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August Complex South Zone firefighting efforts focused on Lake Pillsbury
The total acreage for the August Complex is now at 794,801 acres with 30-percent containment, the Forest Service reported. It is burning on the Mendocino, Shasta-Trinity and Six Rivers National Forests.
The acreage associated with the South Zone – formerly the Doe fire – is 522,957 acres, officials said.
The focus of Tuesday’s firefighting efforts is in Lake County in the Lake Pillsbury Basin, the Forest Service said.
The Forest Service said a considerable amount of work is taking place in this area. Two structure protection groups have been established to help protect infrastructure in the basin. Work by these groups includes installing hose lays, supplying water dip tanks for helicopters, and putting in dozer lines where appropriate.
Close coordination between the Forest Service and Cal Fire is taking place between the efforts in the west and southwest areas of the fire.
The evacuation orders for Pillsbury Ranch and the Lake Pillsbury Basin, which were issued by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, remain in effect.
On the east side of the fire, officials said a burnout operation began Monday afternoon in the area of the Salt Creek Conservation Camp. This operation will continue Tuesday as weather conditions allow. The completion of this burnout operation will tie the fire perimeter into the dozer built fire line that was previously constructed.
In the northern area of the South Zone, good progress has been made in containing the fire in the Elder Creek area on the eastern side of the Crane Mills property. Mop up activities continue along the fire perimeter in this area by the 14th Brigade Engineer Battalion from Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington State, the Forest Service reported.
As to weather in the complex area, the Forest Service said smoke will be clearing on Tuesday with mostly sunny skies. Relative humidity will be 15 to 20 percent, with temperatures in the upper 70s to upper 80s. Southwesterly winds will continue at 10 to 15 miles per hour with gusts up to 20 miles per hour.
Moisture will begin arriving in the area starting Wednesday, raising, humidity levels, which will help with suppression efforts, officials said.
In addition to Lake County, evacuation orders also are in effect for Mendocino, Glenn, Humboldt and Trinity counties. Evacuation information can also be found at Inciweb.
Due to unprecedented and historic fire conditions throughout the state, the USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region extended its temporary closure of all 18 National Forests in California through Sept. 21.