NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Firefighters have been conducting firing operations in their ongoing efforts to control the August Complex, the South Zone of which is set to be placed under a new management team on Friday.
The US Forest Service said the August Complex burned several thousand more acres by Thursday to reach a total of 862,733 acres across all three of its zones, with containment at 38 percent, down one percentage point from the previous day.
The lightning-caused complex has been burning since Aug. 17, beginning on the Mendocino National Forest and spreading into the Shasta-Trinity and Six Rivers National Forests. It’s expected to be fully contained Nov. 15.
Officials said firefighters made significant progress on Wednesday, continuing to mop up where firing operations were finished on Tuesday north of Lake Pillsbury. Dozer line is complete from Soda Creek to Sunset Gap.
Crews continue working to increase containment in the area by identifying and removing trees that could fall across lines, locating and addressing smoldering vegetation adjacent to lines, and by making sure that lines near structures are secure, the Forest Service said.
Other crews are reinforcing dozer lines north and west of Pillsbury Ranch, installing and testing hose lays, pumps and sprinklers for use in holding operations.
In Lake County, mandatory evacuation orders remain in effect in the Pillsbury Ranch and Lake Pillsbury basin. More information on evacuations is available here.
Officials said management of the South Zone of the August Complex will be transitioning from the Type I Great Basin Incident Management Team 2, under Incident Commander Tony Demasters, to a Type 2 Incident Management Team as well as a National Incident Management Organization, or NIMO, team.
The Forest Service said the incoming Type 2 management team is from the Mendocino National Forest and led by Incident Commander Curtis Coots.
The Mendocino team will take over command of the incident on Friday, the Forest Service reported.
The Atlanta NIMO team is led by Incident Commander Mike Quisenberry and will provide further assistance in managing the fire, officials said.
August Complex South Zone to transition to new management team; firing operations take place
- Lake County News reports
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