CDF NEWS RELEASE
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection

TUOLUMNE-CALAVERAS UNIT

CONTACT: Sharon Torrence, CDF Information Officer Mary Pitto, County Public Information Officer (209) 754-2739 and (209) 754-6303

RELEASE DATE: Sept 5, 2001 TIME: 2045 hours

  
San Andreas - The Darby Fire, which consumed approximately 350 acres, was first reported at 4:43 PM today, and is burning, two miles southwest of the Community of Hathaway Pines in Calaveras County in the Stanislaus River Canyon. The cause of the fire is under investigation. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF) and local government fire agencies are fighting the fire. Twenty five engines from Office of Emergency Services have been committed to structure protection.

The Sheriff's Department have evacuated at least 20 homes on the south side of Highway 4 at Sunrise Point to Darby Red Apple. Forest Meadows is not being evacuated at this time. Calaveras Works and Human Services has opened an evacuation center at the Albert Michelson Elementary School off Highway 4 on Pennsylvania Gulch Road in Murphys. People who live in the immediate surrounding area should be prepared to evacuate.

Calaveras County Office of Emergency Services and CDF will continue to monitor the situation and provide updated information, as it becomes available. Local residents are encouraged to monitor their local news sources for any change in conditions. A CDF Fire Information Center is open and can be called at 754-2739, 754-4692, and 754-5773.
Other information may be found at the CDF Website at www.fire.ca.gov and the County's Website at www.co.calaveras.ca.us.