[UPDATE 7:18 p.m. 101 Open] Fire Closes Hwy 101 North of Laytonville

By David Jeffreys

Smoke seen from Laytonville [Photo by a reader]

According to the California Highway Patrol Incident page, a fire is burning north of Laytonville and south of Camp WinnaRainbow. Emergency personnel closed Hwy 101 at 2:21 p.m. as flames spread to both sides of the road.

As of 2:29 p.m.It is burning about 10 to 20 acres, according to the Incident Commander.

MendocinoSportsPlus reports,

The Laytonville Fire Department and CalFire ground, air & inmate assets are responding to a vegetation fire off US-101. A first responder arriving at the scene reported a “half-acre moderate rate of spread into the timber…” It is being referred to as the @Rough Incident.” …. At 2:19 pm, a first responder said, “it’s about an acre now with spotting ahead of the fire. Keep the resources coming.”

UPDATE 2:53 p.m.: According to the scanner, the Incident Commander is looking for help to provide structure defence to three homes in the area.

UPDATE 3 p.m.: The fire is within 100 feet of the three homes, according to the CHP Incident page.

Rough fire smoke and traffic backup

Rough Fire [Photo by David Jeffreys]

UPDATE 3:25 p.m.: A reader sends us these two photos showing the column of smoke rising and…a burned leaf that traveled two miles towards him.

ruff fire burned leaf

Burned leaf from the Ruff Fire. It traveled two miles according to the reader who sent us this photo

Smoke from the Ruff fire sent from a reader

Smoke from the Ruff Fire. [Photo from a fire north of Laytonville]

UPDATE 3:45 p.m.: Local resident Leslie Gravier sends this photo showing aircraft dropping pink retardant on the fire. MVUFirePhotographer, a senior member at WildlandFire.com which is an excellent source of information frequented by firefighters, reports, “…fire is 40-45 acres with potential for 100.”

Traffic backed up as aircraft drops retardant on the fire. [Photo by Leslie Gravier]

Traffic backed up as aircraft drops retardant on the fire. [Photo by Leslie Gravier]

UPDATE 4:12 p.m.: A windshift shows the fire heading east from Hwy 101, according to the reader who sent this photo.
unnamed-9

UPDATE 4:45 p.m.: According to readers, the road opened. This isn’t official yet. But we have heard that some aircraft is being pulled from the fire.

UPDATE 4:55 p.m.: All lanes of 101 now open, according the California Highway Patrol Incident page.

UPDATE 5:26 p.m.: For a story of how one home was saved, click here.

UPDATE 7:18 p.m.: As of 6;45 p.m., Cal Fire reports, the fire is 50 acres and 40% contained.

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68 Comments
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onlooker
Guest
onlooker
7 years ago

We are approaching this fire from the south right now. A big smoke column

Hayley
Guest
Hayley
7 years ago

Does anyone know if the road will reopen anytime soon?

Mickey
Guest
Mickey
7 years ago

They are saying 3 hour wait

Stephanie
Guest
Stephanie
7 years ago
Reply to  Mickey

3 hours before they might open?

honeybee
Guest
honeybee
7 years ago
Reply to  Stephanie

You can take Branscomb road west to the coast, then up hwy 1 back to the 101 in Leggett

RALPH BROWN
Guest
RALPH BROWN
6 years ago
Reply to  honeybee

why not wait and then when road is open go north ? you still have to wait down in Leggett before road is open ?

onlooker
Guest
onlooker
7 years ago

Firefighters now heading out Huntsman Lane. Looks like the fire is spreading to the east. A gusty breeze coming in from the ocean. Sheriff and fire vehicles leaving the fire site along the corridor & heading east. 3 trucks with convict line crews just arriving. Smoke is suddenly getting dark at the center of the column, which is easy of the road and stretching east with the breeze. Another truck, an 18 wheeler hauling a big bulldozer. 2 big planes. This fire is being fought on 3 fronts: the 101 corridor with line crews, Huntsman to the east with water tankers; from the air with 2 bombers & a spotter. We’re about an 8th of a mile north of the Huntsman intersection, been here 40 minutes, and the traffic stretches out of sight back toward and probably into Laytonville. Slurry bombers ripping the air and sirens screaming up the roads.

Cindy
Guest
Cindy
7 years ago
Reply to  onlooker

Thank you for the description. We live on ten mile creek road. Very scary for our neighbors. Do you know if there is a way to help?

honeybee
Guest
honeybee
7 years ago
Reply to  onlooker

The pic above shows the exit to Woodman Canyon Road and Huntsman is just south of that. You sure you mean Huntsman?

Curious
Guest
Curious
7 years ago
Reply to  onlooker

Heading out Huntsman? Like they are going up Fox Rock? Or county Road 307 and Woodman Canyon Rd?

