Evacuation orders were issued for area of Happy Valley in Somerset and area of Mt. Aukum
El DORADO COUNTY — Firefighters were battling multiple vegetation fires burning Tuesday afternoon in rural El Dorado County after approximately 20 spot fires broke out near Mt. Aukum Road and Happy Valley Cutoff Road, prompting a major response from CAL FIRE and neighboring fire agencies and an evacuation order for several areas.
According to incident command of CAL FIRE’s Amador-El Dorado Unit, first-arriving crews encountered roughly 20 separate spot fires shortly before 2 p.m. burning in grass and oak woodland. Firefighters are working aggressively to keep the fires from spreading through the dry foothill terrain.
As crews continue to assess the incident, three of the fires had merged into what is now being called the Happy Fire, which has grown to an estimated 10 acres with a rapid rate of growth in rural terrain. Incident command reports the fire is burning uphill through grass and oak woodland.
The Happy Fire is burning in the area of Mt. Aukum Road and Happy Valley Cutoff Road, northeast of Somerset and south of Pleasant Valley.
The multiple ignitions have prompted a substantial escalation of firefighting resources. According to incident command of CAL FIRE’s Amador-El Dorado Unit, one Type 2 helicopter has been ordered to assist air attack efforts, along with 10 additional fire engines, four hand crews, two bulldozers and a total of five water tenders.
An evacuation warning has been upgraded to an evacuation order for the Happy Valley area as well as the area of Oak Leaf Circle and along Mt. Aukum Road between Somerset Loop and Happy Valley Cutoff Road as of 2:35 p.m. according to the Perimeter evacuation map. As of 3:00 p.m. evacuation warnings were issued for areas off Dollhouse Road and Black Hawk Lane in the Pleasant Valley Perimeter Zone. Evacuees are being advised to use Mt. Aukum Road north to Pleasant Valley Road and be advised of electrical hazards and fire equipment responding to the area.
Ground crews and aircraft are actively working to slow the fire’s spread while establishing containment lines. ALERTCalifornia camera images Tuesday afternoon show multiple smoke columns rising from the rugged terrain as suppression efforts continue.
There is a Temporary Evacuation Point at the Placerville Library at 345 Fair Lane, Placerville, CA 95667, per the Perimeter Evacuation map & the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office.
UPDATE 4:01 PM: Officials have reported that forward progress has been stopped on the fire. Firefighter will no focus on fire activity within the perimeter of the fire. At this time evacuation warnings and orders remain in place as well as various road closures.
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