Authorities lifted evacuations related to the Swedes Fire burning west of Chinese Wall Road east of Oroville yesterday and reported good progress, citing help from above in the form of higher humidity and cooler temperatures.
The now 400-acre blaze has destroyed two structures. CalFire declared it 40 percent contained this morning. More than 500 firefighters are working the fire. Evacuation warnings remain in place. The fire’s cause remains under investigation.
Just to the north, the 58-acre Forbestown fire was declared 90 percent contained.
Meanwhile, in Plumas County, about halfway between Lake Almanor and Lake Davis, US Forest Service firefighters are facing the now 44,000 acre Walker Fire about 11 miles east of Taylorsville. 825 firefighters assigned to the blaze are busy building fire lines and have stopped the fire’s forward progress in some places.
The fire remains seven percent contained. Mandatory evacuations remain in place along US 395 from the Thunder Mountain Road (Wales Canyon) to the Laufman Grade (Old Hwy 59), including Milford and Brockman Canyon. From Antelope Lake to the Plumas county line, Genesee Valley road, the Ward Creek area, and the Flournoy Bridge area.
An Evacuation Center is up and running at the Lassen County Fairgrounds, in Susanville. Residents needing accommodations can contact the Sheriff’s office in Quincy.
The following roads are closed: Janesville Grade, Genesee Valley road at the Flournoy Bridge, Antelope Lake road from the Flournoy Bridge to Antelope Dam, and beginning at the Flournoy Bridge turnoff, the 111 Beckwourth-Genesee road is closed through the fire area. US-395 remains open.
In Shasta and Tehama Counties, the now 8,800-acre Red Bank Fire west of Red Bluff is 50 percent contained, firefighters are facing the nearly 300-acre Ramshorn Fire east of State route 3 and west of Castle Crags, the 225-acre Middle Fire in the Trinity Alps Wilderness and the 15-acre Cutthroat Fire north of State Route 299 near Big Flat, the now 2,000-acre Tomhead Fire west of Red Bluff, and the 380 acre Henthorne Fire further west in Mendocino County east of Covelo.
Cooler weather and light winds should aid firefighter today, but thunderstorms tomorrow could spark even more fires.