A vegetation fire that ignited Monday afternoon in Rumsey Canyon near the Colusa and Yolo county line is now burning approximately 450 acres, with firefighting crews making steady progress toward containment. The Rumsey Fire started at 3:40 p.m. Monday near Highway 16, north of Guinda, in terrain that proved too difficult for ground access initially. Cal Fire responded with aggressive air support, deploying nine air tankers and four helicopters to drop water and fire retardant while ground crews made their way to the scene. By Tuesday morning at 7:27 a.m., containment had increased from 10% to 15%, signaling incremental progress in controlling the fire’s spread.
Understanding what these containment numbers actually mean can help you gauge the situation. A jump from 10% to 15% means crews have secured additional perimeter on the burn area, slowing the fire’s ability to expand. The Rumsey Fire is making runs to the northeast, east, and southeast, which is typical behavior in canyon terrain where wind channels the flames in specific directions. Residents in Colusa and Yolo counties should monitor local emergency alerts for evacuation information and air quality updates, particularly if winds shift or fire behavior changes. Cal Fire maintains its incident page with real-time updates, so bookmark that resource if you’re in the affected area.
Fire season in Northern California means staying informed is staying safe. Keep your family’s evacuation plan current, sign up for emergency alerts through your county’s notification system, and know multiple routes out of your area. Air quality can deteriorate quickly during active fires, so sensitive groups like kids and older adults should be ready to stay indoors. Have you thought through your fire-season preparedness plan, or is now the time to dust it off and update it for your household?
About the Author
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.
