Mendocino Lightning Complex Fires
Location: Mendocino Co., CA
Date of Origin: 06/20/08
Cause: Lightning
Situation as of 07/25/08 7:00 AM
Total Personnel: 685
Size: 54,817 acres
Percent Contained: 100%
Costs to date: $53,300,000
Mop-up and patrol 300′ minimum in from the perimeter of fires.
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Situation as of 07/20/08 7:00 PM
Total Personnel: 1,092
Size: 54,817 acres
Percent Contained: 100%
Costs to date: $50,100,000
Continued extinguishment of fire. Burn out of heavy interior fuels. Mapping and evaluation of fire line suppression repair needs. The incident is processing 110 trainees.
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Situation as of 07/17/08 7:00 PM
Total Personnel: 2,088
Size: 53,300 acres
Percent Contained: 100%
Costs to date: $44,100,000
Containment of all fires on the Mendocino Lightning Complex has been achieved at 2000 hours. Burn out of interior heavy fuels continues.
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Situation as of 07/16/08 7:00 PM
Total Personnel: 2,290
Size: 53,300 acres
Percent Contained: 95%
Costs to date: $41,470,000
All Evacuations have been lifted. All roads are currently open
The Lost Pipe Fire and Red Mtn. fires were 100% contained today. Decreased fire activity from recent firing operations. Jackpots of fuel continue to burn out and pockets of heat remain in partially consumed heavy fuels.
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Situation as of 07/15/08 6:00 PM
Total Personnel: 2,232
Size: 53,300 acres
Percent Contained: 95%
Costs to date: not reported, est. $38 million
All Evacutions have been lifted. All roads are currently open
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Situation as of 07/13/08 8:00 AM
Total Personnel: 2,102
Size: 53,200 acres
Percent Contained: 85%
Costs to date: $34.9 million
Structures Threatened: 45 residences
Structures Destroyed: 2 residences
Injuries: 42
Road Closures: Mountain View Road - Between Signal Ridge and Mile Post 14.04 – Closed to all traffic except Fire Department, Law Enforcement and critical incident resources. (i.e. utility companies, CalTrans, County Roads, etc.) until further notice.
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Situation as of 07/11/08 7:00 PM
Total Personnel: not reported
Size: 52,700 acres
Percent Contained: 65%
Costs to Date: $31,400,000
Evacuation warning and road closure are in effect for Mtn. View Road from MP 14 to MP 20. The evacuation warning for Bell Springs Rd., Leggett and Cummings in the Red Mtn. area were lifted at noon.
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Situation as of 07/08/08 11:00 PM
Total Personnel: 1,729?
Size: 51,200 acres
Percent Contained: 60%
A RED FLAG WARNING for low relative humidity and high temperatures has been posted for 1600 hours today through 2300 hours Wednesday. The most challenging fires are in steep, inaccessible terrain. The fires have minimal staffing and evacuation warnings are in place. Heavy resource drawdown has 37 active fires continuing to grow. The Mendocino Redwood Company is taking firefighting action on large fires located on their properties totaling 21,800 acres. The estimated value of commercial timberland lost is $50 million dollars.
Cliff, Mallo and Sugarloaf fires-13,400 acres, 80% contained. Red Mtn. Series-8,020 acres, 50% contained Hardy, Middle and Lost Pipe fires-8,550 acres, 20% contained. 127 total fires, 39 active and 88 contained.
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Situation as of 07/08/08 11:00 AM
Total Personnel: 1,729
Size: 48,880 acres
Percent Contained: 60%
Costs to date: $24,400,000
There are currently 37 active fires. Remaining fires continue to slowly increase in size. Continued threats remain a possibility to communities and critical
infrastructure. Firefighting resources continue to arrive daily and military resources are expected to arrive in the next few days.
Hot and dry weather conditions are expected to persist through the week, creating the potential for increased fire behavior.
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Situation as of 07/06/08 7:00 PM
Total Personnel: 1,721
Size: 46,800 acres
Percent Contained: 45%
Costs to date: $21,200,000
The Mendocino Lightning Complex currently consists of 127 fires burning in Mendocino County. There are currently 46 active fires.
