Monument Fire: 14th Largest Wildfire in California Written History

Due to more complete mapping, the Monument Fire, which started July 30– almost two months ago, is now 224,103 acres making it the 14th largest fire in California modern history, and the second largest fire currently burning in the state.

The fire, which initially was reported to have been started by a lightning strike but is now listed as cause unknown on the Cal Fire site, destroyed 50 structures–mostly near the Hwy 299 corridor.

Some residents of rural areas north of Junction City in Trinity County are still under evacuation orders. Others are under evacuation warnings. The fire is currently 72% contained. The monetary damage assessment for communities, residents, and government agencies is still ongoing. The emotional and physical stress on residents forced from their homes and businesses and firefighters battling flames to exhaustion will never be measured.

According to InciWeb,

Northeast: Firefighters patrolled handlines from the north edge of fire on Hobo Gulch Road to Backbone Ridge, and southern lines from East Fork of the North Fork Trinity River to Backbone Ridge, securing the fire edge along Backbone Ridge from northern handline to the west towards the North Fork Trinity River. They completed mop up on the eastern fire edge along East Fork of the North Fork Trinity River where it crossed Hobo Gulch Road.

Southwest: Crews continued chipping woody debris along Hyampom Road and a pilot car returning from an escort mission narrowly missed being struck by a four-foot diameter tree falling across the road near the eastern end of the road closure near Jud Creek. This indicated that more assessment of hazard trees needs to be done before the road is reopened. Crews continued to make good progress chipping up slash along the 08 (Butter Creek) Road.

Northwest: Firefighters patrolled, mopped up and assessed what equipment is in excess. Crews scouted roads up to Jim Jam Trailhead to see what work needs to be done to reduce fire hazards and widen defensible space along the roads.
Today firefighters will again take advantage of the weather and moderated fire behavior to improve firelines to increase containment. Due to the rain, they will reengage cautiously on wet roads to prevent damage to them and ensure firefighter safety. Crews will continue to remove hazard trees along Soldier Creek Road, working from Price Creek Road up to Big Bar.

Northeast: Firefighters will continue to patrol handlines from the north edge of fire on Hobo Gulch Road to Backbone Ridge, and southern lines from East Fork of the North Fork Trinity River to Backbone Ridge. They will secure the fire edge along Backbone Ridge from northern handline to the west towards North Fork Trinity River and will pull hose from where the fire crossed Hobo Gulch Road. Structure defense resources will remain in this area. Firefighters will assess if removal of pumps and hoses is warranted.

West: All along the west side of the fire, crews will continue to patrol and mop-up as needed and retrieve equipment no longer required. Specific areas of work include mop up in the Butter Creek Meadows area, fire repair work along a secondary fireline in the 31N66 road system and mop up at the fireline south of Pattison Peak.  Chipping operations will continue along the 08 (Butter Creek) Road from its junction with Road 2N11, working north, and along Hyampom Road working south from Jud Creek. Crews will reassess hazard trees along Hyampom Road and begin removing hazard trees from roads west of Hyampom Road. Firefighters will assess Halfway Ridge Road (22) for suppression repair work to Hayfork Lookout.

Northwest: Crews will continue to improve secondary firelines north of the Trinity River and defend structures around Trinity Village. They will monitor areas where tactical firing was done along the Trinity River last week. Firefighters will continue holding along the Denny Road and will keep Denny and Buyoff Roads free of fallen and hazard trees to maintain access for local residents. Crews will work on secondary containment lines to the north of the Dailey Ranch and continue structure defense around the ranch, Denny and New River Trailhead. The north side of the fire has been held in check in some areas by the footprint of the 2015 Happy Fire.

A Burned Area Emergency Rehabilitation team will be working on the Monument fire today to assess long-term remediation of some areas. The southeast side of the fire is cold and is being monitored from the ground and with aircraft. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection will respond in this area, if necessary.

