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 6, 2001 TIME: 1200 hours

San Andreas -The Darby Fire, which started ½ mile east of the Stanislaus powerhouse 100' from the river's edge, has now consumed approximately 1000 acres and is 10% contained. The fire 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.

The fire has destroyed a portion of the flume that provides water to the City of Angels, Six-Mile Village, Carson Hill, Vallecito, Douglas Flat, and Murphys. It is estimated that the City and other communities have only a 2 - 3 day water supply in storage. Extreme conservation measures are being imposed to conserve the water supply for essential domestic use only. These measures are necessary to extend the life of the water supply. Residents are to limit all water use to a minimum, i.e. no landscape watering, no irrigation usage, limited showering, and limited flushing of toilets.

It is expected that the permanent reconstruction will take 90 to 120 days due to the inaccessibility of the location. A committee of various agencies has been formed to put together a short term and long-range plan for providing water to these communities. This committee is still exploring alternative measures to provide continuous water service to the areas.

The Sheriff's Department is now issuing mandatory evacuations in the Sunrise Point and Canyon View Subdivisions up to and including the south side of Highway 4 through Avery. Approximately 135 homes were previously evacuated in the Indian Hills Subdivision and the Forest Meadows Subdivision on Sandalwood, Vine Maple Drive, Oak Wood Drive, Laurel Ridge Court, Laura Lane, Laurel Court, and Heather Drive. People who live in the immediate surrounding area should be prepared to evacuate.

Calaveras Works and Human Services opened an evacuation center at the Albert Michelson Elementary School off Highway 4 on Pennsylvania Gulch Road in Murphys. The American Red Cross will be staffing this facility and the Salvation Army will be preparing and providing meals. If you are trying to find friends or relatives at the center, call the school's main line at 728-3441 or the local Red Cross at 533-1513.

If you need assistance with animal transport, call Animal Control at 754-6509. For information regarding the road restrictions, call the CHP San Andreas Office from 8:00 AM until 5:00 PM at 754-3541 and at their Stockton Dispatch center after 5:00 PM at 943-8600.

The Calaveras County Multi-Agency Coordinating Group has convened and meets three times daily to coordinate the efforts of the many agencies involved in all aspects of this incident.

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.