Overview
- What happened: a previously controlled wildfire in Chute Ravine near Dobbins flared up overnight and returned to active burning, triggering evacuation orders for parts of Yuba County including areas south of Bullards Bar Reservoir.
- Scale of the response: Cal Fire has more than 300 personnel on the ground and at least four aircraft assigned to the incident as crews work to limit the fire’s footprint.
- Current fire status: officials report roughly 20 acres burned with containment near 20 percent and warn that containment of the perimeter does not mean the fire is extinguished.
- Tactics and investigation: crews are conducting 100 percent mop-up with ground teams searching for hotspots and using drones with infrared to map heat, while investigators work to determine the cause of the reignition.
- Why it matters: the steep, rocky bowl-like Yuba River drainage creates erratic wind eddies that can quickly change fire behavior, which raises the risk of renewed spread, further evacuations, and additional resource demands for neighbors and responders.