Video: Six Rivers National Forest

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Press release from the Six Rivers National Forest:

Butler Fire Acreage: 3,615

Butler Fire Containment: 0%

Red Fire Acreage: 113

Red Fire Containment: 25%

Operational Update: California Team 1 (CA-CIMT 1) is expected to assume command of the Orleans Complex by Saturday.

• Butler Fire: Today the Butler and Nordheimer Structure Groups will put in more hoselay and set up equipment to protect communities and infrastructure. Crews will continue to assess and prep the Salmon River Road between Butler Creek and Nordheimer Creek. To the east and south, crews will continue to scout Forest Road 10N04, lines from the 2024 Boise Fire, lines in the Horn Gap area, as well as the fire within the Nordheimer drainage. Crews near the Nordheimer community will also assist with structure protection across the Salmon River.

• Red Fire: The Red Fire is estimated to be approximately 113 acres. Smokejumpers and crews are making good progress on putting fireline around the fire. Though there is some complexity in putting line around the left flank of the fire, crews have managed to raise fire containment by 25%. Cultural resource specialists and resource advisors are working in coordination with responders on the ground.

Evacuations:

• Butler Fire: Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office has evacuation warnings and orders in place for the Butler Fire. An Evacuation Order has been issued for zones SIS-1703 (no residents), SIS-1704 (Butler Creek, Lewis Creek, Bloomer Mine residents and Nordheimer Campground), SIS-1803-A (no residents) and SIS-1707-A. Zone SIS-1707-B remains under a Warning, but residents are advised to be prepared as the situation evolves.

• Red Fire: No evacuations or structures threatened.

Closures:

• Butler Fire: Crews may be working along Salmon River Road and impacts from the fire are likely, including smoke and falling debris. Residents should be prepared for potential traffic controls or temporary closures along the road between Butler Flat and Nordheimber Campground. Nordheimer and Oak Bottom Campgrounds are both closed.

• Red Fire: No closures or road impacts.

Weather & Fire Behavior: In the words of incident meteorologist James White, the area is defined as a “land of inversions.” This morning the relative humidities were in the 80s in the lower slopes and valleys and in the 30s-40s in the upper slopes and ridgelines. This is good for fuel moisture recovery and fire behavior. However, as temperatures continue to rise in the coming days and relative humidities decrease, fire behavior will be more active. Wind in the area is expected to be terrain controlled and mostly expected to be be localized and weak. Along the Salmon River as well as ridge tops(north) gusts up to 20 mph may be possible.

Fire Safety & Prevention: Reduced visibility due to smoke as well as possible falling debris along roadways could impact driving safety in the area. Drivers are advised to use caution and check www.roads.dot.ca.gov for any closures before planning trips to the area. Watch for increasing firefighter traffic as the incoming team and additional resources arrive in the area.

Help firefighters by being careful with anything that can spark a wildfire! Going into a hot, dry summer weekend, be careful in the forest and avoid driving or parking on dry grass. Please report suspected wildfires by calling 911.

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The National Weather Service informs us that Humboldt’s interior is going to be extra summer-y this weekend. From Orleans, to Willow Creek and Garberville, temperatures could hit triple digits, we’re told.

Feel the heat in the NWS graphic below.

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This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters.

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The new federal budget signed into law by President Donald Trump is expected to raise some health care insurance premiums and force millions off coverage, reverberating the most in lower-income families and communities that are already struggling.

Trump’s new budget reduces spending for Medicaid — called Medi-Cal in California — by $1 trillion over the next 10 years. These savings would happen in part because new requirements will result in people falling off coverage.

In addition, some people enrolled in Covered California, the state’s marketplace for subsidized health plans, can expect new rules and higher costs, which means more people will be unable to afford the insurance.

Over the next 10 years, the federal changes are estimated to cost the state $28.4 billion and result in 3.4 million Californians losing coverage, according to an estimate from Gov. Gavin Newsom and state health officials.

Less federal funding for Medi-Cal means California will have to make decisions on who is covered and which services are offered. That loss of coverage could be a big blow to California, where lawmakers like to boast about having one of the nation’s lowest uninsured rates.

Alex Rossel, CEO of the community clinic Families Together of Orange County, says as people lose coverage, they’ll get sicker and be left in debt. “All that hard work that clinics have been doing to help people manage their chronic illnesses… is going to be in jeopardy,” he said.

