NORTH COAST, Calif. – As two wildland fires in northern Mendocino County grew closer to full containment, officials released more firefighters and equipment on Tuesday.
The North Pass Fires’ estimated size was rolled back by approximately 251 acres to 41,983 acres total, with 65 percent containment, Cal Fire and the US Forest Service reported Tuesday evening.
The fires, caused by lightning, are burning in the Williams Valley, 10 miles northeast of Covelo.
The US Forest Service and Cal Fire, which share unified command of the incident because it’s burning on both state and federal lands, said crews continued to hold and improve fire line on Tuesday, with the fires holding at the Middle Fork of the Eel River.
Officials said the incident continues to progress west towards Castle Peak with single and small group torching, while the northern portion of the fire continues to burn between Pothole Creek and Stick Lake Canyon.
There were 1,283 personnel assigned to the fires on Tuesday. Equipment assigned included 45 engines, 29 fire crews, two airtankers, 14 helicopters, 10 bulldozers and 28 water tenders.
Approximately 29 structures remain threatened, with evacuations still in effect for areas of Indian Dick Road (Forest Road M-1) and Mendocino Pass Road (Forest Highway 7).
The Covelo Ranger District north of Mendocino Pass Road to the Six Rivers and Shasta-Trinity National Forest boundaries remains under a US Forest Closure order.
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