East Zone update: Damage assessment team ordered for Greenville

“Expect another challenging day today,” Operations Section Chief Jake Cagle said this morning, echoing for the East Zone what his counterpart said of the West Zone.

Cagle began his morning briefing by reminding local residents that 114 fires are burning nationally with 22,000 resources spread over the 2 million acres that are being impacted. The Dixie Fire represents 322,502 of that acreage.

He also acknolwedged the devastation wreaked on Greenville yesterday and said, “We are doing everything that we can in there. We were going direct.” He said that he saw comments on social media, that said “Why don’t you tell us the truth?” Yesterday as Cagle was presenting his evening briefing and discussing structure protection in Greenville, videos were already being shared of the utter devastation.

He said that some of the resources were used to rescue individuals who had not evacuated. He explained that firefighters’ first priority is saving lives, so that necessitated them putting people in their trucks and taking them to a safe place. Law enforcement officers were present to assist, and Cagle said the situation was so tense in some cases that some residents displayed firearms.

The only good news for the East Zone thus far is that the fire is remaining in its perimeter along the southern edge to Crescent Mills. But the situation in the Greenville area and north remains extremely dangerous. Structure protection is in place in Pecks and Williams valleys. Those areas are under mandatory evacuation as is the greater Taylorsville area now.

In an update provided by the Plumas National Forest, it was reported that a damage assessment team has been requested. Initial reports indicate that firefighting activities saved approximately 25 percent of structures.