Friday Update: Wet Weather Slows Some Fires As More Lightning Storms Are Forecast

Firefighters battling lightning-sparked blazes in Northwest California got some help from wet weather, though more lightning has continued to strike the area. The Head Fire, the largest of more than 20 that ignited in the Klamath National Forest this week, has burned 4,000 acres with no containment. A new fire threatening the Community of Horse Creek is the Den Fire, which is over 100 acres and spreading rapidly. A rash of fires continues to plague the Happy Camp/Oak Knoll Ranger District, including the 550 Acre Elliot, Canyon and Three Creeks Fires. Evacuation orders and warnings for the area. Details are at community.zonehaven.com or 530-340-3539 or the social media accounts for the Siskiyou County Sheriff. To the west, the Smith River Complex of fires in Six Rivers National Forest totals around 7,600 acres. Highway 96 and a number of other roads are closed to all but emergency personnel.

In Trinity County northwest of Trinity Lake, the Deep Fires have burned together as one and grown to more than 2,000 acres, with evacuation orders and warnings in effect, coordinated by the Trinity County Sheriff’s Office.

The Lone Pine Fire near Willow Creek has burned 460 acres with 5% containment.

Northwest of McArthur, the Long, Ranch, and White Fire are now being managed as the SKU August Lightning Complex. They have burned a total 775 acres, but are now 50% contained.

In Western Tehama County the Slide Fire just north of Mount Linn has burned 656 acres with 5% containment.

These are just a few of the many fires burning across the region. An excellent resource for fire information is an app called “Watch Duty”, which can be downloaded to cell phones.