Mendocino Complex continues northern push; damage assessment counts rise
- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Mendocino Complex’s Ranch fire reached a record acreage total on Sunday as it continued to burn actively along its northern perimeter.
Cal Fire said the Mendocino Complex reached 331,399 acres and 70-percent containment on Sunday morning.
The River fire near Lakeport continues to be held at no new growth. It’s at 48,920 acres, with containment up slightly to 93 percent, Cal Fire said. Crews continue to monitor it for hot spots and to do suppression repair.
The Ranch fire on the county’s north side reached 282,479 acres and 62-percent containment on Sunday, according to Cal Fire.
The US Forest Service, which is in unified command on the fire with Cal Fire, said the Ranch fire grew approximately 6,000 acres in the previous 24 hours.
Mendocino National Forest spokeswoman Punky Moore said the Ranch Fire is burning in the Snow Mountain Wilderness and the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument.
The complex is listed as the largest wildland fire in California history; all on its own, the Ranch fire could rank as the second largest, having surpassed the December 2017 Thomas fire overnight.
The Mendocino Complex’s updated damage assessment shows it has destroyed 146 residences and 118 other structures, and damaged 13 homes and 24 other buildings. It continues to threaten 1,025 structures.
The Ranch fire continued to be active in its northeast section overnight, Cal Fire said. Fire mapping showed that activity in the northwest occurred near the Lake-Colusa County line west of Lodoga, based on the maps.
Dozer lines have been constructed in the northeast corner below Stonyford and contingency dozer lines have been constructed ahead of the fire around Stonyford with additional proposed lines being scouted, officials said.
Moore said that on Saturday, firefighters were able to hold and improve the dozer line along McLeod Ridge from Lake Pillsbury towards the fire’s edge. Dozer operators continued constructing dozer line along Gilmore Ridge and north through the 2012 Mill Fire scar toward Davis Flat.
Crews improved the fireline in the steep canyons near Clover Valley in the southern portion of the fire, and they continued to improve contingency dozer lines in the Potter Valley area and along Bushy Camp and Noel ridges, Moore said.
Cal Fire said fire crews on Sunday will continue attempting to contain the northwest portion of the fire, protecting the southern areas of Lake Pillsbury and bringing it back into the Mendocino National Forest. There are many constructed dozer lines along the western edge and throughout Potter Valley and below Lake Pillsbury.
Fire crews will attempt to contain the fire from progressing west, keeping it south of Eel River, Cal Fire said.
On the northeast side, Moore said that on Sunday dozer operators will continue constructing dozer line along Gilmore Ridge and north through the 2012 Mill Fire scar toward Davis Flat in order to secure the fire’s northeast corner to keep the fire west of Stonyford and Century Ranch.
Cal Fire said 3,422 personnel – including 41 from New Zealand and Australia, and 200 active duty military firefighters – are part of the firefighting force, along with 281 engines, 87 water tenders, 20 helicopters, 61 hand crews and 76 dozers.
“I am glad to see all of the cooperation from Cal Fire, the United States Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the US Military and all of the other cooperators,” said Incident Commander Jerry McGowan. “We will all continue to work together to stop this fire, it is our main objective. It has already burned enough land.”
With a red flag warning having ended on Saturday night, Moore said there should be a return to a more normal weather pattern Sunday. Temperatures will be a little cooler, the humidity will be a little higher and the winds lighter than Saturday.
She said smoke impacts will continue to be heavy in communities near and east of the Ranch fire, including Clearlake, Stonyford and east to Willows. Moderate impacts are expected west of the fires in Ukiah, Hopland and Willits. The north and central Sacramento Valley will see widespread haze and smoky conditions.
Across California on Sunday, almost 13,200 firefighters are on the front lines of 11 large wildfires across California. To date, these fires have burned over 695,000 acres and damaged or destroyed over 2,000 structures. Over 12,000 residents remain under evacuation orders, Cal Fire said.
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