MICHIGAN BLUFF — The Mosquito Fire continued its rapid growth in the drought-parched timberlands of the Sierra Nevada Thursday, roaring though the mountain community of Michigan Bluff, burning structures and vehicles and forcing residents to flee to safety.
In its morning update, Cal Fire said the blaze burning near the Oxbow Reservoir in the Tahoe National Forest had grown to 6,870 acres of brush and timber with zero containment.
The blaze has forced residents to evacuate in both Placer and El Dorado counties.
“As you’ve seen with the smoke column coming up, this fire continues to give us a hard time,” Cal Fire Division Chief Mike Rufenacht said in a video briefing.
The Mosquito Fire has burned several structures and at least 10 cars near the Gold Rush-era community of Michigan Bluff about an hour northwest of Sacramento.
The rugged mountain terrain was challenging the small army of state and federal firefighters battling the blaze.
“The fire is burning in extremely difficult terrain including steep canyons where directly attacking the fire can be difficult,” Cal Fire said in a news release.
An added misery for firefighters was the ongoing heat wave that was driving temperatures to triple digits throughout the state.
“The weather in the fire area will continue to be extremely hot and dry overnight and into tomorrow (Thursday),” Cal Fire said. “Combined with very low fuel moistures fire conditions are likely to replicate Wednesday’s behavior during the overnight period and into tomorrow’s operational period.”
The fire was also threatening critical power infrastructures.
Among those were the PCWA pump station and dam, 230 kV electrical transmission lines, the Sugar Pine Dam and community drinking water supply and the Ralston hydroelectric powerhouse.
Evacuation orders and warnings remain in place
These areas are under evacuation orders:
- Foresthill
- Chicken Hawk
- Michigan Blufff
- Bath Road
- Crystal View Lane
- Volcanoville
These areas are under evacuation warnings:
Evacuation Centers:
- Bell Road Baptist Church (77 Bell Road in Auburn)
- Foresthill Veterans Memorial Hall (24601 Harrison St, Foresthill)
- Cool Community Church (863 Cave Valley Road, Cool).
- Animals can be taken to Placer County Animal Services Center (11232 B Avenue in Auburn)
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