Stats:

749 personnel, 12 hand crews, 48 engines, 6 helicopters, 4 bulldozers, 16 water tenders, 11 masticators and chippers, 4 excavators, 3 skidders

The Weather:  

According to InciWeb,

 Rainfall yesterday over the fire ranged from .04 inch at the northwest of the fire near Trinity Village to .01 inch on the east side near Junction City. Today, clouds will decrease throughout the day, leading to some late-day sunshine. High temperatures will be near 70 degrees, with minimum relative humidity around 30 percent due to rainfall received yesterday. Winds will be from the northwest 10-15 mph. Weather conditions will return to dry and warm through the week with high temperatures climbing back into the 80s and relative humidity dipping back into the teens by late in the week.

Higher relative humidity, extensive cloud cover and the chance for rain will keep fire behavior to a minimum today, with creeping and smoldering. Logs and stumps and sheltered areas with a heavy timber overstory will still have the potential to retain heat. Areas of concern include the northeast portion of the fire west of Backbone Ridge, where fire spread is still possible. South and east aspects are of most concern. Fire will continue to creep down toward the North Fork of the Trinity River. On the northwest part of the fire, fire will creep and smolder toward the southwest towards the confluence of the Trinity and New Rivers. On the southwest part of the fire between Hayfork and Hyampom, large logs and stumps and interior pockets of unburned vegetation will continue to smolder. Burning material rolling downhill and snags along the line continue to be a concern along containment lines.

The Roads:

• Hwy 299 Schedule

According to InciWeb,

• Denny Road is closed at the intersection of Ziegler Point Road.
• Hyampom Road is closed between Grassy Flats and James Creek.
• Forest Service Road 3N08 northwest to Oakridge is closed.
• Tule Creek Road at Jesse Road is closed to everyone except those with proof of residency.
• Big Creek Road, Soldier Creek Road, Barker Valley Road and Barker Creek Road are closed.
• Big French Creek Road and Big Mountain Road are closed.
• Travel on Highway 299 from Mill Camp Road in Burnt Ranch to 0.7 miles west of Del Loma is restricted to one-way controlled traffic with pilot car escorts every 90 minutes from 7 A.M to 7 P.M Monday through Friday and every 60 minutes Saturday and Sunday. Each night one-way traffic will be controlled with delays of 40 minutes. To check on current highway conditions, see https://roads.dot.ca.gov/.

Evacuation and Help Information Including Community Meetings:

• The next Monument Fire community meeting will be held face-to-face outdoors today at 1 P.M. at the Hawkins Bar Volunteer Fire Department Station, 71 Trinity Court, in Burnt Ranch. Representatives from the USDA Forest Service and the Southern Area Red Team will give an update about the fire and answer questions. Tomorrow, September 29, another face-to-face meeting will be held at 1 P.M. in Hyampom at the Hyampom Volunteer Fire Department station at 22547 Hyampom Road.
• Beginning tomorrow and lasting through Sunday, October 3^rd, Trinity County residents impacted by the July 2021 lightning fires will be able to access services and resources at a Local Assistance Center at Veterans Memorial Hall, 109 Memorial Drive, Weaverville, CA 96093. Hours are 11 A.M to 7 P.M. To prevent the spread of COVID-19, all visitors must wear facial coverings and practice social distancing. For up-to-date information and resources, go to www.trinitycounty.org/recovery, email hhs.disasterrecovery@trinitycounty.org, or call 530-623-8223.
• Evacuation notices:
  • Order: East Fork Road north of Barney Gulch and Hobo Gulch Road
  • Warning: Area of Hyampom Road between Grassy Flats and James Creek
  • Warning: All areas along Denny Road east from Zeigler Point Road to Panther Creek.
  • Warning: Areas southeast of Pattison Ridge, to Sims Gap. This includes Miners Creek, Bear Creek and James Creek.
  • Warning: East Fork Road from the intersection of State Road 299 to Barney Gulch, including Cope Road.
• Evacuation Centers are at
  • The American Red Cross has a shelter for #DixieFire and #MonumentFire evacuees at Shasta College, 1155 Old Oregon Trail, Building 1900, #Redding, CA.
  • McKinleyville Seventh Day Adventist, 1200 Central Avenue, McKinleyville
  • Fireman’s Hall Pavilion, 9 Park Street, Fortuna
  • Trinity County Fairgrounds announced, “Evacuees: The Fairgrounds is currently Open, if you have vehicles, boats, trailers, etc. that you would like to move to our parking lot please complete a form, located on our bulletin board and put into the mailbox. Everyone is welcome to use this space if you feel it is safer than your property.”

