UPDATE: Lightning Storm Causing Vegetation Fires And Power Outages
Update – An updated story published on Monday (8-14-23) can be found by clicking here.
Update at 8:10.: In addition to some vegetation fires the lighting has turned off the lights for 3,515 customers in the Calaveras area and 1,309 customers in Tuolumne County. The PG&E estimated time of restoration is 3:00 am.
Update at 8:00 p.m.: Firefighters are additionally responding to a vegetation fire in the nearby N.Bald Mountain Road & Ridgemont Drive in Columbia. This has been named the 5-2 Fire.
Original post at 7:38 p.m.:Sonora, CA– Firefighters have responded to a vegetation fire near Northridge Road and Old Oak Ranch Road in Big Hill. It has been named the 5-1 fire. The fire is located in an area with steep terrain causing firefighters to hike to the incident. It is approximately 1/2 acre in size with 3 engines and 1 crew assigned to the fire. No official cause has been given but a thunderstorm has moved into the area with many in the Motherlode seeing lightning strikes.
Responding crews have indicated that the personnel assigned should be enough to contain the fire and no structures are threatened.
