NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – A massive wildland fire complex burning in Siskiyou County is believed to be the source of a layer of thick smoke that has made its way into Lake County's air basin.
Northshore Fire Deputy Chief Pat Brown said his agency received numerous phone calls about the smoke, which he attributed to the Happy Camp Complex.
A Monday satellite image from the National Aeronautic and Space Administration appeared to confirm Brown's conclusion about the source of the smoke.
The Happy Camp Complex has burned 64,182 acres since it began Aug. 11. It is 15-percent contained, according to the US Forest Service.
The US Forest Service's Monday evening report estimated the fire, which has cost $36 million to fight to date, will be fully contained on Sept. 8.
The fire has led to mandatory evacuations in some areas and closures in portions of the Klamath National Forest, including parts of the Pacific Crest Trail, the US Forest Service reported.
Fire officials said there has been a 30-percent increase in personnel on the complex, including an increase to 77 hand crews to help contain the fire with a total of 2,737 personnel, 11 helicopters, 133 engines, 22 dozers, 28 water tenders, 29 mules and eight horses also assigned.
On Monday, a thick smoky haze was seen over Lake County, and was particularly noticeable over Mt. Konocti.
The California Smoke Information Web site, http://californiasmokeinfo.blogspot.com/ , reported that winds were pushing the smoke to the south in the early morning hours on Monday.
On Tuesday, a mostly northwesterly flow will push the smoke to the southward and eastward, with stable atmospheric conditions expected to hinder the smoke's dispersion, meaning it could appear thicker in some areas, the site reported.
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