Lightning starts brush fire in Old Clear Creek area, 150 acres and growing; evacuation advisory underway

UPDATE 3 AM: Evacuation orders were instructed for Golf Club Drive, Jeffery Pine Lane to Old Clear Creek Road. There are about 20 to 30 homes in the area. Evacuees are urged to go to the Carson City Community Center. Animals can be sent to Fuji Park. The orders came down at around 1:45 a.m.

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UPDATE 10:24PM: As a precaution, fire engines meant to protect structures will be staging overnight in the Jacks Valley and Clear Creek neighborhoods, according to Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch Center. More than 100 firefighters have been assigned to the fire. Voluntary evacuations north of Jacks Valley Road.
The eastern flank of the fire is slowing down. The western flank is still active.

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UPDATE 9:20PM: the Clear Creek fire has swelled to 150 acres, according to Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch Center.

The fire poses an immediate threat to subdivisions below the incident. Jacks Valley Road is closed from Target to the Genoa Lakes Golf Course.

Voluntary evacuations are happening north of Jacks Valley Road. The eastern flank of the fire is slowing down. The western flank is still active.

Numerous resources are being utilized for this fire. Aircraft is actively making retardant drops. All the aircraft from Stead is reporting. Helitack from Markleeville is reporting. Follow Sierra Front for the latest updates here.

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UPDATE 8:20PM: Structure protection crews are moving onto Bavarian and Alpine View Estates, said Carson City Fire Chief Stacey Giomi. This is the area where the fire appears to be headed, he said.

Near the command center, traffic is being rerouted while residents are packing belongings and are preparing to leave, while fire crews and strike teams from out of the area are headed into the thick of the fire.

Carson City resident Teak Dopf, who was driving near the Target area, said from his vantage the fire appears to be spreading down hill toward a few homes.

“It is putting up a lot of smoke, but not like the Waterfall fire,” said Dopf, noting that the fire happened 10 years ago this week. “It’s growing, but not considerably. I can tell they are putting a lot of attention to it.”

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UPDATE 8PM: Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong said residents in the upper Clear Creek side have been given a "prepare only" warning on evacuation. On the Douglas County, Jacks Valley side, authorities have issued a evacuation advisory.

Both law enforcement and fire fighting command teams working along side each other in directing evacuation plans.

UPDATE 7:44PM: Evacuations are being done in the immediate area of the fire, the point where homes are in the Clear Creek area. The evacuation is an advisory.

The fire has rapidly taken a turn for the worst, moving quickly in the direction of homes, according to firefighters on the scene.

7:38: p.m. Douglas County Sheriff's Office were doing evacuations of the areas closest to the fire.

Douglas County Sheriff's Office has done the evacuation advisory on the Douglas side of the county line. Carson City is also discussing evacuation plans, according to scanner traffic.

Check back for more details as they develop.....

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UPDATE: A wildfire sparked by lightning along Highway 50 near Old Clear Creek Road in the Jacks Valley area west of Carson City is growing.

Carson City Fire Chief Stacey Giomi ordered Type 1 teams from Lyon, Storey, Washoe and Tahoe Douglas. As of 7:25 the fire was moving in easterly direction down hill. It is unknown if homes are immediately threatened. The fire was 20 acres and growing at all flanks, according to firefighters on the scene.

All off-duty Carson City firefighters have been called in for support and the Carson City Sheriff's Office is meeting with fire officials to determine the course of evacuations if needed. The wind is fueling the fire, fanning flames sending black smoke through the area.

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Carson City firefighters responded tonight to a brush fire in the Old Clear Creek area. The fire was called in at 6:47 p.m. and it is believed to be from lightning strikes. Meanwhile, a Flash Food Warning has been issued tonight by the National Weather Service for Carson City and north central Douglas County.

The warning is through 9:30 p.m. At 6:24 p.m. the weather service Doppler radar indicated flash flooding from a thunderstorm moving into the area. The storm is producing heavy rainfall, about one inch or more an hour.

Locations of the warning include Carson City Indian Hills, Johnson Lane, and Highway 395 South of Carson City including Minden and Gardnerville.