After days of battling the Gann Fire in Northern California, Cal Fire firefighters have begun to contain about 10% of the massive blaze, which has grown to 7,052 acres, forcing over 1,000 people to evacuate the area.
The Gann Fire, which started on Aug. 3, has destroyed miles of grass-covered foothills and woodlands in Calaveras County, creating dangerous breathing conditions from the smoke and ultimately prompting local sheriff Rachelle Whiting to declare a state of emergency for the region on Aug. 4.
As a response, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that his office had secured a Fire Management Assistance grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which will quickly allow Calaveras County to access resources needed "to respond to fast-moving
wildfires, strengthen suppression efforts, and protect communities at risk."
"California is fully mobilized alongside our local and state partners to meet the challenges posed by the Gann Fire. By securing this assistance, we are strengthening our ability to deploy critical firefighting resources, accelerate containment efforts, protect lives and property, and support communities facing ongoing evacuations," Newsom said in a statement.
As of Wednesday, Cal Fire has assigned over 1,5000 personnel, four helicopters, 50 fire engines, 16 bulldozers, eight water tenders, and 16 crews to fight the Gann Fire.
Although the blaze has not reached any major towns or cities in the area, it has resulted in the evacuation of 1,473 residents and placing an additional 1,400 under evacuation warnings. As a precaution, the Calaveras Unified School District announced that it would be suspending all classes on Aug. 5 due to the air quality and smoke conditions.
"The safety and well-being of our students and staff is our highest priority. Based on current air quality conditions, the ongoing impacts of wildfire smoke, and the potential for conditions to change rapidly as winds shift, we believe closing all schools is the safest course of action," said Kassie Meeks, Superintendent of Calaveras Unified School District.
How did the Gann fire start?
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection received reports that a vegetation fire started along Hogan Dam Road and Gann Road on Aug. 3, at about 5:30 p.m, about a mile south of New Hogan Lake, according toCal Fire Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit.
When fire crews arrived, the fire was believed to be about 30 acres, but due to the dry grass and brush of the rural area, the blaze quickly spread uphill at a dangerous rate until it grew to about 400 acres by 9 p.m., according to Cal Fire.
By Monday evening, as the temperature significantly dropped, Cal Fire had dozens of firefighters and several helicopters attempting to get the blaze under control; however, by 2 a.m., the Gann Fire had reached about 1,800 acres as a "significant amount of resources en route to assist in the firefight."
By 6 a.m., the Gann Fire had grown to 2,100 acres, with the blaze dropping to a moderate rate of spread and 0% containment. But within a few hours, it had reached 3,000 acres.
Crews attempted to get the fire under control throughout the day, but due to hot temperatures and steep terrain, firefighters were unable to reach a portion of the blaze, according to Cal Fire.
By the late afternoon on Tuesday, the fire had grown to 6,495 acres, even as temperatures had started to drop.
Gann Fire evacuations
The Calaveras County Sheriff's Office issued evacuation orders for areas east of the Gann Fire, affecting several unincorporated communities as well as the Calaveras County Airport / Maury Rasmussen Field.
For a full list of the evacuation order, visit the Cal Fire website.
The Valley Springs Veterans Memorial at 189 Pine Street, Valley Springs, announced it will serve as an evacuation shelter and accept small pets.
The Calaveras County Fairgrounds at 2465 Gun Club Road, Angels Camp, announced that it will serve as an animal evacuation shelter for folks with larger animals and livestock.
Where is Calaveras County
Any fans of Mark Twain may recognize Calaveras County as the centerpiece of his famous 1865 short story, "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County," which tells the story of a man who would bet on anything, including his own frog.
However, for folks who haven't read the short story, Calaveras County is located about 40 miles southeast of Sacramento and borders the Stanislaus National Forest.
As of the 2020 census, Calaveras County had a population of 46,605.
Noe Padilla is a Northern California Reporter for USA Today. Contact him at npadilla@usatodayco.com, follow him on X @1NoePadilla or on Bluesky @noepadilla.bsky.social. Sign up for the TODAY Californian newsletter or follow us on Facebook at TODAY Californian.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Gann Fire in Calaveras County led to school closures, local emergency
