A Dubious Distinction: River Complex Now Largest This Year in California’s USFS Lands

Snags along Denny Road

Snags along Denny Road [Photo from the InciWeb]

The Lake Fire which burned east of Los Angeles was the biggest fire in California’s United States Forest Service lands until the River Complex charring timberlands east of Willow Creek left it in the dust. The Lake Fire covered over 31,000 acres but the River Complex is already close to 36,000 and only 18% contained.

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[…] UPDATE 10:08 p.m.: The River Complex east of Willow Creek near Denny is now the largest fire this year on California’s US Forest Service lands. Click here for more. […]

Carolyn Hensley
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Carolyn Hensley
8 years ago

A distinction we could easily do without!!

Nancy
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Nancy
8 years ago

Very worried about friends that decided to stay.

In a Quiet Panic
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In a Quiet Panic
8 years ago
Reply to  Nancy

me too 🙁

rick
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rick
8 years ago

thought this fire was east of sf ?

Brian paula
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Brian paula
8 years ago

I was on this fire for five days and the forest service did basically nothing to stop this fire. They protected structures and not much else.

Klamathman
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Klamathman
8 years ago
Reply to  Brian paula

However….were there any fatalities? any serious injuries? Its called point protection. You look at your values at risk and then implement your tactics to fit accordingly. I believe the term is Monday morning quarterback. Some ridges don’t hold fire, some creeks don’t. Sometimes during a 4 year drought it is not worth putting in line where it is unsafe or will not be successful. Life and property, that is the top priority. I am sure though if you want to put in 25+ years of service to get the credentials to make those decisions people would question you.

Faye 51
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Faye 51
8 years ago
Reply to  Klamathman

Yay you! Love the logic and facts!

Watts
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Watts
8 years ago
Reply to  Klamathman

Sorry Klamathman but I was there at Dailey Ranch when the fire was beginning and for whatever reason there were just not enough resources to effectively fight it. This is not to denigrate the hardworking firefighters who were there, they did what they could. Maybe they were just stretched too thin due to other fires in the area, or maybe it’s like what one unnamed official told me, “Denny is on back burner”. Watching the fire back down toward my house during the night with one truck with a 250 gallon water tank and two men “on patrol” was not adequate. Thank goodness no structures were lost and thanks to those who were there for doing what they could.

Red Forman
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Red Forman
8 years ago
Reply to  Brian paula

Well…I recall that the Rocky Fire was seriously blowing up and of major concern. And since it had started earlier nearly all resources were actively engaged there. People of Denny should be happy if they get any help from the Forest service. I seem to recall they have had a not-so-friendly relationship with Forest Service in the past.

Ullr rover
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Ullr rover
8 years ago
Reply to  Brian paula

As I understand it, the available resources for the USFS were taxed and structure protection is all they could do. To their credit, on Friday, they brought in the cavalry and bombed the southeast edge (Big Mountain and Ironside Mtn) all day with the big bombers (jets). After living through the 2008 nightmare the use of bombers in a big way was very novel. Also, what I learned in 2008, is that I am responsible for my home protection, and any of us living out here on the edge of the wilds need to step up an insure our home will be safe WHEN the forests burn… this also allows resources to be freed from structure protection and used for fire containment and suppression.

stay-healthy
Guest
8 years ago

47000 acres ! actually hyampom fires are way above with 20000 aces the south complex, and 27000 route complex. those two complex’ are to the immediate left and right of our community. i count them as one … its insane to be in the middle of it …

Adam Hall
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Adam Hall
8 years ago

Considering the number of fires, the extremely steep terrain, and the fact the the fire has involved the only road in or out it is hard to know if this fire could have been held back. At the same time, as a former Denny resident I can tell you that the fate of this inholding community, which was founded long before the Forest service, exists completely at the mercy of management decisions made far away. Maybe this burn was inevitable but compared to the Corral fire up there two years ago the effort to fight the fire has been almost zilch.

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