July 4 (UPI) — Fire officials said Thursday they have made substantial progress in stopping the forward progress of the massive Thompson Fire in northern California and held out hope evacuees could soon return to their homes.
Crews deployed air tankers and Type-1 helicopters overnight against the leading northern edge of the fire, located just northeast of Oroville, Calif., and were successful in halting its progress, Cal Fire Operations Section Chief Cody Bogan said in an afternoon update.
The Thompson Fire had burned 3,747 acres and was listed as 7% contained as of 12 p.m. PT on the July 4 holiday as California sweltered through a prolonged heat wave that produced a high of 109 degrees in Oroville on Thursday.
Bogan said Cal Fire crews, along with Butte County, Calif., personnel, worked through the night into Thursday to break up the northern line of the fire and had made significant progress in stopping its southerly spread toward the city of Oroville and the vital Oroville Dam, which supplies electric power to much of the state’s Sierra Nevada Mountains foothills region.
The Pacific Gas & Electric utility powered down the dam and evacuated the area as the fire approached the Feather River, but the power flow from the dam had been restored by Thursday, Bogan said.
However, the news for 28,000 people evacuated from the area was mixed. While expressing confidence the blaze was coming under containment despite the extreme heat and low humidity, Bogan said a wind shift which potentially cause flare-ups made it necessary to put off any immediate plans to lift the evacuation orders.
“It’s one of our highest priorities to get people back in their homes,: he said. “It’s obviously very concerning to us and for the public, who want to get back into their homes and enjoy the holiday as best they can.”
He predicted that within “two to three days” the Thompson Fire would be under control and that evacuees would soon be allowed to return.