NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Mop up is continuing in a vast area of the Mendocino National Forest where a wildland burned for a week and a half.
The Mill Fire, contained on Wednesday at 29,502 acres, began on Saturday, July 7, in the Colusa County side of the forest, 10 miles west of Stonyford.
A cause has not yet been reported for the fire, which has cost $15.4 million to date.
Forest officials said a new incident team took over command of the fire.
Approximately 536 personnel remained on the incident on Thursday, with crews working on patrol, mop up and repairs, with assessments on forest health also under way, the incident team reported.
Incident managers said that increasing temperatures and humidity are expected to result in smoke inside the fire lines, which is normal after a fire. Crews will be prepared to respond.
The team anticipates continuing to hold public meetings on the incident, as necessary, at the Stonyford Grange.
Closure orders for the fire area remain in effect, meaning bow hunters won’t be able to access that part of the forest for the recently opened archery season, the Mendocino National Forest reported.
All roads and trails in the recreation area outside Stonyford on the south portion of the Grindstone Ranger District also are still closed, as are the forest areas of Fouts Springs, Bonnie View and Board Camp Springs, and campgrounds within the Upper Letts Lake area.
The Bureau of Reclamation will reopen the East Park Reservoir near Stonyford on Friday. The reservoir was closed due to air quality conditions and the firefighting effort.
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