Firefighters gain on Trailhead Fire: 50% contained, burns 5,444 acres

8:30 p.m. update 7/4/16: Firefighters working on the Trailhead Fire in El Dorado County gained a lot of ground Monday, getting a containment line around 50 percent of the fire. So far, 5,444 acres have burned.

Evacuations on the El Dorado County side of the fire were reduced from mandatory to voluntary as of 8:00 p.m. tonight. Only residents with identification will be permitted past the roadblocks. Residents throughout the fire area are advised that there is still active fire inside the containment lines, and they may be asked to evacuate again should conditions change. Fire traffic is still heavy as firefighters work to fully contain the fire. Please drive slowly and use caution on roadways.

The fire was most active today at the southwestern corner as crews carefully burned to containment lines, bringing fire slowly to the river and reducing the chance that it will cross the river. They will continue that burn tonight, as conditions permit.

Crews around the rest of the fire began to mop up, identifying and extinguishing any remaining hot spots that could compromise the firelines. They will continue that work tonight. Mop up presents some safety challenges to firefighters, as
stump holes and snags are common in the burned area. Interior pockets of fuel continue to ignite and burn, and residents and visitors in the area will likely see smoke inside containment lines regularly in the coming days.

Structures Threatened: 2,600
Injuries: 3
Total Personnel: 2,114
Engines: 121
Crews: 68
Dozers: 24
Watertenders: 15
Helicopters: 13

6:30 p.m. update 7/3/16: The Trailhead fire burning in the Sierra Nevada has consumed 5,044 acres, but firefighters have been able to increase containment to 20 percent.

No structures have been damaged or destroyed by the Trailhead Fire. On the Placer County side of the fire, all containment lines lines held well last night. Crews continue to patrol and monitor fire lines carefully, and to mop up fir lines to ensure that the fire near them is out. They continued that today. Residents in Todd Valley remain under a voluntary evacuation, and should remain vigilant as there is still open line fire line across the narrow, steep American River canyon. The Red Cross has now closed the evacuation shelter on the Placer County side of the fire but are prepared to reopen if needed.

On the El Dorado County side of the fire, firefighters worked overnight, using favorable night time temperatures and higher humidity to fire off of existing containment lines . They have now completed line from west of Jakeys Hill west to
Buckeye Point and eventually to the river. Several type one hand crews (Hotshots) also worked to burn down to the river bottom to lower the energy of the fire as it backs toward the river, lessening the chance that it will cross the river and run up the dry, south‐facing slope opposite. Those crews remained at the river last night to continue to monitor and hold the fire. Several spot fires were observed, but firefighters were able to pick them up and hold the fire at the American River, an important operational objective. They continued that work today.

8:39 a.m. update 7/3/16: The stubborn Trailhead Fire has now burned 3,936 acres, and remains at 12% contained. Burning in the steep terrain of the American River canyon, 2,100 firefighting personnel are trying to get the upper hand. Hot and dry weather with daily winds have been an issue.

Structures Threatened: 2,600
Total Personnel: 2,127
Engines: 124
Crews: 76
Dozers: 29
Watertenders: 9
Helicopters: 13

An Evacuation Shelter has been established at Golden Sierra High School at 5101 Garden Valley Road in Garden Valley, and this shelter can accommodate small animals. All large animals need to be transported to 1100 Cold Springs Road, where Animal Services has arranged for accommodations.

The El Dorado County Fire Hotline (530)642-7263 is now staffed and any questions or concerns can be addressed by calling this number.

10:00 p.m. update 7/2/16: The Trailhead fire burning in El Dorado County grew by almost 200 acres today, bringing the total burned to 3,387 acres. It remains 12 percent contained, the same number since June 29.

Smoke from the fire itself and from burnout operations was very visible today. The fire was most active on the southeast side, near Quartz Canyon and Little Bald Mountain, and on the northeast side near Volcanoville. It is not active on the north side. The fire grew by less than 200 acres today. No structures have been damaged or destroyed.

Crews had a very productive day fighting the fire. Aircraft supported firefighters on the ground with water and retardant drops. Weather conditions allowed firefighters on the north and east sides of the fire to conduct burnout operations and strengthen contingency lines, protecting the communities of Foresthill and Volcanoville. Burning from a fireline toward the main fire creates a buffer between the active fire front and unburned vegetation outside the line, which increases the likelihood that the fire will not cross those lines.