• Anyone impacted by wildfires in Trinity County can receive free referral support, group support, and one-on-one crisis intervention by reaching out to (530) 461-0257 and [email protected].
• According to the Trinity County Animal Shelter, “If you are being evacuated and need help moving or a place to take large animals please call either the sheriffs office at 530.623.2611 or us here at the shelter at 530.623.1370.” More information here: Animal Shelter Evacuation Information From the Trinity County Sheriff’s Department
  •  In addition, Domestic + Large Animals can be taken to the Hoopa Rodeo Grounds on Pine Creek Rd in Hoopa, CA. Click here for a map. 
  • Redding Rodeo Grounds (large animal) 715 Auditorium Drive Redding, CA
  • Trinity County Animal Shelter, 563 Mountain View St, Weaverville, CA
  • Warehouse (small animal) 145 Locust Street Redding, CA

Earlier Chapters:

• Evacuation Warnings Issued for Del Loma Area Along Hwy 299; 1000 Acres and 0% Contained
• Hwy 299 Closed at Big Bar Due to the Monument Fire
• Hwy 299 Reopens, But ‘Subject to Closure at Any Time’
• Trinity County Sheriff Issues Evacuation Orders Tonight in Big Bar Area as Monument Fire Grows; Hwy 299 Closed!
• Breakout Spots From the Monument Fire Crossed 299 and Trinity River, Threaten Structures
• [UPDATE 6:52 p.m.: Monument Fire Now 9000 Acres, 0% Contained] Evacuation Order for Cedar Flat and Evacuation Warning for Burnt Ranch Areas Along Hwy 299
• Monument Fire’s Behavior Causes Sheriff to Issue Evacuation Warning for Big Flat
•  Monument Fire Grows Another 6000 Acres, Now at 15,000 and 0% Contained
• Monument Fire Grows Over 2500 Acres Today
• About 240 Customers Without Power as the Monument Fire Continues to Disrupt the Lives of the Small Communities Along Hwy 299
• Monument Grew Another 7000 Acres to Almost 25,000 and Remains Uncontained
• Evacuation Warning For Helena, Junction City, Coopers Bar, Red Hill, and Canyon Creek
• Trinity County Sheriff Issued an Evacuation Order for Big Flat
• Monument Fire: New Evacuation Orders and Warnings as Fire Ramped Up Activity Today
• Structures in the Tiny Tourist Town of Big Flat Burned as Monument Fire Swallows Another 10,000 Acres, Still 0% Contained
• Trinity County Sheriff’s Office Issues Evacuation Order for Helena
• Monument Fire Grows to 42,567 Acres, Still 0% Containment
• Spot Fire Northwest of Junction City
• Monument Fire Just Under 50,000 Acres and 0% Contained as It Spread Quickly Overnight
• Monument Fire Surpasses 50,000 Acres
• Evacuation Order Issued for Burnt Ranch Area
• Temporary Evacuation Point Set Up for Evacuees From the Monument Fire
• Monument Fire Captures Just Under 58,000 Acres, Firefighters Hold at 3% Containment
• Thirty-One Structures Destroyed so Far as the Monument Fire Takes 62,490 Acres
• After a Night Where the Fire Grew a Mile to the East in One Area, Red Flag Warning Will Challenge Crews Battling the Monument Fire Today
• Red Flag Conditions Again Today as Monument Fire Closes in on 75,000 Acres With Only 5% Containment
• Monument Fire Swells Another 4000 Acres; Containment Remains at 5%
• Wind and Hot Dry Temperatures Could Challenge Crews on the Monument Fire Particularly on the East Side Today
