Wildland firefighters don’t admit to fearing much, but lightning is one terror that even the most experienced veterans say they hope to never encounter. The worry is not being struck by a bolt, although it can be deadly. Instead, their primary concern is that lightning, slashing down in remote areas, can trigger unseen fires that […]
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Knob Fire 100 Percent Contained as Hopkins Fire Takes a Toll in Mendocino (with Video)
The Knob Fire, which broke out near Willow Creek, is officially 100 percent contained with all evacuation orders and warnings lifted over the weekend as others in the region grow and a new one started in Calpella in Mendocino County, threatening some 200 structures with others reported to have been destroyed. With fires raging across the […]
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Fire Updates: Smoke Intensifies, River Complex Estimated Containment Date Oct. 1
A handful of fires burning east of Humboldt continued to grow overnight with minimal containment, bringing air quality and travel impacts as far west as the coast, with State Route 299 still closed in Trinity County and no timetable for reopening. Parts of State Route 36 have reopened to controlled traffic. Overall hot, dry conditions […]
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Fire Updates: Momument Fire Continues to Spread, Parts of State Route 36 Open to Controlled Traffic
A handful of fires east of Humboldt continued to grow overnight with minimal containment, bringing air quality and travel impacts as far west as the coast, with State Route 299 still closed in Trinity County and no timetable for reopening. Parts of State Route 36 have reopened to controlled traffic. Overall hot, dry conditions are […]
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Wildfires Closing Sections of SR 299, 36
Wildfires burning to the south and east of Humboldt County are shutting down major travel routes, including state routes 299 and 36 in some areas, and wind shifts could carry smoke toward the north and northwest tomorrow morning. According to Caltrans, State Route 299 is fully closed from 3.5 miles east of Big Bar to […]
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UPDATE: Fires in Bald Hills Area Contained but Large Amounts of Forest Fuel Still Burning
UPDATE: Two fires burning in the Bald Hills area have been contained, according to CalFire, with “significant work ahead to extinguish burning of large amounts of forest fuel material.” One of the Lyons Fires is about 4 acres and the other is approximately 1 acre. PREVIOUS: Two small vegetation fires are burning in the Bald […]
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SF Chronicle: California Native American Tribe Has Been Burning Forests for 10,000 Years. What Can We Learn From Them?
The San Francisco Chronicle is reporting a story about the Karuk Tribe’s ancestral tradition of using prescribed burning techniques to fight off wildfires. The article follows Leeon Hillman, a member of the Karuk Tribe who “believes preventive burning would have thinned undergrowth and slowed the spread of fire enough for firefighters to be able to […]
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Slater Fire Evacuation Order Lifted, No Growth for Devil Fire
According to a press release from the U.S. Forest Service, evacuation orders relating to the Slater Fire have all been lifted as of 8 a.m. today. Slater Fire 157,169 acres, 85 percent containment The release states, an infrared detection flight revealed some 74 acres of fire spread along southwestern Swan Mountain and Thompson Creek headwaters, […]
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Updates: Progress on Red Salmon, Slater Fires
Red Salmon Complex: 143,300 acres Containment: 72 percent With containment increasing, firefighters are pivoting from suppression to repair work and the task of recollecting equipment to take back to camp, including miles of hose, water pumps, and portable water tanks, according to today’s update. Areas in the South Fork of the Salmon River, Methodist Creek, […]
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High Winds and Low Humidity May Increase Fire Activity
The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning in some areas near each of the surrounding fires (Red Salmon, August and Devil-Slater fires), meaning that there’s potential for easier fire starts and rapid fire spread. High winds with gusts of up to 40 mph and low levels of humidity are expected through Friday in […]
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Progress on the August Complex
August Complex total: 1,029,110 acres and 76 percent containment The Northeast Zone is at 270,336 acres and 60 percent containment. Incoming winds are expected to push the fire in this section, which had relatively low activity yesterday, back into the main fire area and the potential of new spread is considered low, according to today’s […]
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Fire Updates: Rains Helped, Drying Trend and Warmer Weather Ahead
August Complex — 1,028,529 acres, 74 percent containment Rains fell across much of the fire area yesterday providing much-needed moisture, up to one-quarter of an inch, according to this morning’s update. “This was by no-means a season-ending event, and the fire is still active. Starting today and continuing for the next several days the chance of rain […]