LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – On Tuesday containment inched up further on the Mendocino Complex, which is now under the management of a new firefighting team.
The Mendocino Complex’s acreage has remained at 459,123 acres since Aug. 27.
As of Tuesday morning, the complex’s containment was up to 98 percent. It’s expected to be fully contained on Sept. 9.
The complex includes the still-active Ranch fire, at 410,203 acres and 98 percent containment, and the River fire, fully contained last month at 48,920 acres.
The Mendocino Complex is being managed by the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service and Southern California Interagency Incident Management Team 3 under Incident Commander Mike Wakoski.
The team assumed command of the incident Tuesday at 7 a.m. from California Incident Management Team 3 after it fulfilled its 14-day assignment on the incident.
With full containment nearing, resources continues to be scaled back. There are now 736 firefighting personnel dedicated to the complex, with 22 engines, 13 hand crews, one helicopter and 14 dozers.
The Forest Service reported that the last section of uncontained fireline on the Ranch fire is west of Stonyford near Bonnie View and Happy Camp.
Firefighters continue to monitor interior burning and patrol fire lines in this area. Contractors with additional heavy equipment arrived Sunday and are positioned along firelines to continue suppression repair, officials said.
The suppression repair crews are repairing firelines by removing dirt berms, spreading cut vegetation and building water bars to reduce soil erosion. Officials said suppression repair is complete on the River fire.
Although smoke from the Mendocino Complex has decreased, Forest Service officials said it is mixing with that from other fires around Northern California, so smoke and haze will continue to fill the skies for several days.
Light winds will keep smoke in the area through Tuesday and likely on Wednesday, officials said.
Communities such as Stonyford and Elk Creek should have continued heavy smoke impacts. Elsewhere in areas such as Laytonville, Potter Valley, Lake County and the Sacramento Valley, moderate smoke impacts are expected with the potential for spikes of heavier smoke midday.
For a smoke forecast visit https://wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/MendocinoNationalForest-SacramentoValleyArea.
Mendocino Complex Progression Map for September 4, 2018 by LakeCoNews on Scribd