Wildfire in Sierra Nevada foothills injures 4 firefighters

The 1,500-acre Lowell Fire was reported 2:37 p.m. Saturday west of Alta, forcing evacuations in Nevada County, where the fire disabled the 911 phone lines.

Cal Fire says three of the four firefighters that suffered burns have been released from the hospital and expected to make a full recovery. Fire officials ended all evacuation orders and road closures.

A Northern California wildfire raced through more than six square miles of drought-stricken timber Saturday, threatening at least 150 rural homes in the Sierra Nevada, authorities said.

By Sunday morning, it burned 1,500 acres and was five percent contained.

Berlant stated the drought conditions have made controlling the fire hard.

Powerful cameras attached to communications towers are helping to spot wildfires before they burn out of control in some of Nevada’s most remote areas. To date, an outbuilding and a tent trailer have been destroyed, and one unspecified structure has been damaged.

Although there are no records of civilian casualties, Cal Fire have revealed that two firemen and two U.S. Forest Service firefighters sustained injuries on duty.

“They’re doing well”, says Mike Mohler, with Cal Fire.

Meanwhile, firefighters gained ground against a wildfire near Napa Valley wine country, and on Sunday that fire was 60 percent contained.

About 1,800 structures, including several hundred homes, are threatened by flames, state fire officials said. A shelter has been set up at Nevada Union High School. As night fell Sunday, the blaze was 15% contained.

In Humboldt County, the Queen fire has torn through 200 acres since it ignited early Saturday near the Klamath River.

Smith, who said she has been working for 72 hours straight, said Cal Fire on Sunday set up a mini-command post and vantage point for media and fire personnel at the intersection of You Bet and Red Dog roads.