[UPDATE 2 p.m. Some Resources Being Released] Fire in the Benbow Area

Reed Fire

Smoke boils up near Reed Mountain. [Photo from a reader]

Multiple fire crews are attempting to make access to a fire in the Benbow area near or on Reed Mountain. Overhead spotter planes are racing to the scene as of 12:45 p.m.

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.
Plane circling fire
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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17 Comments
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LookieLoo
Guest
LookieLoo
7 years ago

CAMP just STABO’d two dudes in. It’s at Twin Trees-ish.

LookieLoo
Guest
LookieLoo
7 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

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.

Locality
Guest
Locality
7 years ago
Reply to  LookieLoo

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

Suzanne Van Meter
Guest
Suzanne Van Meter
7 years ago
Reply to  LookieLoo

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.

Mike
Guest
Mike
7 years ago

West side

B
Guest
B
7 years ago

East. They are now accessing it through Richardson Grove.

Locality
Guest
Locality
7 years ago

Fire seems to be on west side of Richardson Grove. West of river.

BB
Guest
BB
7 years ago

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.

SourTangent
Guest
SourTangent
7 years ago

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.

Sutra
Guest
Sutra
7 years ago

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.

Locality
Guest
Locality
7 years ago

Those guys are badass.. if my life wasn’t what it is I’d be a firefighter in a second. Thank you guys

Reality First
Guest
Reality First
7 years ago
Reply to  Locality

I’ll bite. What is your life? 🙂

Liz
Guest
Liz
7 years ago

The headline says the Benbow area. Yet the comment says Richardson Grove. To me these are very different areas. Were there two fires?

Suzanne Van Meter
Guest
Suzanne Van Meter
7 years ago
Reply to  Liz

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.

just-in
Guest
7 years ago

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.

Gail
Guest
Gail
7 years ago

Big plume of smoke east of Laytonville. Any information?