NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – On Tuesday, firefighters made substantial progress in efforts to contain a wildland fire burning in the Mendocino National Forest.
The Mill Fire has been burning in the Colusa County side of the forest, near Upper Letts Lake and 10 miles west of Stonyford, since Saturday, July 7. A cause has not yet been reported.
The Mill Fire grew to 90 percent containment – up 15 percent over the course of Tuesday – with acreage dialed down slightly to 29,502 acres, according to an evening report from the incident's unified command team, which includes Cal Fire, the Mendocino National Forest and Northern California Incident Management Team 2.
The fire is expected to be fully contained on Wednesday.
Firefighting efforts have cost $13.4 million to date, based on the Tuesday night report.
More than 300 personnel were released from the incident on Tuesday, with 651 firefighters and support personnel still assigned by nightfall, the report explained.
Those crews are continuing to patrol the fire, conduct mop up and do rehabilitation in the fire area, according to officials.
The incident team said that Fouts Spring Road (The M10 Road) and Goat Mountain Road were opened to residents on Tuesday evening.
However, the team said the forest areas of Fouts Springs, Bonnie View and Board Camp Springs, and campgrounds within the Upper Letts Lake area remain closed.
A closure order also remains in effect for all Mendocino National Forest roads and trails in the recreation area outside Stonyford on the south central portion of the Grindstone Ranger District, forest officials reported.
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