Four firefighters burned while on the Lowell Fire; Willow Fire growing

Two fires, starting within minutes of each other on Saturday, are currently burning out of control in the Sierra Nevada.

9:30 p.m. update 7/26/15:

The Lowell Fire burning near the town of Alta off of I-80 in the Sierras has burned 1,500 acres and is now 15% contained.

Early this evening, two CAL FIRE and two U.S. Forest Service firefighters suffered burn injuries while battling the Lowell Fire in Nevada County. The firefighters were airlifted from the fire and transported to UC Davis Burn Center in Sacramento.

The two CAL FIRE personnel and one of the U.S. Forest Service firefighters are likely to be treated and released this evening. The remaining U.S. Forest Service firefighter is being admitted with serious burn injuries.

CAL FIRE has activated one of its Serious Accident Review Teams to review the incident.

The Willow fire continued to grow on Sunday and is estimated to be 1,521 acres and is 5% contained.

Gaggs and Whiskers campgrounds have been evacuated and closed. There are 450 structures currently threatened by the fire. 785 fire fighting personnel are currently on the fire.

7:30 a.m. update 7/26/15:

Cal Fire has updated the size of the Lowell Fire burning in Nevada County west of the town of Alta.

1,500 acres have burned and the fire is now 5% contained. There are 771 firefighters working the fire.

Fire Behavior calmed down a little throughout the night, but there is still a major concern at the head of the fire. The fire is burning rapidly in a northly direction in the Steep Hollow Creek Drainage. Access to fire is very challenging, but hundreds of firefighters are actively battling the fire in the air and on the ground.

Investigators are asking the public’s help in looking for a vehicle of interest that was in the area when the fire started. The vehicle is a lifted 4x4 white jeep wrangler without a top, a black roll bar and no front doors that was in the Gold Run/Dutch Flat area around 2:30pm. Anyone with information should contact the Placer or Nevada County Sheriff’s Department.

Mandatory evacuations in the You Bet, Red Dog, Lowell Hill and Chaulk Bluff area.

An evacuation advisory is in place for the northeastern portion of Cascade Shores and in the Gold Run/Alta area.

An evacuation center has been opened at the Nevada Union High School, located at 11671 Ridge Road in Grass Valley. Red Dog Rd is closed between Greenhorn Creek & You Bet Rd.

The Willow Fire has burned 1,121 acres and is also listed as 5% contained.

200 firefighters are working on that fire.

Original Story:

The Lowell Fire started at 2:37 p.m. near the town of Alta off I-80. Here is the latest from Cal Fire:

The fire is burning rapidly in a northerly direction in the Steep Hollow Drainage. The fire is spotting ahead of itself 1/2 mile. Access to fire is very challenging, but hundreds of firefighters are actively battling the fire in the air and on the ground.

4,000 acres have burned as of 7 p.m. Saturday.

Mandatory evacuations for Red Dog Rd at Green Horn Creek, Chalk Bluff Rd, You Bet Rd at Hanson Gravel Rd, and the northeast portion of Cascade Shores.

Advisory evacuation being initiated northside of I-80 from Gold Run to Alta in Placer County.

An evacuation center has been opened at the Nevada Union High School, located at 11671 Ridge Road in Grass Valley.

Investigators are asking the public’s help in looking for a vehicle of interest that was in the area when the fire started. The vehicle is a lifted 4x4 white jeep wrangler without a top, a black roll bar and no front doors that was in the Gold Run/Dutch Flat area around 2:30 p.m. Anyone with information should contact the Placer or Nevada County Sheriff’s Department.

The Willow Fire began at 2:30 p.m. in the mountains east of Coarsegold. It started between road 274 and Douglas station road in the area of Bass Lake. Road 274 is now closed, and adjacent roads and both ways into Central Camp are closed. The area that is burning is in heavy fuels.

At this time it has burned a reported 200 acres. Resident’s Central camp has been evacuated and additional evacuation advisories have been issued in the Cascade Woods and Bass Lake area. The Willow fire is 0% contained at this time.

The cause of the Willow Fire is under investigation.