[UPDATE 8:13 p.m.] Day 9: Lightning Fires

Johnson Fire From Forest Road #1 in the Route Complex. [Photo provided by InciWeb]

First, good news to start the day! Hwy 20 and 16 in Lake Co. are set to reopen at 10 a.m.

Then the bad news: The National Weather Service is predicting a SLIGHT chance of thundershowers this afternoon.

Below is our quick overview of the fires. As we update each incident throughout the day, we’ll note the time the facts were posted so you can quickly see if there is something new on the fires you need to know. (Have you been wondering what is meant by mandatory vs precautionary evacuations. Here’s a video from the Trinity County Sheriff explaining the terms.) (Newest maps of the fires here)

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  Backburning along Hwy 3 [Photo from InciWeb]

  Fork Complex (Trinty Pines and north to Hayfork):(Current as of 3:46 p.m.) 15,184 acres burned and 9% contained. Total Personnel: 1,349.  “Significant fire behavior observed today was minimal backing, isolated torching, and minimal backing..” (More info here)
• Gasquet Fire: (Current as of 11 a.m.) 1043 acres burned and 2% containment. “Thunderstorms are predicted to remain well east of the complex today.”(More info here)
• Humboldt Complex (Alderpoint and surroundings):(Current as of 7:46 p.m.) 4,458 acres burned and 40% contained. Structures Destroyed:  4 outbuildings. Firefighter injuries to date: 7 Total Personnel: 1,496. “Fire growth is not anticipated on the Blocksburg, Bluford, Dobbyn, Wildcat or Winchester Fires.” (More info here)
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  Ruth Lake 8/6 [Photo from InciWeb]

  Mad River Complex (Ruth Lake and Surroundings):(Current as of 3 p.m.) 17,041 acres burned and 20% contained. “The low pressure system will bring the chance of thunderstorms and a chance of lightning. If the thunderstorms develop, the outflow winds and lightning associated with them could spread the fire laterally, put the fire into alignment for uphill runs and initiate new fires.” (More info here) Telephone number for the public information officer is 707-574-6289. The meeting on Saturday is at 11:00 a.m. at the Lamb Creek Christian Center in Mad River.

The Fireline Along The 7n26 Road [Photo from InciWeb]

• River Complex:(Current as of 7:35 p.m.) 12,524 burned and 8% contained. “Strong inversion over the fire again today limiting visibility and moderating fire behavior..” (More info here) Telephone number for the public information officer 530-276-8559.
• Rocky Fire (Lake County): (Current as of 8 a.m.) 69,600 acres burned and 50% contained, 43 residences, 53 outbuildings destroyed; 8 structures damaged.  “” (More info here)  Telephone number for the public information officer is (707) 967-4207.

Buck Fire which is part of the Route Complex. [Photo from InciWeb]

• Route Complex (south and west of Hyampom and Buck Mt. area):(Current as of 8 p.m.) 16,362 acres burned and 10% contained. “Elevated potential for increased fire behavior and fire growth due to increased potential for thunderstorm development, instability, and forecasted higher winds. The potential for crown fire runs exists due to roll out from slope reversal.”(More info here.) The second meeting will start Saturday, August 8, 11:00 a.m., in Mad River at the Lamb Creek Christian Center, located at the junction of Highway 36 and Forest Service Road 1.Telephone number for the public information officer is 707-574-6865.
• South Complex (north and west of Hyampom):(Current as of 7:30 p.m.) 15,496 acres burned and 9% containment. “A cooling trend is predicted on Saturday and Sunday, but moderate to strong northwest breezes are expected each afternoon.” (More info here)

Here’s our tools to keep you abreast of what’s happening:

Newest Info: Next, the twitter feed near the bottom right of our home page is continuously updated with the latest tweets from Cal Fire, other local news organizations, weather, etc.

Above that are two scanner feeds–one that will take you to Eureka/north coverage. The other that will take you to Eureka/south coverage.

Past Info: Reminder, at the bottom of this post under Earlier Chapters are links to our previous coverage. Much of it still very relevant. Particularly note our newest fire maps. We’ll be updating them throughout the day.

Don’t miss a post: In our right hand column is a subscribe box (for those accessing on mobiles, scroll down to the bottom and the box is just above recent posts.) Fill that out and a link to every story will appear in your email.

And, if you want a reminder of what this is all about, go see the incredible and short video of the Pine Fire raging as Miranda VFD laid hose. [Click here to view.]

Miranda VFD on the frontlines of the Pine Fire last night. [Photo from Miranda VFD]

UPDATE 10:59 a.m.:

CA Fire Summary for 8/7 – Nearly 11,000 firefighters battling 17 active wildfires in CA. Threat of dry lightning. http://t.co/yiwYNlZZOJ

— CAL FIRE PIO Berlant (@CALFIRE_PIO) August 7, 2015

UPDATE 8:11 p.m.: Stories from the fire:

UPDATE 8:17 p.m.: More fire coverage from KMUD News.

Earlier Chapters:

• Day One: Lightning Fires
• Day Two:
• Brown Declares State of Emergency as Wildfires in Humboldt/Trinity Tax an Already Stressed System
• Lightning Fire Maps
• Day Three
• How Bad Are the Fires? Listen to This Short Video From Yesterday’s Fire Meeting
• Crews Firing Conley Creek Drainage Near Blocksburg 
• Day Four (August 2)
• UPDATES on Trinity Fires From John Fenley Dist. Five Supervisor of That County
• Valuable Map Tool for Looking at the Fires
• How Bad Are the Fires? Listen to This Short Video From Yesterday’s Fire Meeting
• Trinity Evacuations
• Firefighter Injured
• New Fire Benbow Vineyard
  
• Smoke Update Trinity County 8/2
• Saving Highway 36
• New Road Closures in Trinity County Affect Evacuation Routes
• Southern Humboldt Fire Updates and Photos
• These Are The Detailed Fire Maps You’ve Been Waiting For!
• Day Five
• Can You Donate to Help Local Firefighters?
• Humboldt People Rock
• Gasquet Airfield Closed to Private Flights in Order to Accommodate Fire Traffic
• Good News, Blocksburg, Evacuation Advisory Lifted
• [UPDATE 6:05 p.m. Summary of Trinity Evacuations] Mandatory Evacuations Requested for Denny, Dailey, Hoboken and Bell Flat Areas
• Day Six
• We’ve Got Updated Fire Maps for You
• Air Qualtiy Advisory
• KRCRTV Talks to Post Mountain Volunteer Firefighters About Residents’ Complaints
• Lots of New Fire Maps Now Available
• Day 7
• More Mandatory Evacuations in Trinity County
• Precautionary Evacutioons Issued for Humboldt County
• Overview of the Fires in Six Rivers National Forest
• Spot Fire Today: A Look at the Run Up Big Mountain
• Your Fire Maps 8/6/15
• Day 8 (August 6)
• Trinity County Sheriff Releases Updated Evacuation Information
• Sooo….Someone Stole Equipment From Firefighters……..
• Video From the Front Line of the Pine Fire
• Day 9