Remaining fires continue to slowly increase in size. Continued threats remain a possibility to communities and critical infrastructure. Firefighting resources continue to arrive daily and military resources are expected to arrive in the next few days.
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Situation as of 07/04/08 7:00 PM
Total Personnel: 1,630
Size: 39,700 acres
Percent Contained: 45%
Costs to date: $16,700,000
Fire operations initiated on Travis Series Fires.
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Situation as of 07/03/08 9:30 PM
Total Personnel: 1,687
Size: 38,500 acres
Percent Contained: 40%
Costs to date: $14.55 million
ONE FATALITY: Anderson Valley Volunteer Firefighter, Bob Roland, was transported to Ukiah Valley Medical Center on July 2, 2008, after suffering respiratory distress while working on the Oso fire. He passed away during the early morning hours of July 3, 2008.
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Situation as of 07/02/08 6:00 PM
Total Personnel: 1,661
Size: 37,900 acres
Percent Contained: 40%
Costs to date: $13.1 million
“NEW” - Effective immediately, the Evacuation Warning for the Greenfield Subdivision / Orr Springs Road has been lifted.
“NEW” - Effective immediately, the Evacuation Warning for Mountain View Mile Post
8 has been lifted.
One serious injury occurred on the line today, the firefighter is currently hospitalized.
There are currently 40 active fires.
Mendocino County this week. Residents may see low flying rotary aircraft for the purposes of mapping fire perimeters. Fixed wing and rotary aircraft continue to operate on the fires in Mendocino County. A specialized air tanker (modified DC 10 airliner), capable of carrying 12,000 gallons of fire retardant, has been ordered and is expected to arrive within the next twenty-four hours.
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Situation as of 07/01/08 6:00 PM
Total Personnel: 1,515
Size: 37,800 acres
Percent Contained: 40%
Costs to date: $10.9 million
Cooperating Agencies: CAL FIRE, Marin County, CDCR, CHP, CCC, Mendocino County Sherif, all local government FPD in Mendocino County, and State OES, BLM, BIA, NWS, private timber companies and consulting foresters/representatives. CAL FIRE Incident Command Team #4 is assigned to this incident.
There is the possibility of temporary road restrictions during planned fire operations in the Red Mountain Road, Bell Springs Road, and Blue Rock area,
approximately eight miles north of Laytonville.
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Situation as of 06/30/08 8:00 PM
Total Personnel: 1,321
Size: 37,600 acres
Percent Contained: 38%
Costs to date: $9.2 million
The Mendocino Lightning Complex currently consists of 123 fires burning in Mendocino County. There are currently 54 active fires. Remaining fires
continue to increase in size and threaten communities and critical infrastructure.
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Situation as of 06/30/08 1:00 PM
Total Personnel: 1,240
Size: 37,200 acres
Percent Contained: 38%
All Evacuation Centers in Mendocino County have been placed on stand-by. Should additional evacuation Warnings and/ or Orders require Evacuation Centers, they will be opened immediately.
Evacuation Warnings have been issued in:
Greenfield Subdivision: From Fred MacMurray Lane to Main Ranch Road.
From Main Ranch Road to Orr Springs Road to the Singley Ranch (12000 Orr Springs Road) downgraded from Order at 12:00PM, June 28, 2008.
Community of Rockport
Montgomery Woods / Orr Springs Road to Running Springs Road
Mountain View / Mile Post 8 Area
Red Mountain Road - From the intersection of Red Mountain Road and Bell
Springs Road to 13600 Red Mountain Road.
Bell Springs Road – From Hwy 101 to the intersection of Red Mountain Road
and Bell Springs Road.
The Community of Cummings
Town of Leggett
De Haven Creek and Howard Creek drainage, North of Westport
Evacuations Lifted:
Chicken Ridge Webber Subdivision
Navarro/ Flynn Creek
Cherry Creek/ Intersection of Hwy 101 and Hwy 162
Road Closures:
Orr Springs Road: 900 Block west to Montgomery Woods State Park is closed to all traffic except to local residents, may require escorts.
Mountain View Road from Mile Post 14 to Mile Post 20 is now open.
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Situation as of 06/29/08 11:00 PM
Total Personnel: 1,127?
