Main body ‘doing exactly what we want it to do’

OROVILLE » Firefighters continued tobuildfirelines and contingency linesMonday on the North Complex fires in the Feather River Canyon.

The winds Monday and Tuesday are fromthe northeast and are “basically favorable for this project and what we’re doing here,” U.S. Forest Service Operations Section Chief Jake Cagle in aMonday evening briefing.

Those winds allow firefighters to do some “backburning” in aneffort to keep the fire from spreading outside of its current footprint.

Cagle said the fire was holding in its current footprint, but a change in wind direction Wednesday will keep firefighters fromusing controlled burns and could lead to spot fires.

However, Cagle said firefighters were working to burn pocketed areas on the north side of the main fire together overnight and prevent fires from spotting in unburned vegetation.

“Themain body of thefire is “doing exactly what we want it to do,” he said.

“We feel very confident that as long as everything holds in its current footprint over theweekendwe’re looking at a goodwindow, possibly at the end of theweekend lifting that (evacuationorder in theBucks Lake area),” Cagle said.

As of Monday morning the North Complex West Zone fires remains within containment lines, at 318,724 acres and 83% containment.

Fire crews continue efforts toprevent flames from jumping Highway 70 from the east side of the road, according to U.S. Forest ServicePlumasNationalForest.

Fire tactics are utilizing drones to introduce fire into steep terrain around the penstock to reduce fuels. A helicopter dropping ping-pong sized balls that ignite on impact is being considered as a back-up if the drones aren’t available, according to theU.S. Forest Service.

Firefighters continue to focus on the east side of Highway 70. Today, dozers and crews will be opening old lines in the Camp Fire area to provide contingency if the fire spots across the highway.

The LassenNational Forest is assisting in preparing contingency lines to assist with protecting structures and with structure protection.

Cold trails around flames continue at spots nearest to thehighway, andanoldcontingency line from 2008 is being connected to thehighway in case “if something were to occur and cross the 70,” according to Cagle.

For Sunday night, firefighters reinforced containment lines and patrolled for spot fires during a change in winds, officials said. Winds are expected to shift again Wednesday.

Cagle said in the morning update around 9 a.m. fire operations saw “a good night last (Sunday) night,” with minimal fire behavior, and everything around Forbestown and Clipper Mills “looks really good.”

Fire is expected to continue backing with roll-out downtowardtheNorthFork of the Feather River, Highway 70 and down into Bucks Creek. Cagle added contingency lines by Bald Eagle Peak continue towards Highway 70.

All current evacuation warnings and orders can be found on the Butte County Sheriff’s Office website, https://www.buttecounty. net/sheriffcoroner, andFacebook page.

Evacuation orders are still in place for the area west of Oro-Quincy Highway from Stephens Ridge north to the county line, andboth sides of Highway 70 are closed from Pulga Road north to Highway 89, according to the Butte and Plumas County sheriff’s offices.