Firefighters beat back big blaze

By Bruce Schuknecht, Journal Staff WriterCOLFAX ? An army of firefighters gained ground against the three-day-old Ponderosa fire that by Monday afternoon charred 2,450-acres of brush east of here in the American River Canyon.By early light Monday, 2,100 personnel and tons of equipment had half-contained the wildland blaze, and fire managers predicted fully subduing the stubborn wildfire today. Thus far, crews struggling in rugged, rocky and steep terrain prevented property loss and halted flames that nearly crested parts of the canyon and threatened a few homes east of this foothill community, fire managers said Monday.Just south of Colfax, homeowners off Iowa Hill Road watched a smoke-filled sky above the blaze?s western flank. Crews from regional fire stations, which manned a five-engine strike team using state Office of Emergency Services engines, parked nearby to guard homes.Colfax resident Pat Warren rose at dawn Monday, after a night of worry about the blaze that had marched within a half-mile, east of her neighborhood.?You could see the fire on the ridge last night. I thought we were going to get the evacuation order,? she said. ?You could see the smoke building above the hill.?Still, Warren said she wasn?t terribly frightened, as she gestured at two lime-colored engines parked just across the street. Two more engine crews were also stationed farther down Iowa Hill Road. Additionally, a water tanker stood by in case engines needed a quick refill for any sudden fight to protect homes.Sunday, authorities urged voluntary evacuations of dozens of homes in various neighborhoods, including those around Weimar Crossroad and Yankee Hill Road, where the blaze started Friday afternoon, said California Highway Patrol Officer Bill Weldon. He manned a roadblock at Iowa Hill and Grand View roads, halting several people who had tried to reenter neighborhoods after Sunday?s precautionary evacuation.?The fire almost burned down to the Iowa Hill road,? within a 100 yards, he said. ?The airtankers have been hitting it hard.?Now and then motorists idled up narrow twisting roads in this area evacuated Sunday. They towed boats and trailers, seemingly destined to some safer area. Additionally, numerous Placer County Sheriff?s green-and-white squad cars cruised up and down these rural roads, watching for any trouble.Warren said deputies were stopping motorists within evacuation areas, checking identification. Authorities said no burglaries were reported in the fire area, no one apparently trying to take advantage of vacant homes.Awaiting west of the fireline, a three-man crew contracted from Butte County for delivering water to fire engines said numerous airtankers sorties drowned the flames in tough terrain inaccessible for ground crews. The water crew believed fire managers relied heavily on a fleet of air tankers and choppers to steer the flames back down into the canyon.Placer County spokeswoman Anita Yoder could not predict when the estimated 250-300 voluntary evacuees might be able to return to their homes. But help for finding emergency accommodations was offered at the evacuation center, Sierra Vista Community Center in Colfax, she said.?It depends on what happens with the fire,? she said. ?A lot of people preferred finding help from families and friends.? She said only about three people, who fled the approaching flames on Sunday, stayed in hotels.Late Monday, authorities reopened at estimated 22 rural roads closed during earlier stages of the blaze, the California Department of Forestry reported.Standby crews south of Colfax estimated the blaze charred a 4-to-5-mile strip north and west up the canyon.Still, the toughest fighting continued at the fire?s north end, where on Sunday 18 firefighters were injured, the CDF reported. They included one with a broken wrist, another with heat exhaustion, who both were evacuated, and on Monday were released, said JoAnn Cartoscelli, with CDF?s information center; 14 other were already treated and released.Monday, another firefighter unidentified broke several ribs in a fall while working on the north flank and he, too, was evacuated, she said.Meantime, investigators apparently were still investigating a cause that was initially blamed on a truck that reportedly ignited weeds off Ponderosa Road, near Yankee Hill Road, on Friday afternoon.Property co-owner Alison Harvey said she photographed the burned Chevy truck, which she claimed belonged to a gold miner but did not have her permission to be on the jointly owned land. The truck owner could not be reached for comment Monday.CDF fire Capt. Mark Koenig, who apparently is investigating the cause, could not be reached to confirm the truck owner?s name, and who had reportedly told of flames erupting.Crews battling the blaze came from throughout California, including 46 hand crews and 200 engine companies. Additionally, 700 low-risk inmates, men and women from institutions between Los Angeles and Susanville, including 75 CYA youths, joined the battle, said Lt. Bill Brenegan of California Department of Corrections.The inmate crews, since the fire began Friday, worked 24-hour shifts, and were supervised by 43 correctional officers, Brenegan said from the fire command post at Auburn?s fairgrounds.Fire managers also mobilized nine airtankers, seven helicopters, 22 dozers and 34 water tankers.