[UPDATE 10:20 p.m.] Day 20: Lightning Fires
As a new blaze burns in the King Range north of Shelter Cove, we’ll keep you informed on what is happening on all the fires here. As we update each incident until late evening, we’ll note the time the facts were posted so you can quickly see if there is something new. Look for the most recent general updates on the bottom but new information for individual fires is posted in the summaries below in blue. (Newest maps of the fires here.) Those that have expanded 20% or more will have their acreage in red bold type.
- Fork Complex (Trinty Pines and north to Hayfork):(Current as of 7:30 p.m.) 35,097 acres burned and 52% contained. Structures Destroyed: Residences 8, other buildings 4, Firefighter injuries to date: 7, Total Personnel: 2,518. “Containment of the Fork Complex fires continues to steadily increase as weather conditions have kept fire behavior moderate.The Barker Fire saw some increased fire activity within its interior, but containment lines are holding.” (More info here.)
- Gasquet Fire: (Current as of 8.55 p.m.) 6426 acres burned and 20% containment. Total Personnel: 715. “A lingering inversion continued today, contributing to moderate fire behavior. Smoky conditions impacted local communities during the morning, but conditions improved as temperatures rose in the afternoon. Despite an active inversion, rising temperatures and low relative humidity increased fire activity.” (More info here)
- Humboldt Complex (Alderpoint and surroundings):(Current as of 7:15 p.m.) 4,883 acres burned and 97% contained. Structures Destroyed: 1 residence, 6 outbuildings. Firefighter injuries to date: 14, Total Personnel: 1,392. “Currently, no additional fire growth is anticipated. Fire suppression repair has begun on the Pine Fire and is ongoing on the Steelhead, Wildcat, Dobbyn, Bluford, Blocksburg and Winchester fires.” (More info here) containment. Structures burned: 9 residences, 18 outbuildings. Telephone number (707) 967-4208
- Now Combined with the Route Complex -see below:((More info here) Telephone number for the public information officer is 707-574-6289. Mad River Complex (Ruth Lake and Surroundings)
- River Complex:(Current as of 9:00 p.m.) 43,144 burned and 18% contained. Total Personnel: 750. “Weather conditions tonight will continue the trend of heavy smoke in valley areas. As the fire backs down in to the Denny area tonight, fire personnel will begin to prepare for the implementation of structure protection plans as needed.” (More info here.) Telephone number for the public information officer 530-276-8559. Estimated containment: October 01st, 2015
- Route Complex (south and west of Hyampom and Buck Mt. area) Now Combined with the Mad River Complex:(Current as of 7:05 p.m.) 56,323 acres burned and 33% contained. Structures destroyed: 2 outbuildings. Total Personnel: 893. Injury: 1. “Johnson Fire (29,840 acres and 26% contained) Crews conducted successful burnout operations on the north end moving those portions of the fire toward holding status. The majority of the east side of the fire near Hyampom is in holding status…Pickett Fire (10,923 acres, 78 percent contained) The fire has backed down to Highway 36, and debris continues to create a hazard on the highway. Steep embankments along Highway 36 pose a risk for debris to roll out and get below the road resulting in possible spot fires. Structure protection crews remain in the Forest Glen area.Lassic Fire (5,626 acres, 24 percent contained) The fire continues to spread to the east, west, and south. The fire continues to back down the west flank and may make significant runs.” (More info here.) Telephone number for the public information officer is 707-574-6865.
- South Complex (north and west of Hyampom):(Current as of 8:30 p.m.) 22,037 acres burned and 35% containment. Personnel: 1181. “The thick smoke in the area made most aerial firefighting impossible, but air attack was able to get into the sky briefly over the Pattison Fire, which is still moving southward and is now believed to be on both sides of Gates Creek. Engines were in place at the Bar 717 Ranch today (along with the property across the river) to do point protection if necessary..” (More info here)
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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, the National Weather Service, 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.
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.
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UPDATE 10:43 a.m.: Today’s information from the Trinity County Sheriff’s Office on evacuations and road closures here. This is the same information as yesterday afternoon. Click here to see it.
UPDATE 1:20 p.m.
National Guard troops will be assisting @ShastaTrinityNF & @SixRiversNF fires https://t.co/ResclfaAQa @theCaGuard #cawildfires #norcalfires
— USFS Fire-California (@R5_Fire_News) August 18, 2015
UPDATE 2:45 p.m.
