Wall Fire Burns 5,600 Acres; State Of Local Emergency Declared For Butte County

UPDATE 9:05 p.m. Sunday, July 9: A state of emergency has been declared in Butte County due to the Wall Fire.

Officials say the blaze has burned 5,600 acres and is 25 percent contained.

UPDATE 1:00 p.m. Sunday, July 9: CAL FIRE says the Wall Fire burning in Butte County has grown to 5,000 acres and remains 17 percent contained.

The agency says the fire continues to burn actively.

Nearly 1,100 firefighters are currently battling the blaze, which broke out Friday afternoon.

UPDATE 12:14 p.m. Sunday, July 9: CAL FIRE says 750 structures are threatened by the Wall Fire burning in Butte County. The fire grew overnight to 4,400 acres, and evacuation orders were extended Sunday morning to include Oro Bangor Highway from Swedes Flat Road to Avocado Road, including all connection roads and areas.

Current evacuation orders can be seen here.

UPDATE 9:00 a.m. Sunday, July 9: CAL FIRE mapping shows 17 percent containment on the 4,400 acre Wall Fire burning in Butte County. Ten structures have been destroyed, five have been damaged and 500 are threatened.

UPDATE 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 8: CAL FIRE is reporting 20 percent containment on the 2,700 acre Wall Fire burning in Butte County. Ten structures have been destroyed and the agency says the fire continues to burn actively.

Evacuation orders are still in place and the evacuation warning was extended Saturday afternoon. 

Nearly 1,000 fire personnel are currently assigned to the blaze.

More resources, including evacuation orders and evacuation centers for people, pets and livestock can be found at www.buttecounty.net.

UPDATE: 8:50 a.m. Saturday, July 8: The Wall Fire has doubled in size overnight and is just two-percent contained, according to CAL FIRE, though the numbers of injuries and destroyed structures remain the same.

More streets have been added to the areas under evacuation.

Oro Bangor Hwy from Jan Dar Rd. to Avacado Rd. and all connecting road are now under an evacuation warning.

The agency says 10 homes have been burned, five residents have been injured and one firefighter has been injured. CAL FIRE describes the injuries as minor.

UPDATE: 10:20 p.m.: The Wall Fire has claimed 10 structures according to CAL FIRE and has injured six people, including one firefighter. CAL FIRE's estimate remains at 1,000 acres. 

Wall Fire Resources: Evacuation Center

Church of the Nazarene, 2238 Monte Vista Avenue (open 5:30 pm)

Animal Evacuation: Small Animals: Old County Hospital, 2279 Del Oro and Mono, Suite E (open 6:00 pm Friday)

Large Animals: Camelot Equestrian Park, 1985 Clark Road (open 9:00 pm Friday)

More information is available at www.buttecounty.net.

UPDATE 8:05 p.m.: The evacuation warning in place due to the Wall Fire has been extended to include Forbestown Road from Hurleton Road to Old Forbestown Road and all connecting roads.

Current evacuation information via Butte County is as follows:

Immediate Evacuation Orders

• Hurleton Swedes Flat Road from Grand Oak to Swedes Flat and all connecting roads.
• Swedes Flat Road from Oro Bangor Hwy to Robinson Mill Road and all connecting roads.
• Black Bart Road and all connecting roads

More information is available at www.buttecounty.net.

UPDATE 7:07 p.m.: CAL FIRE says the Wall Fire burning in Butte County has grown to 1,000 acres. 

UPDATE 6:04 p.m.: The Wall Fire in Butte County has now burned about 500 acres, more than doubling since the blaze was first reported Friday afternoon.  

The area under an evacuation order is now about a 1,000 feet from the eastern edge of the Oroville City limits. 

The Butte County Sheriff's office says it stretches south of Swedes Flat Road and between Oro Bangor Hwy and Robinson Mill Road.

Lisa Almaguer is with Butte County. She says the fire started around 3:30 p.m. in area full of trees and brush.

"This is an area that is somewhat remote," says Almaguer. "There are very few roads in and out. It is a little less populated, but there still are homes there and it is very hilly."

An evacuation center has been opened at Church of the Nazarene and small pets may be dropped off at the Old County Hospital in Oroville. 

UPDATE: 5:41 p.m.: A shelter will open at the Old County Hospital at 2279 Del Oro and Mono for small animals displaced by the Wall Fire.

According to Yuba County, the fire is now at 500 acres.

ORIGINAL STORY:  CAL FIRE in Butte County says evacuations are underway Friday near the towns of Oroville and Bangor because of the Wall Fire.

The agency tweeted there is an immediate evacuation order for an area about 1.5 miles east of Oroville starting at Chinese Wall Road and including Hurleton Swedes Flat Road and connecting roads.

"This is an area that is somewhat remote," says Lisa Almaguer, who is with Butte County. "There are very few roads in and out. It is a little less populated, but there still are homes there and it is very hilly."

An evacuation center is open at Church of the Nazarene in Oroville. The fire has burned about 200 acres and started at about 3:30 p.m.

-Capital Public Radio Staff