The Park Fire is now 50 percent contained as firefighters once again took full advantage of the good recovery in humidity overnight. The recovery in humidity helped keep fire activity to a minimum as the fire remained at 429,263 acres.
Tom Schult, meteorologist with Park Fire and Cal-Fire, explained in the morning briefing that extra caution was needed regarding the fires on Saturday because a weather disturbance was moving over the area in the afternoon.
He said “fairly fresh winds” were expected between 2 and 8 p.m., with gusts between 38 and 48 kilometers per hour in most ridge areas.
However, he said those gusts will likely be closer to 30-35 mph on the higher peaks, such as the summit of Inskip Hill, Turner Mountain and Doe Mountain. He expects those winds to stay in the area until 10-11 p.m.
He also said there was a slight chance of thunderstorms over the active portion of the fire Saturday evening.
He noted that weather activity west of I-5 would begin in the early afternoon, possibly as early as 1 p.m.
“If any of this does come over the fire, we can expect gusty and erratic outflow winds, lightning and light to moderate rainfall. This threat will be over by 2100, and no further activity is expected overnight,” he said.
Another day of no fire expansion has allowed the Tehama County Sheriff’s Office to reduce further evacuation orders and warnings. The TCSO announced that as of Saturday morning, the following zones in and around the Park Fire service area are back to “normal”: 696-E, 720-B, 474-A, 476, 448-A, 472, 478, 448-B, 482 and 480.
It was also announced that evacuation orders have been reduced to warnings in the following zones: 696-G, 720-E, 714, 716-A and 712-B.
This leaves only six zones in Tehama County under evacuation order status. These are MLC-712-A, TEH-696-D, TEH-698, TEH-716-B, TEH-720-A and TEH-720-F – all in the eastern part of the county.
Cal Fire said heavy fuels and hazardous trees continue to burn in the fire’s perimeter. Steep and inaccessible terrain is slowing firefighters’ containment efforts. Cal Fire also said firefighters will continue to work in the area south of Mineral as crews continue to remove hazardous trees and intensify cleanup efforts.
Road closures in Tehama County include Highway 36 between Mineral and Mill Creek, Highway 36 at Little Giant Mill Road, and Plum Creek Road at Little Giant Mill Road. Highway 172
Highway 89 between Highway 36 and Summit Lake
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