#ForkComplex #NASA smoke plume imagery NASA Terra Satellite 08/17/15 pic.twitter.com/VixWSBTOjw
— Shasta-Trinity NF (@ShastaTrinityNF) August 18, 2015
UPDATED 10:19 p.m.:
Here's a summary of fire activity on the @ShastaTrinityNF and @SixRiversNF. pic.twitter.com/Ujri1mr0Fk
— Shasta-Trinity NF (@ShastaTrinityNF) August 19, 2015
Earlier Chapters:
- Traffic at a Standstill
- Willits Fires Caused by Rogue Lightning, More Lightning in Southeastern Trinity
- 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 Quality 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
- YOUR FIRE MAPS 8/7/15
- Awww, Even Emerald Country Does Like Helicopters Now….
- [UPDATE 7 p.m.] Trinity County Sheriff Issues Updated Evacuation Information as of 8/7
- A Guide to Firefighters: Locals and Those From Far Away (Can You Believe We Have a Crew From Puerto Rico Here?)
- Weary Firefighters Bunking at HSU
- YOUR FIRE MAPS 8/8/15
- Day 10: Lightning Fires
- Smoke Conditions Across the Emerald Counties
- Latest Trinity County Evacuations 9 p.m. August 8
- Day 10 Lightning Fires
- YOUR FIRE MAPS 8/9/15
- Evacuation Updates From Trinity County on August 9
- Local Motorcycle Group Pitches in to Help Firefighters and Fire Victims, How You Can Donate
- YOUR FIRE MAPS 8/10/15
- Day 12: A Dozen Days After the Lightning Fires Began
- Aww! Three Generations of Firefighters on the Humboldt Complex
- Trinity County Evacuations as of August 10
- ‘Walking Where the Devil Dances:’ A Local Firefighter Writes About Fighting the Fires Day After Weary Day
- Lassic Fire, West of Ruth, Expanded Today
- Breaking News: Inmate Firefighter Seriously Injured on Humboldt Complex
- HCSO Would Like to Remind Humboldt of Precautionary Evacuations
- YOUR FIRE MAPS 8/11/15
- Evacuations and Road Information From Trinity County of August 11
- YOUR FIRE MAPS 8/12/15
- Day 13
- A Silent Witness: Dissecting a Fire
- Air Tanker Made Emergency Landing at Rohnerville Airport
- Day 14: Two Weeks After the Lightning Fires Started
- YOUR FIRE MAPS 8/13/15
- Day 15: Lightning Fires
- Unhealthy Air Found in Areas of Trinity County
- Trinity County Evacuations and Road Closure Information as of August 13
- Latest on Evacuations and Road Closures for Trinity County
- Day 16: Lightning Fires
- YOUR FIRE MAPS 8/15/15
- Day 17: Lighting Fires
- YOUR FIRE MAPS 8/15/15
- Lost Horses Seek Out Firefighters
- As the Fires Grow: Map Gifs of the River, Route, South and Mad River Complexes
- A Dubious Distinction: River Complex Now Largest This Year in California’s USFS Lands
- YOUR FIRE MAPS 8/16/15
- Day 18
- Current Information on Evacuations and Road Closures Per Trinity County Sheriff
- Day 19: Lightning Fires
- Lassic Fire Bursting Seams, Sheriff Evacuating Residences Now
- YOUR FIRE MAPS 8/18/15
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Behind fire crew heading into weaverville this morning lot of tired faces in town .lot of Heavy smoke again
So yellow out this morning.I hope everyone is safe from harm.The photo of the animals is priceless!!thank you to the Brave firefighters with hearts of gold,and for watering those poor animals!!And thanks for these much needed up-dates.Could someone tell me where Red cross is??why there not here.thanks
They were here, No one was using the shelters, at least not on the Route or Mad River fires. They move onto where they are needed.
Thank you.just wondering
My face feels like someone’s trying to turn it inside out.
Ouch!that sounds most painful
It was! OMG, but I think the wind changed because right around 3pm the pain and burning subsided down to mere soreness… and even though the update image shows you guys are still being nailed really hard, at LEAST there’s also an update that the National Guard is coming to help us.
Winds up 5 to 15 small ash falling In parts of Hayfork .not good
5:30 pm
Oh, man, I do literally feel for you. Trying not to feel sorry for myself, knowing you have to be having it so much worse.
Thanks Kym Kemp for continued excellent info and maps.
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