California Saddle Fire at Five Percent Containment

The Saddle Fire, which is burning in far western Trinity County, grew Friday to 1,020 acres, fire officials say.

Sparked by lightning Tuesday, the blaze roared across 750 acres in one day north of the community of Hyampom, which is on alert to be ready to evacuate, said Corey Wilford, U.S. Forest Service public information officer for the Northern California Team Two, which is coordinating firefighting efforts.

The fire was 5 percent contained Friday night, he said.

Those living along part of South Fork Road north of Hyampom remain under a mandatory evacuation, he said.

Firefighters Friday conducted a backfire operation, lighting fires to deprive the blaze of fuel, on the northern edge, Wilford said. It was mostly successful, though he said

the fire did spread across 15 to 20 acres northward in one spot.

The drought-zapped fuels have helped the blaze spread, though some of the bushes still have enough moisture to slow the flames, Wilford said.

“It’s not running through that brush. It’s slowly chewing through it,” he said. “We’re seeing a lot of … creeping fires, especially along the southern and southeastern edges.”

No injuries or damaged structures have been reported, he said. However, because it’s burning in part of a previous fire’s scar, firefighters have to do most of their work in the daytime.

“They can’t see a lot of the dangers at night,” Wilford said.

He said firefighters haven’t established an estimated date of full containment.

They do, however, hope to restore power to Hyampom, which went dark when the fire began because power lines run close to the blaze.

The evacuation center remains open at Hayfork High School, Wilford said. About 100 people have been evacuated, officials have said.