Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Crews Get Upper Hand on Destructive Wildfires in West
bill-new-mug-002
By Bill McEwen, News Director
Published 6 years ago on
July 9, 2018

Share

LOS ANGELES — Firefighters continued to build containment around several destructive wildfires burning in California, though one stubborn blaze in the northern part of the state grew significantly and crossed the border into Oregon.
The blaze on the California-Oregon state line known as the Klamathon Fire grew to 55 square miles and jumped into Oregon overnight. It was 25 percent contained.
The fire, one of many in the drought-ridden U.S. West, killed one person in their home and destroyed 72 structures, including houses.

Three Firefighters Injured

It also injured three firefighters, including one who had severe burns to his face, according to a Gofundme page that raised more than $28,000 for him in less than 24 hours.
The Cal Fire firefighter, Brandon Feller, was injured battling the blaze the day it broke out on Thursday but was making a strong recovery, according to the page.
More than 2,300 firefighters continued to fight the fire Sunday amid low humidity and strong winds. Crews were hoping to keep it from jumping a river and threatening additional communities.
“They made some really good headway on holding the fire so we’re just hoping we can keep it there,” said Suzi Brady, a spokeswoman for the crews fighting the fire.

I-580 Closed For One Hour

A 500-acre wildfire flared up Sunday night and temporarily shut down Interstate 580 at the Altamont Pass, which is about 40 miles east of Oakland. The Alameda County Fire Department said westbound lanes reopened after about an hour.
The Grant Fire was 20 percent contained, Cal Fire officials said.
The state’s largest blaze, the 141-square-mile (365-square-kilometer) County Fire, was 65 percent contained. It has destroyed a dozen structures since it broke out June 30.

Progress Made in Southern California

Meanwhile, in heat-stricken Southern California, crews have built at least 80 percent containment on two major wildfires — one that destroyed 20 homes in Santa Barbara County and a central San Diego County fire that burned 18 structures.
Other major fires in the state were close to being fully contained.

Colorado Wildfires

In southern Colorado, firefighters were making progress Sunday on a wildfire that has burned more than 130 homes and blackened nearly 170 square miles.
Investigators say an illegal campfire sparked the blaze east of Fort Garland on June 27, and it has since become the third-largest in state history. It also forced the evacuation of more than 2,000 homes.
The fire is 55 percent contained.
Meanwhile, firefighters were taking advantage of rain showers and increased humidity in their battle against a wildfire that has been burning for more than a month near Durango in southwestern Colorado. That fire has scorched about 85 square miles and is 50 percent contained.
Firefighters are dealing with several major wildfires across Colorado.

Utah Residents Return Home

In neighboring Utah, more residents were allowed back into their homes Sunday after being driven out by a wind-fueled fire. The blaze burning near a popular fishing lake 80 miles southeast of Salt Lake City is now 35 percent contained, according to Duchesne County Sheriff’s officials. The wildfire has charred about 75 square miles and destroyed 90 structures, including homes, since starting July 1.

DON'T MISS

Did Fresno Trustees Violate Brown Act in Superintendent Search Decisions?

DON'T MISS

LA Judge Deals a Blow to Law Allowing Duplexes in Single-Family Tracts

DON'T MISS

US Announces New Patriot Missiles for Ukraine as Part of New $6 Billion Aid Package

DON'T MISS

Andy Reid and Taylor Swift Agree: Fresno’s Xavier Worthy Is a Great 1st-Round Draft Pick

DON'T MISS

The Protests Over the Israel-Hamas War Put a Spotlight on College Endowments

DON'T MISS

Fed Plan to Rebuild Pacific Sardine Population Was Insufficient, California Judge Finds

DON'T MISS

Egypt Sends Delegation to Israel, Its Latest Effort to Broker a Cease-Fire Between Israel and Hamas

DON'T MISS

Antony Blinken Meets With China’s President Xi as US, China Spar Over Bilateral and Global Issues

DON'T MISS

Key Questions About CA Budget Deficit Unanswered as Deadlines Loom

DON'T MISS

Is This Your Next BFF? Meet Girlfriend, a Professionally Trained Adventure Dog!

