The Elephant Fire, burning in Sierra County east of Loyalton, has grown to 12,303 acres as firefighters continue working to contain the fast-moving wildfire.
According to the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC), fire activity continues to push north, where flames have the potential to impact structures and power infrastructure along Scott Road, the community of Chilcoot, and Highway 395 near Hallelujah Junction.
Smoke from the fire is also expected to affect nearby communities, including Hallelujah Junction, Bordertown, Cold Springs, and portions of the greater Reno area.
Evacuation impacts continue to evolve across Sierra, Plumas and Lassen counties. In Plumas County, evacuation warnings remain in effect for zones PLU-104-A and PLU-114, covering the area south of Chilcoot to the Sierra County line and east of Vinton to the Lassen County line. Residents in the warning area are urged to remain prepared to leave if conditions worsen.
In Lassen County, officials have downgraded the Evacuation Order for Zone LAS-451-A to an Evacuation Warning, allowing residents to return while remaining prepared to evacuate if fire conditions change. Additionally, the Evacuation Warning for Zone LAS-671-B has been lifted.
The fire has also disrupted firefighting operations and threatened local infrastructure. Over the weekend, aerial suppression efforts were temporarily halted after an unauthorized drone entered restricted airspace over the fire. The Sierra County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident and expects to submit the case to the Sierra County District Attorney’s Office and the Federal Aviation Administration for possible criminal and aviation violations.
The advancing fire has also prompted concerns for electrical infrastructure. Plumas-Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative warned that fire activity near South Scott Road could impact power lines, with outages possible until conditions are safe for crews to restore service.
Fire officials continue urging residents to closely monitor evacuation notifications and changing fire conditions as crews work to protect homes, critical infrastructure, and transportation corridors.
