- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
Mendocino Complex continues push into wildland; entire Northshore under mandatory evacuations
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Fire officials said the fight continues against the growing Mendocino Complex, which on Friday led to the entire Northshore being under mandatory evacuation.
Cal Fire said Friday night that the incident was up to 157,450 acres – an increase of nearly 4,000 acres since the morning – with containment remaining at 30 percent.
The Ranch fire is at 115,250 acres, with containment unchanged at 28 percent; it had grown just over 3,000 acres since the morning, Cal Fire said.
The River fire is up to 42,200 acres, about a 700-acre rise from Friday morning. Containment remains at 50 percent, according to Cal Fire.
The count of structures destroyed remains at 88; of those, 41 are homes. Damaged structures so far total 10 residences and nine other buildings.
Both fires remained active on Friday, with firefighters working the north edge of the River fire and trying to keep ahead of the Ranch fire’s southeast push, according to radio reports.
The Ranch fire’s advance on the ridges above the Northshore on Friday triggered mandatory evacuation notices for Lucerne, Glenhaven, Clearlake Oaks and all the small communities in between that ring the northern and eastern edges of Clear Lake.
An advisory evacuation also was urged in a portion of western Colusa County that’s in the fire’s path.
Cal Fire officials said at a Friday night community meeting that the fire had pushed into the Spring Valley Lakes subdivision, where the Pawnee fire had burned in June, and that 55 engines were deployed there to fight it.
Firing operations also were taking place on Friday evening in the hills above Lucerne, according to radio reports.
Assigned resources include 3,449 personnel, 419 engines, 60 water tenders, 15 helicopters, 51 hand crews and 54 dozers.
This story is developing, and more information will be posted as it becomes available.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.