Here is your 8:00p.m. report on conditions from the Rush Fire burning north of Wendel.
- Estimated Size: 317,616 acres
- Containment: 60%
- Expected Containment: 8/28/2012
- Committed Resources: Approximately 832 people
- Structures Threatened: 39 (20 residences; 1 commercial; 18 outbuildings)
- Structures Damaged or Destroyed: 1 (barn)
- Injuries: 2 (both in fire camp)
The fire started about 15 miles southeast of Ravendale, Calif., and is now measured to be about 42 miles long and 16 miles wide and is completely east of Highway 395. The fire began on public land administered by the Bureau of Land Management’s Eagle Lake Field Office.
The latest report from the Northern Rockies Incident Management Team working the Rush fire is that the northeast part of fire ‘was where the action was’ on Wednesday, about 20 miles east of Ravendale in the Buffalo Hills.
The remainder of the fire saw primarily creeping and smoldering in the interior.
Crews, engines, bulldozers, and aircraft worked together to build fire line along the extreme north end of the fire. However, ahead of line building, winds pushed the fire in a narrow finger north toward Garden Lake.
Firefighters saw flames from 10 to 20 feet high as the fire pushed two miles to the lake.
Use of helicopters and air tankers had to be suspended around 3:30 p.m. because of smoke in Susanville from the Chips fire to the west.
Crews will work tonight, continuing mop-up and line building on the remaining hot part of the Rush fire’s edge. Conditions remain very dry and even thought most of the fire perimeter is contained, the dry vegetation coupled with high winds still pose a great risk for fire spread in the northeast corner of the fire.
Area and Road Closures in Effect: Public lands bounded by Highway 395 on the west, the Sand Pass road and Nevada 447 on the east, the Wendel Road on the south, and Juniper Ridge road to Buckhorn road on the north are closed. The Buffalo Meadows road in Washoe Co., Nev., is also closed.
For additional fire information, please go to InciWeb @ http://inciweb.org/incident/3151/
NOTE: Use of chainsaws on public lands managed by BLM in NE California and far northwest Nevada is suspended effective Monday, Aug. 20, due to extreme fire danger. Fire officials remind residents and visitors that fire restrictions are in effect for public lands and national forests in northeast California and far northwest Nevada. Campfires are permitted only in posted recreation sites.
A note for our readers who are LMUD customers – Due to the unstable nature of PG&E’s Caribou transmission line LMUD will be operating off of Honey Lake Power for the duration of the Plumas County Chips Fire. LMUD is asking that all customers conserve energy by unplugging or turning off all non-essential household equipment and appliances.
Rush Fire, Lassen County
