Heavy smoke from the Castle Fire in Tulare County drifted over the Creek Fire on Sunday, aiding firefighters in their efforts to get the upper hand on the now 201,908-acre blaze. In addition, Cal Fire officials said that the damage assessment for the wildfire is 36% complete. The latest report...
Wildfire Smoke Blanketing Valley Is Huge Health Hazard, So Stay Indoors
Six major wildfires burning in Northern California are creating dangerous smoky conditions for Valley residents, who are urged to stay indoors as much as possible — even if it means the dog doesn't get walked. The six fires have already burned over 2,800 square miles — larger than the entire...
Mims to Meet Trump as President Visits California Wildfires
Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims will meet with Donald Trump as the president is scheduled to visit California on Monday. The president will travel to McClelland Park in Sacramento for a briefing on the wildfires. Mims, whose department has been handling the law enforcement end of the Creek Fire, will...
Granville Homes Creek Fire Relief Fund Surpasses $50,000 Goal
With two big contributions from long-established local businesses, the Granville Homes Creek Fire Relief Fund eclipsed its $50,000 goal for the American Red Cross of Central California in just two days. As of 4:30 p.m. Friday, local individuals and businesses had donated $27,883 to help residents displaced by the Creek...
Did You Lose a Bag of Precious Family Photos Fleeing Creek Fire? Robby Found Them
Someone apparently fleeing the Creek Fire in Madera County put precious family photographs into a plastic shopping bag, along with other things near and dear to them, before heading out the door. But the black-and-white and color photos, including a framed photo of a grandmotherly woman and baby pictures, were...
Friday’s Creek Fire Updates: 6% Containment, More Firefighters & Equipment, China Peak Explosion
As the Creek Fire burns over 175,893 acres in Fresno and Madera into its eighth day, the more than 1,600 firefighters on scene have forged 6% containment. That first hard edge on the wildfire has Cal Fire officials expressing cautious optimism about bringing the aggressive blaze under control. “Today was...
Friday’s Creek Fire Updates: Cautious Optimism After 6% Containment; China Peak Explosion
As the Creek Fire burns over 175,893 acres in Fresno and Madera into its eighth day, the more than 1,600 firefighters on scene have forged 6% containment. That first hard edge on the wildfire has Cal Fire officials expressing cautious optimism about bringing the aggressive blaze under control. “Today was...
Thursday’s Creek Fire Updates: Helicopters Squelch Highway 168 Hot Spots, Check New Evacuation Map
Cal Fire officials said early Thursday that efforts to contain the Creek Fire would include "numerous firefighting air tankers ... as conditions allow" over Fresno and Madera counties. However, as of 1 p.m., a smoke-trapping inversion layer had kept aircraft grounded, Cal Fire said. But FlightRadar24.com showed significant helicopter activity over the...
USDA Official: We Need to Thin Forest to Prevent Wildfires
A federal official surveying the Creek Fire this week says thinning the forest could help prevent future disasters. James Hubbard, the Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, met with elected officials and firefighters Wednesday at the incident command post located at Minarets High School...
Sierra Club: Bark Beetle, Dead Trees Don’t Fan Wildfires, Problem Is Too Much Fire Suppression
As the Creek Fire continues to ravage the Sierra, the debate about how to prevent this type of fire again leads down divergent paths. Cal Fire points to the 80%-90% tree mortality rate from bark beetle in the Creek Fire's territory as a major contributing factor. But Sierra Club California...