On July 26th at approximately 5:25 PM, a vegetation fire was reported near the upper end of Centerville Road. Initially estimated at just ¼ to ½ acre with a moderate rate of spread, the fire could have escalated quickly. Thanks to the swift response from CAL FIRE, who deployed both retardant aircraft and ground crews, the fire was successfully held to 3 acres. Evacuations were issued for parts of the surrounding area, ensuring the safety of residents.
What made this fire particularly significant was its proximity to two Butte County Fire Safe Council forest health projects. To the east, a recently completed mastication project, funded by The Sierra Nevada Conservancy as part of the Magalia Forest and Wildfire Resiliency Project, bordered a 2021 biomass removal project completed under the My Sierra Woods program, funded by the American Forest Foundation. These carefully planned treatments helped slow the fire’s spread, support firefighter response, and reduce ecological impacts.
This event underscores the critical importance of proactive, strategic fuels management, as well as the need for ongoing maintenance and retreatment in high-risk areas. We are deeply grateful to our partners and funders for their continued investment in wildfire resilience across Butte County.
The fire was fully contained the following day, demonstrating how preparation and strategic planning can make a real difference in protecting our communities and forests.
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