For LoCO’s chronological list of fire updates, go here.
UPDATE 4:15 p.m.: Calfire Chief of Public Information Daniel Berlant summarizes the most up-to-date fire information.
Video embedded from Calfire’s Youtube page Cal Fire TV.
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More than 100 active wildfires have scorched thousands of acres throughout Humboldt and Trinity Counties.
According to Calfire, 71 lightning fires are burning throughout Southeastern Humboldt. The fires are collectively 900 acres in size and 5 percent contained.
The Shasta Trinity-National Forest Service reports that 60 fires are burning throughout Hayfork, Hyampom and Harrison Gulch as a result of 440 lightning strikes that hit the area in the last two days.
These fires have been labeled the Rail, Barker and Fork Complex incidents, and are collectively 4,000 acres in size.
About 140 Firefighters are battling the 800-acre Rail Fire near Peanut, and have contained 10 percent of the blaze. The Fork Complex Fire burning southeast of the Rail incident consists of more than 30 fires and the Forest Service has not reported any level of containment.
Nearly 250 firefighters are battling the Barker Fire burning north of U.S. Highway 3 near Hayfork. The fire is 900 acres in size and 10 percent contained.
The Trinity County Sheriff’s Office has ordered mandatory and voluntary evacuations throughout the county. The Red Cross has set up an evacuation shelter at the Solid Rock Baptist Church in Hayfork. High-Efficiency Particulate Air Filters have been placed at Solid Rock Church and at the Van Duzen Community Center off of U.S. Highway 36 in Mad River. Caltrans reports that highway 36 has been closed at the Humboldt/Trinity County line due to the Trinity wildfires.
The U.S. Forest Service also reports that multiple lightning fires are burning in the Gasquest, Orleans, Mad River and Lower Trinity Ranger Districts of the Six Rivers National Forest. The River Complex Fire has burned an estimated 2,000 to 8,000 acres North of U.S. Highway 299, and firefighters will arrive in Willow Creek today to begin containment efforts.
Mandatory evacuations have been ordered in the Clear Lake due to a massive wildfire burning west of Lower Lake. The Rocky Fire is 22,500 acres in size and 5 percent contained. Calfire reports the fire is moving southwest toward Lower Lake and to the east of Clear Lake. The blaze has destroyed three structures and multiple outbuildings. Evacuation centers have been set up at Middletown and Kelseyville High Schools.
According to the Eureka U.S. National Weather Service, smoke is blowing to the northwest of Humboldt and Trinity Counties.
Although storm clouds rolled through Eureka earlier today, the U.S. National Weather Service forecasts high temperatures and low humidity throughout most of Humboldt and Trinity Counties. Red Flag Warning have been issued for Trinity County, Eastern Del Norte County, and Northeast Humboldt County.
Fire burning five miles south of U.S. Highway 3. Photos provided by Jason Carr.
PREVIOUSLY:
- Evacuations Ordered Throughout Trinity County
- VIDEO From Ruth Lake Fire
- Aerial Photos From Ruth Lake Wildfire
- Ashes Fall From the Sky All Around Humboldt County
- Picket Fire Grows to 750 Acres; Ruth Lake Campgrounds Evacuated
- Dozens of Small Lightning-Caused Wildfires Burning
- Eureka’s Sky is Kinda Killing It Right Now (PHOTOS)
- Eh, But This Fire Photo is a Fake
- Humboldt’s Smoky Skies are Due to Wildfires to the South