Residents near Eureka were evacuated in the middle of the night Monday as the lightning sparked Gibraltar Ridge Fire roared to over 800 acres. Fire information officer Hailey Graf explains.

"There are structures and residences that are threatened, so we have evacuated a couple of areas. The areas that are under immediate evacuation include Sherman Creek, Griffith Creek, Therriault Pass, and Stevens Creek. Also, the Grave's Crick area is under pre-evacaution.

Graf says the fire started on the west side of Gibraltar ridge, and then was spurred on by wind.

"They were experiencing some pretty strong winds last night that actually created some spot fires and helped that fire progress rapidly to the west, closer to town, which is what triggered those evacuations. There is a shelter for evacuees which was set up at the Church of God in Eureka. It's my understanding that that shelter was set up in the middle of the night."

Sheriff’s Deputies transported residents to the emergency shelter at the Church of God all night long, around 30 homes were evacuated, but so far no known structures have been lost.

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