, and he was hopeful that those stuck at the PG&E facility would not have to spend the night. He said firefighters are working to clear a path to the facility so a bus or patrol car can be brought in to carry people out.
Redman said about 500 other people were affected by mandatory and recommended evacuations.
He said the cause of the fire was not known, but that it did occur in the Voxstrand area. He said it could suggest fireworks or a braai as a possible cause.
Vox Beach is about 55 miles (89 kilometers) east of Sacramento.
The fire is one of several burning in the state.
Earlier Monday, authorities said evacuation orders and warnings had been lifted in another Northern California district after a wildfire threatened about 500 homes and other buildings there.
The sheriff’s office in Nevada County said the warnings related to the Rices fire were lifted early Monday. Residents have been warned to be careful when returning to the area due to possible damage.
The fire broke out near the Yuba River last Tuesday, destroying 5 homes and 8 other structures, firefighters said.
It started with a burning building and the flames spread to nearby dry vegetation in the rural area northeast of Sacramento about halfway between the state capital and the Nevada border.
The fire burned about 900 acres (366 acres) and was 65% contained. It is expected to be fully contained by Tuesday, officials said.
BREAK: The Amador County Sheriff’s Office says 100 people were trapped in a PG&E power station near the Electra Fire, which was burning near Jackson. https://t.co/8nTGL4g9M4
– CBS Sacramento CBS13 (@CBSSacramento) 5 July 2022
