[UPDATE 2 p.m. Some Resources Being Released] Fire in the Benbow Area
UPDATE 12:55 p.m.: Firefighters are now looking for Red Rock Road. Personnel with eyes on the fire describes it as 1/4 acre in heavy timber with a slow rate of spread.
UPDATE 1 p.m.: Now dispatch is saying that the best access is likely off of Twin Trees Road.
UPDATE 1:07 p.m.: A reader tells us, “Spotter planes on it. Heli on scene…Wind picking up. Smoke plume solid up to 3000ft.”
UPDATE 1:39 p.m.: A campground in Richardson Grove State Park is being evacuated because of the fire.
UPDATE 1:42 p.m.: Below is the rough area of the fire.
UPDATE 1:46 p.m.: A reader tells us that planes are circling overhead.
UPDATE 1:58 p.m.: A reader tells us that the smoke from the fire is getting less noticeable.
UPDATE 2 p.m.: Fire is holding at approximately one acre. Some resources are being released.
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CAMP just STABO’d two dudes in. It’s at Twin Trees-ish.
At a grow near Richardson Grove?
Sorry for the long delay. I couldn’t see from my vantage point where they were dropped off, but I will presume the fire was grow related and CAMP helped secure the scene. Never seen it before, but hey. They were STABO’d out about 20 min ago.
Me and some friends have been watching the whole time. No camp. Get a grip. It’s a fire and hard working people keeping cooks valley safe . Thank you again
There were no CAMP helicopters working or dispatched to this fire. The non-CALFIRE ship you see is a hired helicopter that is doing exactly what it is intended which is to aid and assist State resources in times/ areas of very high fire danger. Just like the department calls in hired equipment on the ground (e.g.- water tenders, dozers, etc.) they also utilize contractors as air resources.
West side
East. They are now accessing it through Richardson Grove.
Fire seems to be on west side of Richardson Grove. West of river.
Both choppers are getting water from the river across from the Patriot gas station. Fire is just north at RG state park. On the west side of 101.
Thank you to all the hard working volunteer firefighters, Calfire, helicopter & planes pilots & everyone who worked hard to get fire under control!!!! Let’s all get through this fire season unharmed & minimal damage.
One chopper with a bucket headed north over Garberville airport, 2:13pm. As of 2:23, has not returned. Edit- Helo with full bucket returned south at 2:28.
Those guys are badass.. if my life wasn’t what it is I’d be a firefighter in a second. Thank you guys
I’ll bite. What is your life? 🙂
The headline says the Benbow area. Yet the comment says Richardson Grove. To me these are very different areas. Were there two fires?
Call originally came in from the reporting party as “in the area of Benbow “. Report came in from a caller looking out from Alderpoint Road to the south and that was the initial description for smoke location.
Only one fire was found. As Suzanne mentions, the original caller to the Fortuna Command Center, calling from somewhere on Alderpoint Road, estimated from his location that the fire was “in the Benbow area” possibly near Reed Mountain.
When the Air Attack plane (fire aircraft coordinator) arrived overhead he corrected the location to be farther west (and south) of that, saying it didn’t appear to have any good road access, but the best possibly being via Twin Trees Road near Richardson Grove.
Distances and directions can always be tricky in the mountains, of course.
Big plume of smoke east of Laytonville. Any information?