Greenfield, CA…The Willow Fire started at 8:10pm on Thursday, June 17, 2021. The fire is approximately 2,000 acres and is currently burning in the Ventana Wilderness NW of the Arroyo Seco Recreation Area close to the Tassajara Zen Center and Hot Springs. Spotting and runs are expected to increase the growth of the fire. There are approximately 337 firefighters on the ground including 5 Type I Interagency Hotshot crews assigned to the fire. Air support including fixed-wing air tankers and water-dropping helicopters are assisting crews on the ground. The fire is burning in steep, rugged and brushy terrain that is accessible only by hiking in.

Weather conditions are hot and dry with temperatures hovering around 100 degrees with low humidity levels. Winds out of the southwest are 5-10 mph with gusts up to 20 mph. Arroyo Seco Recreation Area is closed. Tassajara Road is closed from the Tassajara Zen Center to China Camp. Residents have been evacuated from Tassajara Zen Center to China Camp. Evacuation warning for areas north of Arroyo Seco Campground to Anastasia Canyon; west of Carmel Valley Rd, and east of Tassajara Rd.

Incident Information
Basic Information
Current as of 6/19/2021, 10:08:51 AM
Incident Type Wildfire
Cause Unknown
Date of Origin Thursday June 17th, 2021 approx. 08:00 PM
Location Willow Creek in the Ventana Wilderness NW of Arroyo Seco Recreation area close to the Tassajara Zen Center.
Incident Commander IC Tony Zavalla – USFS
Incident Description Wildfire
Coordinates 36.207 latitude, -121.56 longitude
Current Situation
Total Personnel 337
Size 2,000 Acres
Fuels Involved
Steep, rugged and brushy terrain. Chaparral 6 feet, tall grass 2.5 feet and brush 2 feet.

Outlook
Planned Actions
Full suppression, establish base camp at King City and in-briefing with Type II Incident Management Team (IMT)

Projected Incident Activity
Fire is expected to be active throughout the evening with spotting and runs in steep terrain. Winds from the west are pushing the fire towards the Tassajara Zen Center and Hot Springs, Miller Canyon, Chews Ridge Lookout and Mira Observatory.

Current Weather
Weather Concerns
Hot and dry weather conditions with temperatures over 100 degrees. Winds out of the southwest are 5-10 mph with gusts up to 20 mph. Thermal belt exists in the Ventana Wilderness and causes fire activity to increase in the evening hours contributing to rapid fire growth. Relative humidity is at 15-20% tonight.

Source = Inciweb