The Electra Fire burning southeast of Jackson in Amador County grew to more than 3,000 acres overnight, Cal Fire officials said Tuesday morning.
The fast-growing forest fire, which broke out Monday near Box Beach, was still at 0% containment, while threatening 450 structures. The fire was measured at more than 900 acres Monday night, and Cal Fire noted the fire was growing “at a dangerous rate.”
Cal Fire said Wednesday there was an ongoing threat to critical energy infrastructure and added that steep, rugged terrain makes it difficult for fire crews to access the Mokelumne River drain.
According to the Amador County Sheriff’s Office, residents of Amador County and the Butte Mountain Road area were under mandatory evacuation. Cal Fire also issued a mandatory evacuation for all residents within a 2-mile radius around Lake Tabeaud.
Starting Tuesday afternoon, Amador County officials expanded the boundaries of the areas under evacuation orders and warnings to cover an area just east of Jackson that extends to an area in the east. west of Pine Grove.
A firefighter extinguishes the flames of the Electra fire on Mokelumne Hill, in Calaveras County, California, on Monday, July 4, 2022.
Ethan Swope / The Chronicle Video made after about 100 people in Amador County fled to a Pacific Gas & Electric Co. facility. in an attempt to escape the fire of Electra. They were trapped there for hours as the fire surrounded them. Video: provided by Bobby Zelmer
About 100 people were safely evacuated from a Pacific Gas and Electric Co. facility. Monday after taking refuge from the rapidly growing fire, according to Amador County Sheriff Gary Redman.
A PG&E spokesman said about 15,000 people were without electricity in the counties of Amador and Calaveras as a result of the fire. The company also has a “number of potentially at-risk assets,” the spokesman said.
The Amador County Sheriff’s Office expanded the limits of evacuation warrants and warnings caused by the Electra Fire increase.
Amador County Sheriff’s Office
A map showing areas of Amador County under mandatory evacuation orders due to the Electra fire.
Amador County Sheriff’s Office
The Amador County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to inquiries about how many people had been evacuated Tuesday morning.
Caltrans said State Road 26 was closed, both eastbound and westbound, from Buckeye Lane to Lower Dorray Road.
A firefighter is fighting the Electra fire in Mokelumne Hill, Calaveras County, California, on Monday, July 4, 2022.
Ethan Swope / La Crònica
One of the first to respond was injured fighting the fire. The cause of the fire continued to be investigated on Tuesday, Cal Fire reported.
Track the size and movement of the fire with The Chronicle’s map and California fire tracker.
Jordan Parker (he / she) is a writer for the San Francisco Chronicle. Email: jordan.parker@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @jparkerwrites.