The Garnet Fire continued to burn overnight, growing to roughly 8,500 acres, the U.S. Forest Service reported Tuesday morning.

CalFire reported that there are evacuation orders for zones K27, K30 and K31 and an evacuation warning for zone K29.

Light rain and elevated humidity provided some assistance to firefighters. However, thunderstorms and strong, isolated downdrafts, combined with normal wind patterns, fueled additional fire growth, particularly to the north into Patterson Buttes.

The blaze has remained west of Garlic and east of the North Fork of the Kings River and has not crossed the river, but incident managers categorized the fire as uncontained.

More Help Is Coming to Battle Wildfire

Forest Service officials said operational objectives remain focused on keeping the fire north of the Kings River, east of the North Fork, west of Garlic, Spur, and south of the Teakettle Experimental Area. “Every opportunity will be taken to keep the fire footprint as small as possible,” they said.

Firefighters are prioritizing the protection of infrastructure on the northwest side of the fire, including hydroelectric resources and structures at Balch Camp.

A substantial influx of additional firefighting resources is expected Tuesday.

Officials cautioned that continued strong, erratic winds over dry, heavy vegetation could challenge containment efforts.

Temperatures are expected to remain above normal through the day, with a gradual cooling trend anticipated later in the week, officials said.

The potential for thunderstorms remains through Tuesday, and rodent area closures are affecting the fire zone.

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