Astronaut Alexander Gerst tweeted these photos on August 3 of the wildfires in California, apparently taken from the International Space Station. He didn’t specify the date, but presumably they are very recent.
I’m not positive, but I think the photo that has multiple fires includes, from bottom to top (south to north), the Ferguson Fire at Yosemite National Park, the Mendocino Complex east of Ukiah, and the Carr Fire at Redding. The smoke farther north could be the Natchez Fire and blazes in Oregon. The other photo is most likely the Ferguson Fire.
Click on the images twice to see larger versions.
California burning. These fires are frightening to watch, even from space. Here’s a shout-out from space to all firefighters on this planet, my former colleagues. Stay safe my friends! pic.twitter.com/y7PNmR006b
The Ranch Fire will most likely burn into the Pawnee Fire of June, 2018.
(Originally published at 11:02 a.m. PDT August 3, 2018)
The Mendocino Complex of Fires east of Ukiah, California were extremely active Thursday, adding another 43,000 acres west and east of Clear Lake. Firefighters were again engaged in house to house structure protection as the fire moved through the wildland-urban interface.
The northernmost of the two fires, the Ranch Fire, ran for about 6 miles to the southeast, coming very close to the burn scar from the Pawnee Fire of June, 2018, according to the infrared sensing data from a fixed wing aircraft collected at 11:30 p.m. August 2. The Ranch Fire also grew significantly on the northeast side.
Map showing the perimeter, in red, of the Mendocino Complex of Fires at 11:30 p.m. MDT, August 2, 2018. The white line was the perimeter 24 hours before. The red shaded areas represent intense heat. Click to enlarge.
The River Fire west of Clear Lake only showed major growth on its north side, where it moved to the north for up to a mile along an eight-mile long active edge.
Photographer Kent Porter wrote on Twitter (see below) that more evacuations were ordered north of Clear Lake. He said “the firefight was intense in Scotts Valley” Thursday. His photos confirm that statement.
To see all of the articles on Wildfire Today about the Mendocino Complex of Fires, including the most recent, click HERE.
Both fires are remaining active throughout the night. On Friday firefighters will prep and construct primary and secondary control lines. Difficult access and hot, dry weather make it difficult to fight fire directly in many areas.
CAL FIRE reports that 41 residences have been destroyed, up from 14 in Thursday’s update. The two fires have burned a total of 153,738 acres — 112,226 on the Ranch Fire and 41,512 on the River Fire, according to the numbers released by CAL FIRE Friday morning. That is a total increase of over 43,000 acres since Thursday.
Kent Porter got some great photos at the fire on Thursday, including one of the 747 Supertanker. Click on the pictures below to see larger versions.
Late in the day the Ranch Fire ran for at least five miles to the southeast
The northernmost of the two fires in the Mendocino Complex east of Ukiah, California, the Ranch Fire, was very active late in the day on Wednesday, running for at least five miles to the southeast according to the very reliable information from a mapping aircraft at 11:10 p.m. August 1. It is possible it may have spread for an additional three miles three to five hours later, but the data from the later overflights by the MODIS and VIIRS satellites could have been detecting heat and debris in a powerful convection column, rather than fire on the ground. All of the significant activity on the Ranch Fire Wednesday was on the northeast and east sides.
Map showing the perimeter, in red, of the Mendocino Complex of Fires at 11:10 p.m. MDT, August 1, 2018. The white line was the perimeter about 24 hours before. The red shaded areas represent intense heat. Click to enlarge.
With the expansion of the Ranch Fire it is now about three to five miles northeast of the community of Nice and four to seven miles northeast of Lucerne; both of these communities are on the east shore of Clear Lake.
To see all of the articles on Wildfire Today about the Mendocino Complex of Fires, including the most recent, click HERE.
Apparently firefighters on the River Fire have been very successful on the south and east flanks, with those locations showing little to no growth Wednesday in the Lakeport and Finley areas. The north side, however, was quite active, spreading north for about a half mile across the north perimeter.
CAL FIRE reports that 14 residences have been destroyed. The two fires have burned a total of 110,168 acres — 74,890 on the Ranch Fire and 35,278 on the River Fire, according to the numbers released by CAL FIRE Thursday morning.
