Searing heat amps wildfire dangers

The Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit of Cal Fire is suspending all burning permits starting Wednesday in both counties because of severe heat, which helped spur several vegetation fires over the past weekend.

The suspension rescinds all previously approved burn permits, according to Cal Fire. Property owners are now prohibited from burning debris on their property unless they can prove that the project must be completed for health or safety reasons.

Permits will again be valid when the ban is lifted, which could be as late as October or November.

“Due to high temperatures and low humidity, forest fuels are quickly approaching a critical point,” Cal Fire Chief Mike Noonan said. “Experience has shown that suspending debris burns is an effective way of preventing wildfire escapes, especially as California enters a period of hotter and drier weather.”   

The Mother Lode office of the Bureau of Land Management is also implementing fire restrictions starting Wednesday. 

The restrictions prohibit all open fires on BLM land  in the Mother Lode, including Calaveras and Tuolumne counties, because of extremely dry conditions, said Gerald Martinez, BLM fire management officer.

“With the recent high temperatures, fuels are extremely high,” he said.

Several vegetation fires, including a fire on Sunday that scorched 410 acres of grassland in Milton, ignited over the weekend, which brought record-high temperatures to the foothills.

The Rock Creek Fire in Milton broke out around 3 p.m. and was extinguished by more than a dozen fire agencies about 9 p.m., said Lisa Williams, Cal Fire spokeswoman.

Included in the fire fight were two helicopters from Columbia Air Attack Base.

The fire’s cause was not immediately known. No injuries or structural damage were reported.

Grass fires that ranged from a quarter-acre to four acres also broke out over the weekend in Jamestown, Twain Harte, Groveland, Fricot City and the New Melones area.

On Monday, Sonora clocked a high temperature of 104, while Angels Camp had a high of 100.

Temperatures today are expected to reach 98 in Sonora. Daytime highs are expected to stay in the high 90s between Wednesday and Friday. Saturday’s forecast high is 94.