All articles tagged with #evacuation orders
A hazardous lithium-ion battery fire at a Metropolitan Water District facility in La Verne triggered evacuation orders and shelter-in-place directives on Tuesday, September 22. While the initial blaze was contained, authorities maintained restrictions overnight due to concerns about a second adjacent battery unit. No major injuries were reported, and the water supply remained unaffected.
Smoke from the Plaskett and Timber wildfires in Monterey County is drifting inland, potentially degrading air quality across Northern California. Evacuations are in place for affected areas as winds push smoke to higher elevations and east of Highway 49, where residents are advised to keep windows closed while air-quality conditions are monitored.
The Hawk Fire near Reno, Nevada, is 27% contained and has scorched 15,000+ acres, destroying 32 homes and damaging 6 others. About 23,000 residents remain under evacuation orders and 40,000 under evacuation warnings as crews fight difficult conditions. Thousands are without power due to emergency de-energization, with over 100 power poles damaged. The Nevada National Guard has been mobilized to aid firefighting and public safety, drones are restricted to help responders, and a community meeting plus ongoing briefings are planned as officials address reentry and road closures. Six people have been injured (three civilians and three first responders).
Governor Joe Lombardo declared a state of emergency for Washoe County as the Hawk Fire spreads rapidly and evacuation orders expand; state agencies will support local responders through the Nevada Emergency Operations Center to protect homes and lives, with a written declaration to follow and ongoing guidance from local officials.
Reno’s Hawk Fire swelled to about 10,500 acres, triggering expanded evacuations including Somersett and neighborhoods north of West 7th Street to North McCarran Boulevard; Gov. Lombardo declared a state of emergency as hundreds of responders work the incident. Northbound US-395 is closed; the Reno-Sparks Convention Center Hall 4 serves as an evacuation center, and zones were updated from 'get ready' to 'go now' across multiple areas. The fire prompted widespread power outages and a National Weather Service Red Flag Warning, with multiple agencies coordinating response; UNR said its campus is not currently in an evacuation zone.
The Bug Fire near Cold Springs in Washoe County grew to about 17,000 acres and 4% contained, triggering upgraded evacuation orders for Red Rock and surrounding areas and new warnings in adjacent zones; updated maps outline perimeters as wind-driven, hot, dry conditions continue firefighters' efforts, and authorities classify the fire as human-caused per the BLM, with activity expected to continue into the evening.
The Timber Fire near Big Sur has grown to about 800 acres and remains only 5% contained as of Monday morning, prompting immediate evacuation orders for zones MRY-F026 and MRY-F027 (including the Ventana Inn) and evacuation warnings for adjacent zones. Residents in orders should evacuate with belongings and pets, while those in warnings should prepare to leave if required. CAL FIRE notes rapid growth due to steep, rugged terrain and heavy fuels, with significant aerial and ground resources deployed; the fire is southeast of Loma Vista in Los Padres National Forest, and the cause is under investigation. No structures or injuries have been reported, and officials continue to monitor the situation as it develops.
A fast-moving Feliz Fire in Mendocino County grew from about 40 acres to more than 500 acres in under three hours, prompting urgent evacuation orders, closures along Highway 101, an evacuation center in Ukiah, and nighttime firefighting efforts as crews work to slow the blaze; the cause is under investigation.
Thousands of Oregonians remain under Level 1–3 evacuation orders as wildfires burn across the state, led by the Crosswhite Fire (13,883 acres) and the East Evans Road Fire (13,090 acres). The Oregon Wildfires Dashboard shows 133 fires burning statewide, having scorched about 85,917 acres, with multiple counties — including Baker, Union, Crook, Gilliam, Wasco, Jackson, Douglas, Umatilla, and Jefferson — under active evacuation alerts as the Rowe Creek complex grows.
A fast-moving brush fire in Llano, Antelope Valley known as the Summit Fire grew to 2,709 acres with 0% containment, triggering evacuation orders and warnings. At least one structure was damaged or destroyed as about 10 air tankers fought the flames, which pushed toward the Angeles National Forest. Evacuation shelters were opened for residents and pets, and no injuries were reported at this time.
Firefighters battled the Chelan Hills Fire in Douglas County, Washington, as the wildfire expanded to about 9,000 acres. Evacuation orders stayed in effect, while authorities reopened U.S. Highway 97 to traffic during the Fourth of July weekend.
A 34,000-gallon tank of methyl methacrylate at a Garden Grove aerospace plastics facility is in crisis, prompting evacuations across six Orange County cities (Garden Grove, Cypress, Stanton, Anaheim, Buena Park and Westminster). Crews are cooling and monitoring the tank, with a temperature threshold that would trigger a full evacuation. The tank could either leak thousands of gallons or explode; air-quality monitors, drones, and road closures are in place as officials assess when it’s safe to lift the orders.
The Sandy Fire in Simi Valley has grown to 836 acres with 0% containment, threatening structures as evacuation warnings and orders cover surrounding zones. About 550 firefighters are on scene with aircraft dropping retardant and water, and winds have shifted 180 degrees. Evacuation points are set at Rancho Santa Susana Community Park and an animal shelter at the Ventura County Fairgrounds, with the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library closed due to road closures. A smaller fire in the Angeles National Forest triggered an evacuation warning nearby.
Texas officials face criticism for not issuing evacuation orders before deadly flooding in Kerr County, which resulted in at least 59 deaths. Despite multiple flash flood warnings from the National Weather Service, local authorities claimed they did not anticipate such an intense storm, and the absence of a flood warning system along the river was highlighted as a factor. The tragedy has prompted calls for improved weather warning technology and better emergency preparedness.
The Vision Hills fire in Pueblo grew to 107 acres, with 80% containment and lifted evacuation orders, but new pre-evacuation orders were issued as the fire response team remains concerned about air quality and high winds. No structures have been affected, and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.