Suppression efforts continue on Eel fire
- Lake County News reports
- Posted On
NORTH COAST, Calif. – Firefighters continued to work to fully contain the Eel fire on Saturday in the midst of red flag conditions that resulted in critical fire weather.
The fire began on Tuesday 10 miles east of Covelo on the Mendocino National Forest’s Covelo Ranger District.
On Saturday firefighters continued to reinforce and cool the fireline with helicopter water drops, hoses extended from engines and shovel work, officials said.
Forest spokeswoman Punky Moore said that when firefighters need to hike into areas that are difficult to access, they will carry their own water with them in 40-pound water carriers called “bladder bags.”
For safety reasons, tree fallers will be taking down “snags,” or dead trees, especially on the north end of the fire, according to Moore.
She also reported that a portion of the Eel fire is in the fire scar of the 2012 North Pass Fire.
“Snags from the North Pass Fire make it more challenging for firefighters to mop up and cool hot spots,” said Incident Commander Dale Shippelhoute.
A half-acre fire that escaped containment lines Friday was stopped and lined, Moore said.
Moore’s Saturday report said the Eel fire at that point was 40 percent contained and 972 acres in size, with 175 personnel assigned to the incident.