Updates
Update, 4:15 p.m. July 15: Per Watch Duty: “The fire has been mapped at 2.5 acres. It is now 30 percent contained. Resources at scene continue to make great progress mopping up hotspots and strengthening containment lines. We expect to have resources at scene for another couple hours, per CAL FIRE LNU on X.”
Update, 4:15 p.m. July 15: An evacuation update was issued in the Spruce Fire area near Hidden Valley Lake. Watch Duty reported: “The Evacuation Order for Zone LOW-E185 has been reduced to an Evacuation Warning, per the Genasys Evacuation Map. The Zone is visible on the Watch Duty map or by visiting Genasys Protect.” Lake County residents should confirm their zone on the Genasys evacuation map (protect.genasys.com) before returning.
Firefighters are working a new wildfire north of Hidden Valley Lake. Residents nearby are under an evacuation warning.
What we know
The Spruce Fire was reported in the 13900 block of Noble Ranch Road, about three miles north of Hidden Valley Lake, according to the wildfire-tracking service Watch Duty. As of the latest update, the fire had burned three acres and was 10% contained. The size figure comes from the National Interagency Fire Center, Watch Duty reported.
Cal Fire hadn’t posted the incident to its public feed as of this writing. Details on the cause, the number of crews assigned and any threat to structures weren’t yet available.
What an evacuation warning means
An evacuation warning means residents should be ready to leave at a moment’s notice and should gather medications, documents and pets in case the situation changes. It’s a step below an evacuation order, which directs people to leave immediately. No order had been issued for the Spruce Fire as of this report.
A community that knows fire
The fire is burning in terrain that Lake County residents know well. The same stretch of country north of Hidden Valley Lake has drawn crews before — the Coyote Fire in 2021 and the Grove Fire in 2019 both started nearby and forced brief evacuations before crews stopped them. And the broader area carries the memory of the 2015 Valley Fire, which tore through Middletown and Hidden Valley Lake, killed four people and destroyed roughly 2,000 structures. That’s why an evacuation warning here lands hard, even at three acres.
How to stay informed
Residents can check evacuation zones and status through the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and on Watch Duty, which is updating the incident as reports come in. The sheriff’s office can be reached at (707) 262-4200.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the Spruce Fire burning?
In the 13900 block of Noble Ranch Road, about three miles north of Hidden Valley Lake in Lake County, according to Watch Duty.
How big is the Spruce Fire?
Three acres and 10% contained as of the latest update, with the size attributed to the National Interagency Fire Center by Watch Duty.
Is there an evacuation order?
No. As of this report the area is under an evacuation warning, which means residents should be ready to leave at a moment’s notice but are not yet ordered to go.
Where can I get updates?
From the Lake County Sheriff’s Office at (707) 262-4200 and on Watch Duty, which is tracking the incident.