Friday Update: Containment Increases On Head Fire, Smith River Complex Grows To Over 57,000 Acres

Fire crews are racing to strengthen control lines while fire activity increases due to drying fuels on multiple lightning sparked fires in Northern California forests.

The Happy Camp Complex is now eleven fires as some have merged together. The complex covers about 16,000 acres with 11% overall containment. 9 structures are confirmed destroyed and the number of homes considered threatened is back up to more than 1,600. There’s been one civilian fatality. The biggest fire in the complex is the Head Fire, at around 6,650 acres, with 19% containment.

In the Six Rivers National Forest in Del Norte County, the Smith River Complex of fires continues to rage out of control after burning 57,225 acres.

In Trinity County northwest of Trinity Lake, crews are getting an upper hand on the Deep Fire, which is now 51% contained at a little more than 3,800 acres.

Things are also looking better on the Lone Pine Fire near Willow Creek, which has burned about 1,700 acres and is now 45% contained.

There are dozens of other forest fires burning in Siskiyou, Trinity and Del Norte Counties.