Wakawaka
Guest
Wakawaka
7 years ago
Reply to  Curious

they could be on any one of those rds trying too get above and in front of the fire

Alpha
Guest
Alpha
7 years ago
Reply to  Wakawaka

The fire isn’t that far east to use any of those, they’d surely be using Woodman Canyon’s access, County Road 307 is technically accurate, and it dead ends at 101 behind a guardrail, which is where it appeared to have started in my opinion.

Alpha
Guest
Alpha
7 years ago
Reply to  Alpha

This appears to be the general perimeter
This is not official information!

Ex srripper turned teacher
Guest
Ex srripper turned teacher
7 years ago
Reply to  onlooker

Wow, wonderful description.
You must be the only person in laytonville that isn’t s stoned out of their minds.

Augie
Guest
Augie
7 years ago

Hey guys some comments are( in my opinion) getting off point in many of kyms news reports. Just a suggestion for future posts of local and current situations, if your not posting things to aid or help educate those parties involved just keep it to yourself. Be a part of the solution, not a part of the problem thx

Anon Forrest
Guest
Anon Forrest
7 years ago

Please. This is not the time nor place to dump your load. af

Augie
Guest
Augie
7 years ago
Reply to  Anon Forrest

Thx

local truthteller
Guest
local truthteller
7 years ago

I am so tired of people saying such mean stuff about everyone in Laytonville every time something bad happens in this area.

Thanks Kym, you are the best source for local news now. The pictures really do help.

Augie
Guest
Augie
7 years ago

Thank you

local truthteller
Guest
local truthteller
7 years ago

Be nice.
I hope you are not teaching spelling.

Maureen Johnson
Guest
7 years ago

What a ugly remark!!!! There is a ton of good people in our area!!!! Sober!!!

Lacey Frost
Guest
Lacey Frost
7 years ago

That pisses me off!!! I live in Laytonville and I’ve never smoked weed! Or do any other drugs…Assuming everyone does is pure ignorance!

Jbv
Guest
Jbv
7 years ago

Yo ex stripper, you might be a better person if you were stoned out if your mind.
Might give you some self awareness and respect and you wouldn’t make a disgraceful, prickish and absolutly useless comment during a time of community crisis. Hope your far away from laytonville, we dont need haters here, especially teachers who think like this. Peaceout.

Carolea Goodwin
Guest
Carolea Goodwin
7 years ago

Closed minds should come with closed mouths.

TD
Guest
TD
7 years ago

I live on Ten Mile Creek and have never smoked weed however I would rather have neighbors who do smoke verses ones who are drunk by noon. This is a beautiful town with wonderful, caring people.

Ernie Branscomb
Guest
7 years ago
Reply to  onlooker

Dark smoke usually means something manmade. Unless it’s lake County, then it’s greasebrush.

Anon Forrest
Guest
Anon Forrest
7 years ago

Is “grease brush” what we call “coyote brush” down here? If so, it melts before it burns. And in doing so, create its own fire-retardent. Curious, af

Micheal Richards
Guest
Micheal Richards
7 years ago
Reply to  Anon Forrest

Humboldt ranchers refer to it as nigger brush.. Never did understand why.

veterans friend
Guest
veterans friend
7 years ago

We really did not need to read or see that comment. Kym? Could that be removed?

Liz
Guest
Liz
7 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Back about 1955 I heard a man call the nuts that. That man was never invited back to our home. Dad made a point of it and telling me why. Not everybody used that term.

veterans friend
Guest
veterans friend
7 years ago
Reply to  Liz

It is an ugly word and Kym is endorsing its use. Nuff said. I guess

scout
Guest
scout
7 years ago

Bless you Kym for ALL THAT YOU DO… in keeping an Oregon mom & Nan up-to-date & fairly sane on a daily basis.

❤️Especially down to the Laytonville, Dos Rios, Covelo & Mina areas.

This fire today, North of Laytonville… do you have any present/anticipated wind speeds and directions?

Thank you sooo much!

**Just read “onlooker’s” comments

Ernie Branscomb
Guest
7 years ago
Reply to  scout

It’s not just “Kym” any more. It’s “Citizen of the year Kym”. Who also won the state of California’s highest civilian honor. Mostly for her concern for the community she lives in, and especially times like this where people might lose everything. She watches out for us, and it is much appreciated.

Anon Forrest
Guest
Anon Forrest
7 years ago

Amen. af

Lynn
Guest
Lynn
7 years ago

I understand that but isn’t “Citizen of the Year” typically designated for volunteers that have selfishly given time for the betterment of a community?
Maybe Humboldt is different than Mendicino but that’s how the award is structured here.

Joel
Guest
Joel
7 years ago

I am up fox rock and haven’t heard any traffic up here, must just be going up woodman for now.

Augie
Guest
Augie
7 years ago

Winds sse at 7 mph

Amber McMahan
Guest
Amber McMahan
7 years ago

My daughter and son in law on the way home to Eureka and are stuck in the stopped traffic.

