[UPDATE 5:46 p.m.: Remaining Closed] Highway 36 Closed Again at Grizzly Creek Slide After Boulder Hits Vehicle

Highway 36 is closed this afternoon at the Grizzly [Creek] Bluff slide area in eastern Humboldt County after another rockslide incident forced the shutdown of both lanes, according to the California Highway Patrol Traffic Incident Information Page.

At about 2 p.m., CHP received a report that a boulder struck a vehicle near mile marker 16.00 on Highway 36, east of Bridgeville. The reporting party indicated they were not requesting an officer response for vehicle damage. Shortly afterward, Caltrans began closing both lanes as slide activity continued in the area.

By 2:20 p.m., CHP officially changed the incident classification from a slide to a full road closure. Multiple agencies, including the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, Trinity County Sheriff’s Office, Fortuna Police Department, and Cal Fire, were notified of the closure.

As of 2:53 p.m., CHP logs indicate additional activity near the slide area, including reports of vehicles nearly involved in traffic collisions and a request for assistance from a Caltrans worker on the east side of the closure.

The road has repeatedly closed in the area as Caltrans battles a massive slide. They have built a berm to catch much of the slide material and it has been working but today the berm is not catching everything

Supervisor Michelle Bushnell states that Caltrans “to clean out the east end of the catchment.”.

There is no estimated time of reopening, according to Caltrans. Motorists are advised to avoid the area and seek alternate routes.

Please remember that this story is unfolding. Information is being reported as we gather it. However, some of the information coming from witnesses and initial official reports could be wrong. We will do our best to get the facts but, in the case that something is inaccurate, we will update with correct information as soon as we can.

UPDATE 5:46 p.m.: According to the CHP page, Caltrans reported that the road will be closed through the night. Emergency vehicles may enter at their own risk, However, the road will not be cleared throughout the night.