Hawk Fire triggers evacuations in El Dorado County

The Hawk Fire, a fast-moving vegetation blaze, triggered mandatory evacuations in the Somerset area of El Dorado County on Monday afternoon. The fire, which burned through grass and vineyards, was first reported shortly before 1:50 p.m. and grew rapidly, reaching approximately 45 acres within two hours.

Mandatory evacuation orders were issued for the Somerset Perimeter Zone, specifically covering the area from Hawk Haven Lane to Perry Creek Road and from Gray Rock to Slug Gulch Road. Evacuation warnings were also extended to the Grizzly Flat and Omo Ranch perimeter zones, including areas near Grizzly Flat Road, Mehwald Lane, and several other local roads. A temporary evacuation point was established at the Placerville Library.

Firefighting efforts involved both ground crews and aerial resources, including multi-engine air tankers. While the fire destroyed one outbuilding, CAL FIRE reported by late afternoon that the forward progress of the fire had been stopped. The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.