Dan McDonald
Staff Writer

SLOAT - A wildfire that started near Sloat about 4:15 p.m. Thursday, July 26, was about 50 percent contained by 6:40 p.m. thanks to a swift response by fire crews from the U.S. Forest Service.

The blaze, located on a steep hillside in the Poplar Creek area about two miles southwest of Sloat, had burned about five acres by Thursday evening.

According to Plumas National Forest spokesperson Heather Munn, who was at the scene, the first fire crew began fighting the fire at 4:39 p.m. They were soon joined by two air tankers and a helicopter .

"Luckily we were able to respond fast enough to catch the fire where it is right now," Munn said. "Most of the crews were able to be here within an hour (of when the fire was reported)."

Munn said crews expected to have the wildfire - named the Eureka Fire - fully contained by 10 a.m. Friday. She said a "Hot Shot" crew from Truckee was on the way to assist fighting the fire during the night. She said the air tankers were called off by 6 p.m. Thursday.

Hot spots continue to burn Thursday night, about two hours after crews began fighting the Eureka Fire near Sloat. The five-acre fire was expected to be fully contained by 10 a.m. Friday, July 27. Photo by Dan McDonald

The cause of the fire, which appeared to have started near the gravel Eureka Ridge Road, was still under investigation.

The fire is on private land. There had been no evacuations or road closures as of Thursday night.

There were five Forest Service engines, one bulldozer, three patrols and a 20-person hand crew on the scene.

Munn emphasized that people need to be cautious in the forest this time of year. Especially with the fire danger at very high levels.

"It's a lot dryer than it was last year at this time," Munn said. "People need to be aware of that. They need to be cautious with campfires and when parking their vehicles in dry grass."