California’s biggest fire still growing
A tenacious heat and relentless winds Tuesday plagued northern California firefighters battling the Mendocino Complex Fire that has grown to more than 450 square miles, making it the largest in state history.
The Mendocino Complex is actually two fires, dubbed the Ranch and River fires, burning a short distance apart, that have destroyed 75 homes, along with 68 other buildings. The Complex Fire, listed as 34 percent contained, is among more than a dozen roaring across the state.
More than 14,000 firefighters are combating the blazes.
In Mendocino and Lake counties, crews worked “aggressively” to hold containment lines for the Complex Fire, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said in an incident report.
“The Ranch Fire remained active overnight, expanding further north and east, continuing to challenge fire crews due to limited access, heavy fuel loads, low fuel moisture, and high temperatures,” Cal Fire said Tuesday. “Today resources continue to be deployed to all areas of the Ranch Fire perimeter.”
The fire, burning 150 miles northwest of San Francisco, has set ablaze an area almost half the size of Rhode Island. The state’s previous largest fire tore through sections of Ventura and Santa Barbara counties in December.
Among the other fires burning in California is the Carr Fire, the 12th-largest in state history. The fire in and around Redding has burned more than 260 square miles and destroyed 1,077 homes – making it the sixth-most-destructive in state history. It was 47 percent contained.
Another fire forced closure of Yosemite National Park’s crown jewel, the Yosemite Valley, for almost two weeks. Park officials had to scrap plans to reopen last weekend, saying the Ferguson Fire damaged access roads and made the area unsafe.
“Fire managers are continuously assessing conditions in the area and will work directly with and will immediately advise park managers as conditions change and it becomes safe to reopen,” park officials said in a statement.