Firefighters Call Rocky Fire Conditions Unpredictable As Flames Cross Highway 20
LAKE COUNTY (CBS13) — Firefighters are calling a fire burning north of Sacramento unpredictable and almost unprecedented.
The Rocky Fire burning in Lake, Colusa and Yolo counties has grown to 62,000 acres and is 12 percent contained.
The fire made a run to the north on Monday, hopping across Highway 20, something firefighters were trying to prevent.
Surrounded by smoke, evacuees waited out the fire at a moose lodge off of Highway 20.
One woman watching helplessly from her folding chair started to cry when she said she's almost sure her home would be lost.
"I've lived here 13 years and I've loved it, but I don't think I can go through this again," she said.
"Unfortunately today it made some significant runs," said Capt. Steve Kaufman.
Four years of drought, erratic winds and low humidity have made the fire behave in ways firefighters have never seen.
"I've been a firefighter almost 20 years; I've heard 30-year 40-year firefighters say this is the most extreme fire behavior they've seen in their careers," he said.
The fire grew 22,000 acres in five hours on Saturday night, something it usually takes seven days to do.
An emotional Connie Johnson isn't worried so much for her home.
"My mom and dad's house," she said. "They've been there 40 years and that would be sad to lose they weren't able to get a lot of the stuff out. That would be sad."
The fire could potentially press farther west and threaten the town of Clear Lake, home to 15,000 people.
"We've got bags packed by the door leashes and dog food ready for the animals so if we've gotta go we'll be gone," said Matt Reiman.