Friday, 17 August 2007 01:46
Fire Yesterday Sends Smoke Billowing Above Calaveras and Amador Counties
A fire between Moke Hill and San Andreas yesterday
afternoon sent smoke billowing into the skies above Calaveras
and Amador Counties. The fire, reported around 4:45 pm, caused the closure of
Hwy 49 near the Golden Hills subdivision in Calaveras County through the Hwy 49/12 split.
Crews form the Tuolumne-Calaveras
Unit of Calfire, local Calaveras County Fire Departments, and units from the Amador ElDorado Unit
all joined the firefighting effort.
Air support, in the form of four fixed wing tankers and 2 helicopters fought the fire
from the ground while 14 state engines, seven local engines, 10 hand
crews, three dozers, operated on the ground. Around 6:30 the fire jumped the highway from west
to east and began
traveling up the ridge jumping from tree to tree. CAL Fire reports that no structures
were at risk although they do believe this fire began as a structure related
fire. No evacuation orders were issued. The fire was brought under
control by around 9 p.m. Fire crews continued to work overnight