7:00p.m. Update
According to officials with Plumas National Forest the Walker fire has reached 2,900 acres and still is 0% contained.
Dry air and erratic winds have kept the fire behavior up all afternoon but the prediction is for winds to calm tonight. No new evacuations have been ordered.
3:08p.m. Update
The fire is still moving to the northeast. A new voluntary evacuation has been ordered for the structures below Forest Road 26N11. Residents have been notified. No other evacuations have been issued or changed.
1:42 p.m. Update
According to the Plumas National Forest fire behavior is picking up, as expected, with increasing and unpredictable winds. Currently, only areas that have already been notified are evacuated.
The areas around Graeagle/ Blairsden, the Lake Alamanor Basin, Greenhorn Ranch, Quincy, Crescent Mills, Greenville, Westwood, Susanville, Janesville, Milford and Portola may be getting affected by smoke, but are not under any threat from the fire. You can call the Forest Service at 530-616-8625 with questions about specific areas.
10:00 a.m. Update
Crews coming in from the night shift have reported that the fire has crossed Last Chance Creek in the vicinity of Elephant’s Playground (to the north/ north east.) It is currently hung up on the ridge north of the creek. Crews will continue to prioritize protecting private land on the western flank of the fire.
8:17a.m. Update
The Walker Fire, burning 11-miles east of Taylorsville on the Plumas National Forest grew to 2,000 acres overnight with 0% containment according to the 8:00a.m. update from the California Interagency Incident Management Team that took command of the fire yesterday.
The smoke column has dropped ash and smoke into the Honey Lake Valley and Janesville despite being nearly 15-miles away.
There are 515 firefighters working the blaze, which is burning in timber and brush. In addition to the rugged terrain they have had to deal with active fire, uphill runs, short-range spotting and group torching.
Additional mandatory evacuations were ordered yesterday as winds pushed the Walker Fire primarily to the east/southeast. These evacuation have been issued by the Plumas County Sheriff’s Office (through the Code Red system) for the Genesee Valley Road Corridor as well in the Ward Creek area, and the Flournoy Bridge area due to the rapid rate of spread of the Walker Fire and the unpredictable fire behavior.
Residents in need of accommodations should proceed to the Quincy area and may contact the Sheriff’s Office if assistance is needed. In addition, the Genesee Valley Road is currently closed at the Flournoy Bridge.
As of yesterday, the fire was well established in the Clearwater Creek drainage and was moving upslope (to the northeast) out of the drainage.
The highest priority for crews overnight was to assess and clear around structures on the western flank of the fire along the Genesee Valley Road.
The fire remains east of the Forest Road 25N42.Today, crews will continue to prioritize suppressing the fire near the structures.
Gusty, erratic winds are expected to increase fire behavior by this afternoon, although humidity recoveries were fairly good overnight.
The forecast currently shows a drying trend with temperatures moderating. Windier conditions expected afternoon into the evening. Possibility of thunderstorms returns next week.
