Rush Fire: Saturday 8:00p.m. Report on Conditions

Here is your 8:00p.m. Rush Fire Update from the Bureau of Land Management.

RUSH FIRE UPDATE

• Started: August 12, 2012 at 6:42 pm
• Cause: Lightning
• Fuels: Fire is burning in sagebrush, juniper, and grass
• Estimated Size: 232,000 acres
• Containment: 45%
• Expected Containment: 8/22/2012
• Committed Resources: Approximately 630 people
• Structures Threatened: 36 (30 residences; 1 commercial; 5 outbuildings)
• Structures Damaged or Destroyed: 1 (barn)
• Injuries: 2 (both in fire camp)

Location: The fire is located on Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Northern California District (BLM-CA-NOD,) Eagle Lake Field Office, approximately 15 miles southeast of Ravendale, California. The fire is burning near a major natural gas line and transfer station, and power transmission lines that supply the Reno area and adjacent to Highway 395.

Summary: Fire crews made significant progress as weather conditions moderated this morning and firefighters took advantage of fire containment opportunities. Burning operations continued along the northern edge of the fire along the Buckhorn Road and the fire remained most active along this edge. Burning operations on the southern edge along the Wendel Road continued today. Crews also made excellent progress on scouting the eastern flank of the fire to determine the extent of the fire’s spread and started constructing fire containment line where possible.

The thunderstorms that passed over northern California are diminishing and a more typical hot, dry, windy weather pattern is expected for the next few days with winds increasing up to 20 miles per hour.

Area and Road Closures in Effect: On August 17, the BLM issued a closure order for public lands in the fire area to protect public health and safety.

The closed area is bounded by Highway 395 on the west, the Sand Pass Road on the east, and the Wendel Road on the south. The new northern boundary for the public land closure is the Juniper Ridge, Tuledad, Stage Road, Marr Road, and Buckhorn Road extending to Nevada Highway 447 in Washoe County. Routes closed within this closure area include the Ramhorn Springs, Rye Patch Road, Buckhorn, Shinn Ranch, Stoney, Deep Cut, Smoke Creek, Skedaddle Ranch, Dry Valley, and Brubeck roads. The Ramhorn Springs Campground and the Dodge Reservoir Campground also is closed.

Travelers along the Highway 395 corridor, please use caution where fire crews and equipment area working in the fire area.

Remarks: Fire officials remind residents and visitors that fire restrictions are in effect for public lands and national forests in northeast California. Campfires are permitted only in posted recreation sites. Chainsaws may not be used after 1:00pm daily.

A note for our readers who are LMUD customers – Due to the unstable nature of PG&E’s Caribou transmission line LMUD will be operating off of Honey Lake Power for the duration of the Plumas County Chips Fire. LMUD is asking that all customers conserve energy by unplugging or turning off all non-essential household equipment and appliances.

Rush Fire, Lassen County

BLM Map of the Rush Fire on 8/17/12

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