Mendocino Complex: Ranch fire claims firefighter’s life, River fire fully contained
- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Mendocino Complex continued on its destructive path on Monday, claiming the life of a firefighter on the Ranch fire and burning structures near Lake Pillsbury.
Cal Fire said the Mendocino Complex had burned 349,890 acres and was 68 percent contained on Monday night after having burned for two and a half weeks. It is the largest wildland fire incident in state history.
While the River fire reached 100-percent containment at 48,920 acres on Monday evening, the Ranch fire remained volatile, rising to 300,970 acres with containment at 59 percent, Cal Fire said.
As of Monday morning, the Ranch fire had burned 56 percent of the Mendocino Forest in Lake County, according to forest spokeswoman Punky Moore.
The Ranch fire also claimed a life on Monday, with Cal Fire confirming the death of a male firefighter from Utah, as Lake County News has reported. The firefighter’s name has not been released.
Radio reports indicated the man was fatally injured after being struck by a falling tree while working on the Ranch fire early Monday evening.
The fire has been destructive in other ways. In property terms, the fire has destroyed 146 residences homes and 118 other structures, and damaged 13 homes and 24 other residences.
That count doesn’t appear to include additional structures that were reported destroyed in the Rice Fork area late Monday afternoon, according to radio reports.
Cal Fire said fire crews conducted successful operations on the far west side of the Ranch fire on Monday, tying in containment lines south of the Eel River.
Fire crews will continue to protect the southern areas of Lake Pillsbury along with prepping and protecting the Rice Fork summer homes, Cal Fire said.
On the northeast side of the fire, Cal Fire said crews will work to burn out fuel in order to keep the fire south of the Stonyford area.
The south side of the fire has had no significant events and remains in a suppression repair status with patrol, Cal Fire reported.
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