Murphy fire near Murphy Springs in Lower Lake grows to 40 acres

A new wildfire burning in Lower Lake has grown to 40 acres, shutting down Highway 29 near Hofacker Lane, but not yet prompting any evacuation orders.|
CHRISTI WARREN
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

A wildfire burning in Lower Lake has grown to 40 acres, shutting down Highway 29 near Hofacker Lane, but not yet prompting any evacuation orders, Cal Fire said. At 5:45 p.m., Cal Fire reported it was 50 percent contained.

The blaze is being called the “Murphy fire,” for its proximity to Murphy Springs. It was first reported at 2:36 p.m.

“It's looking better than it did just a bit ago,” said Cal Fire Captain Tiffany Mercado. “A lot of the aircraft on it have done a lot of work, and put some retardant line around it.”

About 50 to 100 structures are immediately threatened, she said.

Making the fire difficult to tackle is the terrain's steep climb and brush.

Check back for updates.

You can reach Staff Writer Christi Warren at 707-521-5205 or christi.warren@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @SeaWarren.

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