[UPDATE 9:08 p.m.: Fire Burning West of Ruth Lake] August Complex: Dangerous Fire Conditions Force New Evacuation Orders and Warnings

Fire burns behind a doe and fawn who were spotted fleeing near the northwestern flank of the August Complex. [Photo from Mike McMillan/USFS]

All Updates for September 28 are now here:

August Complex: Smoke, Flames, and Burning Homes

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New evacuation orders and warnings are in effect on the August Complex in the Humboldt, Trinity and Mendocino area. There is a Red Flag Warning from today until noon tomorrow. Fire conditions are extremely dangerous.

The August Complex is 873,079 acres and 43% contained. Calm weather slowed growth the last few days allowing firefighters to prepare for today and tomorrow–days when dry vegetation, winds, and warmer temperatures are combining to create dangerous fire conditions. Now as we move into the afternoon, high winds are throwing burning embers ahead of the fire, according to reports coming from the area.

Ruth is under a very stressful situation today, explained Alaska Incident Management Team’s Operations Section Chief Karen Scholl. “We believe that the fire lines will hold but we could have spotting over the fire lines.”

Today, winds are coming out of the northeast towards Ruth and the fire has the potential to jump the line and get down into the valley, according to Alaska Interagency Incident Management Team Public Information Officer Kale Casey. He said that even the Hettenshaw firefighter camp is on alert.

In addition, Casey said the fire could get active around the Forest Glen area and move west on the Hwy 36 corridor.

Wind is testing containment lines on the west side of the fire and new evacuation orders have been reissued from south of Kekawaka Road and west of Zenia Lake Mountain Road.

The worst of the winds began around 11 a.m. and will continue until about 10 p.m. tonight. But the relative calm after 10 p.m. is predicted to be broken by more winds after midnight.

“Today is one of those days,” Casey said. “Things could go wrong today.”

The GOES West Satellite imagery from earlier today shows smoke moving west from the fires and also the new Glass Fire burning in Napa County.

UPDATE 2:11 p.m.:

The fire has become very active in the Ruth area. Below as smoke as seen from Alert Wildfire camera at 2:06 p.m.

A pyrocumulous cloud rising from roughly around the Ruth Lake area. We don’t know exactly where but close to there. [Screenshot from AlertWildfire]

UPDATE 4:43 p.m.:

• ‘Fire Conditions Have Worsened’: Spot Fire North of 36 and Spot Fire Moving in the Direction of Picket Peak South of 36
• New Evacuation Orders for West Ruth Lake and Upper Mad River

UPDATE 9:08 p.m.:

 New Evacuation Warnings into Humboldt County on Both Sides of Hwy 36, Fire Now Burning West of Ruth Lake

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1601007263403325&id=100004822008271

Fire Public Information Officer Sam Harrel has this update. Extreme winds have fueled growth in the fire, and forced more evacuation.

https://www.facebook.com/ShastaTrinityNF/videos/605415336793801

The Images:

The Plan:

The North Zone Plan:

The Ruth and Forest Glen Plan:

The West Side Plan:

#AugustComplexWestZone | Operations Brief | September 27, 2020 pic.twitter.com/QQbWTQI1Np

— CAL FIRE Mendocino (@CALFIRE_MEU) September 27, 2020

The Weather: 

Today is going to be relatively quiet. But tonight the wind is going to change from blowing from the northwest to coming from the north and eventually to coming from the northeast. The wind is going to increase by tomorrow to 30-35 mph gusts especially near the fight for Ruth and also along Hwy 36. The humidity tomorrow is going to drop into the teens and temperatures are going to rise in to the Eighties.

The Roads:

Here is the latest information: (This includes maps of Trinity County roads now closed.)

The Maps:

• Operations Map for North Zone –to see details either zoom or click on the map and download a pdf.
• For Humboldt County Evacuation map. Click here or see below: (Please give it time to load.)

• Mendocino County’s Interactive map

Evacuation Area information:

• Trinity County: See here.
• Mendocino County: See map

USEFUL Information:

• 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.
  • 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

• 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
• 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
• Wildfire Evacuation Checklist
  • 15 minute packlist
  • 30 minute packlist
  • Sixty and 120 minute packlist

How You Can Help:

• • GoFundMe for Trinity County’s Southern Trinity VFD. Click here.
  • GoFundMe for Post Mountain 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
  • 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
  • August Complex Moving Towards Hwy 36
  • Warmer, Drier Weather Today Over the August Complex Which is now 836,871 Acres
  • August Complex Closing in on 850,000 Acres
  • At Least 152 Structures Destroyed as Flames From the August Complex Swept Through Trinity County
  • August Complex: Firefighters Struggle Against Tough Weather Conditions to Keep Fire South of Hwy 36
  • August Complex: The Fight to Hold the Flames Back From Hwy 36
  • August Complex: With Critical Fire Danger Rolling Across the Region, ‘Let’s Just Pray That All Goes Well’