With wildfires continuing to scorch the West, the resulting smoke is continuing to have an impact on air quality in Humboldt County that ranges from good to unhealthy depending on the area. The deadly Carr Fire to the east has burned nearly 215,000 acres and killed at least eight people, including a Redding firefighter who […]
Environment / Natural Resources
Posted inNews
Mendo Complex Gets Containment Date, but no Estimate for Carr Fire
While a string of fires continue to burn to the north, south and east of Humboldt County, air quality is expected to be in the good to moderate stage although some inland areas, such as Garberville, will have “widespread haze,” according to the North Coast Unified Air Quality Management District. Fire officials are now giving […]
Posted inNews
Fire Whirl in Carr Fire Reached 143 MPH
A fire whirl — similar to a tornado — that occurred in the Carr Fire near Redding on July 26 had maximum winds in excess of 143 mph, according to an initial analysis by the National Weather Service and Calfire. The column of fire produced by “intense rising heat and turbulent winds” was equivalent to […]
Posted inNews
Wildfire Smoke Likely to Impact Air Quality
Parts of the North Coast, including Orleans and the Hoopa, Van Duzen and Mad River areas, may experience periods of unhealthy air quality conditions today and this evening due to wildfires. According to the North Coast Unified Air Quality Management District, winds coming from the northwest will help disperse the smoke from the Carr Fire […]
Posted inNews
Local Firefighters Helping to Battle Devastating Wildfires
Local firefighters have joined thousands of others from around the state to battle a series of wildfires raging to the south and east of Humboldt County that combined have burned more than 200,000 acres and taken at least six lives. Currently, 32 firefighters from nine Humboldt County agencies are assisting suppression efforts, contributing personnel and […]
Posted inNews
Supes Approve Bay Trail EIR, Eucalyptus Removal but Leave Possibility of Saving the Trees
The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously today, with Supervisor Rex Bohn absent, to approve an environmental impact report for the completion of the Humboldt Bay Trail that includes the removal of 219 eucalyptus trees along U.S. Highway 101. But the board’s decision also included a provision to have county staff hire a certified […]
Posted inNews
After Several Arrests, Logging Protest Planned for Thursday
A group of environmental activists is planning a protest Thursday in front of the Humboldt Redwood Co.’s Scotia office with the hopes of preventing planned logging activities in the Mattole River watershed. The protest comes a week after several people were arrested on Humboldt Redwood Co. land in the Rainbow Ridge area of the Mattole […]
Posted inNews
Huffman Introduces Massive Public Lands Bill
North Coast Congressman Jared Huffman introduced sweeping public lands legislation today aimed at guarding communities against wildfires and protecting public lands. The introduction comes about a year after Huffman held community meetings throughout the rural stretches of his district, which allowed him to incorporate input and feedback from a variety of stakeholders, including tourism organizations […]
Posted inNews
As Carr Fire Threatens Redding, 299 Remains Closed, Smoke Advisories Issued
The Carr Fire continues to rage in Shasta County and has forced widespread evacuations in Redding. The fire, sparked July 23 by the mechanical failure of a vehicle near State Route 299 and Carr Powerhouse Road in Whiskeytown, now spans more than 44,000 acres and is only 3 percent contained. It has killed two people […]
Posted inNews
County Staff: Eucalyptus Removal a Must for Bay Trail
The Humboldt County Public Works Department is set to tell the Board of Supervisors that moving forward with the Humboldt Bay Trail Project is going to necessitate the removal of more than 200 eucalyptus trees along U.S. Highway 101 north of the old California Redwood Company mill. While conceding that it received a host of […]
Posted inNews
Health Officials Issue Blue-Green Algae Warning
Local health officials have issued a warning to watch out for cyanobacteria — more commonly referred to as blue-green algae — in local waterways. Some species of the bacteria can be toxic to humans and animals, with children and dogs the most vulnerable to its harmful effects. The release notes that it is difficult to […]
Posted inNews
Mountain Lion Sighting on Fickle Hill
The Arcata Police Department is reporting that a mountain lion has been spotted off Fickle Hill Road in the Arcata Community Forest area. While noting that such sightings are not usual, the department is asking residents and forest visitors to be “aware and alert” and reissued advise on what to do should an encounter occur, […]