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Mendocino Complex of Fires grows closer to communities around Clear Lake

Bill GabbertJuly 30, 2018August 25, 2019UncategorizedCalifornia, Mendocino Complex1 Comment

The two large fires are threatening Lakeport and Upper Lake, California

(Originally published at 7:04 a.m. PDT July 30, 2018)

The Ranch and River Fires that comprise the Mendocino Complex of Fires were very active again Sunday.

The northernmost of the two fires, the Ranch Fire, spread three to five miles to the east and south and at 1:30 a.m. Monday was less than a mile north of Upper lake. So far firefighters have been able to keep it mostly north and east of Highway 20, but at 1:30 a.m. there was a spot fire across the highway three miles west of Upper Lake.

map Mendocino Complex Fires — 3-D map of the Mendocino Complex of Fires. The red line was the perimeter at 1:30 a.m. PDT July 30, 2018. The yellow line was the perimeter 25 hours earlier. The red shaded areas represent intense heat at that time. Click to enlarge.

Farther south, the River Fire grew three miles to the east and at 1:30 a.m. Monday was less than a mile west of the Highway 29/175 intersection near Lakeport. Firefighters are no doubt working hard to keep the fire north of Highway 175, but it had slopped over at one point two air miles southwest of the intersection.

(To see all of the articles on Wildfire Today about the Mendocino Complex of Fire, click HERE.)

Using infrared mapping data our very unofficial estimate of the total number of acres burned in the two fires at 1:30 a.m. PDT on Monday is approximately 55,000. (UPDATE at 7:16 a.m. PDT July 30, 2018: at 7:15 a.m. CAL FIRE updated the size of the fires. They reported the Ranch Fire has burned 35,076 acres, and the River Fire, 20,911, for a total of 55,987 acres.)

CAL FIRE reports that six residences have been destroyed and 10,200 are threatened. The agency also said weather conditions will continue to challenge firefighters as hot, dry and windy conditions persist. A lack of available suppression and overhead personnel will also slow the firefighting efforts, they said.

Mandatory evacuation orders affecting thousands of residents are in place for several locations around the two fires in Lake County. Below is an excerpt from an article in the Lake County News:

The River fire’s approach to the Lakeport, the county seat, and its full evacuation has had numerous impacts, including closure of the Lake County Superior Court, and county and city offices; the evacuation of Sutter Lakeside Hospital and Evergreen Lakeport Healthcare; temporary shuttering of the Lakeport Senior Center; as well as closure of numerous businesses.

The weather forecast for the foothills west of Lakeport for Monday predicts 94 degrees, 18 percent relative humidity, and west or northwest winds of 3 to 9 mph gusting to 13. These conditions are expected to persist through Friday.

Resources assigned to the Complex include 118 fire engines, 22 water tenders, 6 helicopters, 31 hand crews, and 37 dozers for a total of 1,379 personnel.

If you or your family is affected by any of the current wildfires please, please be smart and be safe out there! This is view of the #RiverFire across from Clear Lake in Lucerne part of the two-fire #MendocinoComplex in Lake County (Photo Credit @RonKeas) pic.twitter.com/f6gylmQ8J9

— CalSFS (@CalSFSsocial) July 30, 2018

Pyro cumulus and lenticular clouds as observed by NWS Imet from the #MendocinoComplex fire. #cawx pic.twitter.com/O8sTtPQaWy

— NWS Sacramento (@NWSSacramento) July 30, 2018

A second firefighter killed on the Ferguson Fire

Bill GabbertJuly 29, 2018July 30, 2018UncategorizedCalifornia, Ferguson Fire, lodd1 Comment

Another firefighter has been killed while working on the Ferguson Fire west of Yosemite National Park in California.

The Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that Sunday morning July 29 while battling the Ferguson Fire on the Sierra National Forest, a Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park firefighter suffered a fatal injury.

The incident occurred just before 9:30 a.m. At the time, the firefighter and his crew were engaged in a tactical firing operation on the east side of the fire. They were operating in an area with a large amount of tree mortality. The firefighter was struck by a tree. He was treated on scene, but passed away before he could be transported to a hospital.

“The team at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park is devastated by this terrible news,” says Park Superintendent Woody Smeck in a statement released July 29. “Our deepest condolences go out to the firefighter’s family and loved ones. We grieve this loss with you.”

Further public information will be made available once the firefighter’s family has been notified.

The firefighter was escorted to the Stanislaus County Coroner’s office in Modesto, Calif., Sunday at 3:30 p.m.

The Ferguson Fire has burned over 54,000 acres since it started July 13, 2018.

Heavy Fire Equipment Operator Braden Varney was killed July 14, when his dozer rolled in steep terrain on the Ferguson Fire.

On July 26 two firefighters were entrapped and killed by the Carr Fire near Redding, California.

Our sincere condolences go out to the family, friends, and co-workers of all four of these firefighters.

