Allison Fire raises alarms

“Could see it from the (Alert Wildfire) cameras,” Cal Fire Public Information Officer Mary Eldridge said.

The fire was initially reported at about 3:50 p.m. and firefighters had some trouble locating the fire from the ground as it was initially called in as being off of the 12,000 block of Allison Ranch Road.

“Put aircraft above it to get a better location,” Eldridge said.

“Thats what really helped firefighters.

By 4:15 p.m. Grass Valley’s air attack 230 was above the incident helping ground crews locate the fire while directing a water dropping helicopter as well.

Forward progress of the fire was stopped by 4:30 p.m. and firefighters reported having laid hose around the entire perimeter of the incident.

According to fire prevention, the cause for the fire was undetermined and no evidence was found that would provide a definitive cause for the fire.

As the end of the year comes closer and eventually the end of the traditional fire weather season, Eldridge reminds us that we’re not that much ahead of fire season than before the late September rainfall that fell.

“It was great to get a couple inches on Foresthill and help with the spread of the Mosquito (Fire), but since then we have gotten nothing but above normal temps,” Eldridge said.

“And the breezes and winds and all of that dries vegetation out once again, so we are not that much ahead of fire season before the rain.

Eldridge added that while we are seeing some good overnight moisture, the breezes and sustained winds dries that moisture out and decreases that humidity recovery.

“Don’t fall for it,” Eldridge said, just because it says fall on the calendar, and we’re all drinking pumpkin space, you can’t take care of all of those piles on your yard with burning.”

Eldridge added that vegetation clearing for things such as leaves and branches, will still have to be done by placing them in a green bin or taken to the McCourtney Road Transfer Station.

“Until we get a truly wetting rain, obviously we can’t be burning,” Eldridge said.

Cal Fire will release to the public when it will be safe to burn vegetation again and folks can always check with their local fire protection district or make a phone call to the air pollution control district to the find their burn status.

To contact Managing Editor Elias Funez email efunez@theunion.com, or call 530-477-4230.