LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – On Wednesday firefighters were clearing out vegetation within the LNU Lightning Complex as they continued to increase containment on the vast burn area, while one National Guard firefighter was rescued after a fall in rugged terrain in Sonoma County.
Containment on the 375,209-acre complex rose to 78 percent on Wednesday night, Cal Fire said.
Cal Fire said resources on the incident include 2,452 personnel, 221 engines, 56 water tenders, 19 helicopters, 46 hand crews and 63 dozers.
The Hennessey fire portion of the complex was up to 76 percent containment on Wednesday. Its 317,909 acres stretch across Colusa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Yolo counties.
In Sonoma County, the Walbridge fire west of Healdsburg is 54,940 acres and 87-percent contained, while the 2,360-acre Meyers fire north of Jenner was 100-percent contained as of Tuesday.
On Wednesday afternoon, Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office helicopter “Henry-1” was dispatched to a remote area off of Stewarts Point and Skaggs Springs Road to rescue an injured National Guard firefighter who had slipped and fallen 100 feet down a hill in extremely steep terrain, officials reported.
The helicopter crew used a 200-foot-long line to rescue the man, who had a leg injury, the sheriff’s office said.
In Lake County, firefighters were working to burn off an island of vegetation within the burn area near Butts Canyon Road and Oat Hill Road on Wednesday night.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office sent out a Nixle alert to let community members know that smoke and flames might be visible from the Middletown area but that fire personnel were aware and monitoring it.
Cal Fire said the number of structures threatened on Wednesday totaled 2,693. Due to continuing damage assessments, the count of structures destroyed has risen to 1,464, with damaged structures at 231.
The number of structures destroyed in Lake County remains at nine, including eight homes and one other structure.
Evacuation warnings for parts of the southeast portion of Lake County as well as an evacuation order for an area south of Middletown remained in place on Wednesday night, Cal Fire reported.
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