Three Rivers business keeps 'business as usual' as Coffee Pot Fire grows

TULARE COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - The Tulare County Sheriff’s Office is ordering immoderate successful Three Rivers to evacuate immediately.

The Coffee Pot Fire has burned much than 4,500 acres, expanding by 874 acres successful 24 hours.

The sheriff’s office posted to Facebook Wednesday, ordering those northbound of South Fork Drive, eastbound of Skyline Drive, southbound of Skyline Drive, and westbound of the nationalist parkland bound to evacuate immediately.

Ashley Ritchie with the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office says that the bid lone impacts astir 18 properties.

However, she says these fires tin dispersed rapidly and everyone successful the country should hole to evacuate if the occurrence pushes into residential areas.

“Right present it is astatine 0% containment, but we're hoping that firefighters tin get a speedy grip connected it truthful that it doesn't dispersed more,” Ritchie said.

She says deputies are knocking connected each doorway successful the evacuation area, making definite residents cognize to leave. 

Molly Dunn runs Silver City Mountain Resort successful Three Rivers, adjacent the evacuation area.

She is already fielding calls of radical asking if they tin inactive sojourn Labor Day weekend.

“People spot the occurrence and they're disquieted astir the smoke, disquieted astir information to themselves… For us, it’s concern arsenic accustomed until we’re told otherwise,” Dunn said.

Although the edifice is not wrong the evacuation area, she warns those with breathing occupation that the fume successful the aerial is increasing thicker.

The edifice had to evacuate successful 2021, truthful Dunn says she has a structured program successful spot if the flames determination successful their direction.

“Obviously, the highest precedence is making definite the guests are alert of what is going connected and calmly getting them disconnected the mountain. And then, from there, we unafraid infrastructure first. So turning disconnected propane lines, draining water, thing that mightiness origin much harm to the resort,” Dunn said.

She says they’ll proceed to invited guests unless they person to leave.

In the meantime, she says determination are inactive plentifulness of beautiful, accessible trails to sojourn this vacation weekend.