Richbar Fire forces Hwy 178 closure as crews tackle 120-acre fire

UPDATE: August 10, 2025 7:24pm Hwy 178 is open for travel in both directions.

A helicopter makes a drop near the Upper Richbar recreation area on Hwy 178.

Patrick Ray

At  5:37pm on August 9 emergency crews responded to a vegitation fire near the Upper Richbar day use area on Hwy 178. What was initally reported as a five acre fire quicly escalated into a 80 acre fire which prompted a closure of Hwy 178. As of last night it grew to 120 acres with 0% containment. There is no threat to any structures and there is no estimated time of reopening at this time. You can check CHP updates on Hwy 178 here.