NORTH COAST, Calif. – A wildland fire complex in northern Mendocino County has continued to grow, with new mandatory evacuations ordered near Covelo and in several areas of the Mendocino National Forest.
The North Pass Fires, sparked by lightning early last Saturday morning, had burned 12,500 acres by Wednesday evening with 12 percent containment, according to a report from Cal Fire, which has unified command with the US Forest Service on the incident.
The two fires are burning near Mendocino Pass Road in the Williams Valley, 10 miles northeast of Covelo.
One outbuilding has been destroyed, and Cal Fire said 45 residences and five commercial properties are threatened by the fires.
Resources assigned on Wednesday evening included 961 personnel, 93 engines, 26 fire crews, two airtankers, three helicopters, 37 bulldozers and 25 water tenders, Cal Fire reported.
The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office reported on Wednesday afternoon that it was ordering new evacuations for the area of Mendocino Pass Road (Forest Highway 7), north and south of the highway from the Eel River work center east to the Tehama/Glenn County line, including Bauer Ranch subdivision, all private residences and forest service campgrounds, the sheriff’s office said.
On Wednesday mandatory evacuations remained in place for residences along Indian Dick Road east of Covelo, from the intersection of Mendocino Pass Road north, to the Trinity County line and east to the Tehama County Line.
The order also continues to cover all residences and US Forest Service campsites at Howard Lake Campground, Little Doe Campground and Hammerhorn Lake Campground, and all USFS Wilderness Trailheads at Blands Cove, Hell Hole, Stick Lake, Foster Glade, Asa Bean, Rock Cabin, Georges Valley, Soldier Ridge, Smokehouse Ridge and Green Springs.
Also remaining under evacuation was Blands Cove Road east of Covelo, from the start of the Traveler's Home Wilderness Trail Head, north to the Trinity County line.
The agency said Blands Cove Road and Indian Dick Road will be closed to all non-emergency traffic in the evacuation areas and will remain closed until the mandatory evacuation order is rescinded.
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