And the effects of these changes could be felt beyond people enrolled in Medi-Cal and Covered California as clinics and hospitals warn that their financial challenges are likely to be exacerbated. Some may have to reduce services or close their doors.

Here are five things to know about how the new federal budget will affect Californians:

Some Medi-Cal enrollees will have work requirements and co-pays

Most notably, the new law requires adults ages 19 to 64 to report at least 80 hours a month of “community engagement,” which could be employment, school or volunteer work.

People who fail to do so will no longer qualify for Medi-Cal. Parents of children 13 and under and people with mental and physical disabilities will be exempt from the work requirements. The new requirement takes effect Dec. 31, 2026, although states could choose to start sooner.

The Urban Institute estimates that this rule alone could force up to 1.4 million Californians off their Medi-Cal insurance in the first year of implementation — not necessarily because they don’t work, but because filing paperwork is likely to pose a challenge for many enrollees. Enrollment counselors say some workers, such as housekeepers and gardeners, don’t have regular paychecks or documentation to prove their employment.

This same group of adults will have to reapply for coverage every six months, instead of once a year. And those who earn more than $15,060 a year, starting in October 2028, may have a co-pay of up to $35 per visit — although the exact amount will be up to states. Some visits will be exempt, such as prenatal and primary care, pediatric care and emergency room visits. (A single adult qualifies for Medi-Cal with an annual income of up to $21,597.)

Higher premiums for Covered California

One of the most significant changes is by omission: The Republican-led Congress opted to not renew some Affordable Care Act subsidies that will expire at the end of this year.

Nearly 90% of Californians who purchase insurance through Covered California, the state’s Affordable Care Act insurance exchange, receive financial assistance from federal subsidies that help lower monthly premiums.

On average, for all enrollees, premiums are expected to increase by 66%, or $101, per month starting next year. Lower-income people will see the biggest premium increase because they receive more subsidies, said Covered California Executive Director Jessica Altman.

Those making less than 400% of the federal poverty level (about $60,240 per year for an individual) are projected to pay an average of $191 more monthly, according to Covered California data.

More than 170,000 middle-income enrollees will lose financial assistance entirely.

Other changes made in Trump’s sweeping budget and policy bill include the elimination of automatic renewal, more income verification requirements and limiting special enrollment periods. The groups most likely to forego coverage because of administrative barriers are those who are young and healthy, Altman said.

Combined, the added enrollment complexities, along with higher out-of-pocket costs, are expected to drive nearly 600,000 Californians off of coverage, according to Covered California projections.

Hospital cuts could impact everyone

When people lose coverage, they are likely to skip routine care; they wait until they are very sick and then visit an emergency room. And without insurance, most people cannot afford to pay their hospital bills.For hospitals, more uninsured patients means less compensation. The law also adds new restrictions on provider taxes that states levy on hospitals and insurers to draw down matching federal funds to help pay for Medi-Cal. Hospitals receive payments from the revenue generated by these taxes that help them fill the gaps from traditional reimbursement.Rural and community hospitals that care for a large share of low-income patients enrolled in Medi-Cal may have an especially difficult time absorbing the losses, so they may have to cut services, reduce staff or close, hospital leaders say.“Hospitals will be forced to make difficult decisions, and access to vital health care services will be jeopardized for all Californians — not just those who rely on Medi-Cal for their health care coverage,” Carmela Coyle, the president of the California Hospital Association said in a statement. In a recent press briefing, Newsom noted that a number of hospitals in California have been struggling for some time. In 2023, California rolled out $300 million in interest-free loans to bail out 17 distressed hospitals. The state, currently dealing with a budget deficit, would have a harder time helping hospitals again.“Those distressed hospital loans came at a time of abundance. Those distressed hospital loans came at a time when we had much more stability with state funds and federal funds, and they were 3x the request for support,” Newsom said.

