[UPDATE 9:40 p.m.: Structures Burned] 5 Acre Fire in Benbow

ben

Benbow fire [Photo by Talia Rose of Country Line WIld]

IMG_2260

Photo by a reader.

Readers tell us there is a large fire burning in the Benbow area. A resident reports that it is burning about 5 acres off of Blue Rock Road.

UPDATE 6:09 p.m.: We’re being told by a Benbow resident that several structures have burned.

UPDATE 7:03 p.m.: Cal Fire reports that there is “one structure fire within the burn area (crews still working on Structure) and one travel trailer fully involved/destroyed. Some residents were evacuated but the “forward spread has been stopped,” Cal Fire states, “We are still working on the structure fire.  Resources are still at scene; some aircraft released; Copters and Air Attack still at scene.”

unnamed (2)

Cal Fire photo

UPDATE 9:40 p.m.: Cal Fire spokesperson Laura Coleman writes, “The forward progress has been stopped” at 5 acres. Evacuations have been lifted. “One vehicle and one home destroyed,” Coleman said. “[A]ir resources released; resources are at scene and will continue to be for next couple of days.”

Facebooktwitterpinterestmail

Join the discussion! For rules visit: https://kymkemp.com/commenting-rules

Comments system how-to: https://wpdiscuz.com/community/postid/10599/

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

65 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Anonymous
Guest
Anonymous
7 years ago

Blue rock road not blue slide road

Andy Caffrey
Guest
7 years ago

Do you mean Blue Rock Road?

Mother
Guest
Mother
7 years ago

Is it Blue Slide or Blue Rock Rd??

Andy Caffrey
Guest
7 years ago

At 6:30 KMUD just reported fire is 70% contained and still at 5 acres.

G-ma
Guest
G-ma
7 years ago

Oh dear.hope they put it out quick!

Tami
Guest
Tami
7 years ago

Is that the ridge where you can see the greenhouses from the highway?

Janet
Guest
Janet
7 years ago

Look at those greenhouses.

Andy Caffrey
Guest
7 years ago

Evacuation order has been lifted. Residents are returning home now.

Scooter
Guest
Scooter
7 years ago

Nice plants.

Don
Guest
Don
7 years ago

Hot day in Benbow , looks like we have a forced depo

Over jah
Guest
Over jah
7 years ago

Ever notice how nosey people are. Without the internet you’d all mind your own ps and Q’s. You make yourself look stupid.

B
Guest
B
7 years ago
Reply to  Over jah

Do your trimmers have workers comp?

Over jah
Guest
Over jah
7 years ago

What r u talking about? Oh you’re assuming it’s my place.get over yourself

B
Guest
B
7 years ago
Reply to  Over jah

Why are you upset about people being interested in this?

Over jah
Guest
Over jah
7 years ago
Reply to  B

Because the internet makes people nosey fuckers. No oneinds their own business. See comment below for example. Just lonely bored people commenting .. you can almost tell who is a hater and who is not.

J
Guest
J
7 years ago
Reply to  Over jah

I get it, your being ironic because you’ve commented so many times. Lol.

unacceptable
Guest
unacceptable
7 years ago

Is this a registered grow? Looks like more than 2000 square feet of garden space!
Where does the water to me from for these plants? Does this guy have permitted storage? Domestic use permits don’t apply for this commercial operation. Is the wager storage registered? Did he pay Sacramento wager board for the tier program?
Did fish and wildlife inspect this site ?
And how do the culverts look on this parcel? Have they been sized by an engineer?
By the way it’s illegal in California for a private individual to grow commercially,… does this person have a collective to cultivate for?

bottlebro
Guest
bottlebro
7 years ago
Reply to  unacceptable

What… Are you an f-ing cop er something. [edit] The shit is still illegal.

Brown rush
Guest
Brown rush
7 years ago
Reply to  bottlebro

Kym can you link all the fires in this zone over the past two years.
Benbow Mt. Fire two years ago
1000 gal fuel tank fire
Trimmers around camp fire
Generator fire this past winter
This fire
Oh and parking lot fire like 4 years ago
Did I miss any ?
BENBOW NEEDS A FIRE DEPT.

GoGetALatePass
Guest
GoGetALatePass
7 years ago
Reply to  unacceptable

Sounds like you don’t get out of Arcata much. Would you get so worked up if all those people could make a living growing mint in their yards? Those plants are actually fire resistant, as opposed to fire tolerant. So as far as fire is concerned, they’re safer than most other plants. People growing weed tend to have more water storage too now-a-days What should these people do that is better? Commute to log some hillside? Like the logging show near Johnsons that is burning. You outrage is misplaced and about twenty years too late.

