Authorities evacuated several remote Yolo County recreational areas over the weekend as fire crews continued to battle the rapidly growing Rocky fire to the west.
The nearly week-old blaze had spread to about 65,000 acres as of this morning and was reported to be 12 percent contained even as it crossed Highway 20 in multiple locations on its northern boundary, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
Nearly 3,200 fire personnel — including members of the UC Davis Fire Department — have been assigned to the incident in the steep, rugged terrains of Lake, Yolo and Colusa counties.
“Firefighters are working aggressively to build control lines and sustain perimeter control. Residents are urged to stay vigilant and adhere to any changes in evacuations and road closures,” Cal Fire reported on its incident website.
Dozens of roadways have been subject to mandatory and advisory evacuations, impacting more than 13,000 residents as of Monday. So far, 24 residences and 26 outbuildings have been destroyed.
In Yolo County, evacuations have been limited to the Cache Canyon regional parks west of Rumsey, according to the Yolo County Sheriff’s Office. Highway 16, which runs through the area, has been closed to westbound traffic west of County Road 41.
The cause of the Rocky fire remains under investigation.
Meanwhile, fire crews continue to gain control over the Wragg fire, which remained 97 percent contained this morning after burning just over 8,000 acres in Napa and Solano counties over the past two weeks. About 150 fire personnel remain assigned to that incident.
“The activity on the fire includes fire line suppression repair, mop-up and tactical patrol as firefighters work to achieve full containment,” which is expected Thursday, Cal Fire reported.
All evacuation orders have been lifted and roads opened in the Wragg fire area. The cause of the fire, which began July 22, remains under investigation.
A strike team including a grass rig from the Davis Fire Department and team leader Capt. Dave Stiles from the UCD Fire Department has been reassigned from the Lowell fire in Nevada County to the Barker fire, which continues to burn in Trinity County, according to Fire Chief Nate Trauernicht.
Previously assigned to the Wragg blaze, the Davis personnel have spent more than two weeks battling the three wildfires, Trauernicht said.
— Reach Lauren Keene at lkeene@davisenterprise.net or 530-747-8048. Follow her on Twitter at @laurenkeene
