Stoney Fire burns near Tollhouse, prompts evacuations in Fresno County

Residents near Tollhouse were ordered out Sunday as the Stoney Fire pushed across steep ground south of Fallen Oak Road, threatening structures in the Stoney Creek Road and Watts Valley Road area. By 7:11 p.m., the blaze had grown to 30 acres and was 10% contained, with a mandatory evacuation order in place for Zone K120 and evacuation warnings posted for zones K118, K119 and K130.

CAL FIRE first reported the fire at 1:42 p.m. near the south end of Fallen Oak Road in Tollhouse. The agency said the fire had been 25 acres earlier in the afternoon before being updated to 30 acres later in the day. Crews faced difficult access because of steep terrain, and the response grew to 175 personnel, 2 helicopters, 13 engines, 3 dozers, 2 water tenders, 6 crews and 10 other resources. Numerous firefighting air tankers from across the state also flew suppression missions as conditions allowed.

The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office used its evacuation mapping system to mark the affected zones, with green showing no evacuation, yellow indicating a warning and red indicating an order. County guidance says an evacuation warning means there is a potential threat to life and property, while an evacuation order means there is an immediate threat and a lawful order to leave. Officials said the address-based map lets residents check whether they fall in a warning or order area, a system similar to the one used during the Creek Fire.

The Stoney Fire broke out during a stretch of summer heat that was already fueling vegetation fires across eastern Fresno County. Fresno County crews were also dealing with a second vegetation fire near Tollhouse the same day, underscoring how active the area was under hot, dry conditions. The cause of the Stoney Fire remained under investigation as firefighters kept working to hold the line around the steep hills above Tollhouse.