OverZealous
Guest
OverZealous
7 years ago
Reply to  unacceptable

“unacceptable” makes it clear why so many will ignore the new permitting system. you get overzealous bureaucrats trying to layer every possible permit on, then making up a couple new ones. All your hurdles would be silly if applied to a 40 x 50 garden growing cherries, and berries, and tomatoes. Environmentally it’s the same. When it comes down to it you don’t like those people living the American homesteady dream, and making enough money to be comfortable right in their backyard. You wouldn’t hate them if it was basil, right?

bottlebro
Guest
bottlebro
7 years ago

Hey travelers now you know where it is, thanks for the fotos Kym. You go girl. Fucking sellout

G-ma
Guest
G-ma
7 years ago
Reply to  bottlebro

Hey bottlebro,they already saw all your shit and everybody else’s.And watch your rude mouth when your talking to her!!

Don'tlookthen
Guest
Don'tlookthen
7 years ago
Reply to  bottlebro

There’s online services that show EVERYONES parcels (across the US) from satellite view. They’re updated every 3 months and are quite detailed. They go back to 2007.

Get over it.

bottlebro
Guest
bottlebro
7 years ago

You and Hank should be held personally liable if anything happens to thems folks in your photos.

ED Denson
Guest
ED Denson
7 years ago
Reply to  bottlebro

Every square inch of Humboldt county has been photographed from the air and those photos are all available on the internet. The idea that anyone’s garden is a secret is an delusion.

Brown rush
Guest
Brown rush
7 years ago
Reply to  ED Denson

Ed is right. That whole zone can be seen from the road and freeway. Law inforcement never follows up on a fire. Is that the old Bee Anderson house. ? You are fine replant.

unacceptable
Guest
unacceptable
7 years ago
Reply to  ED Denson

[edit] So many dumb rednecks out there think the entire town believes that they somehow made their fortune with a stump grinding business,…
Nooooooooot!

Sunnybankroar
Guest
Sunnybankroar
7 years ago
Reply to  unacceptable

New strain = fire on the mountain.

Pink retardant bud on sale, half price.

Eastside
Guest
Eastside
7 years ago
Reply to  bottlebro

Drive around anywhere in Sohum and you can see plants from the road, a rip off doesn’t need these photos to locate something to steal.

Jah No Say
Guest
Jah No Say
7 years ago
Reply to  bottlebro

Just get to Humboldt??

bottlebro
Guest
bottlebro
7 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Does it make it right? When was the last time you posted a pic like this?

bottlebro
Guest
bottlebro
7 years ago
Reply to  bottlebro

And just because an argument is old, does not make it invalid. You are old, but still count.

It's time.
Guest
7 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

You could have zoomed in on the pic then posted it, would definitely suck to have a robbery or worse on your conscious because some whacko sees an opportunity while the property owners are vulnerable, I too partially agree with bottlebro, but it’s your right to post the picture along with whatever else is in it. Great reporting as always kym!

Non-Issue
Guest
Non-Issue
7 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

And bring a semi truck, (Reefer preferably!)

Karen
Guest
Karen
7 years ago

Obviously the two of you know nothing about google earth. You guys think you are hiding your grows in the hills, think again.

G-ma
Guest
G-ma
7 years ago

Google that shit,I did I saw folks right up in their face.we saw our old place.so if your worried about THE PHOTOS for all to see TO LATE!!

Sunnybankroar
Guest
Sunnybankroar
7 years ago
Reply to  G-ma

For a small monthly fee, you can subscribe to TerraServer and get real time satellite imagery.

No need for drones, its all at our fingertips.

bottlebro
Guest
bottlebro
7 years ago
Reply to  Sunnybankroar

Thats it! Im getting a Death Star and lasering satellites tomorrow! Still… Shittiest journalist [edit]

bottlebro
Guest
bottlebro
7 years ago

Yea I comprehend your rules and regs. Genius over here called me “iq, less”. Third grade should have taught you better. Just saying, a real time photo, this time of year, is dangerous for these people. Kym knows better.

bottlebro
Guest
bottlebro
7 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

The oldness of the argument has nothing to do with how correct it is. You are a snoop a spy and disconnected from humanity. Just because you can see google maps’ images from 2 years ago does not make it right. “Get used to it?” Notions like this lead down very dangerous slopes. You are not a journalist. You are a snoop.

bottlebro
Guest
bottlebro
7 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

First 2 photos were great. Admit it. You loved the aerial shot with the grows at the bottom. Why didnt you give a credential to the photo? Who took it? Im guessing my tax dollars paid for it.

