River Fire Expands To 2,400 Acres, Still 0% Contained, Prompting Action From Governor Newsom
SACRAMENTO (CBS SF) -- The River Fire in Placer and Nevada counties grew to over 2,400 acres overnight Thursday, prompting Gov. Gavin Newsom to secure federal funding to help battle the blaze.
Igniting Wednesday at around 2 p.m. above Applegate, the fire destroyed between 35-40 structures over the day. It threatened 4,000 structures in total, half of them in Colfax, where the population is only about 2,000. The fire prompted evacuations there and other areas.
Driving the fire's spread are high winds and dry conditions. According to Cal Fire, fire crews had contained 0% of the blaze as of Thursday morning.
Newsom's office sent a release Thursday stating that it had secured a a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) "to help ensure the availability of vital resources to suppress the River Fire burning in Nevada and Placer counties."
READ MORE: River Fire Erupts in Nevada and Placer Counties; Thousands Evacuated
"The FMAG, which is provided through the President's Disaster Relief Fund on a cost-share basis, will enable local, state and tribal agencies responding to the fire to apply for 75% reimbursement of their eligible fire suppression costs," the statement said. "The program, which is administered through the Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), provides rapid financial assistance to communities impacted by fires."
On social media, residents near the fire expressed concerns over its speed and the need to prepare for evacuations.
This story will be updated.
