Western Railroad Discussion > Feather River Canyon Fire nr Pulga

Media and Radio reports of a new fire in the Feather River Canyon ( UPrr Canyon Sub.) area along hiway 70 in northern California. UPrr responding with water cars assigned to fire duty. track being taken out of service to allow Fire train to respond. MP 225-255, James siding area. there is a radio feed from the http://railroadradio.net/  website.  James Siding is not in the Canyon per se but is the transition between the Sacramento valley and the canyon.

Much of the Sacramento/ Napa/ Central Valley has been on Red Flag Warning the past few days due to lack of rain and strong winds.

PULGA, Calif. — Update as of 8:30 a.m.:

https://krcrtv.com/news/butte-county/fire-spreading-in-butte-countys-feather-river-canyon

+ updates and corrections



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 11/08/18 10:54 by TCnR.

The fire is quite a ways above James, in the Big Bar area of Pulga near Mill Creek/Jarbo Gap.

Yep, multi-tasking. Apparently started in the canyon at Pulga.

From the Redding TV website:Evacuations have been ordered for the Town of Pulga as firefighters say the Camp Fire is spreading quickly.The fire was first reported around 6:30 a.m. and was first reported in the Camp Creek Road area near Highway 70 in the Feather River Canyon.The CHP and Caltrans is working to close Highway 70 to eastbound traffic at Pentz Road and to westbound traffic at the Greenville Wye.

A lot of smoke over Chico.  https://www.sfchronicle.com/california-wildfires/article/Evacuations-ordered-across-Butte-County-as-Camp-13374840.php#photo-16471141

stevelv Wrote:
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> A lot of smoke over
> Chico.

Chico? CSU Chico?

Some of it could be from the wildfire....

Known as the " Camp Fire " , now at 70,000 acres, Many evacuations per The Cal Fire website 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/09/18 09:44 by miralomarail.

Does anyone know if there will be Re-routes over Donner? Or will the tracks be open soon?

Thanks.

Posted from iPhone

The fire appears to have moved away from the Canyon itself, it is very active in the town of Paradise and approaching the general Chico area. Radio traffic seems to have the FRC closed right now, that means the BNSF Gateway will not see traffic either.

No info on detours or traffic.

Doodle Wrote:
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> Does anyone know if there will be Re-routes over
> Donner? Or will the tracks be open soon?
>
> Thanks.
>
> Posted from iPhone

Hard to believe that the fire supposedly started at Pulga down in the Feather River Canyon and is now burning in Paradise. 
Would of needed to go up and down several ridges.

Regards, Jim Evans

Feather River Hospital closed..possible destroyed.

This is really bad. The media is saying the town of Paradise was hit really bad, multiple deaths, on the order of 1000 buildings burned.

One of the Bay Area stations had a retired Fire Chief describing the fire's rate of growth as 70 football fields a minute.

Heard a radio discussion that they have a grain train that left Portola and may hold at Keddie, or may continue through the fire area. The UPrr has personnel in the area monitoring the fire activity. UPrr is operating a 'fire train' of water tank cars and pumps/nozzles.

Doodle Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Does anyone know if there will be Re-routes over
> Donner? Or will the tracks be open soon?
>
> Thanks.
>
> Posted from iPhone

Yes, burned down, along with the town of Paradise.

mundo Wrote:
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> Feather River Hospital closed..possible destroyed.

mundo Wrote:
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> Feather River Hospital closed..possible destroyed.

https://www.adventisthealth.org/feather-river/pages/campfireupdate.aspx

Map as of 6 am pst

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=1tUu4Akv9m_xLE41yB5IWMPaE6BIBAMF4&hl=en_US&ll=39.73328285559699%2C-121.6295188583008&z=11



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/09/18 08:29 by bmarti7.

FiveChime Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------
> Hard rto believe that the fire supposedly started
> at Pulga down in the Feather River Canyon and is
> now burning in Paradise. 
> Would of needed to go up and down several ridges.
>
> Regards, Jim Evans

Hwy 70 from Parkhill (east of James)  to Pulga (and beyond) can be an exceptionally windy place during certain weather conditions.

From James along HWY 70 you climb up to  Yankee Hill (summit) and then decend into the Feather River Canyon. There can be a slight breeze on the west side of the summit and then you head downgrade towards Pulga and are greeted by 40mph winds. The Truckee River Canyon east of Boca Ca can have similiar winds.

Certain parts of the area between ParkHill and Pulga have burned at least 3 times in the past 20 years (that I can recall) so I'm not surprised.

The forests in California are just waiting to go up in flames. Too much fuel from bad forest management in the past 20+ years. . 
  



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/09/18 09:36 by donner_dude1.

TCnR Wrote:
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> This is really bad. The media is saying the town
> of Paradise was hit really bad, multiple deaths,
> on the order of 1000 buildings burned.
>
> One of the Bay Area stations had a retired Fire
> Chief describing the fire's rate of growth as 70
> football fields a minute.

Thankfully, I have not seen any report of multiple deaths (multiple injuries-yes), and I pray that there are not any going forward.  The entire town of Paradise has been destroyed.

Unfortunately, after watching the noon news, I stand corrected on my above post.  Five deaths so far.  Let's hope there are no more.

LarryB Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> TCnR Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > This is really bad. The media is saying the
> town
> > of Paradise was hit really bad, multiple
> deaths,
> > on the order of 1000 buildings burned.
> >
> > One of the Bay Area stations had a retired Fire
> > Chief describing the fire's rate of growth as
> 70
> > football fields a minute.
>
> Thankfully, I have not seen any report of multiple
> deaths (multiple injuries-yes), and I pray that
> there are not any going forward.  The entire town
> of Paradise has been destroyed.

Five persons now confirmed in Paradise found burned to death in their autos.

One report had embers being blown hundreds of feet. They landed and started new fires.

Hard to maintain fire breaks.

Posted from Android

Just released news: Initial Fire radio transmissions indicate that PG&E power lines in the area of the Poe Dam in the FR Canyon may have sparked the blaze.

TJY