Size: 35,700 acres
Percent Contained: 20%
Jack Smith: 1500 acres, 10% contained, 200 structures threatened, Red Mountain: 2490 acres, 10% contained, 200-300 structures threatened, Orr Series: 3,000 acres, 10% contained, 50 structures, 1 resort threatened. All fires need fixed wing and rotary aircraft, fire crews and engines. Heavy resource drawdown is leaving 32 of the 63 active fires unstaffed (~50% un-staffed). Inaccessible, steep terrain. Private timber companies are taking independent firefighting action in numerous locations on large fires (>2000 acres).
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Mendocino Fire map as of 06/29 —- click on map for larger image.
Situation as of 06/28/08 7:00 PM
Total Personnel: 1,127
Size: 30,100 acres
Percent Contained: 5%
Costs to Date: $6,660,000
Three new initial attack fires were found.
Evacuation Orders were lifted for Singley and Greenfield Ranch areas. State Highway 1 near Rockport is threatened and provides one of two main access routes to the entire Mendocino Coast. The Governor has declared Mendocino County a State of Emergency.
Habitat loss/impacts for Threatened and Endangered species, particularly coho salmon (endangered), steelhead salmon (threatened) and marbled murrelet (endangered). In addition, the majority of fires continue to burn in productive redwood timberland with a damage estimate of $40 million to date. The following four fires have top priority: Jack Smith, Red Mountain, Orr Series and the Cliff Fire which is approximately 7,000 acres, 75% contained, threatening 30 rural structures and Sky Ranch Estates. CalFire Mendocino Unit fire stations are unstaffed. MEU Lightning Complex is providing initial attack fire suppression for the Unit.
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Situation as of 06/27/08 10:00 PM
Total Personnel: 988?
Size: 28,430 acres
Percent Contained: 5%
RED FLAG WARNING for dry lightning. Multiple fires with minimal staffing and evacuations in place or imminent: Red Mountain: 1500 acres, 0% contained, 200-300 structures threatened, Lat/Long 39 51′52″ -123 39′53″; Orr Series: 1850 acres, 0% contained, 50 structures 1 resort threatened, Lat/Long 39 41′1″ -123 23′52″. All fires need fixed wing and rotary aircraft, fire crews and engines. Heavy resource drawdown is leaving 2/3 of the fires un-staffed. Inaccessible, steep terrain. Private timber companies are contracting for additional suppression forces.
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Situation as of 06/27/08 8:30 am
Total Personnel: 988
Size: 27,000 acres
Percent Contained: 5%
Costs to Date: $4.75 million
Structures Threatened: 900 PRIM Structures Destroyed: 2 PRIM
The Mendocino Lightning Complex currently consists of 121 fires burning in Mendocino County. There are currently 72 active fires.
Road Closure: Orr Springs Road: 900 Block west to Montgomery Woods State Park is closed to all traffic except to local residents, may require escorts.
Evacuation Warnings have been issued in:
Community of Rockport
Montgomery Woods/ Orr Springs Road to Running Springs Road
Mountain View / Mile Post 9 Area
Red Mountain/ Bell Springs Road (From Hwy 101 to the intersection of Red Mountain and Bell Springs Road)
The Community of Cummings
Town of Leggett
De Haven Creek and Howard Creek drainage, North of Westport
Greenfield Ranch Subdivision
Evacuations Lifted:
Chicken Ridge Webber Subdivison
Navarro/ Flynn Creek
Cherry Creek/ Intersection of Hwy 101 and Hwy 162
Evacuation Centers:
Fort Bragg, Fort Bragg High School, 300 Dana Street, Fort Bragg. Phone number: 707-529-6378.
Willits, Willits High School, 299 North Main Street, Willits. Phone number: 707-486-8674.
