News

The Red Salmon Complex remains at 4,284 acres with 7 percent containment on the Salmon Fire front, according to this morning’s update.

Smoke from the lightning-caused blazes may impact air quality in some Humboldt County communities.
Read the full update below:

Current Situation: The Red Salmon Complex is 4,284 acres and 7% contained burning within the Trinity Alps Wilderness on the Six Rivers and Shasta-Trinity National Forests.

Firefighters are using direct containment strategies and strengthening indirect lines in the wilderness using minimum impact suppression techniques while continuing to work with resource advisors to avoid disturbance to cultural resources.

Firefighters are also opening and strengthening previously constructed control lines from past fires outside the wilderness as contingency lines.

California Interagency Incident Management Team 14 continues to make COVID-19 precautions a priority at all incident camps with daily temperature screenings of personnel and implementing measures such as wearing face coverings and social distancing to prevent coronavirus spread. Community and firefighter safety are a top priority of both the incident management team and the national forests.

The Red Fire is 3,536 acres and 0% contained. The fire is backing down slope toward Red Cap Creek to the west. Last night crews conducted firing operations along Lubbs Trail and the 10N01 road and then continued south along the Salmon Summit Ridge toward Salmon Mountain. An unmanned aircraft system equipped with an ignition apparatus was utilized to help gain more depth along control lines, further reducing fuels along indirect fireline making it more secure as fire approaches.

The Salmon Fire is 748 acres and 7% contained. The fire is spreading south, backing toward control lines in the Eightmile Creek drainage. Firefighters finished fireline construction on the southwest flank from Backbone Ridge down to Eightmile Creek. Crews further strengthened lines along Salmon Summit Ridge and have inserted hose lays from Salmon Summit Ridge down toward Eightmile Creek. Current weather and past fire footprints are helping to reduce the fire spread.

Weather: Temperatures remained cool overnight with higher relative humidity, aiding firefighting efforts. High pressure will begin building today, bringing drier air and lower relative humidity through the weekend.

Air quality: An air resource advisor is providing daily smoke forecasts and air quality information for the surrounding communities. Refer to fires.airfire.org/outlooks/NWCalifornia.

Closures: Big Rock River Access has been closed in the interest of public safety as it is being used as a dip site for helicopter operations in the fire suppression efforts on the Red Salmon Complex.