Dixie Fire resources stop Neal Road Fire at 15 acres
PARADISE >> Thanks in large part to resources staged in Chico for the Dixie Fire, Cal Fire-Butte County firefighters were able to quickly contain an estimated 15acre vegetation fire along Neal Road on Thursday afternoon.
The fire which broke out Thursday afternoon quickly threatened homes along Neal Road, the same area has been hit hard by both the Humboldt fire in 2008 and the campfire in 2018.
“Fortunately with air resources really close by fighting the Dixie Fire, they were able to get with a matter of few minutes,” Cal Fire-Butte County Public Information Officer Rick Carhart said. “And they were able to get retardant around it really soon.”
He said that when engines arrived firefighters saw an advancing fire that had gotten into the canyon and was making its way out “in all different directions” — so crews went right to work.
“For a while there it was all hands on deck,” he said. “There are like three different canyons that converge right here. So this fire had the potential to go in all different directions.”
But with the air power and having hand crews so close, firefighters were able to get it contained before it was able to establish itself in the canyon.
Carhart said four air tankers attacked the fire along with a helicopter, 12 engines, three hand crews, two dozers and four water tenders.
The fire led to evacuation orders and warnings in the area Thursday afternoon before they were lifted a couple hours later.
Just before 5:30 p.m., the Butte County Sheriff’s Office announced all evacuation notices had been lifted and residents were allowed to return to their homes.
Earlier in the afternoon, the Sheriff’s Office issued evacuation orders for McCann
Drive, Royal Meadow Lane and Sunnyside Lane in lower Paradise due to the fire. There were also evacuation warnings for Neal Road south to Little Dry Creek.
Air and ground crews were engaged on the fire during the afternoon and were able to mitigate threats to structures in the area, Cal Fire-Butte County said on Twitter. Forward progress was stopped on the 15-acre fire around 5 p.m., and ground crews remained on the scene into the evening to mop up.