August Complex Moving Towards Hwy 36
![Pyrocumulous cloud rising south of Ruth. [Screengrab from Alert Wildfire as seen from the Patton Hill camera]](https://kymkemp.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/9.19-ruth.png)
Pyrocumulus cloud rising on the northern portion of the August Complex today. [Screengrab from Alert Wildfire as seen from the Patton Hill camera]
SUNDAY, September 20th’s updates: Click here:
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Cooler, moist weather has continued to help firefighters. However, the August Complex is still continuing to grow.
Of particular concern to those in Humboldt and Trinity Counties is that the US Forest Service stated in a comment, “Over the next few days we expect the fire to approach SR 36, firefighters are working to slow this progression. The fire is anticipated to impact SR 36 between Forest Glen and Post Mountain.”
According to the August Complex North Zone Fire Update,
A cold front moved through the area bringing higher humidity, more cloud cover and isolated showers. A gradual wind [shift] from the north is expected to moderate fire behavior.
…Crews are assessing the Post Mountain/Trinity Pines for structure defense and working to strengthen existing fire breaks in the area. Structure defense continues in Ruth Valley and Hettenshaw Valley with structure preparation ongoing in Kettenpom Valley.
Tactical firing operations continue on the northwest portion of the fire towards Ruth Valley and northeast towards Double Cabin Flats to reduce the fuels and slow the progression of the fire. Direct and indirect control lines have been constructed from Zenia Road east of the East Fork of the Eel River to Mad River Ridge.
On the northeast perimeter (Shasta-Trinity National Forest), good progress has been made and crews continue to reinforce the containment line along the 35 Road. Established containment lines in this area are being actively monitored to prevent fire from crossing the 35 Road to Stuart Gap.
In the Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness along Wrights Ridge, the August Complex North and South Zones continue to merge, therefore it is not safe to put firefighters in the area.
The Plan:
The North side plan from the U.S. Forest Service – Shasta-Trinity National Forest: (About six minutes long and well worth watching especially after minute marker 3.)
See also this:
The Weather:
According to the August Complex North Zone Fire Update, “Warmer and drier condiSons are expected as morning clouds dissipate. Smoke will be an issue again today with light transport winds keeping smoke and haze in the general area with a slight push southward. Light winds are expected today.”
The Smoke:
According to the August Complex North Zone Fire Update, “Northeasterly winds will shiP to northwesterly today, pushing smoke to the south and southeast throughout the day. CommuniSes on the western flank of the fire should conSnue to have good to moderate air quality, while the Central Valley will be mostly moderate with some periods of Unhealthy SensiSve Groups to Unhealthy. Unhealthy to Unhealthy SensiSve Group condiSons are expected overnight in the foothill areas strongly affected by the seYling of down drainage smoke.”
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.
- Humboldt County’s Interactive map
- Mendocino County’s Interactive map
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Evacuation Area information:
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- Trinity County: See here.
- 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:
- Evacuees are encouraged to proceed Hayfork Fairgrounds where a temporary evacuation point has been established. This is not a shelter location, it is a point where evacuees can pick up hotel vouchers and proceed to hotels that have been procured in Lewiston and Weaverville. The previous temporary evacuation point in Humboldt County is no longer in service.
- Evacuation place for Humboldt residents:
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- 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.
- Fire Evacuation Information Line at 707-268-2500 for questions regarding current county evacuations and resources.
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- 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, CAHarrison Gulch Guard Station – 2555 State Route 36W, Platina, CAWildwood Inn and RV Park – 2721 Wildwood Rd, Wildwood, CASouth Fork Mountain Vista – Horse Ridge Lookout Rd & State Route 36W, Mad River, CAThe Watering Hole (Mad River Burger Bar) – 2515 State Route 36W, Mad River, CAMad River Ranger Station – 741 State Route 36W, Mad River, CASouthern Trinity High School – 600 Van Duzen Rd, Mad River, CADinsmore Store – 43819 State Route 36W, Bridgeville, CAHayfork Ranger Station – 111 Trinity Street, Hayfork, CAHayfork Post Office – 7180 State Route 3, Hayfork, CAU.S. Forest Service – Six Rivers National ForestU.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
- 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
- American Red Cross
- Humboldt CERT
- Pay it Forward Humboldt
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
- August Complex Calmer Under Cooler, Moister Weather
- Good News: Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office Reducing Evacuation Orders to Warnings in Areas Near the Humboldt County and Southwestern Trinity Borders
- Good News: Hettenshaw Valley, Zenia, and Kettenpom Downgraded to Evacuation Warning
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Where is the East Fork Eel River again? I know about the North Fork, Middle Fork and South Fork.
I think it’s a typo and they mean North fork of the Eel river.
There is an East Fork of the North Fork of the Eel River, and a West Fork of the North Fork of the Eel River.
Tributaries of the North Fork of the Eel River.
Probably what they were referring to.
Where is Emily Post so that we will know what fork to take?
Go from the left to the right…
I don’t know what Emily Post said, or how this translates to headwaters, but the relevant Yogi Berra quote is: “When you come to the fork in the road, take it.”
One of my favorites
east branch of the southfork is located in benbow area.
Hi Kym; On the Mendo Sheriff scanner there is a report of an armed Robbery at Black Oak Ranch AKA Camp Winnarainbow involving 3 WMA armed with Semiautomatic rifles reportedly holding a woman hostage/kidknapp at gunpoint. Mendo Swat has been called in and is staging at Black Oak Ranch
Holy shit
You will never here about that, the liberal agenda says criminals don’t exist
I’ve lived a sheltered life, apparently, and my understanding of police jargon isn’t what it could be. What is WMA, please? In this instance I don’t think it’s Wildlife Management Area.
Waste Management Authority. These bureaucrats are getting way out of hand.
Just kidding, white male adult.
Scanner says 5 suspects, some with AR style weapons, 4 BMA’s, 1 not. 6:11 PM
Just got this. Give me a bit.
Do you know when it came over the scanner?
https://kymkemp.com/2020/09/19/armed-standoff-with-ambulance-requested/
Kym…as always, great fire coverage. Many thanks.
Came west on 36 last night from Red Bluff. Coming over the ridge at Trinity Pines the entire southwest side of your view was fire moving down to the Hwy, still a mile or so out. It was a cool fire, I saw no actual flames, just a line of smoke coming off the leading edge.
🕯🌳I think someone needs to go find the fork.
Well just Fork it all!!!
@kym mateel is no longer open .. thank you for the great coverage
Thank you. Will fix.
Anyone at the age of 35 is also moving towards 36.
Is hay fork going to be ok?
When Post Mtn/Trinity Pines went to mandatory evacuation, the evacuation place on the bulletins changed to the Hayfork Fairgrounds for Trinity evacuees.
Thanks kim for all the update. Since the north zone doesnt get as much updated news as the west zone does by the hour on twitter and everywhere else, you are much appreciated.