Well, two of the biggest fires have combined into one!
Here’s the scoop…
7/11/08 | 876 views | 
Fires burning near Foresthill become one
By Jenna Nielsen, Journal Staff Writer
Ben Furtado/Auburn Journal
Heavy fuels burn at the Westville Fire near Foresthill Tuesday, which has now burned together with the Government Springs Fire.
Two fires burning near Foresthill have jumped the American River to become one.
The blaze has grown to char more than 18,000 in the American River canyons roughly 13 miles east of Foresthill.
The Government Springs Fire burning on the Interstate 80 side, and the Westville fire, which has been burning on the Foresthill side, jumped the river late this week to combine and gain roughly 2,000 acres on the east end.
“With heat on both sides, it makes it easier to burn,” said Marian Swinney, spokeswoman for the U.S. Forest Service.
Officials are continuing to refer to the blaze as the American River Complex, and no longer as two individual fires.
An unexpected shift in winds late Tuesday night pushed the fires over a slope into the North Fork American River drainage, heightening its danger.
If not suppressed, the blaze could soon threaten homes and structures in the Blue Canyon commu-nity.
Swinney said Friday that the fire remains controlled from the northwest side of the canyon.
“It is catching spots, but crews are getting them out,” she said. “Today they are working on getting the line built up on the other side (of the fire) to tie a dozer line to Humbug Ridge.”
The two blazes started three weeks ago when lightning strikes sparked hundreds of fires in North-ern California.
Aerial support remained aggressive on the fire throughout the week with retardant and water drops.
More than 900 firefighters are on scene and resources include 18 crews, eight helicopters, 44 en-gines, 10 dozers and 14 water tenders. Crews from Cal Fire, the U.S. Forest Service and personnel from across the nation are helping battle the blaze.
Foresthill Road is now closed at Sugar Pine Reservoir, east of Foresthill, with bucket-equipped helicopters dipping for water there and boaters not allowed on the lake.
Texas Hill Road north of the American River and south of Emigrant Gap also remained closed Wednesday afternoon as a result of the fires.
The fire was estimated 20 percent contained Friday afternoon.
The Journal’s Jenna Nielsen can be reached at jennan@goldcountrymedia.com.
