Penn Fire In Hills Near Murphys

From the Hwy 4 Bypass in Angels Camp

   UPDATE:  Penn fire is declared 100% contained as of 7 PM July 28, 2012.

Earlier:   Mop up and patrolling the perimeter continues. Demobilization, due to 100% containment of the 330 firefighters is expected today, July 28, 2012.

Now 90% contained as of 7 AM July 28, 2012

 UPDATES BELOW:
  At around 3:25 PM on July 25, 2012 a fire was reported and  CalFire raced to the scene of a brush fire just outside of Murphys, just off Skunk Ranch road and Penn Gulch near Douglas Flat.  Air support, bulldozers and several engines responded.
   
   Both a spotter plane and a tanker were circling the fire on the side of a hill, close enough to see from Hwy 4.

Off Hwy 4 in Murphys.

Cars were parked all along the Hwy taking photos, but it looked like CalFire had a handle on the fire, and were not able to stop the spread.

 UPDATE: 
   As of 10:50 PM 180 acres had burned. Called the Penn Fire, they  reported  15% containment as of this time.

 The Sheriff's Office has just announced that residents who were evacuated may return at 9 PM. The road will remain closed to all others.

  UPDATE:  Although twelve homes were threatened, only one outbuilding has been destroyed.
As of Thursday 7:30 AM, although the air in the Murphys area is smoky, the fire seems to have been totally contained during the night, but the CalFire website shows as of 8:45 AM the fire is 180 acres and 15% contained.  The cause of this fire is still under investigation.

  UPDATE:   As of 6 PM July 26, 2012 CalFire has the Penn Fire  listed as 134 acres and 40% contained.

  UPDATE:  As of 7 AM on July 27, 2012 CalFire reports that the Penn fire is 60 % contained.  Reports from someone driving to work was that they passed 4 truckloads of Corrections and CalFire crews that seemed to be headed up that wasy this morning.

 UPDATE:  As of 7 PM on July 27, 2012 the Penn Fire is 80% contained.