The Creek Fire has now damaged a total of 271,938 acres and is at 25% containment.
With 92% of the damage assessment complete, 842 structures have been destroyed, 71 structures are damaged and more than 8,000 are threatened. The Creek Fire is now the 10th largest wildfire in California.
Fresno County officials said the fire has now caused damage to the Shaver Lake Sewer Treatment Facility as of Sept. 19.
The county reports that the damage caused by the fire may delay repopulation efforts for approximately 1,400 customers who are served by the system.
They also advised customers to refrain from flushing toilets, using showers or anything that allows the flow of water into the sewer system until operation can be restored.
The U.S. Forest Service’s (USFS) Creek Fire Incident Update reported that the fire continues to move towards the northeast, putting the community of Mammoth Lake at risk.
Tonight’s briefing solely focused on the town of Mammoth Lakes and the surrounding areas. The USFS stated briefings regarding the entire fire will return tomorrow evening Sept. 20.
The incident update also stated that damage assessments are approximately 90% completed. Team efforts are ongoing as work is being done to not only complete assessments but also clear debris from roads and restore utilities in hopes of repopulation.
The USFS asked that residents drive carefully and cautiously due to various driving hazards created by the Creek Fire.
Fresno County announced through a news release on Sept. 19 that they are opening a Local Assistance Center (LAC) at the Clovis Veteran’s Memorial District for those impacted by the fire.
The LAC is set to open this Monday, Sept. 21, to support residents through their recovery process.
As containment continues to rise, evacuation orders and warnings begin to dwindle in both the southern and northern zones.
In the southern zone, more evacuation warnings were lifted by Fresno County around Humphrey’s Station and Meadow Lakes. New repopulation efforts can be found here. And in the northern zone, Madera County has said a number of evacuation orders have been reduced to warnings. These areas can be found here.