Animal Evacuations:
Redwood Empire Fairgrounds, Ukiah. Phone number: 707-462-3884
Albion Headlands, Albion. 650-322-1079
Mendocino Animal Care Shelter, Ukiah. 707-272-4337
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Situation as of 06/25/08 7:00 PM
Total Personnel: 915
Size: 21,294 acres
Percent Contained: 5%
Costs to Date: $3,660,200
Structures Threatened: 900 PRIM Structures Destroyed: 2 PRIM
Increased threats from the Juan Fire to Howard Creek residential area. Increased threats from Red Mountain Fire activity. The following four fires have top priority: Red Mountain: 1500 acres, 0% contained, 200-300 structures threatened. Jack Smith: 700 acres, 0% contained, 220 structures threatened. Orr Series: 600 acres, 0% contained, 50 structures and 1 commercial resort threatened. Navarro 3000 acres, 50% contained
Low to moderate rates of spread in lower elevations with moderate runs and torching as topography increases in slope and elevation. Higher elevations had increased winds and fire activity especially in the late afternoon.
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Situation as of 06/23/08 7:00 PM
Total Personnel: 815
Size: 19,200 acres
Percent Contained: 5%
Type 1 IMT (Waterman). Multiple fires with minimal staffing with evacuations in place or imminent: Navarro (Flynn Creek) is 1400 acres, 5% contained and threatening homes; Orr (Orr Springs Rd) is 100 acres threatening 1 commercial property and approximately 50 structures; 40 homes threatened in the community of Chicken Ridge; 40 homes threatened in the community of Greenfield Ranch is threatened; a voluntary evacuation occurred in the Foster Creek area (Red Mountain). Heavy resource drawdown is leaving 2/3 of the fires unstaffed. Inaccessible, steep terrain. No Unit coverage, all stations are unstaffed.
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Situation as of 06/23/08 7:00 PM
Total Personnel: 684
Size: 8,900 acres
Percent Contained: 0%
5 residences destroyed, 525 threatened. Evacuations were spread over three separate incidents.
Approximately 60-70 fires are unstaffed. Four timber fires are in excess of 1000 acres. Incident Command Team 4 will assume command of the incident at 0700 hours on 6/24/08. Resources are working 84-hour shifts with minimal rest.
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Situation as of 06/22/08 5:00 PM
Total Personnel: 525
Size: 7,625 acres
Percent Contained: 0%
5 residences destroyed, 525 threatened. Evacuations were spread over three separate incidents with no more than 50 evacuations per incident.
60-plus unstaffed fires.
by g weber
Yes.
by SSC
Air quality? I would be more concerned whether or not the building is still standing, not air quality.
I live in Ukiah and the smoke is so thick the mountains surrounding this narrow valley can’t be seen. I’ve been using GEOMAC’s MODIS Thermal Satellite layer to follow the progress of the many fires–they’re many and extensive.
It is difficult to get good information during the day when every able body is out on some fire and the situation is changing minute by minute.
We have heard rumors, but don’t like to post them. Many of the govt fire reporting sites are not functioning due to the web volume, and even if they are working, their info at this point is also more rumor than fact.
Hopefully this evening some trustworthy reports will come in, and we can update with good info. The kind of fire bust happening right now in CA is unprecedented, and the reporting, sketchy as it is, is about the best that can be hoped for given the situation.
KZYX, Mendocino Public Broadcast Radio is giving almost continuous coverage, with up to date reliable information. You can listen on the net at their website, http://www.kzyx.org or tune into 88.3 / 90.7 / 91.5 FM dial. They are relaying evacuation information, broadcasting interviews with various fire personnel with frontline info and local, state and federal authorities aware of the situation. Air quality is very poor and authorities recommend you remain indoors. I hope this has been helpful.
Thank you, Dina. Hopefully other radio stations across the state are relaying similar info to affected residents.
The latest evac info from KZYX:
Evacuation Information:
There is a voluntary evacuation recommended and issued by the Anderson Valley Fire Department for the following areas: Rancho Navarro, Nash Mill Road from Clough Ridge to the top of Nash Mill Subdivision, Mountain View Rd. near mile marker 17 in the vicinity of Hanes Ranch, Easterly portion of Signal Ridge Rd. in the vicinity of Rossi Ranch below Cold Springs Lookout. The Anderson Valley Fire Department advises that they may not be able to put out a mandatory evacuation and individuals should monitor the fires and be prepared to decide to evacuate on their own; individuals who cannot do a fire watch through the night are advised to voluntarily evacuate.
There is a precautionary evacuation issued by Cal Fire on Mountain View Road at Mile Post 9 East of Manchester. KZYX and Z has been informed that Red Cross is working to set up a shelter site and will bring you this information as it becomes available. Please stay tuned for more information on this evacuation.
