The Ranch Fire Blows Past Lines to Threaten Homes Around Lake Pillsbury; The Mendocino Complex is Now Burning in Four Counties
Blowing through dozer lines set in place to protect Lake Pillsbury, the massive Ranch Fire pushed back containment. Firefighters lost ground yesterday. The Complex is now only 68% contained instead of yesterday’s 70%.
The Complex is now burning in four counties–Lake, Mendocino, Colusa, and, today, Glenn County.
In the late afternoon, new mandatory evacuation orders were issued for residents near Lake Pillsbury in the Mendocino National Forest area including the Rice Fork Summer Homes area, and everything north to the Lake County line.
For more information on evacuations and road closures, click here or see the evacuation map below.
The Plan:
With minimal humidity recovery during nighttime operations the Ranch Fire was very active in the northwest corner and continued to burn towards Lake Pillsbury. As the fire moves in this direction, fire crews in and around the surrounding areas of Lake Pillsbury are
preparing and defending structures. Fire crews are still working on bringing the Ranch Fire below and west of Lodoga Stonyford
Road and back into the Mendocino National Forest. Dozer lines along with contingency dozer lines will continue to be put in and
improved. The southern area of the Ranch Fire continues suppression repair and be patrolled
It is 295,970 acres and only 59% contained when yesterday it was considered 62% contained.
No growth is expected today on the River Fire. Containment is holding steady at 93%. Total acreage on the fire is expected to remain around 48,920.
The Weather:
It will be hazy and hot for the next few days. Temperatures will be in the high nineties.The Roads:
All major roads are open throughout the Mendocino Complex. However, many smaller roads are closed so check Cal Fire for the latest.
The MAPS:
- Mendocino Complex Operations Map –to see details either zoom or click on the map and download a pdf.
KMZ Map–Zoom for detail or for 3D imagery, click on the map and download a file that connects with your Google Earth program.
DONATIONS:
Redwoods Rural Health Center in Redway is a Pay It Forward donation center. Call and ask first what they are accepting.
Earlier Chapters:
- Mandatory Evacuations for River Fire 4000 Acres / Ranch Fire Grown to 1000 Acres
- Thousands Without Electricity in Lake and Mendocino County as Major Wildfires Rage
- Mendocino Complex Devours Almost 25,000 Acres (Maps, Photos)
- Hwy 20 Closed as Ranch Fire Runs Out of Control
- More Evacuations as Both Fires of the Mendocino Complex Plow Deeper Into Lake County
- The Two Fiery Claws of the Mendocino Complex Squeeze Clear Lake and Its Communities (Maps, Photos)
- Kelseyville and Finley Area Ordered to Immediately Evacuate as River Fire Rushes Southeast
- The Mendocino Complex: Nearly 75,000 Acres Burned, 12% Contained [Maps, Photos]
- The Mendocino Complex: Still Burning Hot and Fast
- Mendocino County Fights Back Onslaught of Fires, But the Complex Grew Almost 20,000 Acres Yesterday
- The Mendocino Complex: Maps, Photos, Videos
- SR 175 Reopened in Lake County as River Fire Heads North
- Mendocino Complex Grew Around 50,000 Acres Yesterday [Maps, Photos]
- Marijuana Growers Arrested After Choosing to Water Plants Rather Than Evacuate, Says Lake County Sheriff’s Office
- Massive Mendocino Complex Now Fifth Largest in California History as It Jumps to Over 250,000 Acres [Maps, Videos, Photos]
- The Mendocino Complex Rolls Through New Land (Maps, Photos)
- Mendocino Complex Grows to 290,000 Acres Making It the Largest Fire in Modern California History [Maps]
- Mendocino Complex Is Now Over 300,000 Acres
- Hwy 20 Reopens
- Massive Mendocino Complex Slows But Red Flag Warning Weather Begins This Afternoon [Maps]
- Firefighters and Law Enforcement Keep Watchful Eyes on the Mendocino Complex
- Mendocino Complex Rolls Northward Taking Around 13,000 Acres [Maps]
- Fighting Flames, Saving Houses, Feeding Pigs…It’s All in the Job Description of a Firefighter
- Now the Largest Single Fire in Modern California History, the Ranch Fire on the Mendocino Complex Continues to Grow
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I heard a story that the diversion tunnel out of lake pillsbury to potter valley is made out of redwood and could burn up in a wildfire.
This is true, but the diversion tunnel is not at Lake Pillsbury, it’s at a shallow dam, 10 miles downstream
The tunnel is lined with timbers. Could they actually burn?
I rather doubt it since it’s surrounded by WATER!!!
That would vegin the heal8ng process for the Eel River who is going to be drier than ecer after this fire burns through Snow Mountain and San Hedrin. There is a possibility of this fire burning straight through Hearst maybe into Tomki Creek. Look at the fire run it took last n8ght and yesterday, even Willits is within Reach as well as Covelo
Given that the first word out of my mouth when I read this is bleep-able…
Oh FECES!
It lacks that full stop at the end, the hard consonant found in so many satisfying expletives…
It spreads and mushes. Not so satisfying as other words with similar meanings.
But the point is made.
Frustration. Dismay. Concern. Weariness with this particular problem….
Yes, although my choice was “damn.” Just a little bit of good news and it’s easy to think that the fight is won.
Mother Nature bats last….but it’s always a home run.
Agreed 250%!!!
It’s time to put cows, sheep and goats back on some of these lands. We’ve let nature sit fallow for too long with our sierra club philosophies, and then plucked suburban homes in the middle of forest and range land, then stayed indoors reading Gary Snyder books and working online.
Nature doesn’t like us, and the proof is these fires.
So let’s put livestock back in the hills to keep down the grass, and we can train the eureka homeless bums into the Shepard’s they always thought they were.
Namaste
The evacuation orders yesterday have been widely reported as “new” however, according to both the Mendocino County and the Lake County sheriff, the nixle was a reiteration of an order already in place.
Kym…of all the local media you give the best coverage of the fires. Many thanks.
Thank you.
thank you Kim for covering this catastrophe so well. Its good to know we have a formidable journalist out there…but…maybe you need a breaK?
I got a hike in with my mom today and slept out under the stars with my kiddo on Saturday. Also I took naps two days in a row. Life feels a lot more balanced than it did a few days ago.
“With minimal humidity recovery during nighttime operations the Ranch Fire was very active in the northwest corner and continued to burn towards Lake Pillsbury”….. How can there be Humidity recovery when the coastal fogs which create inland moisture is being hampered by Mendocino Redwood Xompany spraying over 300,000 acres of Tan Oak trees, a key species for transpiring atmospheric humidity in the redwood forest, creating “tree drip” diring night tine hours…. The entire redwood forests in Mendocino have been logged to infinity creating a 200-300 foot lower canopy of fog production. Between “cloud seeding” along the i5 x 101 corridor of Coastal Mountain California by PG&E to increase rain on Snow Mountain Mendocino National Forest, and the build up of Heavy Metals (see Geoengineering Testimony Shasta County Supervisors) this forest is a ticking time bomb.
Why comment on the 747 when there’s a “Sorry, we don’t have any information about flights for this airport” now on the link?
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/airports/mcc
save lake pillsbury resort at any cost