[UPDATE 6:30 p.m.: 101 Reopened With One Lane Closed] Evacuations Underway Due to Fire in North Ukiah
Smoke and flames on the Masonite Fire. [Image from the Alert California camera]
The northbound #1 lane of Hwy 101 is closed.
Evacuations are underway behind the Mendo Mill.
Please remember that information gathered from initial reports is subject to revision as more facts become available.
UPDATE 5 p.m.: The smoke has decreased but more evacuations are being called for. The fire is pushing east at this point.
The smoke has decreased but more evacuations are being called for.
UPDATE 5:10 p.m.: Caltrans is reporting that 101 is entirely closed down. According to Caltrans QuickMap, “Northbound / Southbound 101 Full Closure From Lake Mendocino Dr Undercrossing 10-201 to North State St Undercrossing 10-196.”
UPDATE 5:14 p.m.: Matt LaFever is on the scene.
![Firefighters working to keep the fire from damaging structures. [Photo by Matt LaFever]](https://kymkemp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/456260907_1034765358378335_2224159438023303783_n.jpg)
Firefighters working to keep the fire from damaging structures. [Photos by Matt LaFever]
![Firefighters working to keep the fire from damaging structures. [Photo by Matt LaFever]](https://kymkemp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/457158238_1666049827515654_6762745676045555646_n.jpg)
UPDATE 5:18 p.m.: Ukiah Fire Department Emergency Medical team is responding to a patient with smoke inhalation.
UPDATE 5:23 p.m.: Matt LaFever is telling us that in spite of the report from Caltrans, traffic is still flowing southbound but northbound is closed.
Traffic is flowing southbound but not northbound, according to photographer Matt LaFever.
UPDATE 5:23 p.m.: The Mendocino Sheriff’s Department posted a Evacuation Order for Zone MEN-2UKV15-B.
Evacuation Order: Wildfire in the Ukiah area, 1800 Block N State Street, Do not delay, evacuate immediately. Check with your neighbors to ensure they are aware of the order if you have time. Use the safest manner possible when evacuating. Do not block the road. Emergency crews need access. Only call 9 1 1 for emergencies. We will publish more information including evacuation zone maps and social media updates to mendoready.org as more information becomes available.
UPDATE 5:31 p.m.: The Incident Commander sent the chopper back to base as the fire is looking good. Caltrans has been asked to shut down the southbound #2 for emergency vehicles.
Update 5:57 p.m.: According to MCSO, the “Evacuation Order is being downgraded to an Evacuation Warning for Wildfire… .”
UPDATE 6:30 p.m.: According to MCSO, “All evac orders and warnings have been lifted.” According to Caltrans, southbound 101 is completely open. Northbound still has one lane closed.
Join the discussion! For rules visit: https://kymkemp.com/commenting-rules
Comments system how-to: https://wpdiscuz.com/community/postid/10599/
Odds are it’s a bum fire.
This is just one of many reasons why bum camps should not be tolerated.
It’s probably someone dragging chains!
It’s at least as likely to be from some yahoo dragging his trailer chains on the highway.
Pretty damn hot to have a campfire. But ya know, blame everything on the most vulnerable immediately. And bum camps shouldn’t be tolerated but then where and what do we do with those humans?
There isn’t a lot of logic associated with the behaviors of the chronically homeless who are mostly drug addicts, severely anti-social or suffering from untreated mental illness.
Bum camps enable homelessness – quit tolerating bum camps and the homeless population will decrease – then offer treatment to those who want it.
How long did it take you to come up with that logic? Although you literally have nothing to offer but don’t “tolerate them.” So, smart stuff, WHAT’S THE ALTERNATIVE?? Enlighten us on the answer to the problem nobody else has yet been able to solve.
It should be obvious that people are entering and departing from a state of homelessness on a continuous ongoing basis so anyone who thinks we’re going to “solve” homelessness, in terms of ending it, doesn’t know what’s going on.
That said, the question becomes “how well are we managing the problem” and in Cali the answer is not very well.
It should also be acknowledged that the cause of each homeless person’s situation is specific to them and the response needs to account for that.
But in broad general terms we need to provide services to those who need them; confine drug addicts and mentally ill persons who cause problems and refuse treatment; and stop enabling homelessness, especially by tolerating bum camps.
There’s lots more to it but no point explaining it in detail to those who think we should allow a tiny minority to foul our streets and waterways and drag down the quality of life of everyone else.
[edit: You can’t say someone IS absolutely something bad. You can say their comment is bad. Kym]It’s a lonnnnnnnnnnnnng way down once it bucks. There have always been homeless folks, and what pisses YOU Off is that they have RIGHTS! Ya better pad yer butt…,it’s gonna hurt.
Stop calling them bums. It’s only showing us exactly who YOU are and hopefully. you never lose your home, your health and family support in a crisis. Compassion is a thing, makes us human, you seem to be a little less than. Go look up “empathy, compassion, humanity” Wow. Just wow.
I have a suggestion but your not going to like it…..
I am betting it was a cigarette control burn.
It’s 99F in Ukiah as of 545PM. Thursday and Friday are predicted to reach 105F. Many construction and agricultural vehicles on101 increase the likelihood of incendiary particles being released.
Meandered through there. Northbound was single lane. CalTrans had finally shut down the North State off ramp as I passed. Was definitely a mess, but at least fairly orderly.
The drive through the zone.
Cause of fire?
Bum camp – and homelessness. It is misleading and counterproductive for this issue to be framed as “the homeless” or bums. Homes will not solve the problem. These people will not live in homes, they will destroy them for their copper and anything of value they can sell. The camps are a result of drug addiction and provide a place to sell stolen goods and drugs. They should be dismantled and the inhabitants forced into recovery facilities for an extended period IF you want to solve the problem. But most users are too far gone. Today’s meth will turn the brain into Swiss cheese very quickly. There is no rock bottom, no come to Jesus moment; only crime and death. Fentanyl is different as is tranq. But still, no recovery is likely when there is access to these drugs. So unless there is a new war on drugs, and Mexico, we are doomed. The only good idea Trump ever had was to tomahawk the cartels.