Wildfire Near Downieville Quickly Contained

CAMP YUBA — On March 20, 2024, at approximately 4:55 p.m., the Sheriff’s Office received reports of a wildland fire in the meadow near Camp Yuba, located north of Downieville along Highway 49. The Downieville Fire Dispatch promptly dispatched fire personnel, leading to the immediate response of engines from Downieville and Sierra City Fire departments, accompanied by Sheriff Deputies. Additionally, the US Forest Service was contacted and dispatched several fire engines to assist in containment efforts.

Upon arrival, the fire was estimated to cover around 2 acres, exhibiting moderate spread away from nearby structures. Though primarily a ground fire, it did engulf a few large trees and a power pole, consequently disrupting phone service in the Sierra City, Green Acres, and Bassetts areas. AT&T has been notified, and crews are investigating the outage now. There is no estimated time for phone service repair. The initial investigation, conducted by the Sierra County Sheriff’s Office, revealed that a local resident had disposed of wood stove ashes around a tree, causing the fire.

Fire crews quickly established a hose line around the perimeter of the fire, containing it to approximately three acres.

Big shout out to our local fire departments and the US Forest Service for quickly getting the fire under control.