How to resolve AdBlock issue? LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Mendocino Complex continued its seemingly unstoppable march across Lake County and into neighboring counties in the valley on Saturday, as more firefighters joined the effort and erratic winds created conditions in which flames were reported shooting hundreds of feet into the air.
Cal Fire’s Saturday night report said the complex of the Ranch and River fires at 229,006 acres – a nearly 28,000-acre expansion of size since the morning – with total containment up by 5 percent during the day, for a day’s-end total of 32 percent.
Mapping shows the two fires moving closer together, but their boundaries on Saturday evening had not yet merged.
The Ranch fire alone has so far burned 181,343 acres, with its growth pushing down overall containment to 22 percent, Cal Fire said.
Cal Fire said the River fire reached 47,663 acres on Saturday evening, with its containment total remaining at 50 percent.
On Saturday Cal Fire said fire crews on the Ranch fire observed erratic winds following column collapse, which is when downdrafts can cause rapid and sometimes dangerous changes in wind direction that can drastically alter fire activity.
Fire crews reported 300-foot-tall flames in some of the southeast areas of the Ranch fire, Cal Fire said.
On the River fire, crews had some successful burn operations on the northeast side and continue to make good progress.
The complex is now threatening 15,300 structures, and has destroyed 55 homes and 49 other buildings, also damaging 10 residences and 11 other buildings.
As a result of its continued growth, more resources have been brought in to fight the complex. On Saturday night, the number of personnel had grown to 3,529, along with 420 engines, 68 water tenders, 15 helicopters, 55 hand crews and 63 dozers. Fixed wing aircraft, which are numerous in the skies above Lake County, are not reflected in the resource allocation.
Complex becomes one of largest in state history
The Mendocino Complex’s acreage total now makes it the sixth largest wildland fire incident in California’s history, according to Cal Fire information.
Beginning in Mendocino County on July 27, the fire has hit Lake County hard since crossing its boundaries, and it’s now also impacting Colusa and Glenn counties.
On Saturday, more areas in Lake County – including the Double Eagle Ranch subdivision east of Clearlake Oaks as well as the Lake Pillsbury area – were placed under mandatory evacuation.
The sheriff’s office also rebroadcast its mandatory evacuation orders for Long Valley, High Valley and Spring Valley Lake just after 5:30 p.m.
Colusa’s first advisory evacuation went into effect on Friday, followed by Glenn County on Saturday.
Then, on Saturday evening, a mandatory evacuation for Colusa County was called for the town limits of Stonyford, west to the Colusa-Lake County line and north to Colusa-Glenn County line, Century Ranch subdivision, east and west side of East Park Reservoir, Lodoga from Squaw Creek Inn, south and all areas west of Bear Valley Road to Highway 20.
A full and updated list of evacuations and road closures can be found here.
Air resources once again played a key part in the firefighting effort, with the first planes dispatched shortly before 8 a.m. and, later in the day, requests placed for more available planes, including the very large air tanker, as well as more helicopters.
Cal Fire reported on Saturday that fire activity was heightened in the Spring Valley Lakes area, parts of which burned less than two months ago in the Pawnee fire.
Just before 2 p.m., an immediate power shutoff was ordered for the Spring Valley and New Long Valley areas as the firefighting effort continued.
The Scotts Valley area also has continued to be a priority, with the fire actively burning there as firefighters work to protect structures and build containment lines. Firing operations also took place there on Saturday.
In Lucerne, where the fire had made a dramatic push on Friday night, an army of firefighters and dozens of engines were working to protect the town, staging equipment, opening hydrants and cutting scratch lines behind homes for a backfiring operation meant to cut off the fire’s advance.
Red flag conditions, marked by high winds, are forecast to continue until late Saturday night, with the winds being one of the chief challenges on the fire lines.
Despite the complex’s continued growth, Cal Fire continues to estimate it will be fully contained by Aug. 15.
The cause of both fires in the complex remain under investigation, Cal Fire said.
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