Updated: Loyalton Fire grows to at least 15,000 acres and closes highway, forces evacuations
Update 5:45 p.m.: The Tahoe National Forest is reporting that the fire is now at 15,000 to 20,000 acres with 500 personnel fighting the blaze.
There are mandatory evacuations in portions of Plumas, Lassen, and Sierra counties:
- Mandatory evacuation Chilcoot, south of Highway 70
- Mandatory evacuation Long Valley Road and Scott’s Flat Road south of Highway 70
- Mandatory evacuation west of Highway 395 from Hallelujah Junction to Cold Springs
- Advisory evacuation in Vinton
- Advisory evacuation in Chilcoot, north of Highway 70
- Advisory evacuation east of 395 from Hallelujah Junction to Cold Springs
Closures: Highway 70 closed from Highway 49 to Highway 395. Hwy 395 is closed from hallelujah junction to Border Town.
Animals – both large and small – can be evacuated to the Plumas Sierra County Fairgrounds in Quincy. Call Willow at 251-7150; Gabriel at 916-316-7609; or Lauren at 927-8018.
As of 3:15 p.m., Plumas County Sheriff Todd Johns said that Chilcoot is being evacuated, but not Vinton at this point. The south side of Highway 70 is being evacuated and an evacuation advisory is in place for the north side of the highway as well as for Frenchman Lake.
Highway 70 is closed at Highway 49 to the west and at Hallelujah Junction to the east. Motorists reported being turned around and told to return to Plumas County via Truckee.
The Loyalton Fire, burning on the Tahoe National Forest, began yesterday, Aug. 14, east of Loyalton in Sierra County. At midday it was reported at 2,300 acres.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
