The elephant fire near Loyalton grew to 6,436 acres and was 5% contained as of Sunday morning. Lassen County issued an evacuation order for Zone LAS-451-A, while warnings stayed in place for nearby zones in Lassen and Plumas counties.
Cal Fire Incidents said the fire burned more than 2,000 acres on Sunday after reaching 2,300 acres and 5% containment Saturday night. A warning had already been issued near Highway 49 and Dotta Lane in Loyalton, and the fire started near Highway 49 northeast of Loyalton, close to the Sierra and Plumas County line.
Zone LAS-451-A
Residents in Lassen County Zone LAS-451-A had to leave under the order, while warnings remained for Lassen County Zone LAS-671-B, Plumas County Zone PLU-114 and Plumas County Zone PLU-104-A. Fire managers said the fire could potentially reach Scott Road, Chilcoot and Highway 395 near Hallelujah Junction, putting more roads and neighborhoods in the path of the spread.
2020 Loyalton Fire scar
The fire is moving through ground that includes part of the 2020 Loyalton Fire scar. That area has already been burned before, but the current fire is still working through grass, brush, timber and standing dead trees, which gives it room to keep moving when conditions align.
Cal Fire Incidents had listed the fire at 4,484 acres with 0% containment earlier in the incident, and the jump to 6,436 acres by Sunday morning shows how fast it was able to expand. Cooler temperatures and increased cloud cover helped moderate fire behavior during the day, but officials still warned of high potential for continued overnight growth.
Nevada Incident Management Team 3 Team 1
Nevada Incident Management Team 3 Team 1 was expected to assume command Monday evening. For residents near Loyalton and the California-Nevada border, the practical move is to follow the order in Zone LAS-451-A and stay ready for warnings in the surrounding Lassen and Plumas zones as the fire pushes toward Scott Road, Chilcoot and Highway 395.
