[UPDATE 9:49 a.m.] August Complex: Smoke, Flames, and Burning Homes

POSTED 9:14 a.m.

All new updates for September 29 are found here:

• August Complex: Flames Continue to Consume Structures

Smoke, ash, and burning embers marked yesterday’s brutal battles across northern California as new fires burned into towns and cities and old fires expanded–destroying structures and sending residents fleeing.

Crews on the August Complex, which is now 878,470 Acres and 45% contained, had fierce fights in several areas of the fire, in a few places firefighters eventually had to fall back and regroup, and with another Red Flag Warning day with high temperatures and strong winds, today could be as bad.

Yesterday, the fire made it across Ruth Lake to the west side. According to a Cal Fire briefing this morning, the fire continued to expand last night and went around Ruth Lake to the southwest and into the Hettenshaw Valley area.

A spot fire begins torching trees on the west side of Ruth Lake. [Video by Levi Cope]

The North Zone Incident Commander Norm McDonald acknowledged this morning that structures were lost in the Ruth Lake area. Below is video of one.

In addition near the Trinity and Mendocino County lines, Cal Fire says the wind drove the fire into the Travis Ranch area.

There is a high possibility that the fire will again spot ahead of its line today with the expected adverse conditions. Please stay alert and tuned to the news and government sites if you live near the fire.

UPDATE 9:49 a.m.: The Alaska Management team update:

Wind gusts continue to push the fire west, prompting evacuation orders to the Trinity County line and evacuation warnings in Humboldt County. High winds are forecast throughout the day today, with gusts exceeding 30 miles per hour and potentially accelerating down the west slope of South Fork Mountain, threatening communities to the west and north.

The Ruth Valley and Mad River Valley are aligned to funnel the forecast winds and encourage fire spread in these areas. Residents are urged to comply with evacuation orders and to stay out of the area. Many roads are impassable due to fire and fallen trees. The fire remains extremely active; winds are carrying embers well beyond containment lines, and there is high potential for the fire to develop an active plume.

As fire activity increases with the winds and the heat of the day, large smoke columns are expected to form. Like thunderheads, columns build and then collapse. Collapsing columns are extremely dangerous, violently forcing winds outward, carrying fire and live embers far and wide. Extreme conditions are forecast into the evening; the Red Flag Warning is expected to end by 9pm.

Live embers were documented landing 8 miles ahead of the active fire front on Sunday. Spot fires ignited beyond control lines east of Forest Glen, north of State Route 36, and west of South Fork Mountain. The fires advanced to Ruth Lake and to the west side of the lake by afternoon. Crews are responding to the spot fires as conditions permit, working through the night. Firefighters continue to focus on firefighter and public safety, as well as point protection for structures.

New closures include all roads in Van Duzen, Mad River, Ruth, and Hettenshaw areas. Ruth Zenia Road is closed east of the US Forest Service Zenia Guard Station. The closure for State Route 36 now extends from the Humboldt County line on the west to the junction with Bowman Road on the east. New evacuation orders include Mad River and Lower Mad River Road.

Smoke will likely move back into the region in the next day or two, calming fire behavior. Hot, dry weather will persist with prime conditions for continued fire growth. The winds are presently aiding containment work on the east flank. Crews continue to hold and improve the fireline, preparing for the return of seasonal winds from the southwest.

The Images:

The Plan:

The North Zone Plan:

The West Side Plan:

The Weather: 

Critical fire weather continues today. Higher temperatures. Humidity will be down in the teens. Wind gusts could be up to 25 to 30 mph–slightly less than yesterday but only slightly. They should taper a bit by the evening.

The Roads:

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

The Maps:

• • North Zone KMZ Map–Zoom for detail or, for 3D imagery, click on the map and download a file that connects with your Google Earth program. Warning this imagery was captured around 10:50 p.m. and the fire has moved some since then.
  • Firemapper: This is an unofficial representation of heat from satellites showing on the ground fire. Zoom or click the map to go to the full site which covers the whole fire and allows you to look at other fires.
  • 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 or 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’
  • August Complex: Dangerous Fire Conditions Force New Evacuation Orders and Warnings