Anon Forrest
Guest
Anon Forrest
7 years ago

Stay on “Ruff Fire” on CalFire…good updated maps and information. Be safe, all! af

EAB
Guest
EAB
7 years ago
Reply to  Anon Forrest

CalFire is being slow at giving information on this fire. No maps, no number of firefighters, no amount of equipment. No information on evacuation centers.

Ernie Branscomb
Guest
7 years ago

When I was a child growing up in Laytonville that area was known as “Warren’s Flat” it was named after Warren Woodruff who owned it. I’m assuming that the name “Ruff Fire” must be some construation of his last name.

William Shakespeare
Guest
7 years ago

Ernie any luck finding that Thief ?

Ernie Branscomb
Guest
7 years ago

No, but he’s a local. His name is Dewayne. The only way that I’m not going to find him is if he leaves town. Either way I win!

BLM
Guest
BLM
7 years ago

Black Leaves Matter

Sherwood mama
Guest
Sherwood mama
7 years ago
Reply to  BLM

Really?

Wakawaka
Guest
Wakawaka
7 years ago
Reply to  BLM

Black Olives Matter

Wakawaka
Guest
Wakawaka
7 years ago

two lanes open south and one north

Susy Barsotti
Guest
Susy Barsotti
7 years ago

Just heard they’re evacuating Woodman Canyon.

Here to help brother
Guest
Here to help brother
7 years ago

Just heard the Hog Farm will be used as the evacuation center. They will provide all the drugs necessary to help you disconnect from the reality of your home burning down.

Laytonville resident
Guest
Laytonville resident
7 years ago

How does one find out about an evacuation in their neighborhood? Does someone go door to door, or gate to gate?

Curious
Guest
Curious
7 years ago

Reverse 911 calls, if you have a landline, if you have cellular I think you can register to be called. Best bet would be to check the Cal Fire incident page and click on more info. You may even want to call Cal Fire or the sheriffs department.

The view of the fire, the smoke and air traffic, is looking promising 🙂 Hopefully there will be no evacuations necessary! Thank you to all the wonderful personnel who responded to this “Ruff” fire!!!

.
Guest
.
7 years ago

Other counties use CaHAN and/or everbridge for emergency alerts. I believe Mendo does also..https://member.everbridge.net/index/892807736722865#/login

Laytonville resident
Guest
Laytonville resident
7 years ago

Thanks Curious for the info, and a big thanks to all the firefighters for your hard work.

EAB
Guest
EAB
7 years ago

It appears that the fire is contained or nearly so at 40-100 acres. Tomorrow they will assess. Crews will stay on hot spots all night but they are letting folks back into the back country. My sis and her husband are on their way home. Heavy equipment guys were on the fire before most of the first responders got there. Thank all for the efforts. Could have been much worse.

Charles Bolton
Guest
Charles Bolton
7 years ago

Didn’t know there was a fire…been inside all day working on computers…glad it didn’t race uphill my direction…

I should turn my scanner on more often…I did step outside to see the air attack folks leave just before sunset…

Laytonville-ian
Guest
Laytonville-ian
7 years ago

Giving thanks courageous and angelic dedicated 🔥 crews have succeeded in putting out most of the fire thus helping fellow Laytonville-ians sleep 💤 little better tonight. Condolences to the family whom lost their property in the fire. Let us know if we can be of any help. & Rest in Peace Kenny Fisher! Justice now! Pray no others fall victims to c. W. Reynolds wrath of fury!

Dyerville Loop is Not Alderpoint
Guest
Dyerville Loop is Not Alderpoint
7 years ago

Ernie? Dark smoke in the middle of the column? Isnt that actually a sign of rate of change in combustion? When the structure is burning under the center of the column and it riiiiy gets ripping does the plume color change or does it tend to stay dark for lack of oxygen until the fuel is consumed? or is this a valid question?I guess there could be so many variables .hmmmmmm. Im a curious whannabe fire fighter.

William Smith
Guest
William Smith
7 years ago

Can anyone explain this:
The fire was called in a around 8am but then at 8:30 all crews responding were canceled. Then the fire ballooned to 50 acres

Alpha
Guest
Alpha
7 years ago
Reply to  William Smith

“Tower Incident” is a different incident than the Woodruff “Ruff” incident

William Smith
Guest
William Smith
7 years ago
Reply to  Alpha

Thanks for clearing that up for me.

Joe couthren
Guest
7 years ago

Hi this is Joe from Redding I know a lot of those names I used to live there and now the People by the fire good comments it was funny LOL with a cat fight going on haha

Stu Jackson
Guest
Stu Jackson
6 years ago

I own 40 acres east of Laytonville 7 miles from town does anybody know if there’s a fire close to that area called Woodland Creek