Helena Tops 11,000 Acres as It Rolls Toward the Fork Fire
The heavy smoke which has caused hazardous conditions for the locals lifted in the afternoon yesterday. This provided welcome relief for residents but fanned the fire spreading to the northeast towards the Fork Fire and also to the southwest. The Helena and the Fork (that fire is now at 1700 acres) are expected to merge on the west side of the Weaver Bally divide in the next 36 hours or so.
A spot fire broke out yesterday east of Weaver Bally Lookout. According to the US Forest Service, “The reported spot fire is actually part of the Helena Fire and within planned containment lines.”
Hwy 299 is closed except for a few windows of opportunity to be escorted between the east and west sides of the fire–at 5:30 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.
There is a small chance that showers and thunderstorms could pass over the area from Tuesday through Friday. Temperatures are still expected to top 90 degrees for today and tomorrow. Firefighters are watching for “[s]trong and erratic winds” which might spread both the Helena and the Fork Fires.
The Helena Fire continues to threaten structures from west of Helena to Weaverville. The Fork Fire threatens 14 structures and is 0% contained.
UPDATE Wednesday: Helena and Fork Fires Together Now Over 16,000 Acres
Earlier Chapters on the Helena Fire:
- Hwy 299 Closed at Helena Due to Fire
- A 17-Year-Old Mendocino Girl Recounts How She and Friends Fled the Helena Fire in Trinity County
- Hwy 299 Still Closed After 6000 Acre Wildfire Burned Homes and Sent Around 2000 Residents Fleeing
- Smoke Levels Near Helena Fire on 299 Are Hazardous
- Helena: Maps and 299 to Remain Closed
- Governor Brown Declares State of Emergency for Trinity County Due to Wildfire
- Helena Fire Disrupts Frontier Communications’ Service
- Helena Fire Pushes Toward Junction City After Destroying Over 140 Structures; Fork Fire Spreads West
- Helena and Fork Fires: Maps and Morning Update
- As Their Home Burns in the Helena Fire, a Mother and Daughter Are Saved by Passing Heros
- 299 to Open Twice This Evening
- Hwy 299 to Open Multiple Times Today
- Helena: Containment Creeps Upwards in Some Areas But Fire Continues to Expand
- Schools Closed Due to Smoke or Wildfires
- Is the Helena Fire Impacting You? Trinity County and CalOES Have a Place to Help
- Hwy 299 Will Again Be Open for Only Brief Periods Tuesday
- A Short Drive on Hwy 299 Shows Some of the Devastation Left by the Helena Fire
- Helena and Fork Fires Together Now Over 16,000 Acres
- Some Schools Opting to Close or Go to Minimum Day Schedule for the 6th
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I think you need a 0 on the 1700? Fires make for a crappy fall.
I rephrased the sentence. Hopefully, that helps make it clear that the Fork Fire is now at 1700 acres.
Current ArcGis heat signature map is here:
https://www.arcgis.com/home/webmap/viewer.html?webmap=df8bcc10430f48878b01c96e907a1fc3&extent=-123.2492,40.7103,-122.7919,40.8655
Thanks.
Oh man! When you zoom out on that map it is overwhelming
Wow!!thanks for the map,wow.
Weeeell, they have posted an expected containment date.
Brace for it.
They must be banking on rain….. there is a 30% chance of showers on Wodin’s day and Thor’s day.
They’re saying October….
Yes, the 1st.
Yep but that”rain” brings lighting…! The earth is angry. Irmas next.
Containment?………..more like November. This fire will triple in size within the next 1-2 weeks. With most of the suppression efforts concentrated around the communities the fire on the Northeast and Southwest flanks will continue to grow until rains come.
Fire update posted from incident command this evening (video):
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/photograph/5564/0/72850/
30% containment, 15,000 acres.