There is an advised evacuation issued by Cal Fire for Montgomery Woods on Orr Springs Road, Running Springs. This evacuation has been in effect since Sunday afternoon.
KZYX and Z has a number of community members who have offered their homes and land for evacuees and livestock storage. Please call 707-895-2324 for contact information.
Cal Fire reports between 90 and 110 fires burning throughout Mendocino County, as well as fires in Humboldt County and Lake County. As of 7:20 a.m. Monday, June 23 fires have burned more than 7,625 acres. KZYX and Z is updating information as often as possible. For the most current information please tune in, you can listen from the homepage by clicking “Listen Live” in the upper right hand corner.
We will continue to update information here, on the website as often as we can, however our first priority will be to update information over the air. We will ensure that evacuation information is updated immediately.
Residents of Mendocino County are advised to be prepared for evacuation calls. County officials recommend gathering important documents and personal belongings, taking care of pets and livestock, and tuning into local radio stations. KZYX and Z has contact information for locations where individuals can take livestock. For this information please call our office line at 707-895-2324.
by Kate
I’m supposed to be coming to the foothills east of Willits tomorrow for a 4 day camp out with a couple hundred people at a location with no indoor spaces. Trying to discern how bad the situation is in that area - specifically Hearst/Willits Road - and also in general. It would be a BIG deal to cancel the event, but safety is important.
Any local, good info is helpful.
Kate — All inland areas of Mendocino Co are reported to be very smoky. The latest map [here] indicates two large fires between Potter Valley and Lake Pillsbury, although I have not found any official report naming those fires.
Mendo Co has been very heavily hit by fires; many are not even staffed. My advice, with that many people, is not to risk disaster but move the campout close to the beach if possible. Otherwise cancel.
Speaking from experience, it’s no fun camping in heavy smoke with nagging uncertainty as to where the fire(s) actually is and what it’s doing. The cardinal rule of firefighting is LCES — have Lookouts, Communications, Escape routes, and Safety zones to escape to. That rule applies to campers, too.
by Lin
My son is working at Wente Scout Camp near Willits. No cell reception. I spoke with the director, and he says they are fine, it is just smoky. How close are the fires to Wente? It is 5 miles east of Willits on Canyon Road.
Lin, I have not seen many up-to-date fire perimeter maps of the new fires. Hopefully today more will come online.
GEOMAC Wildfire Viewer has fairly good maps (see righthand sidebar under Fire Links). GEOMAC is slow, but if you select your fire and zoom in repeatedly, eventually a map will appear, sometimes.
Google Earth has pretty good maps. Google Earth is free for the download and useful in many ways, as well as fun. Their fire overlays are here:
activefiremaps.fs.fed.us/kml/conus.kmz
The Lat/Lon coordinates are listed for most fires, and those can help with finding the general vicinity with Google Earth. Sometimes the coordinates issued by the govt reports are not quite right, but they are close (in some cases they are for the Ranger Station, not the fire).
My experience is that campgrounds and residences are the FIRST concerns of fire managers, and that if a fire is threatening a scout camp, the camp will be evacuated post haste, no ifs, ands, or buts.
by Vicki
Does anyone know exactly where the Mountain View fire is/heading. My mom lives in Point Arena, but inland a bit and this fire can come up on her fast. It would be great if there was some information about the direction or location this is.
An evacuation warning was issued for Mountain View Road, milepost 9 area yesterday.
Google Fire Map shows active fire heading south in that direction from Brushy Opening area N of Alder Creek, towards the Crispen Road/Adams Ridge area within the last 0 to 12 hours. That info is based on sparse satellite data, not on-the-ground observations.
That is the latest info I have. If anyone has more/better info than that, please let us know.
by Vicki
awesome, thanks so much for your reply!
Also try GEOMAC (see righthand sidebar). It’s annoying and slow, but does make maps if you mess with it enough. I haven’t figured out yet how to copy the maps, though. Probably something simple, but I can’t seem to do it.
We have plans to for a 4 nite stay at Stevenswood Lodge mid-July… is there cause for concern regarding the fires and, as important the air quality as a result.
Thanks