CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – A rapidly moving flareup on the Pawnee fire Saturday afternoon began moving toward Highway 20 and led to a call for evacuations for the Double Eagle Ranch subdivision.
Just before 4:40 p.m. the Lake County Sheriff’s Office ordered a mandatory evacuation for the flareup.
On Saturday afternoon, reports from the scene indicated that an area of slopover – fire that had crossed a control line – in the Pawnee fire area had come alive, with a column of smoke visible from a distance.
The fire grew quickly and shortly before 4 p.m. was estimated to be between 50 and 100 acres in size, according to air attack.
Incident command then ordered evacuation notifications to be made to Double Eagle Ranch, which had just been allowed to repopulate on Thursday following a mandatory evacuation of several days due to the Pawnee fire.
Tankers, air attack, dozers and other resources are being directed to the scene.
At about 4:10 p.m. radio reports indicated there were concerns that the fire was bumping into Highway 20.
Just after 4:15 p.m., air attack indicated that the fire could run for several thousand acres if it isn’t stopped quickly.
Minutes later, it was reported that power was being cut to the Double Eagle Ranch, where evacuations were ordered again.
The sheriff’s office issued the evacuation order a short time later, with an evacuation center to be reopened at Lower Lake High School.
Incident command said the priority was to keep the fire from moving into Double Eagle Ranch.
The head – or most rapidly moving portion – of the fire is near Highway 20 while the heel, where it’s less intense, is in the area of Indian Valley Reservoir.
At around 4:45 p.m., the California Highway Patrol said Highway 20 from Highway 53 to Highway 16 had been closed due to fire activity.
Just after 5:15 p.m., the Lake County Sheriff’s Office issued an advisory evacuation notice for residents south of Highway 20 between Morgan Valley Road and State Highway 16.
“The Pawnee fire may expand beyond containment and continue to move south with current weather conditions,” the agency reported.
At about the same time, a large fire was burning in the Guinda area in neighboring Yolo County.That incident, the County fire, was reported to be close to 1,000 acres after 4 p.m. Saturday, based on radio reports.
More information will be published as it becomes available.
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