Creek Fire surpass 78,000 Acres, State of Emergency Issued

The Creek Fire has burned over 78,000 acres triggering the evacuation of Auberry and surrounding communities as of Monday, Sept. 7. (Courtesy of Clovis Fire)

As of this morning, the Creek Fire has burned 78,790 acres with zero containment. The fire has prompt Governor Newsom to issue a state of emergency order to Fresno, Madera, and Mariposa Counties.

Main fuel to the fire are dead and down material such as timber, dry brush, and litter. The timber in the area has approximately 80-90 percent tree mortality from the bark beetle according to the Sierra National Forest.

The fast burning fire has crossed Highway 168 and continues to move south triggering evacuations for the town of Auberry which extends from the San Joaquin River on Powerhouse Rd. to Auberry Rd.

Evacuation centers for people and animals have been set up at the following locations:

  • A Fresno County evacuation center for people and small animals is established at Clovis North High School, 2770 E International Ave, Fresno, CA 93730.
  • A Madera County evacuation center is established at the Oakhurst Community Center, 39800 Fresno Flats Rd, Oakhurst, CA 93644.
  • Clovis Rodeo Association has set up an evacuation center for large animals at the Clovis Rodeo Grounds, 748 Rodeo Dr., Clovis, CA 93612.

The Creek Fire began on Friday evening, Sept. 4 at the Big Creek drainage area between Huntington Lake, Big Creek, and Shaver Lake.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Full containment is expected to be October 15.

For updates on the Creek Fire, go to https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7147/.