The Ranch Fire Blows Past Lines to Threaten Homes Around Lake Pillsbury; The Mendocino Complex is Now Burning in Four Counties

Firefighters from Pleasant Grove City, Utah wading through the Ranch Fire yesterday on the north end of the Mendocino Complex.

Firefighters from Pleasant Grove City, Utah wading through the flames yesterday on the north end of the Mendocino Complex. [Photo from the Uintah City Fire Department’s Twitter Feed]

The Mendocino Complex took new ground again yesterday. It burned around an additional 13,000 acres to reach 344,890 and is continuing to top its own record as the largest fire in modern California history.

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%.

Zoom in on a Cal Fire map showing the push past dozer lines. Mendocino Complex

Zoom in on a Cal Fire map showing the push past dozer lines around Lake Pillsbury and the clawhold the Complex now has on Glenn County.

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:

The Ranch Fire is burning hot and fast at the north end towards Lake Pillsbury. Cal Fire stated this morning,

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:  

The smoke plumes far off in the distance are over the northern edge of the fire in this view from the Mount Konocti Camera.

The smoke plumes far off in the distance are over the northern edge of the fire in this view from the Mount Konocti Camera. [Image from here]

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.
    Mendocino Complex Operations Map

    Mendocino Complex Operations Map

    KMZ Map–Zoom for detail or for 3D imagery, click on the map and download a file that connects with your Google Earth program.

    Mendocino Complex Infrared interpretation map

    Mendocino Complex Infrared interpretation map

    Evacuation Map current as of 6 p.m. yesterday.

    Evacuation Map current as of 6 p.m. yesterday. Click here for a larger version or zoom in.

DONATIONS:

Redwoods Rural Health Center in Redway is a Pay It Forward donation center. Call and ask first what they are accepting.

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18 Comments
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Timmy
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Timmy
5 years ago

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.

Mike Nelson
Guest
Mike Nelson
5 years ago
Reply to  Timmy

This is true, but the diversion tunnel is not at Lake Pillsbury, it’s at a shallow dam, 10 miles downstream

tree rehab
Guest
tree rehab
5 years ago
Reply to  Timmy

The tunnel is lined with timbers. Could they actually burn?

Dan F
Guest
Dan F
5 years ago
Reply to  tree rehab

I rather doubt it since it’s surrounded by WATER!!!

Mendocino Historian
Guest
Mendocino Historian
5 years ago
Reply to  tree rehab

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

Mobius Dancer
Guest
Mobius Dancer
5 years ago

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….

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Mobius Dancer

Yes, although my choice was “damn.” Just a little bit of good news and it’s easy to think that the fight is won.

LostCoastEMT
Guest
LostCoastEMT
5 years ago
Reply to  Guest

Mother Nature bats last….but it’s always a home run.

Dan F
Guest
Dan F
5 years ago
Reply to  Mobius Dancer

Agreed 250%!!!

Canyon oak
Guest
Canyon oak
5 years ago

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

Laura C.
Guest
Laura C.
5 years ago

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.

REO6205
Guest
REO6205
5 years ago

Kym…of all the local media you give the best coverage of the fires. Many thanks.

g.
Guest
g.
5 years ago

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?

Geoengineering Watch Org
Guest
Geoengineering Watch Org
5 years 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.

Central HumCo
Guest
5 years ago

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

Brian Carr
Guest
Brian Carr
5 years ago

save lake pillsbury resort at any cost