[UPDATE 2:13 p.m.] August Complex Calmer Under Cooler, Moister Weather

Morning briefing today. [Screenshot from the August Complex-West Zone Morning Briefing]

SATURDAY, September 19th’s updates: Click here:

• August Complex Moving Towards Hwy 36

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Yesterday’s cooler, moister weather kept the August Complex mostly calm in all areas except the southwestern “toe” of the fire which is kicking into the Eden Valley area of Mendocino County where there were a number of spot fires in the afternoon. (See the video below for some idea of how ugly the fire got a few days ago.)

Overall, the fire has slowed way down and in the north part of the fire and the northwest part of the fire, firefighters are keeping the massive beast mostly under control.

However, the southwest part of the fire, south of the Dos Rios Road in Mendocino County pushed hard against firefighters, throwing out spot fires and growing the line a bit.

Firefighters lit successful back-burns in the Lake Pillsbury area on the South Zone to stop the fire from continuing its westward march.

UPDATE 2:13 p.m.: Good News: Hettenshaw Valley, Zenia, and Kettenpom Downgraded to Evacuation Warning

The Plan:

The North side plan from the U.S. Forest Service – Shasta-Trinity National Forest: (Less than six minutes long and well worth watching.)

#AugustComplexWestZone – Operations Brief – September 18, 2020 pic.twitter.com/k70FrMh55u

— CAL FIRE Mendocino (@CALFIRE_MEU) September 18, 2020

The Weather:  

The moist and cooler weather which covered nearly the entire August Complex yesterday, last night and will stay again today is helping firefighters. There is a slight chance of showers on the northern part of the fire today but it hasn’t showed up as of 10 a.m.

The Images:

Taken 4 days ago between Eden Valley and M1.

The Roads:

Here is the latest information: Information on Highways Closed Due to Fires (This includes maps of Trinity County roads now closed.)

The Maps:

• Public Information Map –to see details zoom in.
• Operations Map ––to see details either zoom or, for the North Zone click on the map and download a pdf.
  • West Zone
  • North Zone
• Humboldt County’s Interactive map
• Mendocino County’s Interactive map

Evacuation Area information:

• • Trinity County: See interactive map
  • Mendocino County: See map
  • Humboldt County: See interactive map

USEFUL Information:

• Evacuation for animals Humboldt: “If you have a need to evacuate animals please contact the Humboldt County Fairgrounds to arrange for drop off. HCF is also arranging for trailers if needed to transport animals. Please call 707-496-8841.”
• Evacuations for animals Mendocino:
  • The Laytonville rodeo grounds are open for livestock. They are located at Harwood Road Laytonville, call ahead at 707-984-8100
  • Covelo Rodeo Grounds for small/large animals/livestock (22830 S. Airport Road in Covelo)
• Evacuation place for Trinity residents:
  • Humboldt Fairgrounds in Ferndale.
• Evacuation place for Humboldt residents:
  • • The Mateel Community Center located at 59 Rusk Lane is an evacuation shelter. “Small pets are welcome with leashes outside the hall, no pets are allowed inside the hall due to potential allergy reactions for some individuals.  For more information about the ongoing fire evacuation center located at the Mateel visit mateel.org.
    • The Northern California Regional Evacuation Shelter at the Humboldt County Fairgrounds in Ferndale is discontinuing overnight sheltering operations due to the absence of demand for on-site overnight sheltering of evacuees…The Humboldt County Fairgrounds will return to functioning as a Temporary Evacuation Point for persons evacuated from Humboldt and Trinity counties due to wildfire activity. See more by clicking here.
  • Redwood Acres is preparing to take in fire evacuees, both livestock and those who have an RV or are willing to camp.
  • Fire Evacuation Information Line at 707-268-2500 for questions regarding current county evacuations and resources.
• Evacuation place for Mendocino Residents-
  • Covelo High School for people (76280 High School Street)
  • The Laytonville rodeo grounds are open for livestock. They are located at Harwood Road Laytonville, call ahead at 707-984-8100 Harwood Hall is also open for residents feeling the Hopkins fire. They are located 44400 Willis Ave, Laytonville
  • Information Boards are updated daily at the following locations:
    Platina Store – 4554 State Route 36W, Platina, CA

    Harrison Gulch Guard Station – 2555 State Route 36W, Platina, CA

    Wildwood Inn and RV Park – 2721 Wildwood Rd, Wildwood, CA

    South Fork Mountain Vista – Horse Ridge Lookout Rd & State Route 36W, Mad River, CA