• The Trinity County Sheriff’s Office Issued an Evacuation Order on the Monument Fire for Sky Ranch Road
• Leaping Almost 15,000 Acres Since Yesterday, the Monument Fire Closes in on 100,000 Acres
• As Monument Fire Grows, Trinity County Sheriff’s Department Issues an Evacuation Warning for Wildwood Road to Hayfork Summit
• New Evacuation Orders Issued on the Monument Fire (MAP)
• Monument Fire Roars Over Another 22,000 Acres in the Last Day
• Smoke From Fires Cooled Temperatures and the Monument Fire Had a Calmer Day Than Expected
• Monument Fire Continues to Push Towards Hayfork, Growing Almost 7000 Acres Overall
• Monument Fire Grows About 6000 Acres; With the Wind Changing, the Fire Is Expected to Move to the West Today
• Two Spot Fires From the Monument Fire Jumped the New River This Evening
• Monument Fire Claws It’s Way West But Firefighters Up Containment in Other Areas of This Massive Beast
• Monument Fire Grew Another 2000 Acres in the Last Day, Containment Remains at 16%
• Monument Fire Containment Increases to 20% After Another Day of Heavy Smoke Suffocating the Flames
• Monument Fire Tops 150,000 Acres, Pushes Towards Being in the Top Twenty Largest Wildfires in California History
• Big Flat, Big Bar and Del Loma Reduced to an Evacuation Warning
• Junction City Reduced to an Evacuation Warning
• Burnt Ranch Reduced to an Evacuation Warning on the Monument Fire
• The Monument Fire Active North of Hayfork Tonight
• 50 Structures Destroyed on the Monument Fire
• Monument Fire Swallows Another 2200 Acres; Firefighters Face Challenging Conditions Today
• Monument Fire Likely to Reach Top Twenty Largest Fires in California Over the Weekend
• Monument Fire Became the Twentieth Largest Fire in California History Yesterday; Shows No Signs of Stopping Soon
• Monument Fire Active Today (Evening Update)
• Hyampom Road Closed After Monument Fire Makes New Push
• UPDATED Evacuation Orders Along Hyampom Road
• Three of the Top Twenty Largest Fires Ever in California History Burning Now, Monument Fire in Trinity County Now the 18th on the List
• As Monument Fire Continues to Push South, Trinity County Sheriff’s Department Issues Evacuation Orders and Warnings for the Hayfork Area
• Red Flag Warning on the Monument Fire Tomorrow; Spot Fire Jumps Hyampom Road
• The Monument Fire Throws Spot Across Hyampom Road; It’s Now 300 Acres
• Trinity County Sheriff’s Office Issues New Evacuation Orders as Monument Fire Pushes Hard to the South
• With Wind Gusts of Up to 45 MPR in Areas, the Monument Fire Advanced Aggressively Today
• Firefighters Face Another Hot, Dry, Windy Day on the Monument Fire After Flames Conquered Large Areas Yesterday
• Trinity County Sheriff’s Department Issues New Evacuation Order for Hayfork Area
• The Monument Fire Blew Through Nearly 13,000 More Acres Today
• The Monument Fire Expected to Push to the North and Southwest as Temperatures Heat Up and Fuels Dry Further
• Monument Fire Mostly Calm After Weekend Rain; Hot and Dry Weather Returning
• Monument Fire Continues to Slowly Grow After Weekend Rains
• Firefighters Continue to Use the Reprieve Brought by the Rain to Tame the Monument Fire