Creek Fire live updates: Hiker who died identified; 182,225 acres now burned

7:15 p.m.: Acreage grows, containment steady

The Creek Fire remained at 6% containment while growing to 182,225 acres, Cal Fire announced during a Friday night news conference.

The wildfire burning in the Sierra National Forest remained at 6% containment.

There are 1,811 firefighters on the line.

5:40 p.m.: Hikers escorted down mountain

Fresno County Sheriff deputies were escorting several vehicles from Edison Lake down Highway 168.

About 30 hikers and campers had been safely sheltering in place at Edison Lake while the Creek Fire burned other areas nearby.

The Fresno County Sheriff’s Department said the hikers had been in communication with deputies throughout the week while waiting for assistance in exiting the area.

As of Thursday night, Cal Fire had 6% containment along the Creek Fire’s southern border, where crews are working to keep lines around spots at Meadow Lakes and in the Tollhouse Road area through Blue Canyon. Officials are worried the fire could move south from Meadow Lakes or east and north along Tollhouse Road back toward Shaver Lake.

As of Cal Fire’s last update, the fire has burned 175,893 total acres.

2:50 p.m: Man who died at Vermilion Store identified

The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office identified the man who died at Vermilion Store on Sunday as 69-year-old David Sirk, of West Sacramento.

Sirk collapsed on Sunday from a medical episode unrelated to the fire and died of natural causes, according to the coroner’s office. Because of fire conditions in the area, medical personnel were unable to respond. Sirk’s body was flown to Fresno on Tuesday.

1:30 p.m.: National Guard aircraft transition to firefighting operations

Military aircraft in the south zone of the Creek Fire transitioned to firefighting operations on Friday, although none had occurred as of early afternoon due to heavy smoke in the area.

California Army National Guard Maj. Jason Sweeney said the helicopters haven’t been involved in any missions Friday, but the pilots have scanned the area in order to assist when it’s possible.

Earlier in the day, the helicopters — the same used at the start of the fire to rescue people from Mammoth Pool — flew over a helicopter base in Auberry. The aircraft, three Blackhawk helicopters, were later grounded and remain near the base.

Two Chinook helicopters are on standby in Fresno.

Cal Fire officials said they are cautiously optimistic about being able to begin air suppression of the Creek Fire on Friday afternoon.

Other military aircraft are assisting the Fresno and Madera sheriff’s offices in searching for hikers. One of the aircraft is a smaller UH 72 Lakota helicopter. It is using a loudspeaker to put out a message telling hikers where they can find rescue points.

10:55 a.m.: Crews looking for ‘window of opportunity’ to get back in the air

Fire crews on Friday were hoping for a “window of opportunity” that would allow them to head back into the fire from the south zone. A helicopter base in Auberry is hosting five helicopters, two of which hold water and retardant capability.

But the aircrafts were on standstill as of 10:30 a.m. because smoke from the Creek Fire was too thick for pilots to see.

They were relying on a three-mile visibility of the range to the east in order to determine whether it was safe to fly. As of 10:30 a.m. Friday, it was hardly visible.

Matt Hill, air operation branch director with Cal Fire, said at some point in the afternoon the other available aircraft could be up in the air. Those aircraft were set up on 70 acres of private land along Auberry Road and Frazier Road that was leased to Cal Fire for the fire effort.

It’s one of two helicopter landing zones. The other is near Mariposa.

Visibility didn’t seem to stop three Blackhawk helicopters that rolled by in the smoky sky Friday morning. Those helicopters are equipped with technology that allows pilots to see what the fire helicopters can’t, according to to Dennis Lujano, deck coordinator with the U.S. Forest Service.

The Blackhawks were involved with rescuing hikers who fled to Florence Lake at the start of the fire. The hikers were expected to be rescued by Friday.

By 11:30 a.m., the Blackhawks had also been grounded.

10:20 a.m.: Dense smoke, but air is better than Thursday

The National Weather Service is predicting dense smoke across the central San Joaquin Valley through the weekend, bringing with it air quality in the range of very unhealthy. People are urged to say indoors if possible.

The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District issued an Air Quality Alert for the entire region until the fires are out. The district’s forecast for Friday has air quality as unhealthy for sensitive groups for the bulk of the counties, including Fresno and Madera counties.

That’s slightly better than what the area saw Thursday.

Fresno is currently at level three for particulate matter, PM2.5, according to the district’s Real-Time Air Advisory Network site. That means sensitive individuals should exercise indoors or avoid vigorous activities.

9:17 a.m.: Blue Canyon key to protecting Shaver Lake

Fire crews on the south zone of the Creek Fire are looking to Blue Canyon as a key point in protecting Shaver Lake. The canyon contains a large amount of dead trees that could pose a threat. If fire becomes established in the canyon, it could run toward Shaver Lake, according to a Friday morning update.

Crews are using dozers to push along the ridge north of Burrough Valley Road to tie the fire line into the canyon.

Thick smoke continues to moderate fire activity on the western flank of the fire, near Oakhurst.

Dozers and hand crews are extending a containment line from the San Joaquin River to Castle Peak, attempting to keep the fire east of Mammoth Pool Road, according to Cal Fire’s Friday morning update. Near Cascadel Woods, crews are incorporating natural fire breaks, such as rocky outcrops and open areas, in the containment lines. A dozer line has been constructed around the Marina View Community and work continues north to Beasore Road.

Damage inspection teams are in the process of evaluating structure damage. As of Friday, six single residences have been damaged and 60 destroyed. Two-hundred seventy-seven mixed commercial/residential structures have been destroyed. Four nonresidential commercial structures have been destroyed and two damaged.

Twenty other minor ones have been destroyed.

Some structures have been included in the mixed category until further details are available. These numbers will continue to be updated as assessments are completed.

8:15 a.m.: Sheriff’s office details China Peak explosion

A bunker used to store avalanche equipment at China Peak Mountain Resort exploded on Wednesday night or early Thursday morning as the Creek Fire passed through the area, according to the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office.

The fire hit the back of the ski area and burned some employee housing on Tuesday, according to owner Tim Cohee.

Fire officials were alerted to the danger of the stored explosives on Wednesday morning and had been keeping people — including fire crews — away from the area.

No one was injured in the explosion. There was no word if it caused further fire damage.

As of Thursday night, Cal Fire had 6% containment along the fire’s southern border, where crews are working to keep lines around spots at Meadow Lakes and in the Tollhouse Road area through Blue Canyon.

Officials are worried the fire could move south from Meadow Lakes or east and north along Tollhouse Road back toward Shaver Lake.

As of Cal Fire’s last update, the fire has burned 175,893 total acres.