Camp Fire Destroys About 6700 Structures, Gets Bay Area Help

REDWOOD CITY, CA -- San Francisco Bay Area strike teams have responded to the wind-whipped Camp Fire in the Chico-Paradise Butte County region, which has killed nine people, obliterated about 90,000 acres, torched 6,700 structures, injured three firefighters, sent thousands of people fleeing in minutes, diminished air quality and closed roads and one major artery that runs down the spine of Northern California.

“Fire season in California can last all year long now -- something everyone hopes not to repeat this year, but it isn’t looking promising at this point. We thought it was over, then this,” Menlo Park Fire Chief Harold Schapelhouman said Friday. "This place has always made me nervous. It's a fire trap.”

According to the Butte County Sheriff’s Department, nine people were killed fighting to flee, mainly the Edgewood Lane area of Paradise. The fire is still out of control.

San Mateo County's Public Safety Communication received an "immediate need request" for two Type 1 strike teams to tackle the blaze that roared through the rough terrain of the Feather River Canyon. One San Mateo strike team includes Menlo Park, San Carlos-Redwood City Central County, Woodside and San Mateo city fire departments. Another encompasses Foster City, Central County, South San Francisco, San Mateo and San Bruno fire agencies.

Each strike team consists of five fire engines and a strike team commander or six vehicles staffed with 22 personnel. The tally totals 10 engines, two command vehicles and 44 first response fire personnel.

They are among the more than 3,300 firefighters fighting the blaze.

Santa Clara County also sent a strike team consisting of three engines and a battalion chief.

County Fire spokeswoman Luissa Rapport said this is what these agencies consisting of Palo Alto, Santa Clara and Milpitas fire units train for and for good reason.

"In the early- to mid-fall months, we're seeing more of these fires in Northern California that we'd traditionally see in Southern California with the Santa Ana winds," Rapport said. "This (Camp) fire is a perfect example of that."

A chilling depiction of the rapture of the fire that started at 6:30 am. Thursday on Pulga Road near Jarbo Gap is shown from an Oroville fire camera released from alertwildfire.org.

Forest Ranch is now under an evacuation warning, joining orders for Paradise, Magalia, Concow, Butte Creek Canyon and Butte Valley. (See the full list of evacuation orders and warnings below. Click here for a map of the evacuation zones.)

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Cal Fire Deputy Chief Scott McLean was somewhat optimistic about the red flag warning being canceled, but all hope is dashed at the prospect of uncovering what’s under the rubble. Air strikes are necessary, but there are other problems. Still, with 30 mph winds, the fire retardant would ineffectively be "spread too thin."

McLean said the fire had grown with so much intensity that it had burned from Magalia on the northern end through the south end of town. The Feather River Medical Center and several structures around it caught on fire. The hospital was closed early on and patients were transported to Oroville Hospital and Enloe Medical Center in Chico.

Several people were hospitalized. Buses carted people off the hill.

Paradise has a predominant senior population, and the authorities including McClean have been concerned by that.

"It's gone," McLean said Thursday, referring to Paradise. "You've got to keep this in mind, this fire was pushed by winds. This is as horrific as it can be."

He explained how the fire burned too fast, too hot. Much of that fire intensity is also from the terrain.

The Feather River Canyon is steep in many places as much as 40 degrees. It's filled with manzanita and madrone, which ignites with a fury. Fire burns faster up hill – right into the town of Paradise.

Cleo Reed, who lives in Paradise, knew it was time to leave early Thursday when the authorities knocked on her door and it was so black she couldn't see outside.

"It looks like Armageddon, and I'm in Chico now," Reed said.

She was packed in 10 minutes, grabbing her dog, his food, pictures and files. Fortunately, she just returned from a trip and had a duffel bag within reach.

The California Office of Emergency Services secured a fire management assistance grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to essentially throw all possible resources at the Camp Fire.

Acting Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an emergency proclamation for the state.

Wind and smoke were the biggest hindrances.

"We can't use air tankers because the winds are too high and the smoke is too thick, but hopefully when this wind dies down, we'll be able to," Cal OES spokesman Kelly Huston said Thursday. As it turns out, these were critical hours. The blaze exploded overnight to 70,000 acres.

In these types of fires, fire and emergency agencies are having to deal with getting people out before even fighting an inferno that blows through an area like a blast furnace.

"Right now the real focus is on saving lives,” Huston said.

Caltrans hoped to contribute to that mission. The transportation agency closed the major highways in the region because of "zero visibility" in the area.

Highway 99 between the junctions of Highways 149 and 9th St. and Highway 70 from Pentz Road to the Plumas County line as well as Highway 191 and Pentz Road, according to Caltrans.

"Caltrans District 3 and 2 are monitoring the fire closely [and] are ready to assist emergency personnel with road closures as needed," District 3 Director Amarjeet said.

Smoke from the fire spread across Northern California, prompting the Bay Area Air Quality Management District to issue an air quality advisory for the San Francisco Bay Area through Friday. Smoke has reached Northstar ski resort in Truckee. Motorists were forced to use their headlights at 4:30 p.m. on Friday.

The goodwill is also spreading. Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook has pledged to send donations to fire victims. See https://twitter.com/tim_cook/s....

The cause of the fire remained under investigation.

--Images via Steve Matthews, Menlo Park Fire Protection District, Nevada Fire Cams from alertfire.org

--Kristina Houck of Patch contributed to this report