What is the name and location of the wildfire?
As of July 15, 2026, the Elephant Fire is burning near Highway 49 and Dotta Lane, northeast of Loyalton, along the Sierra and Plumas County line in Northern California.
The wildfire is affecting portions of Lassen, Plumas, and Sierra counties and is burning within the footprint of the 2020 Loyalton Fire scar.
Nearby public lands, including portions of Tahoe National Forest and Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, have been temporarily closed to support firefighting operations (1).
Which cities or areas are affected by the Elephant Fire?
The cities and areas affected by the Elephant Fire include:
- Highway 49 corridor
- Long Valley
- Loyalton
- Plumas County
- Sierra Brooks
- Sierra County
- Tahoe National Forest
- Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest
What is the current containment status of the Elephant Fire?
As of July 15, 2026, the Elephant Fire has burned approximately 15,526.1 acres and is 42% contained.
Firefighters continue to strengthen containment lines while taking advantage of cooler, rainy weather to improve fireline security. Crews remain challenged by difficult terrain, dry vegetation, and changing weather conditions, although suppression efforts are ongoing.
Are there any evacuation orders or alerts in place?
Evacuation warnings remain in effect for parts of the Elephant Fire area. Lassen County Zone LAS-451-A remains under an evacuation warning after authorities downgraded the previous evacuation order.
Several evacuation alerts have been lifted as conditions improve. Lassen County Zone LAS-671-B is no longer under an Evacuation Warning. In Plumas County, Evacuation Warnings for Zones PLU-104-A and PLU-114 have also been lifted, and both zones have returned to normal status.
Residents and visitors should continue monitoring official updates, as evacuation statuses may change as fire conditions evolve.
How can I protect myself from wildfire smoke?
Always plan ahead to protect yourself from wildfire smoke.
- Get a free air quality app for real-time air quality alerts and forecasts.
- Shut doors and windows and set the HVAC to recirculate mode.
- Run a high-performance air purifier to filter wildfire smoke.
- Contribute to your community’s outdoor air quality data.
- Stay indoors; if you do need to go outdoors, wear a KN95/FFP2 mask.
As of July 15, 2026, this fire is 42% contained.