    The Watering Hole (Mad River Burger Bar) – 2515 State Route 36W, Mad River, CA

    Mad River Ranger Station – 741 State Route 36W, Mad River, CA

    Southern Trinity High School – 600 Van Duzen Rd, Mad River, CA

    Dinsmore Store – 43819 State Route 36W, Bridgeville, CA

    Hayfork Ranger Station – 111 Trinity Street, Hayfork, CA

    Hayfork Post Office – 7180 State Route 3, Hayfork, CA
    U.S. Forest Service – Six Rivers National Forest

    U.S. Forest Service – Mendocino National Forest
• You can listen to Trinity County Scanner by clicking here Trinity County Public Safety
• You can listen to Southern Humboldt County Scanner by clicking here Humboldt County Law, Fire and EMS – Eureka and South
• You can listen to Mendocino County Scanner by clicking here Mendocino County Sheriff, Fire, EMS, Cal Fire and CHP
• Good fire and smoke info here: Click here. (Please remember the info here isn’t always up to date. If you are given an evacuation order, leave–no matter what this says.)
• Good Social Media Site–FIRE EVACUEE INFO – Humboldt/Northern Mendo/Trinity Fires: Click here
• Water Station Open for Fire Evacuees at Rio Dell City Hall
• The Humboldt Transit Authority is currently offering regular services to Southern Humboldt County.
• Wildfire Evacuation Checklist
  • 15 minute packlist
  • 30 minute packlist
  • Sixty and 120 minute packlist
• Number to call for information on evacuation in Humboldt County=707-268-2500

How You Can Help:

• GoFundMe for Trinity County’s Southern Trinity VFD. Click here.
• If you would like to donate, the addresses for Southern Humboldt Fire Departments can be accessed by clicking here.
• To volunteer or donate to assist regional wildfire evacuees, please contact:
  • Pay it Forward Humboldt
    • Volunteer: 707-499-2364
    • Donation: 707-499-3840
    • [email protected]
  • Humboldt Area Foundation
    • Hafoundation.org
  • American Red Cross
    • Redcross.org
  • Humboldt CERT
    • Humboldtcert.com

Earlier Chapters:

• Evacuation Warnings Sent to Southeastern Humboldt–Island Mountain, Palo Verde, Alderpoint, and Harris–as August Complex Spreads West
• Fire Forcing Evacuations in Three Forks, South of Ruth Lake
• Hopkins Fire in the August Complex Burning in Trinity County and Moving Towards Humboldt
• Elkhorn Fire (New Name for Fire Causing Evacuations in Trinity, Humboldt, and Mendocino) Slowed With Cooler Weather
• Wind Shift Helps Keep Fire East of the Main Stem of the Eel River This Afternoon But Drives ‘Erratic Fires’ in Zenia/ Kettenpom area
• Good News: Hopkins Fire–Still Holding East of the Main Eel River, Lots of New Resources on the Ground, and Rain Predicted Next Week
• Reinforcements Arriving! Firetrucks From Texas in SoHum
• Last Night, Firefighters Fought a Battle for the Community of Ruth as They Conducted a Firing Operation on the Hopkins Fire in the Massive August Complex
• Northern California Regional Evacuation Shelter established for wildfire evacuees
• Trinity County Sheriff’s Department Increases Evacuation Orders and Warnings
• Evacuation Orders Downgraded for Hopkins Fire, Some Progress Made, and Firefighters Say, ‘We Feel Loved, But, Please, No More Food’
• Firefighters Are Still Keeping the Hopkins Fire Out of Humboldt County
• Possible Light in the Tunnel of Ash for Growers: Law Enforcement, Cal Fire, and OES Working on a Plan to Allow Cultivators Access to Their Cannabis Crops
• Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office Issues New Evacuation Orders for Their Residents
• Dangerous Fire Weather Today in the Areas Between Ruth Lake and Island Mountain
• Pyrocumulous Cloud Formed in the North Fire Areas Yesterday and the Main Complex Pushed About Five Miles Westward Forcing New Evacuations in Mendocino County
• Trinity County Sheriff’s Department Issues More Evacuations Orders for Forest Glen and Warnings for Post Mountain and Trinity Pines
• Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office Issues New Evacuation Orders
• Evening Update on the North Zone of the August Complex
• Evening Update on the West Side of the August Complex
• Firefighters Struggling to Hold the Southwest and North Line of the August Complex
• August Complex Grows to Almost 800,000 Acres
• New Evacuation Order Wednesday Night: The Areas of Post Mountain and Trinity Pines are Under an Evacuation Order
• Evacuations in Trinity Pines, Active Fire in Horse Ridge Area Above Ruth, and More in Tonight’s Update
• More Evacuations to the North as the August Complex Grew Over 60 Square Miles Yesterday
• Evacuation Order downgraded for communities south of Casterlin Road
• Residents of the Hettenshaw Valley Can Return Home; The TCSO Has downgraded the Area to an Evacuation Warning Only