August Complex: 91% Contained

A sawyer working on the August Complex

A sawyer working on the August Complex [Photo from InciWeb]

Press release from  the August Complex Management Team:

Fire Size (All Zones): 1,032,264   Containment: 91%    Personnel (All Zones)1,931

 

Northwest Zone  Yesterday, resources working on the last remaining uncontained fire line near Bradburn Creek and the Coffee Pot area benefited from higher humidity levels and calm winds. These conditions resulted in moderated fire behavior and allowed crews to make substantial progress in securing containment line in the Ruth Lake area firefighters patrolled around structures to ensure that any concealed heat sources were located and extinguished. They worked directly with homeowners to access fire weakened trees. 

A team of experts accessed damage on Six Rivers National Forest from the air. One was a hydrologist, a scientist who studies the physical properties of surface water, and the other a resource advisor. Resource advisors specialize in a variety of backgrounds and are experts in fire suppression rehabilitation. The team surveyed the portion of the fire on the Six Rivers National Forest to develop a long-term rehabilitation plan. 

Crews will continue to patrol and mop up hotspots to improve containment lines. Along the 502 Road from the Hettenshaw Valley to Zenia, and the lower portions of the Van Duzen Road, operations will continue to focus on making roads safe by removing fire weakened hazard trees. In areas where fire line is secure, crews will repair hand and dozer lines, staging areas, and drop points used during fire suppression efforts, so the upcoming seasonal runoff is not channeled into burnt areas causing soil erosion. 

Northeast Zone – Yesterday fire crews mopped up hot spots near the fire perimeter in Beegum Creek and by Irish Mountain and Progeny. Increased containment was achieved in both areas due to the continued focused work by firefighters. Backhaul of excess equipment, pumps and fire hose continued across all divisions.  

This afternoon higher wind speeds and drier air will move over the fire.  Fire activity in interior islands of unburned fuel will again increase and produce visible smoke.  These areas of active fire are well interior to the existing fire perimeter and pose no threat to containment lines.  Firefighters will mop up along the fire edge, addressing hot spots to further secure and contain fireline.  The fire remains in its current footprint and no growth is expected.  Preparations continue for Great Basin Team 2 (DeMasters) to transition management of the Northeast Zone to Great Basin Team 1 (Kuo).  Transition between Teams will occur at 8 p.m. this evening with Great Basin Team 1 then managing the suppression response for the entire northern zone of the August Complex.  Suppression resources will be further rightsized on the fire and excess resources and aircraft will be made available to other emerging large fires across the west.   

 

Weather: Weather will be warmer and drier today. N- NE winds are expected to gradually increase beginning tomorrow evening and into Thursday with the main impact being on ridges and some of the higher elevation, south facing aspects. Max temperatures will range from the upper 80’s in the valleys, and 85-90’s along ridges and midslope aspects. 

 

Evacuations and Closures – For current information on evacuation status by county please refer to the websites below or at inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6983/.  Hwy 36 remains closed from Southfork Summit Mountain east to the Hwy 3 intersection. Eastbound and westbound traffic are currently being escorted through the closure by at 7 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. daily. Cal Trans is asking motorists to take alternate routes. Hunting and recreation are prohibited within the August Complex Fire Closure areas. 

 

Trinity County evacuation Informationcontact: 530-276-8034 or https://www.facebook.com/TrinityCoOES/ .

Trinity County Private Property Damage Assessment Info., contact: 530-623-8223 or https://www.trinitycounty.org/recovery

Humboldt County evacuation Information, contact: 707-268-2500 or visit: https://humboldtgov.org/187/Sheriffs-Office .

Road Closures: For updated Road Closure information, visit Caltrans at https://roads.dot.ca.gov/

 

Forest Closures are still in effect and can be found here:

AreaMap_8x11_port_20201020_0554_AugustComplex_MNF000753_1020day NorthCentralCoast-SmokeOutlook.20201020140721 Facebooktwitterpinterestmail

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12 Comments
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Thanks firefighters!
Guest
3 years ago

Getting a handle on the biggest fire in CA without any rain: awsome.
And how about that OG faller! Makes me feel fresh!

Melony Higgins
Guest
Melony Higgins
3 years ago

What a great picture I’m honored to know that awesome man !!!
He’s also a STVFD volunteer huge heart ❤️
xoxo Mel

Angela Robinson
Guest
Angela Robinson
3 years ago
Reply to  Melony Higgins

That really is a fantastic picture. Kudos o him and all who have fought the fires, but especially the VFDs.

Chuck U
Guest
Chuck U
3 years ago

Kill it, thanks.

Willie Bray
Guest
3 years ago

🌳🕯Thanks to all firefighters for there strength and courage in fighting these fires and containing them to keep us safe and to preserve our forests. And thank you Mother nature for cooperating. 🖖👍🏽🚑🚁👨‍🚒

Guest
Guest
Guest
3 years ago

August Complex? I had a constant stream of other names for that fire!

Martin
Guest
Martin
3 years ago

Love the picture of the sawyer. A man of grit and steel! Thank you to all the great firefighters that have been trying to kill that monster. All your extremely hard work is starting to pay off. Please everyone be safe until the last spark of this fire is no longer.

Lynn H
Guest
Lynn H
3 years ago

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Sharon
Guest
Sharon
3 years ago

Great picture Mike. Went to school togather. Thank you. You and the rest of team are awesome!

Lani
Guest
3 years ago

Night after night, lately, I have woken up and searched the sky for signs that the fires have progressed in the direction of Miranda, where we live. I let out a sigh of relief when I can see the stars. I send large Thank You’s to all the brave men and women on the fire lines, who risk everything for their fellow mankind. I can’t say it enough and not only to those whom I personally know, but to each and every one of you. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO.

Dave Kahan
Guest
Dave Kahan
3 years ago

I have not met this gentleman, despite 22 seasons of fulfilling this position (my loss, I’m sure) – I am thankful for his contributions. I humbly request more elaboration on the role of hazard tree fallers on wildfires, and to feature some of the up and coming generation of this genre.

If you want to get a taste of what looks to be a pretty long day of cutting cedar hazard trees somewhere in the Pacific NW, check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8fb8OX2icw

Letting yas no
Guest
Letting yas no
3 years ago

A car went off the road on high way 3 tonite by hay fork,fully ingulft in flames started a nother fire but I heard they got a handle on it . Look in to it.if ya want.