NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – The lightning-caused fires in the Mendocino National Forest have burned nearly 12,000 more acres, with officials planning a virtual community meeting on the incident for Saturday evening.
Burning since Aug. 17, the more than three dozen fires that make up the August Complex had burned a total of 212,010 acres in the forest as of Friday evening, with containment up slightly to 18 percent, forest officials reported.
Forest officials said 549 personnel are assigned to the incident.
Many of the smaller fires have been contained or burned into the larger fires, including the Doe, 172,327 acres, 31-percent contained; the Glad, 20,001 acres, 0-percent contained; and the Tatham, 9,050 acres, 11-percent contained, according to the US Forest Service. All of those fires are on the Grindstone Ranger District in Glenn County.
On the forest’s Upper Lake Ranger District, the Hull fire was discovered Aug. 19. It has burned 6,020 acres and is 5-percent contained, officials said. It was added to the complex this week.
Forest Service officials said multiple resources are working the northern perimeter of the Doe fire in cooperation with Crane Mills Timber to hold the fire along the M2 road. The fire has held from Green Springs to Buck Rock, and crews are clearing line down to Glade Flat.
The Doe fire’s perimeter is currently not impacting Jenks Place as the fire is holding along the M17 road. South of Jenks Place, the fire is backing down the ridge and will likely stop at the Eel River, officials said.
The Forest Service said firefighters have conducted structure protection actions within the area of Dead Mule and crews are continuing to construct fire containment lines.
The Doe and Glade fires are expected to join at some point in the coming days, officials said.
On the Tatham fire, the Forest Service said firefighters are working with Cal Fire and Crane Mills Timber to construct a containment line completely around its perimeter. Crews are working to tie into containment lines on the Glade fire to the M2 road.
Officials said the Hull fire made a push to the north on Thursday toward the M61 Road. That fire also is expected to join with the Doe fire. Firefighters are constructing containment lines along the southern perimeter, but fire activity has not progressed further to the south.
The Forest Service said several fires located in the Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness also continue to be actively monitored.
At 7 p.m. Saturday, the Mendocino National Forest will host a virtual community meeting on the August Complex.
The meeting will be live-streamed through the Mendocino National Forest Facebook page. Participants also can join by phone, 888-844-9904, passcode 3096536#.
For information on the fire, community members can call 530-487-4602 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
August Complex adds nearly 12,000 acres; virtual community meeting planned
- Elizabeth Larson
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