The Combie Fire started on Tuesday afternoon near Lake of the Pines off Highway 49 in Nevada County, law enforcement and Cal Fire officials said.
Cal Fire Nevada-Yuba-Placer
Sheriff’s officials issued mandatory evacuation orders Tuesday afternoon in Nevada County as Cal Fire crews battled a wildfire near Lake of the Pines and Highway 49.
Crews were battling the Combie Fire, the wildfire near Highway 49 and Combie Road, Cal Fire’s Nevada-Yuba-Placer unit said in social media posts. Cal Fire officials said the Combie Fire was spreading with spotting ahead of the blaze.
Spotting is when a wildfire produced sparks or embers that are carried by the wind and start new fires beyond the zone of direct ignition by the main fire, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
Cal Fire officials said the Combie Fire had burned an estimated 15 to 20 acres as of 5:37 p.m. Tuesday. Cal Fire officials had requested significant resources to help battle the blaze, including additional aircraft.
The Combie Fire was first reported at 5:23 p.m. Tuesday near Lake of the Pines off Highway 49 and Sharonjack Road, according to Cal Fire.
The Nevada County Sheriff’s Office issued an evacuation order for zone NCO-E394. Authorities had temporarily closed the road at Sharonjack Road and Highway 49.
The Sheriff’s Office issued an evacuation warning for zone NCO-E005. Those who require additional time to evacuate, and those with pets and livestock, should consider leaving now.
A temporary evacuation point for residents is at the Grass Valley Royce Library at 207 Mill St. in Grass Valley, according to the Sheriff’s Office. A temporary evacuation point for animals is at the Nevada County Fairgrounds at 11239 McCourtney Road in Grass Valley.
At 6:31 p.m. Tuesday, Cal Fire officials said firefighters were making good progress in battling the Combie Fire, and the size of the blaze was holding at 16.8 acres. Cal Fire officials said firefighters had 20% of the fire contained.
Shortly after 7 p.m., the Sheriff’s Office announced the evacuation order and evacuation warning had been lifted. Sheriff’s officials asked residents to use caution since there are still emergency personnel working in the area.
Some Cal Fire crews were expected to remain in the area through the evening looking for hot spots. Cal Fire officials said no structures were reported damage or destroyed, and no injuries were reported. The cause was under investigation.
This story was originally published July 28, 2026 at 6:30 PM.
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Rosalio Ahumada writes breaking news stories related to crime and public safety for The Sacramento Bee. He speaks Spanish fluently and has worked as a news reporter in the Central Valley since 2004.