- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
Mendocino Complex destroyed structure count climbs; fire continues push in Scotts Valley
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – As firefighters on Wednesday continued to try to hold the Mendocino Complex’s growth in check, officials said the number of structures the incident has destroyed more than tripled following rapid fire runs near Lakeport over the past day and a half.
The Mendocino Complex grew by about another 4,000 acres on Wednesday, hitting a total of 94,912 acres, with containment remaining at 24 percent and 12,200 structures remaining threatened, according to Cal Fire.
The Ranch fire is up to 61,514 acres and 15 percent containment while the River fire reached 33,398 acres and 38 percent containment, Cal Fire said.
The number of structures destroyed and damaged has increased on the incident, following the brutal run the fire made into the Scotts Valley area on Tuesday.
An updated Cal Fire damage assessment listed 38 structures – 14 homes and 24 others – destroyed. There also have been 15 damaged structures, eight residences and seven others.
The assigned resources have grown on the Mendocino Complex. Cal Fire said 3,069 personnel, 373 engines, 51 water tenders, 15 helicopters, 48 hand crews and 50 dozers are now working the fires.
Cal Fire’s Wednesday evening report said firefighters had some success during the course of the day improving containment lines on the complex while continuing to build and improve contingency lines ahead of the it.
Both the Ranch and River fires continue to have rapid growth when aligned with fuels, topography and wind. High temperatures, low humidity and afternoon winds coupled with critically low fuel moistures are contributing to large fire growth, Cal Fire reported.
The northwest portion of the Ranch fire is continuing to move deeper into the Mendocino National Forest and continue to establish itself in the drainage's south of Lake Pillsbury. Officials have reported little fire suppression effort in the forest so far due to lack of resources.
Cal Fire said that on Wednesday it joined in unified command on the Ranch fire with the US Forest Service.
Reports from the River fire on Wednesday evening indicated firefighters are again working to protect structures in and around Scotts Valley and the Hendricks Road area, where spotting and winds have continued to be an issue.
The situation has kept the city of Lakeport and its immediate surroundings under mandatory evacuation.
However, “It has not gotten into the city,” said Lakeport Community Development Director Kevin Ingram on Wednesday night.
He said the city also had gotten reports that the River fire had started to settle down for the evening in the Scotts Valley area.
Ingram said air quality is still not good in the city, although it’s better than it has been in the last few days.
He and numerous city administrative and police staff continue to monitor the fire activity at an emergency operations center at Lakeport City Hall. The public is invited to call the center around the clock at 707-263-5683.
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.