Evacuation orders have been issued as California fire crews try to control a blaze that broke out late Monday in Calaveras County and has since rapidly grown to reach 3,000 acres with 0% containment, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
The Gann Fire was reported to Cal Fire crews on Aug. 3 at about 5:30 p.m. when a vegetation fire started at Hogan Dam Road and Gann Road, 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 at 30 acres, but due to the dry grass and brushes 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 as the blaze dropped to a moderate rate of spread and 0% containment.
As of 9 a.m., the blaze had reached 3,000 acres and Cal Fire has assigned over 250 personnel, four helicopters, 50 fire engines, 16 bulldozers, eight water tenders, and 16 crews to fight the Gann Fire.
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.
Gann Fire happens as Newsom sends aid to help with Spokane wildfires
California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on Aug. 4, that the state would be sending 20 Cal Fire engines and four support crews to assist with firefighting efforts in Oregon and Washington.
Notably, more than 65,000 residents have been displaced across the Pacific Northwest, as major wildfires have destroyed hundreds of structures and burned more than 250,000 acres in Washington and parts of neighboring Oregon.
Three wildfires began in the Spokane, Washington, area, on Aug. 1, and have burned more than 10,000 acres and remained 0% contained as of the latest update.
About 65,000 people were under evacuation orders Monday, a dramatic increase from the day before as flames spread through residential areas. Hundreds of structures, including homes and businesses, have been destroyed, according to the California Interagency Incident Management Team 7.
USA TODAY reporter Janet Loehrke contributed to this article.
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 reaches 3,000 acres, evacuations ordered
