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Press release from California Management Team 1:

Acres Burned: 6,557 | Containment: 19% | Start Date: 8/7/26 | Personnel: 1,766

Operational Update:

Firefighters were able to take advantage of a prolonged inversion layer over the fire area Sunday to extend or deepen containment lines around the Mile Post 18 Fire. While the cooler mass of marine air trapped smoke in the valley for the entire day, it also reduced fire behavior by limiting winds and oxygen to the flames.

Firefighters were able to complete strategic firing along the northern containment line from Skunk Creek to Highway 96. In the following days, helicopters will be dropping incendiary plastic spheres within the interior of the Skunk Creek area to further reduce fuels and deepen the containment line.  

Containment along Highway 96 increased as firefighters systematically removed hazardous trees and extinguished residual heat along the fire’s western perimeter. Steady progress has also been achieved on the western edge of Mill Creek, as well, where personnel are actively locating and eliminating heat near containment lines. Firing operations on Big Hill Ridge have extended eastward to strengthen containment lines on the southern perimeter of the fire and protect the historic Big Hill Lookout.

The fire continues moving down the ridge toward Oil Springs Road. Interior areas on the eastern edge remain active, with firefighters using Oil Springs Road as a strategic feature to halt the fire’s progression. A small spot fire measuring about 15 to 30 acres occurred east of Oil Springs Road, but crews responded quickly to prevent its spread.

Secondary contingency lines are being developed along Deerhorn Road to the north and Hostler Ridge Road to the south in the event that the fire breaches existing containment boundaries. Along these roads, crews are making significant progress by removing hazardous trees and thinning vegetation.

Weather:

The inversion layer will likely persist through the morning, but by afternoon, conditions should become warmer and drier, with breezes of 10 to 15 miles an hour. This drying trend is likely to make fuels more susceptible to ignition and fire spread.

Evacuations:

Evacuation orders are in place for HIA-E002-A and HIA-E014-D. Evacuation warnings have been issued for HIA-E001-B, HIA-E002-B, HIA-E003, HIA-E004, HIA-E006, HIA-E014-A, HIA-E014-C, HIA-E014-E, and HIA-E014-F. Closures can change rapidly, so please consult protect.genasys.com for the latest alerts.

Road Closures:

Highway 96 remains closed north of Hoopa due to fire activity. Additional closures are in effect for Hostler Ridge Road, Mill Creek Road, and Big Hill Road.