Updated: 6:39 a.m. June 4

First discovered: 17 hours ago, 1:29 p.m. June 3

Initial location: Fish Springs Road & Griffith Road, Fish Springs, Inyo County, Calif.

Fire unit: Cal Fire San Bernardino Unit

Fire type: Wildfire

Fire name: Fish Fire

Fish Fire initially started 1:29 p.m. June 3 in Inyo County.

Since its discovery 17 hours ago, it has burned two acres. By Wednesday morning, the fire crew succeeded in containing 20% of the fire. However, investigations into the cause are ongoing.

Cal Fire status update

Situation Summary

Forward progress on the Fish Fire has been stopped and firefighters are now working to mop up hot spots.

Recent lightning strikes in the area have sparked additional fires. Any new incidents will be renamed as needed. One such fire is now being tracked under the Baxter Incident.

CAL FIRE is working in unified command with the Inyo County Sheriff’s Department. Dry vegetation, warm temperatures, and light to moderate winds have made conditions challenging, but crews are focused on protecting lives, nearby infrastructure, and strengthening containment lines.

Evacuation information from Cal Fire

Evacuation Orders

Immediate threat to life. This is a lawful order to LEAVE NOW. The area is lawfully closed to public access.

Evacuation Orders have been issued for the followng zones:

ICU-123

Evacuation Warnings

Potential threat to life and/or property. Those who require additional time to evacuate, and those with pets and livestock should leave now.

Evacuation Warnings have been issued for the followng zones:

ICU-117

ICU-125

Evacuation Shelters

Big Pine Town Hall, 150 Dewey Street, Big Pine

Fire containment

What does it mean for a fire to be 20% contained?

Containment indicates what percentage of the fire perimeter has been surrounded by a control line. In this case, it means that 20% of the wildfire is contained from spreading, while 80% is still uncontrolled.

Containment is part of a larger plan for managing a wildfire. It is normally expressed as a percentage and it refers to how much of the fire perimeter has been surrounded/enclosed by a control line that firefighters create. The containment percentage indicates a certain level of control, but it doesn’t always correlate to safety level. Also, it’s important to note that containment doesn’t mean a fire is out.

How is containment measured?

The incident’s central command constantly receives progress reports from firefighters on the ground. As the fireline is constructed, inspected or reinforced, mappers record those details to adjust the containment percentage. The percentage tells the public how much of the fire perimeter is believed to not go beyond the control lines.

Source: Cal Fire