- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
Mendocino Complex: Ranch fire portion continues growth, damage estimates increase
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – As firefighters raise containment on the Mendocino Complex, the incident has continued to grow, with its record-breaking acreage total edging up again by Saturday morning.
The Mendocino Complex reached 325,226 acres, with total containment up by 7 percent to 67 percent, according to Cal Fire.
The Ranch fire, the portion of the complex where new fire growth is taking place, is now 276,306 acres and 58-percent contained, while the River fire remains at 48,920 acres with containment up to 92 percent, Cal Fire reported.
The latest damage assessment numbers released on Saturday showed an increase in both the count of structures destroyed and those damaged.
The count of destroyed structures is now 258: 139 residences, 119 other structures. Structures damaged total 37, of which 13 are residences and 24 are other buildings.
Officials said 1,525 structures remain threatened.
There are approximately 3,521 firefighters assigned to the complex, which officials said includes 41 firefighters from Australia and New Zealand. An additional 200 active duty military firefighters from the 14th Brigade Engineer Battalion arrived Friday and are going through basic firefighting field training for the next two days.
Other resources include 293 engines, 92 water tenders, 20 helicopters, 65 hand crews and 80 dozers, Cal Fire reported.
With the River fire portion of the complex nearly fully contained, the main push of the firefighting effort is now taking place on the Ranch fire, and a lot of fire suppression work is taking place Mendocino National Forest. As a result, the U.S Forest Service and Cal Fire are in unified command on the complex.
The Ranch Fire grew has grown approximately 20,000 acres in the last 24 hours, according to a Saturday report from Mendocino National Forest spokeswoman Punky Moore.
She said fire activity increased in the northwest corner of the fire near the Pine Mountain Project, Potato Hill area and Little Sullivan Ridge on Friday.
Columns of smoke could be seen from the surrounding communities; Lake County residents saw a smoke plume from that fire activity on Friday afternoon. Moore said air tankers and helicopters were used to help slow the fire’s advance.
The Ranch Fire continued to spread into the Snow Mountain Wilderness, burning past Letts Lake Friday afternoon. Moore said the Ranch fire also burning in the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument.
Due to increased fire activity, firefighters had to suspend construction of the dozer line
along McLeod Ridge from Lake Pillsbury towards Rice Valley. Moore said they were able to hold and improve the portion of the dozer line that has already been constructed.
She said crews continued to cut fireline in the steep canyons near Clover Valley in the southern portion of the fire. Helicopters were also used to suppress hot spots and flare-ups. Good progress was made constructing contingency dozer lines in the Potter Valley area and along Bushy Camp and Noel Ridges.
Dozer operators will continue constructing dozer line along Gilmore Ridge and north through the 2012 Mill Fire scar toward Davis Flat. Moore said that is meant to secure the fire’s northeast corner to keep the fire west of Stonyford and Century Ranch.
Construction of a contingency dozer line along Noel Springs Ridge and Bushy Camp Ridge as an extra precaution is continuing Saturday, she said.
Firefighters are continuing to work around structures in the Lake Pillsbury area Saturday, clearing and improving lines around the residences. Reinforcing the dozer line running from the Eel river northeast to south of the community will continue, according to Moore.
Moore said crews will improve and hold the dozer line along McLeod Ridge on Saturday. Fire managers are looking for opportunities to build fireline between Split Rock and Potato Hill
Crews also will improve fireline in the steep canyons near Clover Valley in the southern portion of the fire.
Engines will mop-up and patrol the areas around Long Valley and Spring Valley, she said, while firefighters improve the roads around the northern and western edges of the Pine Mountain Project in order to contain the fire’s spread to the north and west near Potter
Valley. Crews will improve the contingency dozer line around Potter Valley.
The date for estimated full containment remains Sept. 1, Cal Fire said.
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