Date for full containment on Mendocino Complex moved back; crews continue making progress
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Fire crews are closing in on full containment on the massive Mendocino Complex, which officials now expect will be fully contained in another week.
The complex continues to be managed by the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service and California Interagency Incident Management Team 3 under Incident Commander Mark von Tillow.
The U.S. Forest Service said the complex remained at 459,123 acres on Sunday, with containment up to 97 percent, the first containment increase in a few days.
The Ranch fire, which remains the complex’s active portion, is at 410,203 acres and 97-percent containment, officials said.
The River fire was contained at 48,920 acres nearly three weeks ago. The Forest Service said suppression repair on that part of the complex has been completed.
The Forest Service said the date for full containment on the complex has been moved back by eight days to Sept. 9.
Approximately 980 personnel, 27 engines, 21 hand crews, one helicopter and a dozer remain assigned to the complex, officials said.
The Forest Service said steady progress is being made in the final suppression operations of the Ranch fire, where the last section of uncontained fireline remains west of Stonyford within the forest boundary.
The remaining uncontrolled fire line, shown in red on the map above, is located around the Colusa-Glenn County border near Fouts Springs.
The weather forecast shows temperatures in the high 90s, the hottest in two weeks. While the Forest Service said fire activity will increase within the perimeter, it is not expected to challenge the fireline.
On Sunday, the Forest Service said firefighters were monitoring interior burning, extinguishing hot spots and pulling excess hose and equipment off firelines.
Fire crews have completed 364 miles of suppression repair, primarily on the west and north sides of the fire, officials said.
In addition, about 670 miles of fireline have been identified for suppression repair, though this number is expected to increase as more repair needs are reported, the Forest Service reported.
Despite the destruction the fire has caused in public lands, there are signs that wildlife is surviving. Officials shared a picture of a buck who this past week was seen hanging out near the fire camp in Stonyford.
The fire has continued to put up large amounts of smoke and haze, which blanketed Lake County as well as the Sacramento Valley throughout the weekend.
The Forest Service said the smoke and haze are expected to continue, noting that smoke from several fires burning in Northern California is expected to drift south and east over the Sacramento Valley and toward the coast.
Stonyford and Elk Creek will have heavy smoke impacts, while areas such as Clear Lake, Potter Valley, Covelo, Ukiah and the Sacramento Valley are expected to have moderate smoke impacts with potential for spikes of heavier smoke on Sunday.
An update on smoke conditions can be found at https://wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/MendocinoNationalForest-SacramentoValleyArea.
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