A funding ban for Planned Parenthood

Effective immediately after Trump signed the bill, Planned Parenthood clinics were banned from receiving federal Medi-Cal payments. Three days later, a federal judge temporarily blocked the funding cut after Planned Parenthood sued. But as the litigation plays out, advocates say the move could be financially devastating to clinics across the country. In California, a million people use Planned Parenthood clinics each year, and Medi-Cal makes up 80% of its patients.Federal law already prohibits the use of federal dollars to pay for abortions except in extremely limited instances. But Planned Parenthood does much more than that for patients. While it’s the largest abortion provider in the state, abortions account for less than 10% of its services. Contraceptives, sexually transmitted infection testing and treatment and check ups account for the vast majority of patient visits.California Planned Parenthood clinics stand to lose more than $300 million, jeopardizing their ability to remain open. The national Planned Parenthood association estimates that 200 clinics across two dozen states are at risk of closure.All clinics are open and taking patients, said Jodi Hicks, affiliate CEO and president. But the funding cuts could amount to a de facto abortion ban because in many California communities, Planned Parenthood is the only provider that performs abortions.“People should be angry,” Hicks said. “We will fight back with every tool that we have to ensure that patients are able to be seen at our health centers, but the damage of defunding an entity that has such a large footprint in California is deep.”

Some kids will lose health care and food stamps

The vast majority of health and social services cuts in the federal budget are aimed at adults, but experts say kids will suffer as well. That’s because many of the changes implemented for adults, like work requirements and more frequent income eligibility checks can impact the eligibility of the entire family.

“There are a lot of ways that kids can fall through the cracks,” said Mike Odeh, senior health policy director for Children Now.

About 5.5 million children in California, half of the state’s youths, use Medi-Cal. The state insurance program also pays for some school-based health services, such as counseling and speech therapy.

One of the biggest health cuts targeting children specifically restricts eligibility for the Children’s Health Insurance Program to legal permanent residents, meaning other immigrant children with temporary legal status such as visas or refugee status could not qualify. California already provides health care for all children regardless of immigration status, but the federal prohibition means the state will have to pay more if it wants to continue covering them.

On top of the Medi-Cal cuts, the budget bill makes significant changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, often referred to as food stamps. It institutes stricter work requirements for many adults including veterans and parents of teenagers, ties future spending to inflation and shifts more of the cost-sharing onto states. Similar to the immigration requirement for children’s Medi-Cal, food stamp eligibility will also be restricted to legal permanent residents.

Newsom’s office estimates that 735,000 people will lose food stamps. Early estimates from the Urban Institute project that 3.1 million California families will lose at least some of their food assistance. About a third of all newborns in California are enrolled in food stamp programs, according to the Public Policy Institute of California.

In Loving Memory of Suellen Stewart
“Always Safe in the Arms of Jesus, Our Savior”
December 1937 – June 2025

Born in Louisiana, to Robert and Viola Plummer, Suellen lived a life of deep faith, dedicated service, and unwavering love for family, church, and community.

Suellen moved with her family to Oklahoma, in 1947, where she was surrounded by a large and loving extended family. She felt the call to ministry early in life and was taken under the care of the Indian Nations Presbytery (Synod of the Sun) in 1955, while still in high school.

She graduated from East Central State University in 1959 with a Bachelor of Science in Education and went on to earn her master’s in Christian education in 1961 from McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago.

In May 1961, Suellen married the love of her life, Rev. Hugh Stewart. Together, they raised five children and faithfully served Presbyterian congregations in Cambridge, Kansas; Rochester, Indiana; Yuma and Tucson, Arizona; and Vallejo and Blue Lake, California.

From an early age, Suellen was deeply engaged in church life. She was a member of the Celtic Cross, taught Sunday School, helped lead youth fellowships, and served as a counselor at summer camps. She held various leadership positions in youth and college ministries, including vice moderator of her youth presbytery, chair of Religious Emphasis Week, president of Pi Kappa Theta (Alpha Honor Society), and moderator of the Westminster Fellowship in college.

Suellen’s academic and extracurricular accomplishments were numerous. She was featured in Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities, honored as “Most Useful Student,” and actively participated in debate, drama, and various campus clubs. She was a member of the International Order of Rainbow Girls, the Order of the Eastern Star, and PEO (Philanthropic Educational Organization).

Suellen retired in 1997 after many fruitful years serving as a Christian educator and writing Christian curriculum for various organizations but continued her ministry as part of the “Preaching Elders” of the North Coast Presbyterian Parish. She preached and presided over communion in small churches throughout Northern California, including Blue Lake, Scotia, and Trinidad.

