NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – US Forest Service officials are planning a Thursday night virtual community meeting to discuss developments on the August Complex, now the largest fire incident in California’s recorded history.
The Forest Service said the lightning-caused complex – burning for three weeks across the Mendocino National Forest – has burned 471,185 acres, with containment unchanged at 24 percent.
That makes it the largest wildland fire incident in California, surpassing the 2018 Mendocino Complex – which also burned through the Mendocino National Forest and other parts of Colusa, Glenn, Lake and Mendocino counties – by nearly 12,000 acres.
The Forest Service will host a virtual community meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday on the Mendocino National Forest Facebook page to discuss developments on the complex.
Katy Hooper, a public information officer on the complex, told Lake County News that the acreage estimate given on Thursday includes the Hull, Doe, Tatham and Glade fires.
Between Wednesday and Thursday, the reported size of the complex had grown by 99,000 acres.
“We were hindered yesterday to get into the field to provide better acreage numbers due to the winds and weather, which did not best reflect yesterday's acreage,” Hooper said.
Hooper said the new acreage estimate does not include the Hopkins fire, now being managed as part of the Elkhorn fire, which the US Forest Service said is 255,309 acres.
The Forest Service’s Thursday report on the complex said northeast winds continued through most of the day Wednesday and there was significant fire spread from increased fire activity on the west side of the fire, with heavy smoke production across the area.
The Lake County Air Quality Management District attributed heavy smoke in the county’s air basin on Wednesday to the August Complex and other fires around the region.
Due to significant winds, the fire quickly crossed the Black Butte River, continuing beyond the M1 Road late Tuesday. Early Wednesday morning, crews assessed activity on the fire, which the Forest Service said had become established in the Yuki Wilderness, as well as private lands to the north and west of the wilderness.
Despite firefighter preparation and efforts, there were structures burned during the rapid-fire growth over the last two days. The Forest Service said the number of structures is unknown at this time.
With the strong winds on Wednesday, the fire progressed beyond the Eel River. Firefighters will continue to work with Cal Fire on containment lines on the west side of the fire Thursday, the Forest Service said.
Officials said there was less fire spread in the Monkey Rock area than on the rest of the complex. The Forest Service said crews also will continue to work to contain that area.
Warm and dry conditions with a lot of smoke will last into the weekend. Winds will be variable with gusts up to 18 miles per hour, the Forest Service reported.
Evacuation orders remain in effect for multiple counties, with officials directing people to their specific sheriff’s office for more information.
In Lake County, evacuation orders remain in effect for Pillsbury Ranch and the entire Lake Pillsbury basin.
The Great Basin Incident Management Team will assume command of the fire at 6 a.m. Friday, the Forest Service said. The Southern Area Blue Team Incident Team has been overseeing the complex since Aug. 27.
Daily updates can be found on the Mendocino National Forest Facebook page and on InciWeb.
For specific cabin access-related questions, call the Mendocino National Forest office at 530-934-3316.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.