New fires in Quincy, Lake Davis, Chilcoot, Paxton
7:40 p.m: The Forest is reporting that the Mahogany Fire, north of Lake Davis is contained. A new fire (Dixie) is reported north of Dixie Valley and east of 4 corners. T25N, R14E, :30pm -Sec26. Staffing is enroute.
7 p.m. The Forest Service is reporting three fire starts above Paxton in the Feather River Canyon. One is about 10 feet by 20 feet and the other two are about one-quarter acre each. Low rate of speed and no wind on them. Air attack is above and air tanker is en route.
There is also a single tree fire reported in the Moonlight Fire footprint. Forest Service is responding.
5:45 p.m. update: The Plumas County Sheriff has issued a mandatory evacuation order for Chilcoot south of Highway 70. A voluntary evacuation order is issued for Chilcoot north of Highway 70 and for Vinton. A temporary evacuation center has been set up at the Vinton Grange Hall.
Plumas National Forest is responding to 2 new fires slightly southwest of Taylor Rock, roughly 4 air miles north of Massack Rest area (T25N, R10E, Sec 35 & T24N,R10E, Sec 2). Helicopters and engines are working the fires and report the fires are not spreading and will be taken care of quickly.
Another small fire was reported slightly earlier at Mahogany Ridge, north of Lake Davis at T25N,R13E,S28. Firefighters have responded.
A fourth fire near Chilcoot (T22N, R16E, Sec1) is a Tahoe NF fire and they are responding.
I can see Taylor Rock from my house, right now all I see is a big dark rain cloud surrounding it.
Is it suspected arson, or lightening?
My goodness, I hope they are put out rapidly.
Lightning
This is horrible. What is going on.
Someone is getting off on this. Maybe it’s a FALSE sense of power or maybe they’re a Pyro. They’ll never be satisfied, no matter what and will be caught or figure out that their only option is out and they probably don’t care. That’s what’s going on. I don’t know what drives them, I don’t know what their childhoods were like but they THINK this will ease or quench – but it wont. One can kick the cat if having a bad day. Not only does it not help in any relief, it makes the feelings worse. I wish they would just choose to do an act of kindness. So foreign – but surprisingly effective. Now that would be interesting! I wonder if they have the guts?
Jenny, take yours meds. These are lightning starts.
Rarely are they caught. I’ve lived here all my life an we NEVER use to have all the fires that we have now. Crazy an sad.
It’s called lightning and nature is the culprit! Stop assuming the worst!!!
We are experiencing the results of global warming. everything is more extreme. Last years fires were the worst in history. We all urgently need to make changes in our world in order to save it and ourselves.
Exactly. Good point.
Ahhhhh Boy!!!! It has been a while since we have had our “Normal” lightning events.. If you go back in time, Plums co has Always had lightning storms that create a mass of small fires.. Some
get bigger then others, and the folks that fight them are usually victorious!!! It has always been this way.. The last few years have been inactive as far a lightning storms, and they are a bit late in the season this year, but it is just the natural cycle here in plumes co.. No conspiracy, no arson, no little green men throwing flairs.. Just tropical weather patterns moving from the Gulf of Mexico pulling there way north, plane and simple..
And the rainy season created massive vegetation which is now dry and burns easily.
I do believe it has alot to do with whatever the jets have been spraying heavily over us for the.last three years. How easily we forget those skies as they rained down God only knows what on us. Thats not climate change. This is a sad situation. Now comes the wrath for saying this.
I would so much rather find that these new fires are from a natural cause. These new fires simply reminded me of the 5 that started at the same time that included the Minera Fire when there was no lightening. So I guess I was being reactive. I’ll try not to assume the worst Cs but Mark, why did you have to be so rude?
I think you’re right on target Jenny. This all started during High Sierra and now we’re up to 30? fires. Most on days without any recent lightning. Several obviously (like the Minerva fire) set in remote location the evening before morning detection.
I believe we have an arsonist on the loose and it’s only a matter of time before he kills someone. Anyone with a scanner and half a brain can figure it out and Sheriff Hagwood has publicly made announcements to the effect.
The best we can do is keep our eyes open and report anything that doesn’t look right.
I too don’t recall any lightning that day, (Minerva started in the morning I believe – or mid-day on Saturday). I asked my son and daughter-in-law, they didn’t remember it. You think we’d remember lighting strikes so close to town; just saying. I would certainly prefer to think it was nature.
Hi Eric
I clearly recall Hearing someone on the forest net frequency on my scanner saying the Minerva fires looked like they had been been burning for a day when he arrived on Scene. Also know a couple of the five were pretty large (like ten acres) when the first engines arrived Saturday morning.
No different than a wreck out on the highway the exact time it occurred is usually unknown so emergency services will fall back on the only exact time known which is when the incident is reported. It’s not safe to assume the time a fire is detected is the same as when it started
The fires off Big Creek Road near Edmanton. were also lit at night, discovered in the early daylight.
Don’t understand why the Forest Service remains hush-hush on this. Sheriff Hagwood has it figured out and now it appears the Plumas News does too.
Would think the more alert “eyes” out there the better.
It’s a bad deal all around.
Debra said some of the fires were caused by lightning and some “were not”. I asked if some were arson and she that wasnt determined yet. Someone some early fires down the canyon were being started by a person in a red Geo. Cant hurt to keep eyes peeled if you see a Geo in your area. Just sayin
Some of these fires are really suspicious so supporting the reward is important but this is fire season and some may well have natural explanations such as we deal with every year. I know I am a bit jumpy this year as are many others. I also know our law enforcement is actively checking these out where warranted. Since weather between Paxton and Chilcoote goes through at least 6 zones that can vary dramatically at any given time it stands to reason one area will see rain or lightning and another remain clear (or smokey this week). We also have campers, smokers, litterers (a glass bottle or reflective surface can start a fire too with the right sun rays. ) vehicles of all types, and the railroad near some of the areas. Our best defense is vigilance no matter what. Use care ourselves. Clear our homes of forest debrie, and other fire fuels. When I was a kid this week and the two preceding were when I would make a lot of money raking pine needles and clearing slash for people. I always had plenty of fair money because of it. And yet alsmot every year I can remember there has been a fire during fair time. I remember standing at the back gate watching Mt. Hough hit by lighting with a fire starting. These were not events like we have gone through in the last week, but frankly our firefighters and those heroes who joined them from all over this week are in the middle of their season. A very busy season this year thanks in part to the growth after the drought finally broke. which created more fuel. Don’t be afraid, just be vigilant. Its that time of the year and possibly there is a creep inhanceing the challenges it already brings. But we have this neighbors. Vigilance, prayer, personal responsibility and don’t let them disrupt your day too much. And maybe some more thank you’s to the men and women who are working so hard. But don’t forget the prayer and have fun at the fair.
Hi Barbara
We can also add lawnmowers, horse shoes striking against rock and shooting to the list.
Probably a host of other unusual causes. And of course there is always lightning as was mentioned above.
But the part I cannot explain is why in the world would all those potential causes only gather their dark forces on weekends?
Tess
Well…I suppose alot more people ride their horses and mow their lawns on week ends…
Sounds like we should leave the speculation to our Sheriff…hes got this.
Maybe I should turn the scanner off while working on this computer because I’m not doing a whole lot of speculating.
Sheriff Hagwood can’t do it alone. We are his eyes and ears. Goes back to the old saying ‘If you see something, say something.’ Be alert, be a good witness. Photos if you can.
What harm could possibly come of that?