Suellen was passionate about early childhood education and advocacy for children. Suellen served on education committees in Arizona and California, including Arizona Western College and the Vallejo School District. She also served on the national committee for the Association of Presbyterian Church Educators and served on the Board of Directors of the North Coast Children’s Services (covering head start, early head start, preschool, and childcare). Her life was a powerful testimony to faith, service, and love. She will be deeply missed and forever remembered by all who knew and loved her.

“Well done, good and faithful servant.” — Matthew 25:23

A Celebration of Life Service is planned for July 15 at 2 p.m. at Vallejo First Presbyterian Church.

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Hey, we know those guys! Video courtesy KMSP/Fox 9 Minneapolis. 

Looks like they stopped Sprinting long enough to be captured on film!

That’s right: Last night Minneapolis news station KMSP/Fox 9 just figured out what Outpost readers have known for several weeks — that in this Summer of Bummers, 2025, there’s no more pleasant pastime than following the somewhat deranged quest of Humboldt’s Tom and Lisa Trepiak, who have set out to visit all 30 Major League Baseball parks in a single summer.

As Fox 9 viewers discovered, the Trepiaks are just as charming in the flesh as they are in Tom’s prose. Press play, above, for their conversation.

The Trepiaks are clearly a good luck charm. The Minnesota Twins clobbered the higher-ranked Chicago Cubs last night, 8 runs to 1.

Check back Sunday for Tom’s next dispatch. We’re nearing the end of the Sprint! Minneapolis’ Target Field was stadium #29 of 30, but Tom has some tricks up his sleeve before and after the long haul to Seattle.

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PREVIOUSLY: Avelo Airlines to Launch ICE-Led Deportation Flights Out of Arizona (But Not California, the Company Says)

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After hearing strong public support at last night’s meeting, the Eureka City Council unanimously voted to cut ties with Avelo Airlines over the carrier’s role in federal deportation flights, opting instead to use United Airlines for city-related travel.

The ultra-low-cost carrier has faced mounting public criticism in recent months after it brokered a deal with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to run U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportation flights out of Arizona, prompting a national boycott campaign and numerous protests.

Speaking at last night’s meeting, Eureka City Manager Miles Slattery emphasized that the city isn’t under contract with Avelo, but said staff have taken advantage of the airline’s inexpensive fares to fly down to Burbank for city business.

Slattery | Screenshot

“In our processes that we use for contracting services, flights [or] construction projects, we typically go with the lowest cost option, so we have used Avelo for that purpose,” he said. “Overall, it’s a really insignificant amount of our travel [budget]. … We don’t use them very often.”

In Fiscal Year 2024-25, the city spent approximately $130,000 on all travel, $2,500 of which was spent on Avelo flights, Slattery continued. Switching to United Airlines would increase the cost of air travel to Southern California by about 40 percent to $3,500.

All of the 20-odd residents who spoke during the public comment portion of last night’s meeting urged the council to ditch Avelo, with many speakers seizing the opportunity to criticize President Donald Trump’s mass deportation campaign.

“We live in a culture of violence and apathy, and our government has super-charged ICE, giving seemingly unlimited power and money to an entity with no rules or accountability, only hatred and destruction as their intent,” said Humboldt County resident Annie Fricke, a member of Humboldt Democracy Connections. “Should you stop using Avelo for city business? Yes. Absolutely, without a doubt. We cannot, as a community, support any part of the abductions, kidnappings, forced removals and disappearances. ICE will likely come to our community soon, and we must be a united front from the beginning.”

Another speaker called Avelo an “evil, self-serving corporation,” and asserted that the airline would abandon Humboldt County eventually “because that’s what airlines like them do.”

“We can say, ‘Please, please, Master, would you give me a cheap airline?’ or we could actually have principal,” said Sam, a member of the Humboldt Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). “We could actually say, ‘Screw you guys. We’re not flying with you.’ We have power. We can make a difference in this. We can show the rest of Humboldt that we’re taking a stand. … So let’s have a spine and let’s tell Avelo to go to hell.”

Following public comment, Councilmember G. Mario Fernandez, who asked for the item to be placed on the agenda, made a motion to discontinue the city’s use of Avelo Airlines as long as it contracts with the Department of Homeland Security. Councilmember Leslie Castellano seconded the action. 

