Update: Dozens sheltering inside PG&E powerhouse safely evacuated; Electra Fire over 3,000 acres
JACKSON (CBS13) — After being stranded in a PG&E powerplant for hours, roughly 100 people were evacuated to safety from the Electra Fire late Monday. 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.
Crews continue to battle the Electra Fire Tuesday morning. The wildfire has burned 3,034 acres since starting Monday afternoon according to Cal Fire and is at 0% containment as it moves toward Calaveras County.
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.
Evacuation orders were issued earlier Monday afternoon as fire crews battle two fast-moving vegetation fires in the Sierra foothills.
The Electra Fire is burning in the Electra Road area near Jackson, which is located roughly 50 miles southeast of Sacramento. Fire officials say the blaze is burning at a dangerous rate and spreading in dry grass along the Amador and Calaveras county boarder.
As of shortly after 7 p.m., Cal Fire said the Electra Fire had consumed 959 acres. The fire threatens more than 100 buildings.
According to officials, Cal Fire has issued a mandatory evacuation order for all residents in the area of Butte Mountain Road. That includes the area south of Butte Mountain Road from Clinton Bar Road to Amador Lane in Amador County and north of Hwy 26 from Montgomery Drive to Lower Dorray Road in Calaveras County. The Calaveras County evacuation map is available online here.
Additionally, an evacuation warning has been issued for all residents in a two-mile radius around Lake Tabeau.
A location for human sheltering has been set up at the Italian Picnic Grounds, on Highway 49 in Sutter Creek. The American Red Cross is responding.
PG&E confirmed at around 9:15 p.m. Monday evening that there was an outage in Amador County near the fire affecting over 13,000 customers.
"PG&E has deenergized several distribution lines for firefighter safety in the area at the request of Cal Fire crews battling the Electra fire," a tweet said..
Meanwhile, another vegetation fire, dubbed the Jandar Fire, is burning near Bangor, which is about 70 miles north of Sacramento. Fire officials say the flames are moving at a "rapid to dangerous rate."
The Butte County Sheriff's Office issued an evacuation order for Bangor Zone 920. Additionally, Bangor Zone 837 and Bangor Zone 919 are under evacuation warnings.