Tonight crews will finish burnout operations started by the day shift. Other priorities for firefighters tonight are to patrol, hold, and improve existing containment lines; secure firelines around structures; and prepare areas for crews to conduct burnout operations tomorrow.

Firefighters deal with diurnal wind shifts on a daily basis: around 10:00 in the morning winds tend to shift to upcanyon, upslope, and around 10:00 in the evening, they shift to downcanyon, downslope. This is one factor that influences the direction the fire will spread. The direction of fire spread responds to these changes in wind direction. This is a reliable weather phenomenon that firefighters can use to their advantage in planning burnout operations. They light fire in strips along an existing line and allow the wind to push fire to the fireline. By gradually burning out vegetation, they are able to widen the line so it can control the oncoming fire.

Downslope, downcanyon winds tonight wll be around 4 mph, gusting to 7 mph. The temperature will be in the 60s and the relative humidity around 40 percent.

9:15 a.m. update 7/2/16: Almost 2,000 firefighters are working on the Trailhead Fire which has grown to 3,218 acres. It is now burning mostly in El Dorado County. It remains just 12 percent contained.

Hot and dry weather will persist over the fire area through the weekend, and with the steep terrain the fire is burning on, conditions are tough for firefighters.

Firefighters made good progress last night conducting defensive firing operations in the area west of Volcanoville toward Buckeye Point to protect the community as the active fire front approaches containment lines. Hot, dry conditions, and difficult terrain challenge firefighters, and crews anticipate another busy shift. The community of Volcanoville, and the surrounding area, remains under a mandatory evacuation order to protect public and firefighter safety. Firefighters will also continue constructing line down toward the Middle Fork of the American River today, as conditions allow.

As of 6am this morning, no structures have been damaged or destroyed by the Trailhead Fire. On the Placer County side, crews were able to complete and strengthen lines to prevent fire spread up Peachstone Gulch, and contingency lines are in place to protect the community of Todd Valley. The former mandatory evacuation in the area was reduced to voluntary at 9pm on July 1, 2016.

A public meeting will be held on TODAY, Saturday, July 2, 2016 at the Golden Sierra High School in Garden Valley, CA at 7:00 p.m.

6:30 p.m. update 7/1/16: "It blew up on us today," said Lt. Jim Byers of the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office of the Trailhead Fire burning in the north part of the county through the American River Canyon. The fire has burned 2,551 acres since starting on June 28.

Byers said winds made it tough to gain containment Friday, which remains at 12 percent this evening. He said the fire did move away from the town of Georgetown, but doing so gained on the town of Volcanoville.

Many areas have been evacuated. The Sheriff's website now has a line to google earth which shows the roads and areas closed. (picture in this story)

The fire continues to burn in extremely steep, rugged terrain. Crews may take advantage of more favorable night time conditions to conduct strategic firing operations. Weather conditions are predicted to remain about the same through the weekend, with upslope, up canyon winds in the late morning through early evening, and downslope, down canyon winds at night.

7:15 a.m. update 7/1/16: The Trailhead fire burning in western El Dorado County spread to 2,151 acres overnight. There is still a 12 percent containment line. It is burning in the steep terrain of the American River near the Placer and El Dorado County lines.

Total Personnel: 1992
Engines: 48
Crews: 38
Dozers: 30
Watertenders: 10
Helicopters: 13

Yesterday, the fire did continue to get established in the Otter Creek drainage, and due to the one way road and increased fire activity, evacuations in Volcanoville were upgraded from voluntary to mandatory. All evacuations are posted on the El Dorado Sherrif County website. (Mandatory evacuations are still in effect in Placer County as well; see below for specific evacuation information.)

An evacuation center is located at the Gold Country Fair Grounds, Sierra Building, 1273 High St, Auburn, CA 95603 for residence of Placer County.

A Shelter for evacuees has been established at Golden Sierra High School at 5101 Garden Valley Road in Garden Valley, and this shelter can accommodate small animals. All large animals need to be transported to 1100 Cold Springs Road, where Animal Services has arranged for accommodations.

Link to El Dorado County evacuations, click here.
Link to Placer County evacuations, click here.

6:15 p.m. update 6/30/16: Firefighters are facing hot and dry conditions today as they continue to battle the Trailhead Fire which has now consumed 1,564 acres. There is a public meeting at this moment at the Golden Sierra High School in Garden Valley where fire staff will give an informational update and answer questions from the public. Further public meetings are planned.

