[UPDATE 11 a.m.: At Least 17 New Fires] Lightning Yesterday Started Multiple Fires Including at Least One Near Ruth Lake

lightning strike sparks fire on chanchelulla near deerlick springs resort. Aug 7, 2017

Lightning strike sparks fire on Chanchelulla near Deerlick Springs Resort. [Photo provided by a reader]

Lightning from a round of thunderstorms started a series of fires in the Emerald Counties yesterday. Information on these new starts is still coming in as many of them started in the evening yesterday.

Two of the ones known at this point are in Trinity County. One of the fires is the Pickett Fire near Horse Ridge Lookout Road east of Ruth Lake. Another is the Deerlick Fire, pictured above, which is east of Peanut near Deerlick Springs. Both of these fires started between 6 and 6:30 p.m.

The US Forest Service says that it is “planning aerial reconnaissance flights each day over the forest to assist with detection of new lightning related fires.”

This is the rough location of the Pickett Fire

This is the rough location of the Pickett Fire. [From the US Wildfire Activity Map]


UPDATE 11 a.m.: Press release from Six Rivers National Forest:

Lightning ignited more than a dozen new wildfires in the Six Rivers National Forest on Monday, from the Gasquet Ranger District to the north and the Mad River Ranger District to the south.

At least 17 new fires have been confirmed in the Gasquet, Mad River and Orleans ranger districts, ranging in size from 0.1 to 60 acres. Fire managers are gathering information and prioritizing initial attack on the new starts.

The majority of the new fire activity is on the Mad River Ranger District, where 12 new fires have been detected. The largest of those fires is 3 acres. There was also a fire detected on Pickett Peak in the Shasta Trinity National Forest that Mad River personnel will be managing.

At least two new fires have been reported in the Orleans Ranger District and they will be added to the Orleans Complex of fires east and west of the Klamath River. NorCal Team 1, which is managing the Orleans Complex, will assume command of those two fires, both of which are burning west of the Klamath River.

One new fire was reported in the Siskiyou Wilderness in the Gasquet Ranger District near Shannon Butte. That fire was last reported at 60 acres and is burning in very steep terrain.
Chances of thunderstorms will diminish as we move through the week with today being the highest likelihood of any thunderstorm development.

The Six Rivers National Forest remains under fire restrictions. Details about these restrictions can be found on the Forest Service Website at www.fs.usda.gov/smf.


UPDATE 11:02 a.m.:
A reader near Deerlick fire pictured above tells us that it has been contained at about 10 acres. Crews are mopping up.

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Dot
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Dot
6 years ago

Thanks for the report

Bozo the Clone
Guest
Bozo the Clone
6 years ago
Reply to  Dot

What about the fire near that was spotted by Grasshopper lookout about 3:20 pm today out towards Telegraph Ridge? The last I heard on the fire radio was that it was about one acre in size with a potential for 50 acres. Also, it was stated the fire
was moving at a slow rate of spread in timber. That was at 3:26PM… what has developed since then? I will listen to KMUD news on their website archives. Maybe the MUD made a report.

George

Brian
Guest
Brian
6 years ago

There is also one east /northeast of weaverville. I’m too far from the plume to be sure, but maybe Ridgeville/ cedar stock area by trinity lake.

Brian
Guest
Brian
6 years ago
Reply to  Brian

Pic test

Brian
Guest
Brian
6 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

That’s good, not too many homes up n out there.

Thanks for the accuracy

* the plume is getting smaller and smaller. Good job Cal fire!

gunther
Guest
gunther
6 years ago

Thanks Kym. It’s amazing how you’re so on top of breaking news.

Cole s
Guest
Cole s
6 years ago

The thunder was gnarly on south fork mt last night woke up to smoke this morning, the fire two years ago burnt pickets peak hopefully it’s not spreading to fast

Brian
Guest
Brian
6 years ago
Reply to  Cole s

The 2015 lightning fires were nuts.

I’d say there are far fewer fires, and many more resources available than what happened back on July 31, 2015 and the week after.

The 14,000 acre Barker complex was my backyard nemesis for 2 or more weeks then. Even got to fight fire for a week with some brave neigbors. Hope it never happens again –

Best to ya

Concerned
Guest
Concerned
6 years ago

Retardant being dropped on Pickett fire. One on South Fork is manned. Go get em boys

Chuck
Guest
Chuck
6 years ago

The South Fork Mtn Involuntary Fire Dept, along with a USFS engine and some loggers with equipment got rid of that 3 acre fire on SoFkMtn before it was even official. Same crew that held 36 in 2015. Rock on.

Michael
Guest
Michael
6 years ago

450 acre fire 7 miles east of Zenia is running and spotting, called Dutchman fire. Lots of firefighters working their asses off tonite…

Chris Berry
Guest
Chris Berry
6 years ago

Interesting. We rode out the 8/6 storm at upper Caribou Lake in our tent and it was gnarly!