Firefighters Battle Wildfires in Northeastern California, Dairy in Wisconsin

SUSANVILLE, Calif. — Firefighters and aircraft worked Tuesday to halt the spread of two forest fires in rural northeastern California.

The Gold Fire in northern Lassen County nearly doubled in size to 7 square miles (18.2 square kilometers) south of the tiny Modoc County community of Adin and there was zero containment.

Two firefighters were injured at that blaze Monday and were flown to a hospital in Redding but there were no details early Tuesday on their conditions or what happened, said Alisha Herring, spokeswoman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Herring said damage to a fiber optic cable was interfering with communication.

In southern Lassen County, the Hog Fire covered 12.5 square miles (32.4 square kilometers) about 5 miles (8 kilometers) from the town of Susanville and was just 5% contained. The size of the fire was reduced from earlier reports after improved mapping, Cal Fire said.

The fire was a threat to about 170 buildings and some evacuation orders were in effect.

In central California, the week-old Mineral Fire was 68% contained after scorching 44.5 square miles (115 square kilometers) and destroying seven structures in the Diablo Range west of Coalinga.

Several smaller wildfires burned elsewhere in the state.

Meanwhile in Wisconsin, crews from eight fire departments were called in to battle a blaze at a dairy cooperative that is one of Burnett County’s largest employers and is a popular stop for tourists.

Sheriff’s officials said the fire at Burnett Dairy Cooperative was reported about 10:30 p.m. Monday. Employees working in the cooperative located near Grantsburg, were able to make it out safely. Officials say it appears the fire was the result of a mechanical malfunction, officials said.

The fire was still burning, but under control by Tuesday morning. No injuries were reported.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation temporarily closed Highway 70 near Grantsburg.

Firefighters from Grantsburg, Siren, Webster, Frederic, Cushing, St. Croix Hertel, Pine City and Rush City all helped in the battle to save the cooperative.

About the photo: Smoke from the Hog Fire is seen from Highway 36 west of Susanville, California, on Sunday, July 19, 2020. Mandatory evacuations are in effect for the Hog Fire which has grown to 9 square miles (23 square kilometers) in Lassen County. Cal Fire says about 170 structures are threatened.(Anjeanette Damon/The Reno Gazette-Journal via AP)