NoHum
Guest
NoHum
7 years ago
Reply to  bottlebro

Wow thanks bottlebro, to the non-interested observer like myself after seeing photographs and story about a dangerous and threatening wildfire I probably noticed some irregular landscaping as I surveyed around photograph to see what else was endangered by the fire. I could not tell what it was and I honestly do not see any certainly greenhouses. The only one bringing attention to the situation is YOU. After seeing your response, I did look at the picture closer and maybe you'[re right. Kym is reporting the news and please keep up the good work.

bottlebro
Guest
bottlebro
7 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Would you post pics of women leaving an abortion clinic. Would you post schedules of armored vehicles. Do you post names and faces of juvenile crime victims. Hopefully the answer is no. Instead of taking down the picture, you reply with the “everybody else is doing it” defense. Then you say the argument is old. Well so is the first amendment. Then you said that you simply didn’t notice the small grows. To me, that is an admission that if you had seen them, you would not have published the photo. At the very least, it shows your poor judgement and vetting as a jouranlist. Then, you had the audacity to suggest criminals should go after bigger grows. Theives are traditionally lazy opportunists, and this stems my concern. Sure satellite surveillance is available to all; one could even fly a drone. That is different than abusing your power as a journalist. You posted this on a heavily trafficked news source, in haste, without true concern for our community. You defended your actions by pleading: 1. That you were ignorant of the content you posted 2. That these community members don’t deserve privacy becuase their gardens are small. You are usually on point, but your ego has led to sloppiness. On Aug 4th, one day prior, a weed related home invasion( *actually murder/suicide not necessarily weed related)(** actually actually, both crimes had black trucks and the comments have since been deleted.)happened, and you reported the wrong location. A commenter expressed his frustration saying that there were two roads with essentially the same name and you got it wrong. He went on to say that he did not want his neighborhood to be associated the crime. You responded immediately. The fire is out. If you haven’t realised, you have admitted that you messed up. Do the right thing and take the picture down.

Sunnybankroar
Guest
Sunnybankroar
7 years ago
Reply to  bottlebro

Terraservee gives you daily satellite imagery. Only people living under rocks still use Google.

The Humboldt county planning department uses this real time data constantly.

Get with the times bottlebro

Obviously, My dear Watson...
Guest
Obviously, My dear Watson...
7 years ago
Reply to  bottlebro

The column of smoke was the dead give-away! No fire, no scrutiny.

Marcia Mendels
Guest
Marcia Mendels
7 years ago

Its ridiculous that you are taking abuse for covering this, Kym. Thanks for doing your job so well and keeping all of us informed…and for dealing with some of the guys with such grace. Anyone who doesn’t think his place and grows haven’t been photographed by satellites on an ongoing basis for all the world to see on any computer is not dealing with reality. The world is constantly changing, and so is living in this community. We have to change with it…hopefully, with some intelligence!

Hugo Phuckurselph
Guest
Hugo Phuckurselph
7 years ago

Thank you Kym you are a star, keep up the great work. You’ve been around here long enough and know how to deal with these self-important, ego driven adolescent comments you receive. I always say to bad humility does grow like weed around here, because a lot of people could use some.Peace.

G-ma
Guest
G-ma
7 years ago

So glad the fire is out.no lives lost.and it sure could have been alot worse.thanks to all the Emergency folks,good job as usual you rock!!!

Brigette Brannan
Guest
7 years ago

Hello beautiful Kym Kemp, OMG!! spotter plane, Fire fighter, 2 bomber planes , A helicopter, and Benbow residence , Thank you for ALL your help with putting out the dangerous fire that threatened so many lives and homes yesterday on Blue Rock and Benbow area.. I will be forever grateful for all of your hard work the continued fire fighter still on site to making sure that this fire doesn’t flare up with the dry drought and windy area since I live a mile away. Fire is Very scary and dangerous. . We are bless no live were lost and many homes saved!! Thank you dearly. Sincerely Brigette Brannan aka Brigette Marie Terry Couveau HUGS GRATEFUL

G-ma
Guest
G-ma
7 years ago

So bottlebro,you’d rather not know their coming to your place?and so if she didn’t let you know and you got shredded you’d be pissed she didn’t warn you??when a convoy gathers,everyone see’s it.and neighbors pass things along,it used to be by CB..I still have.my handle

Not worried about it
Guest
Not worried about it
7 years ago

Thank you Kym for the always wonderful reporting and a big GIANT THANK YOU to the firefighters that saved my house and all my neighbors homes. I’m so sorry for my neighbors, but it could have been so much worse.