Mendocino Complex of Fires tripled in size Saturday

Bill GabbertJuly 29, 2018July 29, 2018UncategorizedCalifornia, Mendocino Complex1 Comment

The fires have burned from Mendocino County into Lake County in northern California.

The two fires that make up the Mendocino Complex of Fires were extremely active Saturday, growing from 9,500 to 28,000 acres, almost tripling in size according to very conservative figures released Sunday morning by CAL FIRE.

Both fires started in Mendocino County around noon on July 27 but have burned into Lake County.

(To see all of the articles on Wildfire Today about the Mendocino Complex of Fire, click HERE.)

The Ranch Fire is 8 miles northwest of Ukiah, California and as of Saturday night had remained east of Highway 20. The River Fire is farther south and Saturday night spread to a point three miles west of Lakeport, a community on the west shore of Clear Lake.

map Mendocino Complex of Fires — The red line was the perimeter of the fires in the Mendocino Complex, as detected by infrared sensors at 12:32 a.m. PDT July 29, 2018. The red shaded areas represent intense heat at that time.

A number of areas in Mendocino and Lake County are under mandatory evacuation orders.

Four homes have burned in the River Fire, but another 4,600 are threatened.

Carr Fire still spreading, but away from Redding

Bill GabbertJuly 29, 2018July 29, 2018UncategorizedCalifornia, Carr Fire11 Comments

Above: The red line on the map shows the perimeter of the southeast side of the Carr Fire near Igo as determined by heat sensors on an aircraft at 10:21 p.m. PDT July 28, 2019. The red shaded areas indicate intense heat. The yellow line was the perimeter about 20 hours before.

(Originally published at 5:36 a.m. PDT July 29, 2018)

Firefighters on the Carr Fire are getting a handle on the portion of the blaze that burned into the west side of Redding, California, but it is still spreading away from the city to the south, west, and north.

map Carr Fire Redding — The red line shows the perimeter of the Carr Fire as determined by heat sensors on an aircraft at 10:21 p.m. PDT July 28, 2019. The red shaded areas indicate intense heat. The yellow line was the perimeter about 20 hours before.

Saturday’s additional growth added another 15,000 acres to bring the total size to about 95,000 acres. Southwest of Redding it burned through the Igo area, crossing Placer Road. At 10:21 PDT Saturday it remained east of Cloverdale Road and had progressed south to Clear Creek Road. North of Igo the fire spread about a mile to the southwest on Saturday.

To see all of the articles about the Carr Fire, including the most current, click HERE.

On the northwest side, by Saturday night the fire had come to within five air miles of Lewiston and Trinity Lake and moved about three miles further west along Highway 299, burning on both sides.

The number of fatalities on the Carr Fire rose to five Saturday when officials confirmed that two young children and their great-grandmother were found dead. James Roberts, 5, and Emily Roberts, 4, were stranded with Melody Bledsoe, 70, when the fire ran through the family’s property July 26 outside Redding, California.

That same day two firefighters were also killed at approximately 6:40 pm when a dramatic increase in fire behavior occurred on the east side of the Carr Fire. Entrapped in a burn over were a call when needed contract dozer operator, Don Ray Smith, 81, of Pollock Pines and Redding fire Inspector Jeremy Stoke who had been with the Fire Department since 2004.

CAL FIRE reports that 536 structures have burned, but has not broken the number down by residences and outbuildings.

Resources assigned to the fire include 334 fire engines, 59 hand crews, 17 helicopters, 68 dozers, 65 water tenders, for a total of 3,388 personnel.

The area is under a Red Flag Warning again Sunday. The National Weather Service warns that strong winds up to 30 mph are possible in canyons in the late afternoon and overnight, but the forecast for the southeast part of the fire indicates the winds generally will be variable at 3 to 7 mph. Humidity in some areas could reach into the single digits while the temperature will be over 100 degrees. This hot, dry, trend will most likely last into mid-week.

Red Flag Warning, July 29, 2018 Redding — Red Flag Warning, July 29, 2018.

Death count rises to five in Carr Fire

Bill GabbertJuly 29, 2018February 7, 2022UncategorizedCalifornia, Carr Fire, fatality, lodd3 Comments

The two firefighters killed have been identified

The number of fatalities on the Carr Fire rose to five Saturday July 28 when officials confirmed that two young children and their great-grandmother were found dead. James Roberts, 5, and Emily Roberts, 4, were stranded with Melody Bledsoe, 70, when the fire ran through the family’s property July 26 outside Redding, California.

To see all of the articles about the Carr Fire, including the most current, click HERE.

Also on July 26 three firefighters from Marin County were injured on the fire. They were treated at a hospital in Redding for burns to the ears, face, and hands, the department’s release said. One is receiving additional evaluation at the UC Davis Burn Center.

Our sincere condolences go out to the families, friends, and co-workers of these eight victims.