UP NEXT

The Protests Over the Israel-Hamas War Put a Spotlight on College Endowments

UP NEXT

Antony Blinken Meets With China’s President Xi as US, China Spar Over Bilateral and Global Issues

UP NEXT

Tennessee Lawmakers Pass Bill Criminalizing Adults Assisting Minors in Gender-Affirming Care

UP NEXT

US Growth Slows Sharply Amid High Interest Rates and Inflation

UP NEXT

Hamas Official: We’ll Put Down Arms if an Independent Palestine Is Created

UP NEXT

Ex-State Department Official: Israeli Military Gets Preferential Treatment on Abuses

UP NEXT

Dozens Arrested at USC After Students in Texas Detained as Gaza War Protests Persist

UP NEXT

New California Rule Aims to Limit Health Care Cost Increases to 3% Annually

UP NEXT

Slumping California Risks Losing World’s ‘5th Largest Economy’ Title

UP NEXT

Ukraine Uses Long-Range Missiles Secretly Provided by US to Hit Russian-Held Areas, Officials Say

Bill McEwen,
News Director
Bill McEwen is news director and columnist for GV Wire. He joined GV Wire in August 2017 after 37 years at The Fresno Bee. With The Bee, he served as Opinion Editor, City Hall reporter, Metro columnist, sports columnist and sports editor through the years. His work has been frequently honored by the California Newspapers Publishers Association, including authoring first-place editorials in 2015 and 2016. Bill and his wife, Karen, are proud parents of two adult sons, and they have two grandsons. You can contact Bill at 559-492-4031 or at Send an Email

Andy Reid and Taylor Swift Agree: Fresno’s Xavier Worthy Is a Great 1st-Round Draft Pick

2 hours ago

The Protests Over the Israel-Hamas War Put a Spotlight on College Endowments

2 hours ago

Fed Plan to Rebuild Pacific Sardine Population Was Insufficient, California Judge Finds

3 hours ago

Egypt Sends Delegation to Israel, Its Latest Effort to Broker a Cease-Fire Between Israel and Hamas

3 hours ago

Antony Blinken Meets With China’s President Xi as US, China Spar Over Bilateral and Global Issues

3 hours ago

Key Questions About CA Budget Deficit Unanswered as Deadlines Loom

7 hours ago

Is This Your Next BFF? Meet Girlfriend, a Professionally Trained Adventure Dog!

7 hours ago

Tennessee Lawmakers Pass Bill Criminalizing Adults Assisting Minors in Gender-Affirming Care

20 hours ago

Wittrup: Vote to Table Bullard Fence Contract Was ‘Retaliatory’

Local Education /

20 hours ago

Did Arias ‘Weaponize’ City Attorney’s Office by Requesting Documents from Smittcamp?

21 hours ago

Did Fresno Trustees Violate Brown Act in Superintendent Search Decisions?

An attorney representing GV Wire Publisher Darius Assemi has notified the Fresno Unified School Board and Superintendent Bob Nelson that rec...
Local Education /

29 mins ago

Local Education /
29 mins ago

Did Fresno Trustees Violate Brown Act in Superintendent Search Decisions?

1 hour ago

LA Judge Deals a Blow to Law Allowing Duplexes in Single-Family Tracts

2 hours ago

US Announces New Patriot Missiles for Ukraine as Part of New $6 Billion Aid Package

2 hours ago

Andy Reid and Taylor Swift Agree: Fresno’s Xavier Worthy Is a Great 1st-Round Draft Pick

2 hours ago

The Protests Over the Israel-Hamas War Put a Spotlight on College Endowments

3 hours ago

Fed Plan to Rebuild Pacific Sardine Population Was Insufficient, California Judge Finds

3 hours ago

Egypt Sends Delegation to Israel, Its Latest Effort to Broker a Cease-Fire Between Israel and Hamas

3 hours ago

Antony Blinken Meets With China’s President Xi as US, China Spar Over Bilateral and Global Issues

MENU

CONNECT WITH US

Search

Send this to a friend