Fernandez | Screenshot

“Avelo’s operation of deportation flights and the contract with [ICE] is legal, though not moral, and we should not be complicit or complacent in the denial of due process or other 14th Amendment rights,” Fernandez said.

Councilmember Kati Moulton echoed his comments, adding that it is the city council’s “obligation to spend public resources responsibly.”

“That means economic responsibility as well as a moral responsibility,” Moulton continued. “Supporting Avelo Airlines is not only morally irresponsible, but economically irresponsible as well. The campaign of terror is being waged against the innocent Latino community, with or without their papers in order. The suspension of due process is not only a  stain on the soul of our democracy, it is a crippling injury to our economy that we will feel soon, harming every consumer, every investor, every worker, but hitting working class people — like most of us in Eureka — the hardest.”

The rest of the council and Mayor Kim Bergel expressed similar sentiments and ultimately voted 5-0 to cut ties with the airline.

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Check back a little later for more coverage of this week’s Eureka City Council meeting!

Press release from Six Rivers National Forest:

Fire Information: 707-532-5747
Email: 2025.Butler@firenet.gov
Fire Information: Link.

Butler Fire Acreage: 2,126
Butler Fire Containment: 0%
Red Fire Acreage: 104
Number of Personnel: 313

Community Meeting

Today at 5 p.m. at the Karuk Department of Natural Resources located at 39051 Highway 96 in Orleans. For those unable to attend in person, a recording will be available on Facebook after the meeting.

Operational Update

The North Coast Interagency Incident Managment Team assumed command of the Red Fire this morning at 7 a.m. Information on both fires will be available under the Orleans Complex. A complex incident management team has been ordered and is expected to assume command by Saturday.

Butler Fire

There was some movement last night, flanking up-canyon on Hammel Creek. The fire is now in the Nordheimer Creek drainage. Overnight, firefighters patrolled the fireline to monitor fire behavior and assess special values at risk. Today, crews will continue to scout pre-existing control lines from the 2024 Boise Fire. They will begin assessment and line preparation along the 10N04 to Nordheimer Creek Road. Structure Groups will continue structure protection. From the campground, crews are working on reopening handlines up to the Orleans Mountain Trail. Crews will work on brushing and line preparation operations along Salmon River Road and Nordheimer Creek. Air resources are being utilized to tame critical hotspots as well as assist with efforts on the Red Fire. An Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) may be used for strategic firing operations as early as this evening.

Red Fire

As of last night, the Red Fire is estimated to be approximately 104 acres. It is burning in heavy timber and dense vegetation in the Siskiyou Wilderness Area. Smokejumpers and crews are making good progress on the fire using direct and full suppression tactics to minimize the footprint of this fire. There are no structures threatened or evacuations. The fire is located approximately 1.5 miles north of Nickowitz Peak, 17 miles Northwest of Orleans and 15 miles Southeast of Klamath.

Closures

Residents should prepared for potential delays and road closures along Salmon River Road between Butler Flat and Nordheimber Campground. Nordheimer and Oak Bottom Campgrounds are both closed.

Evacuations

Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office have evacuation warnings and orders in place for the Butler Fire. As Evacuation Order has been issued for zone SIS-1703 (no residents). Zones SIS-1704 (Butler Creek, Lewis Creek, Bloomer Mine residents and Nordheimer Campground) SIS-1707, and SIS-1803-A (no residents) remain under Warnings, but residents are advised to be prepared as the situation evolves. Weather & Fire Behavior: Today the fire may continue to spread into Butler, Grant, and Hammel Creeks. The fire may also make short runs when it aligns with the slope as it wraps around Butler Mountain. Grant Creek and the draw on the north side of Butler Mountain will see significant downhill winds.

Fire Safety & Prevention

For the past 10 days, firefighters on the Six Rivers National Forest and other Northern California forests have been responding to and working on suppression of wildfires following thunderstorms over the area a week ago. Area residents and visitors can help firefighters continue their work by helping prevent human-caused wildfires.

Make sure equipment, including vehicles, are in good working condition. Check that tires are properly inflated with good tread. Avoid driving and parking in tall grass or on roads with heavy, fine fuel accumulations. Exhaust particles, hot exhaust pipes and hot catalytic converters can start grass fires in a matter of seconds.