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Monday, August 30, 2021

Emergency / Environment / Natural Resources

THIRD UPDATE: New Evacuation Orders, Warnings for Knob Fire Near Willow Creek

Posted By Thadeus Greenson @ThadeusGreenson on Mon, Aug 30, 2021 at 9:51 PM

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The Knob Fire burns south of Willow Creek early this morning. - BASHO PARKS/U.S. FOREST SERVICE FACEBOOK

Basho Parks/U.S. Forest Service Facebook
The Knob Fire burns south of Willow Creek early this morning.

THIRD UPDATE:

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office has again updated evacuation orders and warnings for the Knob Fire burning near Willow Creek.

Evacuation orders are now in effect for areas east of Brushy Mountain Lookout Road to State Route 299, south of Butterfly Creek Road to Friday Ridge Road.

Evacuation warnings are in effect for areas east of Boise Creek to the Trinity River, south of Panther Creek Road to Butterfly Creek Road and east of State Route 299 to the Trinity River, south of Butterfly Creek Road to Friday Ridge Road as well as areas east of Forest Route 6N39 to the South Fork Trinity River, south of Friday Ridge Road to Old Campbell Creek.

“Residents under an evacuation warning should prepare for potential evacuations, including personal supplies and overnight accommodations,” the update states. “Be ready to go at a moment's notice.”

An evacuation center is now operating at the McKinleyville Seventh Day Adventist Church, located at 1200 Central Avenue. Services available include overnight sheltering, restrooms, water and Red Cross services. See the HCSO post below:

SECOND UPDATE:

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office has updated evacuation orders and warnings for the Knob Fire burning near Willow Creek.

Evacuation orders are now in effect for areas west of State Route 299 to the end of China Creek, south of Butterfly Creek Road to Christian School Road, excluding residents on Christian School Road, as well as areas west of Forest Route 6N33 to the end of Fourmile Creek, south of Christian School Road to Friday Ridge Road.

Evacuation warnings are in effect for areas east of State Route 299 to the Trinity River, south of Panther Creek Road to Butterfly Creek Road and areas east of State Route 299 to the Trinity River, south of Butterfly Creek to Christian School Road, including residents on Christian School Road as well as areas east of Forest Route 6N33 to the Trinity River, south of Gypo Lane to Friday Ridge Road

“Residents under an evacuation warning should prepare for potential evacuations, including personal supplies and overnight accommodations,” the update states. “Be ready to go at a moment's notice.”

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UPDATE:

The Knob Fire burning near Willow Creek, prompting evacuations in the China Creek area, was 250 acres as of 8 a.m. today and 0 percent contained, according to an update from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office.

An evacuation order is in effect for Butterfly Creek Lane south to Gypo Lane and evacuation warnings are in effect for residents living west of the Trinity River in the areas of Panther Road south to Butterfly Creek Road and Gypo Lane south to Friday Ridge Road. A map of evacuation zones is available at tinyurl.com/humcoevacmap.

Road closures are in effect at China Creek Road at Hodgson Road, Burwood Drive at State Route 299 and Gypo Lane at State Route 299.

“The above routes are closed to entering traffic, but may be used by residents to leave the area in compliance with the evacuation order,” the HCSO update states.

The fire started yesterday around 3 p.m. on Brush Mountain.

An Evacuation Center is open at the Willow Creek Bible Church, located at 39 Brannan Mountain Road, Willow Creek, for evacuees. Resources available at site include overnight sheltering, restrooms, water and Red Cross services.

Domestic and large animal sheltering is available at the Hoopa Rodeo Grounds, located on Pine Creek Road in Hoopa.

State Route 299 was open as of 8 a.m. but travelers are encouraged to visit http://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/ to check for state highway closures.

More information regarding the Knob Fire, current impact and evacuation areas, can be found at humboldtsheriff.org, @HumCoOES on Facebook and Twitter, or by calling 707-268-2500.

Evacuation warnings and orders remain in effect for the China Creek area as fire crews work to contain the #KnobFire near Willow Creek.

Aug. 30 Morning Update: https://t.co/yR6uHXOmLw @ShastaTrinityNF @SixRiversNF pic.twitter.com/A9qnY87F5x
— Humboldt Co OES (@HumCoOES) August 30, 2021

Find the full HCSO release at the end of the article.