There are media reports that homes were destroyed Tuesday afternoon northwest of Lakeport
ABOVE: Map showing the perimeter, in red, of the east side of the River Fire (part of the Mendocino Complex of Fires) at 11:46 p.m. PDT July 31, 2018. The white line was the perimeter about 24 hours before.
(Originally published at 10 a.m. PDT August 1, 2018)
Tuesday afternoon winds pushed the two blazes that comprise the Mendocino Complex of Fires farther east, both spreading for at least a mile. The Ranch Fire moved into sparsely populated areas, but the River Fire ran through an area with scattered ranches northwest of Lakeport, California. Media personnel on scene said the fire was especially intense near Dessie Drive and Hendricks Road. CAL FIRE said Wednesday morning that a total of 10 residences have been destroyed in the two fires, but it is not clear if that number includes what could be additional losses late in the day on Tuesday.
To see all of the articles on Wildfire Today about the Mendocino Complex of Fires, including the most recent, click HERE.
Firefighters were extremely busy Tuesday in that wildland-urban interface as the fire raced through the populated areas. They were protecting structures, then getting chased out by flames, and reestablishing a defense at another structure.
Map showing the perimeter, in red, of the Mendocino Complex of Fires at 11:46 p.m. PDT July 31, 2018. The white line was the perimeter about 24 hours before.
Both fires started in Mendocino County but burned into Lake County. The Ranch Fire is now also well established in the Mendocino National Forest.
According to the numbers CAL FIRE released Wednesday morning, the two fires have burned 90,912 acres; 59,019 on the Ranch Fire, and 31,898 on the River Fire.
As usual, Kent Porter got some fabulous shots of the River Fire Tuesday:
The #Riverfire blew in to Scotts Valley Tuesday off of Cow Mountain devouring structures on its way. A Pyrocumulus cloud also developed from the #Ranchfire as helicopters were used in the fight on the River. @NorthBayNews pic.twitter.com/zrr5x5I8k2
Just disengaged from the #mendocinocomplex to take a breather in deserted Lakeport. Some of the most intense wildland urban interface firefighting I’ve seen in 100 fires. Fire behavior I saw today is terrifying, there is little to stop it other than fire front following.
Below, a CAL FIRE Battalion Chief explains how they fight fires when you don’t have enough resources. Basically, you protect lives and private property first, then as time and resources permit, deal with the part of the fire that is burning in remote areas.
Limited Resources, Unlimited Fire. CAL FIRE Makes Compromises. #MendocinoComplex https://t.co/IeMXmr9lAz
The fires are threatening 10,200 structures near Upper Lake and Lakeport, California
Above: Map of the Mendocino Complex of Fires. The red line was the perimeter at 9 p.m. PDT July 30, 2018. The white line was the perimeter about 24 hours earlier. The red shaded areas represent intense heat.
(Originally published at 5:02 a.m. PDT July 31, 2018)
Firefighters working on the two wildfires in the Mendocino Complex of Fires near Clear Lake east of Ukiah, California are not only battling two fires spreading aggressively near populated areas, they are also competing with numerous other large fires in California and the rest of the United States. With 140 large fires burning, every one needs resources, and not all incident commanders are receiving the numbers of crews, engines, dozers, air tankers, helicopters, and overhead personnel that they have requested.
Of the 25,632 firefighters that have been mobilized in the U.S., the 68,000-acre Mendocino Complex, comprised of the Ranch and River Fires, has obtained almost 2,000 personnel, including 205 fire engines, 38 hand crews, 12 helicopters, 45 dozers, and 43 water tenders.
3-D map of the Mendocino Complex of Fires. The red line was the perimeter at 9 p.m. PDT July 30, 2018. The red shaded areas represent intense heat at that time.
Seven residences have been destroyed on the two fires and another 12,200 remain threatened.
The Ranch Fire, just north of Upper Lake, has burned about 45,000 acres. So far firefighters have kept it out of the main part of the community and mostly west of Middle Creek near the town. There has been one slop over south of Highway 20 three miles west of the Highway 20/29 intersection.
The 23,000-acre River Fire turned southeast Monday, skirting around Lakeport and Finley as it burned across Highway 175.
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.
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.
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.
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
