Humboldt Fire Update

As of 12:00am today the estimated size of the Humboldt Fire stood at 6,000 acres, with 10 percent of the blaze contained and 250 structures threatened, according to Cal Fire-Butte County's Web site.

One firefighter suffered a leg injury, said to be moderate, and was transported to Enloe Medical Center for treatment. Officials noted it wasn't a burn injury.

The blaze was reported at 12:17 p.m. by a caller who said a tree was on fire about 100 feet south of Old Humboldt Road, directly under high voltage power lines.
The cause of the fire remained under investigation Wednesday night.

Though determined to be in the county, Chico fire crews were the first to reach the blaze, and estimated it at about two acres.
Within an hour it had grown to nearly 60 acres, and crews on the scene were reporting flames leaping out of a shallow canyon high enough to reach the power lines.

Hoping to stop the flames before they reached the far side of Stilson Canyon, Cal Fire-Butte County officials began calling in crews from throughout the county, as well as helicopters and any air tankers that might be available.
But an hour later, the blaze was 160 acres, then more than 300 acres about an hour after that.
By late afternoon, nearly 350 firefighters, several helicopters and up to five air tankers were attempting to halt the fast-moving fire as it moved up Doe Mill Ridge.

A DC-10 jetliner converted to an air tanker was ordered to the fire from its base in Victorville and arrived about 2:30 p.m.
It made one pass over the blaze, dropping 15,000 gallons of retardant, but was then diverted to a fire in Placer County.
It later returned to the Humboldt incident and made several retardant drops on an arm of the fire that suddenly began burning up Little Chico Creek canyon, toward Forest Ranch.

Evacuations were ordered due to that threat on Pam Court and Zinfandel Drive, southeast of Santos Ranch road.
As the main fire continued to grow and gradually turned from an easterly to a southeasterly direction, it began burning into Butte Creek Canyon.
Officials had already ordered the voluntary evacuation of residents on Centerville and Butte Creek Island roads, as well as portions of Honey Run Road.

Honey Run was closed just east of Chico at the Skyway, and just west of the Paradise town limits.
Stilson Canyon Road was also closed for a time Wednesday, as Chico fire crews lit backfires in the area to provide a buffer between the main blaze and about 70 homes in the canyon.
Flames eventually crossed Honey Run Road and Butte Creek, near the covered bridge. That prompted the closure of the Skyway between Bruce Road in Chico and Neal Road in Paradise.

Shortly after 5 p.m., wind driven embers were reportedly blowing across the Skyway and starting fires between the Tuscan Ridge Golf Course and Lookout Point.
By 8 p.m., the fire had burned through Nance Canyon and was heading for Neal Road. Officials began evacuations along Neal shortly before nightfall, again telling residents the fire posed an immediate threat.
Cal Fire spokeswoman Janet Upton said between 750 and 1,000 residents were contacted for evacuation in Butte Creek Canyon alone. She said they were told the fire posed an immediate threat to their safety.

The county set up an evacuation center at the Neighborhood Church in Chico, which was expected to remain in operation throughout Wednesday night.
Another center opened later on in the evening at the Seventh-day Adventist School gymnasium on Academy Drive in Paradise.
About 25 evacuees were there by early evening, and being assisted by American Red Cross Volunteers.
Upton said it was a virtual certainty that none of the evacuees would be allowed to return to their homes Wednesday.

The North Valley Animal Disaster Group had several volunteers in the fire area helping Butte County Animal Control rescue pets.
A shelter was set up at the Butte County Search and Rescue headquarters, on Morrow Lane in Chico, for sheltering smaller animals such as cats and dogs.
The shelter will remain in operation throughout the emergency, and residents may bring their animals there, or call the NVADG for evacuation assistance at 895-0000.

Officials weren't able to report much headway made on the fire Wednesday night, as it continued to burn through canyons and heavily-treed ridges. While winds were somewhat lighter Wednesday than earlier in the week, they still pushed embers from burning trees and light brush ahead of the main blaze, setting off dozens of spot fires.
Upton said crews would remain on the fire lines throughout Wednesday night. Those lucky enough to get a rest break were sent to staging areas set up for the Humboldt Fire at either Butte College or the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds in Chico.

CALFIRE Update:

Humboldt Fire:
Name:	Humboldt Fire
County:	Butte County
Location:	Hwy 32 & Humboldt Rd on Stillson Canyon
Administrative Unit:	CAL FIRE/Butte County Fire
Status/Notes:	10% contained - 6,000 acres
Date Started:	June 11, 2008 12:13 pm
Last update:	June 12, 2008 6:45 am
Phone Numbers	(530) 538-7826 (Humboldt Fire Information Number)

Sources: Chico ER News, CALFIRE