PREVIOUS:

A new fire sparked last night south of Willow Creek and quickly spread to more than 30 acres, prompting evacuations.

The Humboldt County Sheriff's Office issued an immediate evacuation order shortly before 10 p.m. for residents west of the Trinity River in the area of Butterfly Creek Lane south to Hypo Lane, with a warning for residents in the areas west of the Trinity River from Panther Road to Butterfly Creek Road, and from Gypo Road south to Friday Ridge Road.

An evacuation center has been set up at the Willow Creek Bible Church, with domestic and large animal sheltering available at the Hoopa Rodeo Grounds.

"Prepare for potential evacuation, including personal supplies and overnight accommodations," the Sheriff's Office advised in a Facebook post. "Be ready to go at a moment's notice."

An evening update for the nearby Monument Fire, which is burning east of Willow Creek along State Route 299 around Burnt Ranch, advises the Knob Fire is burning in the China Creek drainage about 2 miles south of Willow Creek and had grown to an estimated 30 acres as of 7 p.m. yesterday. Five helicopters were making water drops on the fire, according to the update, while seven engines, a water tender and other resources were mobilized from the Monument Fire to respond.

"We've been anticipating this uptick in fire behavior," Alaska Incident Management Team Operations Section Chief Karen Scholl said in the update. "We haven't seen the (smoke) lid come off of this fire since we've been here. It's going to be a challenge because we don't have enough resources to go around. WE'll be trying to hold what we've got."

Fifty structures were reportedly threatened by the Knob Fire as of last night. It's unclear what started the fire and to what degree the new blaze has been contained.

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The current evacuation map for the Knob Fire. - HUMBOLDT COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE

Humboldt County Sheriff's Office
The current evacuation map for the Knob Fire.

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Smoke from the Knob Fire seen from State Route 299 yesterday evening. - U.S. FOREST SERVICE FACEBOOK

U.S. Forest Service Facebook
Smoke from the Knob Fire seen from State Route 299 yesterday evening.

click to enlarge

The Knob Fire burns south of Willow Creek yesterday evening. - BASHO PARKS/U.S. FOREST SERVICE FACEBOOK

Basho Parks/U.S. Forest Service Facebook
The Knob Fire burns south of Willow Creek yesterday evening.

Read the HCSO release below:

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE

Evacuation warnings and orders remain in effect for the China Creek area as fire crews work to contain the Knob Fire near Willow Creek.

CURRENT SITUATION

The Knob Fire originated Aug. 29, 2021 at approximately 3 p.m. on Brush Mountain in the China Creek watershed. The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) is leading fire suppression efforts. According to the USFS, as of 8 a.m. August 30, the Knob Fire is approximately 250 acres and 0% contained.

Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies continue to patrol the mandatory evacuation zone and staff roadblocks.

EVACUATION INFORMATION

An EVACUATION ORDER remains in effect for residents in the area of:

Butterfly Creek Lane south to Gypo Lane.

An EVACUATION WARNING remains in effect for residents West of the Trinity River in the areas of:

Panther Road south to Butterfly Creek Road;

Gypo Lane south to Friday Ridge Road.

A map of evacuation zones is available at tinyurl.com/humcoevacmap

CURRENT ROAD CONDITIONS

The following road closures are in effect related to the Knob Fire:

China Creek Road at Hodgson Road;

Burwood Drive at State Route 299;

Gypo Lane at State Route 299.

The above routes are closed to entering traffic, but may be used by residents to leave the area in compliance with the evacuation order.

State Route 299 is currently open as of 8 a.m. Residents are encouraged to visit http://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/ to check for state highway closures.

RESOURCES FOR THE COMMUNITY

An Evacuation Center remains active at the Willow Creek Bible Church, located at 39 Brannan Mountain Road, Willow Creek, for evacuees. Resources available at this location include:

Overnight sheltering;

Restrooms;

Water;

Red Cross services.

Domestic and large animal sheltering is available at the Hoopa Rodeo Grounds, located on Pine Creek Road in Hoopa.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Additional updates will be issued via press release as needed.

For more information regarding the Knob Fire, current impact and evacuation areas, please go to humboldtsheriff.org, visit @HumCoOES on Facebook and Twitter, or call 707-268-2500.