Houses burn on Fourth of July

Fire gutted two Orland houses on the same property Sunday and were the most significant blazes during a small string of holiday fires in northern Glenn County.

“We were very busy (Sunday),” Orland Fire Chief Jerry Kraemer said.

No one was hurt in any of the fires and none appeared suspicious, authorities said.

Orland firefighters responded to several other smaller fires throughout the day, all related to the unsafe use fireworks, Kraemer said.

A palm tree went up in flames after sparkler fireworks were set off too close to the tree, a vegetation fire in a vacant lot on Monterey Street and another fire in a dumpster were likely related to unsafe disposal of fireworks, Kraemer said.

Willows, however, was relatively quiet Sunday and there were no confirmed reports of fires in southern Glenn County, Willows fire Capt. Skip Sykes said.

One Orland woman was displaced from her home in the 6000 block of County Road 21, Kraemer confirmed.

The blaze was reported just after 10:30 a.m. Sunday after the resident, Joyce Shipley, noticed flames coming from an old, unoccupied two-story guest house, Kraemer said.

A stiff north wind fanned the flames, which quickly spread to the main house and several out buildings and tool sheds, causing significan damage. It also burned dry vegetation to the south, authorities said.

Damage estimates were not available, but Kraemer said Shipley’s guest home was a total loss. The main home could likely be saved, but is not currently inhabitable.

About 45 firefighters from Orland, Capay, Hamilton City and Corning responded to the structure fires.

Flames were knocked down after about 90 minutes, Kraemer said, but mop-up efforts took an additional five-plus hours. The blaze re-kindled later that same evening and firefighters took an additional 45 minutes to clean it up.

Kraemer said he was very thankful for the help from the allied fire departments, which he said was critical in the effort to prevent the fire from spreading to other properties.

For now, Shipley is staying with relatives in the area, authorities said.

The cause and origin of the fire remains under investigation.