Gann Fire live updates: Fast-moving blaze threatens 919 homes

Cal Fire working to determine number of destroyed structures 

2 p.m., Aug. 5

On Wednesday, Cal Fire officials requested a damage assessment team to report to the Gann Fire and determine how many structures have been damaged or destroyed, Jahaira Zaragoza, a spokesperson for the agency, told SFGATE. Helicopter footage from KCRA-TV appears to show debris from structures heavily damaged in the fire.

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Some social media posts also show what appears to be the rubble of homes and vehicles destroyed by the blaze. 

It’s unclear when crews will finish their assessment, but Cal Fire officials are expected to provide an update on the fire at 6 p.m., Zaragoza said.

Gann Fire continues to grow at a rapid pace, threatening at least 919 homes

12:15 p.m., Aug. 5

More than 900 homes are threatened as the Gann Fire in Calaveras County continues to spread amid hot and dry weather conditions. The blaze has nearly tripled in size since Tuesday morning.

The fire, which ignited on Monday evening near Hogan Dam Road and Gann Road, just south of New Hogan Lake, is mapped at 9,363 acres as of Wednesday afternoon, according to Cal Fire. The fire is at 10% containment, and evacuation orders are in effect for several nearby communities. (The latest evacuation information can be found on the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office’s website.)

Approximately 919 homes are threatened by the blaze in and around the unincorporated towns of Copperopolis and San Andreas, according to a Wednesday news release from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Some residents have reportedly already lost their homes in the flames, according to multiple GoFundMe pages, including a family of six and a couple who also lost some of their animals. 

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Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office secured funding on Tuesday from FEMA to help suppress the fast-moving fire. According to Cal Fire’s latest update, approximately 1,623 personnel are on the scene.

Footage from Alert California’s live cameras show thick, dark smoke lingering over the area, prompting air quality concerns in the county, including in the Calaveras Unified School District. The district canceled school on Wednesday because of the smoky skies and “changing wind patterns.” 

Cal Fire said additional smoke will likely continue to be visible on Wednesday as firefighters remove unburned fuels in a planned operation designed to help contain the fire.