A brush fire burning in Chute Ravine near the tiny foothill community of Dobbins has grown to roughly 33 acres and triggered evacuation orders and warnings in parts of Yuba County, officials said Monday. Air and ground crews are on the scene, with aircraft called in to back firefighters working in steep, brush-filled terrain. At least one zone south of New Bullards Bar Reservoir has been ordered to leave immediately while nearby areas remain on alert.
3:45pm Chute Fire Update- 33.3 Acres 0% Chute Ravine near Dobbins, Yuba County. Evacuation orders and warnings are in effect. Large resource order placed overnight. CAL FIRE air and ground resource are engaged. https://x.com/i/status/2079340565653860776
- CAL FIRE Nevada‑Yuba‑Placer Unit (@CALFIRENEU) July 20, 2026
Chute Fire at a glance
The fire was first reported July 13 and is mapped by state officials in Chute Ravine near Dobbins. The incident page lists the blaze at about 33 acres and shows evacuation orders and warnings in effect, along with coordinates for the incident and Yuba County as the agency having jurisdiction, according to CAL FIRE.
Evacuations ordered near Bullards Bar
Yuba County emergency officials ordered residents in Zone YUB‑E098, an area south of Bullards Bar, to leave immediately, while DOB‑E011 and YUB‑E095 were placed on evacuation warnings and advisories. Aircraft were called in to help crews hold lines and slow the fire’s spread in the rugged terrain, as reported by CBS Sacramento.
Official social update
In a 3:45 p.m. update on X, the CAL FIRE Nevada‑Yuba‑Placer Unit said the Chute Fire measured about 33.3 acres and was 0% contained. The post noted that a "large resource order" had been placed overnight and that both air and ground resources were engaged, according to CAL FIRE Nevada‑Yuba‑Placer Unit.
Where to get alerts and help
Residents in the foothills are urged to enroll in county emergency notifications and consult official evacuation maps to confirm their zone. The Yuba County Sheriff's Office maintains evacuation-zone information and an alert signup portal on its site, see the Yuba County Sheriff's Office. If you are in immediate danger call 911; for non-emergencies the sheriff's business line is listed on the county site.
Why risk remains high
State officials suspended outdoor residential burn permits for Nevada, Yuba, Placer and Sierra counties in mid-June as conditions dried out, a step intended to reduce preventable ignitions during a high-danger season. That suspension, combined with hot, dry weather and steep brush around New Bullards Bar and Chute Ravine, leaves fuels primed for rapid growth if winds or inaccessible terrain challenge crews. The burn-permit action was announced in a news release from CAL FIRE posted to the county site.
This story will be updated as CAL FIRE, Yuba County and local agencies post new information. Follow official channels for the latest evacuation orders and road closures.
