Skip to content
CapRadio

CapRadio

listen live donate
listen live donate
listen live
donate
  • News
    • News

    • State Government
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • Race and Equity
    • Business
    • Arts and Lifestyle
    • Food and Sustainability
    • PolitiFact California
    News
    • News

    • State Government
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • Race and Equity
    • Business
    • Arts and Lifestyle
    • Food and Sustainability
    • PolitiFact California
  • Music
    • Music

    • Classical
    • Jazz
    • Eclectic

    • Daily Playlist
    Music
    • Music

    • Classical
    • Jazz
    • Eclectic

    • Daily Playlist
  • Podcasts & Shows
  • Schedules
  • Events
  • Support
    • Support
    • Ways to support
    • Evergreen Donation
    • One-Time Donation
    • Corporate Sponsorship
    • Vehicle Donation
    • Stock Giving
    • Legacy Giving
    • Endowment Support
    • Members
    • Member Benefits
    • Member FAQ
    • Member Newsletter

    • Fund drives
    • Drawing Winners
    • Thank You Gifts
    Support
    • Support
    • Ways to support
    • Evergreen Donation
    • One-Time Donation
    • Corporate Sponsorship
    • Vehicle Donation
    • Stock Giving
    • Legacy Giving
    • Endowment Support
    • Members
    • Member Benefits
    • Member FAQ
    • Member Newsletter

    • Fund drives
    • Drawing Winners
    • Thank You Gifts
  • About
  • Close Menu
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 
  • Environment
  •  

Butte Fire Officials: Crews Faced Erratic Flames, Many Did Not Follow Evacuation Orders

  •  Alan Ray 
Thursday, October 15, 2015 | Sacramento, CA

Photo taken from an evacuation area off Clinton Road.

 

Federal and state fire agencies are taking a look back at what they learned from fighting one of California's most destructive wildfires this year.

The Butte Fire burned more than 70,000 acres in Amador and Calaveras counties last month. It killed three people and destroyed nearly 500 homes.

Capital Public Radio's Lesley McClurg traveled to the fire area Wednesday to see what fire managers are talking about.

"The main message that I'm hearing is that history didn't help them at all to fight this fire," says McClurg. "It acted erratically, violently, completely unpredictably. And they feel like the fires they're seeing today... the Valley Fire, the King Fire last year. They're fighting the fires behind instead of out front because they can't predict what they're going to do."

Firefighters also said they couldn't actually concentrate on fighting the fire right away. They spent the first few days saving people who had not followed evacuation orders.

"They had to spend the first 60 hours of the fire focusing on getting people out and focusing on rescues," she says. "And so they couldn't focus ... on stopping fire and quelling the flames, or getting it contained. They're really focused on 'How do you get that message out to the public that when they say get out, it really does mean get out.' That it's really important that people follow on evacuation call."


Follow us for more stories like this

CapRadio provides a trusted source of news because of you.  As a nonprofit organization, donations from people like you sustain the journalism that allows us to discover stories that are important to our audience. If you believe in what we do and support our mission, please donate today.

Donate Today  
Was this story useful?
yes
no

Will you help us improve our fires coverage? Head to our wildfire survey page to tell us what you think.

    More about wildfire

  • Andrew Nixon / CapRadio

    California Wildfires: Latest Updates

    CapRadio provides the latest information and updates on wildfires hitting the state, and resources for listeners to help prepare, follow and respond to fire.

    Related Stories

  • Bob Moffitt / Capital Public Radio

    USFS: Forests Might Not Recover From Butte Fire

    Thursday, October 15, 2015
    Much of the Butte Fire burn area is completely devoid of life. The trees are blackened sticks. Large areas suffered "high severity" burns, which means no vegetation survived the extremely hot flames.
  • Bob Moffitt / Capital Public Radio

    Feds Tour Area Affected By Butte Fire

    Thursday, October 15, 2015
    On Insight, we’ll speak with USDA Undersecretary Robert Bonnie about his visit to the northern California burn area Wednesday and some of the challenges in funding fire-fighting.

 wildfirebutte fire

Alan Ray

Senior Editor, News

As Senior Editor, Alan assigns stories and works with reporters on story planning. He helps develop feature stories with reporters for radio, for the View From Here series, and for daily news casts. He also anchors the news on All Things Considered.  Read Full Bio 

 @CapRadioRay Email Alan Ray

Sign up for ReCap and never miss the top stories

Delivered to your inbox every Friday.

 

Check out a sample ReCap newsletter.

Thanks for subscribing!

Thank you for signing up for the ReCap newsletter! We'll send you an email each Friday with the top stories from CapRadio.

Browse all newsletters

More Stories

Ariana Drehsler / CalMatters

More than a million undocumented immigrants gained driver’s licenses in California

January 31, 2023

Scott Olson/Getty Images

Videos like the Tyre Nichols footage can be traumatic. An expert shares ways to cope

January 28, 2023

AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File

Thieves drain millions off CalFresh and CalWORKs recipients’ cards, families wait and taxpayers pay

January 31, 2023

Most Viewed

California ends plans for kids’ Covid vaccine mandate

10 new California laws that go into effect in 2023

California coronavirus updates: COVID-19 pandemic has shifted people's finances

Sacramento Council approves armored vehicle for police despite opposition to military equipment purchase

California announces plan to convert 3 office buildings in downtown Sacramento into housing

We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter

Most Viewed

California ends plans for kids’ Covid vaccine mandate

10 new California laws that go into effect in 2023

California coronavirus updates: COVID-19 pandemic has shifted people's finances

Sacramento Council approves armored vehicle for police despite opposition to military equipment purchase

California announces plan to convert 3 office buildings in downtown Sacramento into housing

Back to Top

  • CapRadio

    7055 Folsom Boulevard
    Sacramento, CA 95826-2625

    •  
      (916) 278-8900
    •  
      (877) 480-5900
    •  Contact / Feedback
    •  Submit a News Tip
  • About

    • Mission / Vision / Core Values
    • Stations & Coverage Map
    • Careers & Internships
    • Staff Directory
    • Board of Directors
    • Press
  • Listening Options

    • Mobile Apps
    • Smart Speakers
    • Podcasts & Shows
    • On-Air Schedules
    • Daily Playlist
    • Signal Status
  • Connect

    •  Facebook
    •  Twitter
    •  Instagram
    •  YouTube
  • Donate

  • Listen Live

  • Newsletters

CapRadio stations are licensed to California State University, Sacramento. © 2023, Capital Public Radio. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Website Feedback FCC Public Files: KXJZ KKTO KUOP KQNC KXPR KXSR KXJS. For assistance accessing our public files, please call 916-278-8900 or email us.