Although the challenges of the terrain and dry fuels continue to be a challenge for firefighters, they have rapidly gained the upper hand on the Crozier Fire in nearby El Dorado County in the last 24 hours. As of Thursday night the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Service (CalFire) and the United State Forest Service (USFS) has reported that crews have reached 91% containment of the fire, which has been held to 1938 acres. In addition to the gain in containment, evacuation orders and warnings that were in affect outside of the fire’s perimeter of the fire were lifted Tuesday.
“Last night, minimal fire activity was observed. Today, firefighters are focused on eliminating remaining hot spots and removing fire-damaged trees within the interior of the fire zone,” explained CalFire in their Thursday morning status update. “Crews are also engaged in fire suppression repair, including placing erosion blocks and taking other measures to mitigate the environmental impact of firefighting operations.”
The Crozier Fire fire started around 1:21 a.m. on Aug. 7 near Slate Mountain, northeast of Placerville in El Dorado County. The fire quickly crew in the rugged terrain and threatened as many as 4,000 structures at times.
Over the weekend, the Eldorado County Sheriff’s Office began repopulating some areas of the communities of Georgetown, Garden Valley, Volcanoville, and Quintet. As residents have been allowed to return home, officials are continuing to urge caution as the firefight on the blaze is far from over and a great amount of fire equipment and personnel continue to work in multiple areas The repopulation of the various communities continued to expand throughout the day on Tuesday, with some evacuation orders remaining in place as well various area and roadway closures as the fire continues to burning within containment lines. In addition to the gain in containment, all evacuation orders outside of the fire’s perimeter have been lifted. The only areas that remain evacuated are those within the fire’s perimeter.
“The Evacuation Warning zone has been lifted for the Crozier Fire, however the Evacuation Order remains around the footprint of the fire,” CalFire explained along with warning residents of hazardous driving conditions in some areas. “Rock Creek Rd. is extremely narrow, please use the traffic flow plan that has been suggested as there will still be Fire Personnel and equipment traveling in the area,” they advised. CalFire urges residents and those with an interest in the current evacuation orders remaining in place and updates on repopulation zones to visit their interactive map at Perimetermap.com here.
The Eldorado National Forest has reduced the closure area surrounding the Crozier Fire perimeter in the Georgetown Ranger District. There continues to be hazards in the burned area requiring ongoing assessment and repair before the area can be fully reopened. A portion of the Georgetown Ranger District south of Wentworth Springs Road including the Rock Creek OHV Trail System is still closed. Wentworth Springs Road is open. The public is advised to remain cautious when recreating near fire-impacted areas.
The Crozier Fire continues to be managed under the unified command of CalFire, the USFS and the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Department, has been mapped in size of 1,938 acres in size. As of Thursday resources have been gradually reduced on the fire. Currently, a total of 1,001 fire personnel remains assigned to the incident. Active resources in the ongoing firefight include 9 helicoptiers, 34 engines, 23 dozers, 20 water tenders and a total of 24 different crews.
Specified cause still under investigation
The cause of the Crozier Fire remains under investigation, according to CalFire Tuesday. Last Thursday, the Placerville Police Department confirmed that officers had made an arson arrest close to the time the Crozier Fire started. Several social media posts previously reportedly shared misinformation regarding the arrest of the suspect that was made near Rock Creek Road. However, the department clarified that the arrest does not appear to be connected to the fire at this time as the investigation continues.
California is currently experiencing several active wildfires managed by CalFire. Among these, the Boise Fire in Humboldt County is burning 4,270 acres with no containment, highlighting the challenges posed by dry conditions. The Park Fire, which spans multiple counties including Butte, Tehama, Shasta, and Plumas, has scorched 429,263 acres and is 40% contained.
Northern California is currently battling several major wildfires. The Park Fire has spread across Butte, Tehama, Shasta, and Plumas counties, burning 429,263 acres with 45% containment. The Borel Fire in Kern County has covered 59,288 acres and is 91% contained. The 2024 SQF Lightning Complex spans Kern and Tulare counties, burning 32,801 acres with 70% containment. The Boise Fire in Humboldt County is 8,617 acres with no containment yet. These fires, among others, are under active management by CAL FIRE.
For more detailed information on the Crozier Fire and other incidents across the state, residents can visit CalFire’s Incident Page.