Update 10:57p.m. With fire activity dying down we will make this the last of our continuing coverage of the Williard Fire for the evening. The fire is reportedly now just over 1,000 acres but there will be a more accurate mapping in the morning and we will get a better idea of the size of the wildfire.
Aircraft will return to the fire at daybreak and hand crews, engines and dozers will be on the fire line throughout the night working to keep the fire from moving.
We will run updates here on SusanvilleStuff beginning as soon as information starts coming in Monday morning.
This will conclude today’s continuous coverage of a live news event. When more information becomes available it will be posted in a new SusanvilleStuff story. -Jeremy
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Update 8:39p.m. A quick update to let you know that the CEFC Church has their cots set up and are ready to receive anyone displaced by the evacuation order. The address and a map to the church are provided in an update below.
The air attack has ended for the night and hand crews are working to get a handle on the fire. We will be running continuous coverage throughout the night and will update this post as information becomes available.
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UPDATE 7:30p.m. According to the California Highway Patrol Richmond Road is being closed, except to residents, from the LDS Church at 1575 Richmond Road to Gold Run Road.
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UPDATE 7:04p.m. MANDATORY EVACUATIONS IN PLACE FOR GOLD RUN AND HIDDEN HILLS
Jeff Fontana from SIFC confirms that mandatory evacuations are in place for the areas of Gold Run Road and Hidden Hills.
At 7:30p.m. the fairgrounds will open to shelter large animals. The fairgrounds are located at 195 Russell Avenue in Susanville.
At 8:00p.m. the CEFC Church on Numa Road will open as an evacuation shelter.
That address is: 1400 Numa Road
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Update 6:45p.m. Evening Update from Susanville Interagency Fire Center
The Willard Fire is burning south of Highway 36 west of Roxie Peconom Campground. As of 6:00 p.m. it is 1,000 acres, fueled by brush and timber.
The fire is approximately seven miles southwest of Susanville and west of the Cheney Creek drainage.
- Mandatory evacuations are in place in the Cheney Creek drainage east of Devil’s Corral.
- Evacuation advisories are in place for residents of Susanville’s Gold Run and Susan Hills areas south of Susanville.
- The Bizz Johnson Trail and Southside Trails are closed.
- Residents of River Bench Road and Bauer Road in Susanville are encouraged to monitor fire activity very closely.
No road closures have taken place, and no structural damage has been reported yet.
CAL-Fire is managing the fire with support from federal, state, and local agencies. The following resources have been assigned to the incident so far:
- 41 hand crews
- 62 engines
- 11 dozers
- 7 helicopters
- 10 air tankers
- 1 lead plane
- 3 air attack
More than 1,100 resources are actively working on the fire, and many additional resources are arriving to assist.
Dry air and strong winds from the west and southwest have prompted the National Weather Service in Reno to issue Red Flag warnings through 8 p.m. Sunday evening.
The cause of the Willard Fire is still under investigation. If you have information pertaining to the fire investigation, please contact the Susanville Interagency Fire Center at 530-252-6450.
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Update 6:11p.m. ADVISORY EVACUATION NOTICE
According to Jeff Fontana at SIFC an EVACUATION ADVISORY has been put into place for the Susan Hills and Gold Run areas southwest of Susanville. This means that residents should CLOSELY monitor fire information for word of an evacuation. This does not mean an evacuation is underway, it is simply precautionary at this time.
The latest update from SIFC is that the Williard Fire has burned around 1,000 acres and is 0% contained.
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Update 5:49p.m. Added user-submitted photos to the post. -jc
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Update 5:30p.m. According to SIFC spokesperson Jeff Fontana mandatory evacuations are in the place for the extreme western end of Cheney Creek Road near where the creek enters the Susan River just west of Devil’s Corral. The evacuation only affects a few cabins in the area. The fire is still estimated to be around 5 miles west of Susanville.
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Update 4:32p.m. According to Cal-Fire the Williard Fire has now burned around 800 acres.
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Update 3:39p.m. According to SIFC spokesperson Jeff Fontana law enforcement has issued an ADVISORY for residents in the area of Riverbench Road, Bauer Road, Susan Hills and Gold Run to closely monitor fire news and be prepared in case of evacuation.
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Update 3:12p.m. Both the Bizz Johnson Trail and the South Side trail have been cleared and closed down by the Lassen County Sheriff’s Office.
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Update 2:54p.m. According to SIFC spokesperson Jeff Fontana the Williard fire has now burned approximately 200 acres.
The fire has not crossed Cheney Creek and fire crews are steering the fire towards the old burn from the 2001 Devil’s Fire to use the burn scar as a fire break.
BLM crews have done a sweep of the Bizz Johnson Trail warning people of the fire danger.
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Update 2:12p.m. Cal-Fire is currently reporting the Williard Fire at 100 acres in size.
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Update 1:38p.m. There are currently evacuations underway in the Devil’s Corral and Williard Creek areas.
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Update 1:06p.m. According to SIFC spokesperson Jeff Fontana numerous aircraft have arrived on scene to battle the forest fire.
The Williard Fire is estimated to have burned around 40 acres so far. Burning in brush and timber. The fire is spotting because of erratic winds in the area.
Currently there are 35+ engines, 3 dozers, 15 hand-crews and numerous aircraft working the fire.
Responding agencies include: Cal-Fire, US Forest Service, BLM, Susanville City Fire, Janesville Fire District, Milford Fire District, Susan River Fire District, Lake Forest Volunteers and CCC.
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Update 12:23p.m. Resources are being put in place, including additional response for fire districts from the throughout the Honey Lake Valley to fight what the CHP is characterizing now as a ‘Forest Fire.’
Aircraft is on order but there is no ETA for their arrival from Redding and Chico.
Susanville volunteers have been toned out to man their station.
Update 12:08p.m. According to scanner traffic the Williard Fire is at 15 to 20 acres and additional resources are being ordered.
11:45a.m. Fire crews are responding to a reported vegetation fire burning in Williard Valley near Roxie Peconum campground along Highway 36 west of Susanville. Aircraft have been ordered to fight this fire.
This is live coverage of a developing story. This post will be updated as new information arrives.
PHOTOS FROM OUR READERS
Approximate Location of the Williard Fire