1900 firefighting personnel are on the scene with 123 engines, 65 crews, 22 dozers, 17 watertenders, 4 helicopters and 8 airtankers.

There are mandatory evacuations in several El Dorado and Placer County areas, along with a voluntary evacuation order for the town of Volcanoville.

The cause is still under investigation.

6:45 a.m. update 6/30/16: The Trailhead Fire burning in the steep terrain of the American River canyon has grown to 1,264 acres and remains 12 percent contained. 1,900 firefighting personnel are on the scene as well as services from Placer County Sheriff’s Department, El Dorado County Sheriff’s Department, California Highway Patrol, California Office of Emergency Services, and local fire departments from across the region.

Firefighting personnel were able to make progress in limiting further spread on the Foresthill side of the river. The fire, burning in a larger area on the Eldorado National Forest side of the river, burned at times aggressively throughout the day. Both the Placer and El Dorado County Sheriff's Departments imposed additional mandatory evacuation zones in an effort to protect residents in advance of the danger. The fire is now burning south of Otter Creek which is what prompted evacuations in El Dorado County.

For a list of current evacuations: CAL FIRE.

7:30 p.m. update 6/29/16: The Trailhead Fire has now grown to 1,000 acres, with 12 percent containment. The total number of personnel now fighting the fire has jumped to almost 2,000.

The fire is burning along the Middle Fork of the American River near Todd Valley in both El Dorado and Placer counties.

2,600 structures are now threatened.

Total Personnel: 1928
Engines: 123
Crews: 65
Dozers: 22
Watertenders: 17

Here is a list of all evacuated neighborhoods.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Evacuation centers have been set up at the following areas:

Placer county - Residents, including those with animals and livestock, can go to the Gold Country Fair Grounds in Auburn where staff, food and water are available at the Sierra building.

El Dorado county - Golden Sierra High School at 5101 Garden Valley Road in Garden Valley, and this shelter can accommodate small animals. All large animals need to be transported to 1100 Cold Springs Road, where Animal Services has arranged for accommodations.

3:00 p.m. update 6/29/16: The Trailhead Fire burning in steep terrain to the west of the town of Volcanoville has grown to 650 acres this afternoon. Firefighters have gained a 5 percent containment line around the fire which is burning in the El Dorado Forest on the El Dorado County/ Placer County border.

250 firefighting personnel are currently at the scene of the fire which is burning in the American River Canyon.

Mandatory evacuations: Skyview Terrace Mobile Home Park, Oakwood Ct, Vinewood Ct, Trail Head Ct, Green Pine Ct., White Tail Ct Alton Trail, Gray Ct, Tevis Ct.

Evacuation Advisory: All residents living east of Green Ridge Dr. to Oakwood Ln. to Nugget Dr. Residents to the west of the above listed roads in the Foresthill/Todd Valley area are under an advisory evacuation order.

Evacuation Centers: Residents, including those with animals and livestock, can go to the Gold Country Fair Grounds in Auburn where staff, food and water are available at the Sierra building.

Road closures:
Placer county - at Nugget Dr and Oakwood Ln
El Dorado county - Due to increased fire activity and the need to move fire equipment into the area, there is now a hard road closure of Bottle Hill Road at Breedlove Road and Bottle Hill Road at Mameluke Hill Road. Deputies will be contacting any affected residents.

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A fire in the El Dorado National Forest is burning in the steep and inaccessible terrain of the American River Canyon near Todd Valley, north of Georgetown. Known as the Trailhead Fire, 350 acres have burned so far.

The cause of the fire which started just before 2:00 p.m. Tuesday is unknown at this time. it is currently boxed in by retardant lines with 5 percent. The fire area includes over 250 acres in El Dorado County, and over 50 acres in Placer County.

There are currently 400 structures threatened. 250 fire personnel are fighting the fire with 48 engines from various agencies, 5 crews, 6 dozers and 3 watertenders.

Mandatory evacuations continue due to the terrain: Oakwood Ct, Vinewood Ct, Trail Head Ct, Green Pine Ct. Evacuation Advisory in place for: White Tail Ct Alton Trail, Gray Ct, Tevis Ct. Road closed at Nugget Dr and Oakwood Ln.