Flames rage Wednesday from a fire along the New River bottom west of Seeley. IMPERIAL COUNTY FIRE PHOTO
Flames rage Wednesday from a fire along the New River bottom west of Seeley. IMPERIAL COUNTY FIRE PHOTO
SEELEY—An “intense” fire reportedly started by an illegal burn west of here Wednesday scorched more than 300 acres and spread into the town causing the evacuation of up to 100 residences, authorities reported.
Whipped by winds up to 30 miles per hour, the fire multi-alarm fire spread from the New River bottom east toward Seeley and beyond perimeters initially established by firefighters, though catastrophe was averted, county Fire Chief Alfredo Estrada Jr. said.
“It got really intense with the evacuations and the fire encroaching (on residences),” he explained. “The embers started travelling a quarter- to a half-mile in the smoke. Embers were downcast on roofs of homes and we had a couple of back yards catch fire, but no houses.”
The hard work of firefighters to fight the main blaze and douse lawns and roofs, as well as winds calming down early Thursday morning after midnight, combined to help avoid significant property damage and harm to residents, Estrada said.
The fire was 70 percent contained by about 2 a.m. As of Thursday morning, about 330 acres had burned and firefighters remained on scene vigilant for hot spots that could reignite the blaze, and would stay until that danger passed, he added.
One Imperial County Fire firefighter was injured badly enough to be taken by ambulance to El Centro Regional Medical Center where he was treated and released, Estrada said.
The fire was first reported at 12:43 p.m., county Sheriff’s Office dispatcher’s logs state.
“Large field on fire close to residence. Bushes on fire behind a residence,” the logs state.
Shortly thereafter, a massive column of thick black smoke could be seen rising west of El Centro.
The blaze started about a quarter mile west of the unincorporated town of about 2,000 in the area of a residence in the 2000 block of West Evan Hewes Highway, Estrada said. He said the exact point of origin and cause remained under investigation Thursday, though he said it is still thought to have started with an illegal fire of some sort.
The county Air Pollution Control District is the agency that would issue any citation related to the fire, Estrada said. Gilbert Rebollar, county public information officer, did not immediately reply to an inquiry Thursday if that had happened.
The blaze started behind a residence and spread on to the adjacent brush that led it out to the New River bottom where legions of dried vegetation gave it ample fuel to spread. The fire burned north and south in the river bottom and also torched eight farm fields and several haystacks.
While firefighters initially were able to keep the fire away from homes outside Seeley and the town itself, when winds whipped up the embers expanded its threat.
The county announced about 10 p.m. evacuations had been ordered. But Estrada said even that effort was thwarted. Additionally, 78 customers temporarily lost electric power.
“The evacuation location is Seeley school. When we made the call to evacuate that site was totally engulfed in smoke, so we looked for an alternative site,” he said.
The evacuees were then sent to Sunbeam Lake RV Park, south of town, and later to Wilson Junior High School in El Centro, Estrada said. They were transported by private vehicle and the American Red Cross, Rebollar said, and allowed to return home about 2:30 .am.
County Executive Officer Miguel Figueroa sent county officials, including Rebollar and Deputy CEO Esperanza Colio-Warren, out to the scene to assist with the evacuation and to distribute face coverings to filter smoke and prevent the potential spread from anyone with the COVID-19 virus, officials added. The Red Cross provided meals and drinks.
The firefighter was injured by scalding water that sprayed out of a valve on a fire truck, Estrada said. He suffered first- and second-degree burns to his legs and torso and will likely miss a few weeks of work. The water in the truck is heated from being contained in hot weather and being under pressure.
Firefighters also had to contend with the ever-present threat of heat ailments as temperatures Wednesday exceeded 110 degrees.
Besides multiple fire agencies, including a strike team from San Diego County, the Sheriff’s Office helped with traffic and crowd control.
Staff Writer Gary Redfern can be reached at gredfern@ivpressonline.com or (760) 337-3415.
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