LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – After burning for more than a month and a half, California’s largest wildland fire is finally fully contained.
U.S. Forest Service officials said Wednesday that the Mendocino Complex was 100-percent contained at 459,123 acres.
The complex, made up of the Ranch and River fires, began on July 27 in Mendocino County before moving east into Lake County, and later Colusa and Glenn counties.
The River fire was fully contained Aug. 14 at 48,920 acres, but it took until Wednesday to finally contain the Ranch fire portion of the complex, which has burned 410,203 acres.
The complex claimed the life on Aug. 13 of Draper City Fire Battalion Chief Matt Burchett of Utah, who was killed while working the Ranch fire, and injured four other firefighters.
Altogether the complex has destroyed 157 homes and 123 other structures, and damaged 13 residences and 25 other buildings.
California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones announced earlier this month that, so far, these fires have resulted in more than $56 million in insured losses.
The Forest Service said 464 personnel, seven engines, nine hand crews, one helicopter and 45 dozers remain assigned to the incident.
Throughout the remainder of this week, the Forest Service said those crews will continue to monitor fire activity and repair firelines on the Ranch fire.
There are 22 miles of fireline to repair, and officials said the goal is to reduce erosion and other impacts from suppression activities.
The Forest Service said they’re doing “everything possible to reasonably reduce risks to the public” and reopen areas but there is still a lot of restoration work to do.
As such, the Ranch fire area in the forest remains closed due to hazards including burned standing trees or snags, exposed rebar stakes, logs and rocks that may become loose, and burned-out stump holes. Forest officials said the repair work has to be done before areas can be reopened to the public.
The closure area applies to all public use, including hunting, the use of firearms and off-highway vehicles. The northern half of the forest is open for outdoor activities, officials said.
Forest visitors are instructed to exercise extreme caution near the fire closure since heavy equipment and firefighting vehicles are utilizing area roads. Visitors can contact the ranger station nearest their destination for current information.
Additionally, officials said that, with the current warmer and drier weather, more smoke from well within the perimeter of the fire may still be visible at times.
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Mendocino Complex 100-percent contained
- Elizabeth Larson
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