News

Red Salmon Complex: 136,948 acres and 34 percent contained

Firefighters are continuing to work to bring the fire down to the South Fork of the Salmon River along Cecilville Road, while also protecting structures in those communities, as other crews are wrapping historic cabins near Cabin Peak in the Trinity Alps Wilderness with protective coverings.

Today’s update also reports firefighters were successful in conducting defensive burning operations in both the Colgrove Branch of Mill Creek and north of New River near Miller Ranch.

Smoke continues to be a major issue in the area, with the North Coast Unified Air Management District issuing an alert for Hoopa and advisories for Willow Creek, Weitchpec and Orleans.

Read more about the Red Salmon Complex here. 

Northwest Zone:
Depending on weather conditions, crews were looking to continue firing operations today to defend areas near Ruth Lake in conjunction with teams conducting structure protection.

According to today’s update, “firefighters made good progress in containing spot fires east of South Fork Ridge and north of Ruth Lake” as crews “worked on constructing direct line from the Van Duzen Road east to Lake Ruth.”

Firefighters are continuing will continue to hold dozer lines east of State Route 36 to South Fork Ridge and work is being done to strengthen dozer lines and contingency lines from the west side of Ruth Lake through the previous Gobbler and Lassics Fire burn scars to below Mule Ridge.

“Crews will be working to improve containment lines from Round Mountain to Kettenpom. More air resources will be relocating to the northwest zone and will be available to support firefighting efforts as visibility improves,” the update states.

Northeast Zone:
Camp Pendleton Marines will be joining operations in this area starting tomorrow to perform “front-line firefighting tactics,” according to today’s update. Priorities include creating fire lines along the perimeter near Round Mountain as crews continue creating dozers lines northeast of the South Trinity River.

Improvements have also been made along State Route 36 to reduce the threat of northward spread as crews worked with CalFire on structure assessments and providing protection north of State Route 36.

Slater Fire: 155,510 acres and 67 percent containment

The main strategy on all areas of the fire is to strengthen containment lines, where possible, and monitor for potential growth.

According to today’s update, additional crews have been deployed in the Knopki and Chicago Creek drainages, where efforts are focused on keeping the fire east of Chicago Creek.

Hazardous tree removal is ongoing between Takilma and Happy Camp, where firefighters “continue to patrol, monitor, and reinforce containment lines in Happy Camp and along the southwest side up to Kelly Lake. Firefighters are cleaning up spot fires as well as increasing the depth of containment,” the update states.

Meanwhile, mop-up work, patrols and structure defense continues along containment lines on the north side, with firefighters increasing “the depth of containment.”

Containment lines are holding near Mill Creek and the construction of a direct line continues above Thompson Creek. Firefighters are also monitoring the area between Swan Mountain and Mill Creek.

Devil Fire: 8,723 acres and 32 percent containment

Slight growth is believed to have occurred on the eastern edge of the fire, but smoke has prohibited accurate monitoring, according to the update The northern and southern areas of the fire are continuing to see mop-up work and are being patrolled, with lines holding along the Butte Fork of the Applegate River, 1040 Road and Pacific Crest Trail.