
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – After burning for a month and a half, the Mendocino Complex continues to hold just a few percentage points from full containment.
The 459,123-acre Mendocino Complex on Monday was at 98-percent containment, where it’s remained for nearly a week, according to a report from Mendocino National Forest spokeswoman Punky Moore.
The Mendocino Complex is being managed by Southern California Interagency Incident Management Team 3, Moore said.
The Ranch fire portion of the complex, which is 410,203 acres and also 98-percent contained, is the actively burning part of the complex, Moore reported. The River fire was fully contained nearly a month ago at 48,920 acres.
Moore said firefighters are working to contain the last section of the Ranch fire, patrolling firelines and doing suppression repair.
There are 672 miles of fireline that required suppression repair work. To date, crews have completed suppression repair work on 69 percent of the fireline, Moore said.
Fire suppression repair work consists of cutting hazard trees to ensure firefighters are working in safe areas, reducing dirt berms, spreading cut vegetation and building water bars to minimize soil erosion. Moore said additional suppression repair needs are being discovered as crews continue to work around the perimeter of the fire.
On Monday, both fire camps – in Ukiah and Stonyford – were condensed into one Incident Command Post at Stonyford, where the bulk of the suppression repair work remains, the Forest Service said.
Moore explained that relocating a fire camp involves numerous moving parts: all kinds of vehicles, crew buggies, tractor trailers containing shower and food preparation units, the wiring to connect each trailer with telephones, electricity, internet, a water source, place to camp and park trailers.
The person responsible for making this move seamless is a qualified logistics chief. Moore said the logistics section can organize a small town, even if it’s temporary fire camp for 3,000 people and 300 vehicles.
The Ranch fire area on the Mendocino National Forest remains closed as described in Forest Order 08-18-15. Moore said the purpose of the closure is to provide for public safety, and for the firefighters who are engaged in fire suppression and repair efforts within the Ranch Fire closure area.
The closure area applies to all public use, including hunting, the use of firearms and off-highway vehicles. The northern half of the forest is open for outdoor activities. Forest visitors can contact the ranger station nearest their destination for current information, Moore said.
Resources assigned to the incident include 645 personnel, 14 engines, 11 hand crews, two helicopters and 16 dozers, according to Moore.
