Mandatory evacuations expanded in Amador County for Electra Fire
AMADOR COUNTY -- Mandatory evacuation and evacuation warning zones in Amador County were expanded Tuesday afternoon due to the Electra Fire, the Amador County Sheriff's Office said.
According to Sacramento affiliate CBS 13, residents are being told to refer to a map posted to the Amadore County Sheriff's Facebook page. People can also enter their address in this website to see if it falls inside the order or warning zones.
In Calaveras County, evacuation warnings due to the encroaching are now being issued for the following zones: 353, 354, 342, 343, 328, 329, and 330. A map of the area affected can be found here.
Road closures are also in effect throughout the area. The following intersections are closed: Highway 88 at Tabeau Road, Highway 88 at Mount Zion Road, Clinton Road at Butte Mountain Road, Clinton Road at Amador Lane, Clinton Road at West Clinton Road
Crews continue to battle the Electra Fire Tuesday. According to some reports Tuesday evening, the wildfire has burned over 3,900 acres since starting Monday afternoon and is 5% containment as it moves toward Calaveras County.
Firefighters said in their morning situation update that there continues to be a threat to critical power infrastructure in the area. The rugged terrain of the area also continues to complicate the fire fight.
PG&E says about 15,000 customers are still without power in parts of Amador and Calaveras counties as of Tuesday morning. Crews preemptively de-energized several distribution lines at the request of Cal Fire.
The utility company also says they have a number of assets possibly at-risk due to the Electra Fire.
Late Monday, a group of roughly 100 people were evacuated to safety from the Electra Fire after being stranded in a PG&E powerplant for hours, authorities confirmed.
Sacramento affiliate CBS 13 reported the last group was able to leave the powerhouse by around 10:45 p.m. They were stranded there as the fast-moving wildfire burned in the Sierra foothills along the Amador and Calaveras county line southeast of Jackson.
The Amador County Sheriff's Office says the Electra Fire started near Vox Beach. A deputy evacuated about 100 people at the beach into a nearby powerhouse along the North Fork Mokelumne River, according to authorities.
A man inside the powerhouse with his family told CBS 13 that fire officials are waiting for the fire to pass before allowing the people to drive out on the road along the river, which is currently blocked by fire equipment.
The man said his family was enjoying the Fourth of July holiday on the beach when what they thought was a bonfire "took off" and fire crews quickly evacuated the area.