- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
Mendocino Complex held to small acreage increase; new forest closure order issued
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Firefighters on Tuesday kept the Mendocino Complex to its smallest daytime growth total so far in the nearly three weeks it has burned, while the situation still remained critical enough that a new mandatory evacuation order was issued in Glenn County and a new Mendocino National Forest closure took effect.
Cal Fire said the complex reached 354,910 acres by Tuesday night. That was a 500-acre increase during the course of the day, with total containment rolling back by 4 points to 64 percent.
The River fire was fully contained at 48,920 acres on Monday. Patrol and suppression work continues in that area, Cal Fire said.
Cal Fire said the Ranch fire increased to 305,990 acres, with containment at 64 percent.
Firefighter numbers were increased once again on the complex, with personnel up by more than 300 to 3,505. Other resources assigned included 258 engines, 84 water tenders, 33 helicopters, 59 hand crews and 72 dozers.
On Tuesday morning, officials also identified the firefighter who was killed the previous evening on the Ranch fire as Battalion Chief Matthew Burchett, 42, of the Draper City Fire Department in Draper City, Utah.
Officials said that throughout the day Tuesday the Ranch fire progressed northward, heading farther into the Mendocino National Forest.
Fire crews patrolled communities in the northern portion of the Ranch fire – including the area around Lake Pillsbury – scouting fire lines and gathering intelligence to prep and assess plans for continued structure defense, Cal Fire said.
On the northwest and northeast edges – areas that stretched from Potter Valley to the west to the Colusa and Glenn County lines to the east, according to fire mapping – Cal Fire said crews spent the day constructing control lines with the intention to introduce firing operations in the coming days.
Cal Fire said crews will continue to construct and improve lines, utilizing advantageous topography and existing control lines to create barriers.
The south side of the fire near the Northshore communities has had no significant events and remains in suppression repair and patrol status, Cal Fire said.
On Tuesday afternoon, in response to the Ranch fire continuing into the southwest corner of Glenn County, the Glenn County Sheriff’s Office upgraded an evacuation notice for the Pleasant Valley area of the Mendocino National Forest to a mandatory order.
The area includes the Mendocino National Forest boundary west to the Lake County line, south to the Colusa County line and north to Forest Road 20N07 also known as County Road 308, according to the order.
The Glenn County Sheriff’s Office said areas east of the Mendocino National Forest boundary to County Road 306 and north to County Road 308, including the town of Elk Creek, remain under an advisory evacuation notice.
Also on Tuesday, the Mendocino National Forest issued a new order closing a large area of the Mendocino National Forest, including the entire Upper Lake Ranger District and part of the Grindstone Ranger District, due to activity from the Ranch fire.
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