August Complex: Fire, Fear, Frustration

POSTED 1:53 p.m.

Parsonage on Fire at the Ruth Community Church at 19320 Mad River Road in Ruth. Both the parsonage and the associate pastor’s home burned down earlier this week. The church itself is still standing. [Photo by William Justiniano]

All new updates at

• August Complex: Red Flag Warning Conditions on the Southern Half of the Fire; Anger in the North Zone as Residents Claim Homes Are Lost Unnecessarily

Volunteer firefighters, residents, and paid professionals battled structure by structure last night to save homes, businesses, and barns in the areas not far from Ruth Lake and in the Hettenshaw Valley as the August Complex, now 949,055 acres and only 43% contained, continued to strain resources.

Some residents, ranging down to an infant but mostly seniors, forced to flee , are hunkered down at the Flying Double A Ranch south of Ruth where a fire burned over earlier leaving behind an intact building situated beside tarmac in a broad swath of charred landscape.

Chad Heaton working before he broke his leg fighting the August Complex earlier this month. [Photo from his GoFundMe here]

A volunteer firefighter and a timber faller, Chad Heaton, who broke a leg fighting the August Complex and who lost a vehicle and his solar equipment to flames from the monstrous fire on Sunday, is helping hold the ragtag troop together. (Please note this reporter’s oldest cousin and her family who lost their home to the fire are among the group.) Pay It Forward managed to get supplies to the group yesterday. They and the Trinity County Food Bank are working to help those sheltering from the fire.

“Out of the group that are here–five couples have completely lost everything,” Heaton told us. (Clink on the links in red to help.)

Today, firefighters are expecting the fire around the Ruth Lake area to be calmer today but becoming more active to the southwest in the South Fork Mountain area but mostly to the eastern portion of the North Zone.

Tonight winds will be coming from the northwest and blow towards the southeast. There will be gusts up to 15 mph and poor relatively low humidity which could kick up the fire again.

The Images:

Video credit: Alaska Incident Management Team

This video was captured of a Sky Crane heavy lift helicopter dropping retardant to help the Trinity and Mendocino Hot Shots working hard to contain the spot fire that jumped SR 36 near Forest Glen and day #1 of the red flag warning. The fast moving wind driven fire continues to burn north of SR 36 in record dry fuels. [Video credit: Public Information Officer PIO Mike McMillan/Alaska Incident Management Team]

The Plan:

The North Zone Plan:

Operations Section Chief Karen Scholl with an update on the fire’s growth on the northwest, including evacuation warnings for Bear Wallow and Friend Mountain; plus an update on Ruth/Mad River/Hettenshaw areas.
The West Side Plan:

More:

The Weather: 

According to InciWeb,

Hot and dry weather with terrain driven winds continue as strong high pressure remains entrenched in the region. With light winds and a strong inversion, smoke will continue to accumulate with worsening air quality. Communities in close proximity to the fire will see Unhealthy to Very Unhealthy conditions. Communities immediately near the August Complex in river drainages and deep valleys could see periods of Hazardous air. This is likely to occur in the Mad River, Ruth Lake, Van Duzer, and Eel River areas. The Zogg Fire will be a significant smoke producer for communities from Redding to Corning. These conditions will continue through the weekend, with only slight improvement for coastal communities as transport winds shift generally out of the west tomorrow.

The Smoke:

The Roads:

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

Other Closures:

Hayfork Airport (F62) is scheduled to CLOSE today, Tuesday Sept 29, 2020, at noon due to fire fighting activities. Please plan your flight accordingly.

The Meeting:

As a reminder, a Virtual Community Meeting for the West Zone is scheduled for 7:00 PM tonight via Facebook Live at: https://t.co/irHBgpT8iL
 
August Complex West Zone Information Line:  707-355-4926
CAL FIRE Humboldt – Del Norte Unit PIO Line:  707-726-1285

— CAL FIRE HUU (@CALFIRE_HUU) September 30, 2020

The Maps:

• • City of Redding’s Map of the Zogg Fire shows that it has crossed Hwy 36. The map shows evacuation zones for the Zogg Fire bumping into the August Complex. Give it time to load. But if that doesn’t work, click here.

• 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.
• Mendocino County: See map

USEFUL Information:

• Humboldt County
  • Evacuation Warning: Areas east of Alderpoint Road to the Trinity County border and south of Showers Pass Road to Mountain Creek
• Evacuation Information 

Residents are urged to evacuate from the fire area. Evacuation information for Trinity and Humboldt counties is available from the Red Cross at 530-276-8034. A Temporary Evacuation Point for Trinity County is Hayfork Fairgrounds; evacuees can receive accommodation instructions and proceed to a hotel for safe, non-congregate sheltering. Evacuation information is available online from the Humboldt County Office of Emergency Services Facebook page.

Road Closures 

All roads on the east side of Ruth Lake and Ruth area roads are closed. All roads in Van Duzen, Mad River, Ruth, Hettenshaw and Zenia areas are closed. The closure for State Route 36 extends from the Humboldt County line on the west to the junction with Bowman Road on the east. All roads within the Trinity Pines/Post Mountain Subdivision remain closed, including Trinity Pines Drive, Rattlesnake Road, Post Mountain Road and all county and private roads within the subdivision.

Damage Assessments 

Trinity County Office of Emergency Services will conduct structure damage assessments when it is safe to do so. They may be contacted at: 530-623-8223. 

• 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
    • August Complex: Smoke, Flames, and Burning Homes
    • August Complex: Flames Continue to Consume Structures