CALAVERAS – Firefighters continue to gain ground Thursday on the Gann Fire in Calaveras County, increasing containment to 26% as the wildfire holds near 10,400 acres, while authorities have confirmed a body was found inside a home burned by the fire near Angels Camp.
The discovery marks the first reported civilian death associated with the wildfire, which began Monday evening near Hogan Dam and Gann roads outside Valley Springs and has since prompted a large regional firefighting response, destroyed homes and other structures and forced residents from communities across portions of Calaveras County.
According to the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office, investigators located the body inside a fire-damaged residence in the 4600 block of Jaquima Drive in the Angels Camp area. Authorities have not released the identity of the person pending confirmation and notification of next of kin.
“The Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office recognizes the significant public interest surrounding this incident and remains committed to providing timely and accurate information as it becomes available and can be released without compromising the ongoing investigations,” the office said in a statement.
The investigation into the death remains ongoing. Additional information about the circumstances surrounding the death has not been released.
Meanwhile, CAL FIRE reported Thursday that firefighters continue making progress around the fire’s perimeter despite critically dry fuels and persistent hot conditions.
The Gann Fire was listed at 10,374 acres and 26% contained as of CAL FIRE’s Thursday update. That represents little change in acreage from Wednesday evening, when the fire stood at 10,373 acres, while containment has increased from 19% to 26%.
The relatively stable acreage comes after several days of rapid growth. The fire grew from 310 acres Monday evening to 2,100 acres by early Tuesday morning, then reached 7,052 acres Wednesday morning before expanding beyond 10,000 acres later that day.
The firefighting force assigned to the incident has continued to grow as well. CAL FIRE reported Thursday that 2,715 personnel are now assigned to the Gann Fire, supported by 247 engines, 67 hand crews, 46 bulldozers, 25 water tenders and 12 helicopters. Numerous air tankers from throughout California are also available to support suppression operations as conditions permit.
The incident remains under unified command of the CAL FIRE Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit and the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office, with CAL FIRE Incident Management Team 6 managing the large-scale response.
The response includes agencies and resources from across the region and state through California’s mutual aid system. Personnel and equipment from neighboring counties and communities, including Sacramento-area and Sierra foothill agencies, continue assisting with suppression and support operations alongside CAL FIRE and other state, federal and local partners.
Firefighters reported limited humidity recovery overnight into Thursday, but crews continued making progress constructing and strengthening fire lines. Extensive work remains to extinguish hot spots throughout the fire area.
Dry vegetation and continuing fire activity remain challenges, and conditions could still produce spot fires. Temperatures above 100 degrees and continued hot, dry weather remain concerns as crews work around the perimeter.
Crews spent much of Wednesday strengthening control lines and completing firing operations, a tactic in which firefighters intentionally burn unburned vegetation between the main fire and established control lines. Removing that vegetation reduces the amount of fuel available to the wildfire and can help prevent flames from crossing containment lines.
Those efforts helped increase containment from 10% Wednesday morning to 19% Wednesday evening and then to 26% Thursday, even as the overall fire footprint remained essentially unchanged overnight.
Damage assessments are also providing a clearer picture of the destruction left behind by the fire.
CAL FIRE now officially lists seven structures as destroyed. Damage Inspection Specialist teams continue working through affected areas to document losses as access becomes available and assessments continue.
One firefighter injury has also been reported. The injury occurred during the initial response when a bulldozer rolled over while working the fire.
Evacuations remain in effect Thursday despite the increasing containment. Mandatory evacuation orders remain in place for zones CCU-109, CCU-110-A, CCU-130-B, CCU-139, CCU-140 and CCU-147.
Evacuation warnings remain in effect for zones CCU-110-B, CCU-111, CCU-131, CCU-148 and CCU-153. Zone CCU-110-B was reduced from an evacuation order to a warning Wednesday as conditions improved in that area.
The Valley Springs Veterans Memorial at 189 Pine St. in Valley Springs remains available as an evacuation shelter and accepts small pets. Avery Middle School at 4545 Moran Road in Avery is also serving as an evacuation shelter but does not accept animals.
The Calaveras County Fairgrounds, 2465 Gun Club Road in Angels Camp, remains available for large animals displaced by the wildfire.
Thursday’s progress follows a dramatic escalation of the incident during its first 48 hours. The Gann Fire began at 5:27 p.m. Monday and initially spread rapidly through grass and brush, including uphill runs that challenged crews during the initial attack. Firefighters responded from the ground and air as additional resources were ordered into Calaveras County.
By Wednesday, management of the response had transitioned to CAL FIRE Incident Management Team 6 as the fire and the number of resources assigned to it grew. The incident remains under unified command as crews continue working around the clock.
CAL FIRE now lists the cause of the Gann Fire as equipment.
That determination follows Wednesday’s announcement that CAL FIRE law enforcement officers arrested Herbert Wayne Smith, 65, of Valley Springs, following an origin-and-cause investigation.
Investigators allege Smith was operating equipment capable of producing sparks in vegetation without complying with required fire-prevention measures. CAL FIRE said investigators determined he failed to clear flammable vegetation from the work area, did not have required firefighting tools available and allowed the resulting fire to escape beyond the property where it began.
Smith was arrested on suspicion of violating California Penal Code Section 452(c), recklessly causing a fire. The case was forwarded to the Calaveras County District Attorney’s Office for review and possible prosecution.
The effects of the Gann Fire continue beyond Calaveras County. Smoke has periodically moved into neighboring communities and portions of Sacramento and El Dorado counties, including the Folsom area. The amount of smoke reaching individual communities will continue to depend on fire activity, suppression operations and changing winds, with air quality remaining a concern while the fire remains active.
Despite Thursday’s increased containment and minimal growth in acreage, significant work remains. Crews continue strengthening existing control lines, extinguishing hot spots and working to prevent the fire from escaping established containment.
The Gann Fire remains an active incident, and acreage, containment, evacuation orders and damage assessments may change as operations continue.
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