Humboldt County Firefighters Battle the Green Fire Along Lake Shasta’s Shores

Drip torch work on the Green Fire. [Photo from Shasta Trinity National Forest Service]

From the rolling hills of Southern Humboldt to the steep ridges above Lake Shasta, local firefighters are once again showing up strong on the front lines–this time on the Green Fire. Crews from across Humboldt County—including some of our most rural and rugged Southern Humboldt stations—are among the nearly 2,000 personnel battling the Green Fire, which has grown to 18,562 acres with just 36% containment.

The fire, which has spread aggressively across the Sulanharas and Pit River arms of Shasta Lake, is a logistical and physical nightmare. Some crews are being boated in, then hiking 2 to 3 hours—often at night—just to reach the fireline. And that’s before they start work. Conditions include steep terrain, rolling rocks, searing heat, smoke, and heavy gear. Oh, and snakes. Not just on the ground, but in the trees.

On the eastern flank, other crews are working to hold firing operations along what might be the most aptly named location in all of wildfire response—Rip Gut Ridge—where a large unburned fuel block poses serious risk if not secured. Type I helicopters and even drones are being used to reinforce these lines, while fireboats patrol the lake’s edge to support suppression near the shoreline.

With Humboldt County firefighters deep in the mix, possibly contending with poison oak, stinging insects, and tree snakes on top of flames, it’s no wonder we’re tracking this fire closely from here at home.

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Press release from Shasta Trinity National Forest Service:

Considering the complexity of operations along Rip Gut Ridge, engaging in night operations on unforgiving terrain, ferrying firefighters by boat, sing significant numbers of aircraft, and conducting firing operations to consume fuels. The expectation delivered to operational staff was that actions would be well-considered, undertaken with sufficient support in place, and implemented with a commitment to ensuring the safety of our firefighters on the ground.

Resources: The fire currently has use of two Super Scooper aircraft; 10 helicopters, 6 of which are Type 1 airships; 10 Ambulances (6 day / 4 night); 24 Bulldozers; 107 Engines; 47 Crews, 18 of which are Type I Hotshot Crews, and 6 Rapid Extraction Modules (4 day / 2 night). Eleven watercraft are now assigned to Pit River operations. A total of 1,911 individuals are assigned to the fire.

Fire Activity: Yesterday, fire activity was most notable within the southeastern portion of the fire. This is the area where we have a large block of unburned fuels between the existing eastern flank of the fire, the Rip Gut Ridge fireline further to the east, and the Pit River to the south. To the southwest, between the Sulanharas and Pit River arms of Shasta Lake, the fire was active as it continued to move down to shorelines and to the roads that move southward from the Sulanharas arm along ridges to the Pit River arm of the Lake. In addition to the fire suppression boats on the lake, two Type I helicopters were used yesterday to assist crews in reinforcing lines in the southwest portion of the fire. Along the eastern flank of the fire, three Type I helicopters were used to moderate fire behavior with water drops, as crews worked to hold and reinforce the firing operations that have occurred along the Rip Gut Ridge fireline.

Fire Weather: Seasonal temperatures will continue through the weekend accompanied by slightly lower, dryer humidity. Temperatures are predicted to be in the mid-90s, with humidity between 19 to 24%. A shift toward below normal seasonal temperatures and windier conditions is predicted to begin early next week. Patterns of afternoon wind shift will continue to influence visibility and the use of aircraft. Winds in the morning will be out of the northeast, moving smoke to the south. Winds will shift in the early afternoon, pushing smoke northward. The southern area of the fire should experience sufficient afternoon visibility to continue to allow for aircraft operations, while limited visibility in the northern half of the fire may preclude the use of aircraft as has occurred earlier in the week.

 Fire Operations: With the strengthening of firelines along the Brock Mountain Road to the west and firelines to the north and northeast, operations will prioritize securing the southern extent of the fire. The large area of unburned fuels between the eastern flank of the fire and the Rip Gut Ridge fireline remains a substantial concern. To secure this area, crews will add depth to the Rip Gut Ridge fireline using firing operations. An Unmanned Aerial System (UAS, drone), will be used to initiate firing operations while minimizing risk to firefighters. Last night crews successfully brought the eastern fireline to the Pit River and, to the southwest, joined the two arms of Shasta Lake while adding additional depth to this fireline. During the day, supported by air operations, crews will be tasked with holding where firing has occurred, and mopping up areas of heat within the firelines. In addition to moving crews, the fleet of watercraft assigned to the Green Fire will also provide suppression support along shorelines as crews seek to secure the southern area of the fire.

Evacuations: As of July 12, a portion of Shasta County Zone LKH-1448 has been placed under an mandatory evacuation order. All or portions of Shasta County Zones LKH-1448, LKH-1190, LKH-1200 are under an evacuation warning. Information related to evacuation zones can be found by going to https://protect.genasys.com/search. Shasta County’s emergency alert and public warning system, AlertShasta, can be found here: https://www.shastacounty.gov/community/page/alertshasta-shasta-countys-new-public-warning-system.

Closures: Shasta National Forest closure orders related to the Green Fire may be found here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r05/shasta-trinity/alerts/green-fire-closure-order.

Additional fire-related information:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShastaTrinityNF/

InciWeb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/cashf-2025-shastatrinity-lightning

Air quality: https://www.airnow.gov

Additional Information at Linktree: https://linktr.ee/shffirepio

Map of the Green Fire Saturday, July 19.