August Complex on Mendocino National Forest balloons in size
- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Overnight, the August Complex of lightning fires on the Mendocino National Forest grew dramatically in size, fanned by winds and low humidity.
The fires began on Sunday morning on the Glenn County side of the forest in the wake of thunderstorms that passed over the region.
Forest officials said the complex is made up of 35 fires caused by the storms.
On Tuesday night, the fires had been reported at a total of 3,000 acres burned.
By Wednesday morning, officials said the fires and grown to 30,000 acres due to low humidity and wind gusts of 25 miles per hour.
Officials said structures and power lines are threatened in the community of Elk Creek.
The fire led to evacuation orders for the communities of Chrome, Burrows Gap, Elk Creek, Red Mountain and the area of the Mendocino National Forest along forest Highway 7 in western Glenn County.
On Wednesday afternoon, authorities expanded the evacuation order to all areas west of County Road 306, with the order extending the full length of Glenn County from the Tehama County line in the north to Colusa County line in the south, and all areas west to the Mendocino County line.
Grindstone Rancheria has been placed under an evacuation warning, as has the area of Newville from County Road 306 along County Road 200 to Black Butte Lake, the Glenn County Sheriff’s Office reported.
Authorities have set up a temporary evacuation site staffed by Glenn County Health & Human Services Agency and the American Red Cross at the Willows Memorial Hall, 525 W. Sycamore St., with an animal shelter open at the Glenn County Fairgrounds, 221 E Yolo St. in Orland.
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