NORTH COAST, Calif. – The Bureau of Land Management Ukiah Field Office has issued a temporary emergency closure for the Cow Mountain Recreation Area in Mendocino and Lake counties due to fire danger.

The closure began on Thursday and remains in effect until further notice.

The Redwood and Sulphur fires, which form the Mendocino Lake Complex Incident, are in close proximity to the Cow Mountain Recreation Area.

As of Friday night, the complex has burned a total of 36,500 acres and is 22-percent contained. That includes 34,000 and 20-percent containment for the Redwood fire and 2,500 acres and 60-percent containment in the Sulphur fire.

Adverse weather conditions forecasted for this weekend are expected to hamper wildland fighting efforts.

The fire continues to burn in multiple directions, threatening numerous communities and infrastructure. Steep inaccessible terrain, coupled with critical fuel moistures, and northwest winds will provide challenges for crews working on the fire.

The public is reminded to exercise caution and be prepared to evacuate if asked to do so.
The BLM is committed to keeping the public safe, while protecting natural resources.

For more information on the Cow Mountain Recreation Area, please call the Ukiah Field Office at 707-468-4000.