SoHum evacuation warnings lifted
All evacuation orders in Humboldt County have been lifted as crews reached 20% containment for both the August Complex West Zone and Red Salmon Complex fires.
As crews make progress, air quality has returned to normal along the coast, though inland areas are still experiencing air that’s “unhealthy for sensitive groups” with periods that are worse.
Here’s the full Monday update:
August Complex West Zone
Residents in Southern Humboldt were told evacuate their homes on Sept. 9 as a wildfire in Mendocino County, then-named the Hopkins Fire, threatened to move north. But firefighters were successful in preventing the burn, later named the August Complex’s West Zone, from jumping the Eel River line.
The west zone has burned more than 93,000 acres with 20% containment. It is part of the larger August Complex, which is now the largest wildfire in modern California history. Resources from multiple
states have come to the North Coast to help fight off the massive burn.
“Overnight fire behavior was moderate with creeping, backing and smoldering,” Cal Fire said in a Monday morning update. “Active fire occurred in the southwest portion due to successful firing operations to fill in unburned islands.”
While it lifted all evacuation orders in Humboldt County on Monday, Cal Fire did warn residents that they may see visible smoke in southern areas because “unburned pockets of fuel continue to burn within the interior of the fire.”
“Be aware there may be traffic flow interruptions due to fire crews and utility workers still operating in the area, continue to drive with caution,” Cal Fire said in a release.
Red Salmon Complex
The wildfire burning in eastern, inland parts of Humboldt County has now stretched on since late July and scorched over 104,000 acres.
But crews have prevented the fire from damaging any homes or threatening evacuations for inland communities, including Weitcpec and Hoopa.
“The word of the day is focus,” U.S. Forest Service Incident Commander Mike Strawhun said in a Monday release. “Today is day 56 of this fire and crews have been working very hard to construct control lines and find the right weather conditions to conduct firing operations.”
Crews are using tactical burns to combat the fire along the Tish Tang and Lone Pine ridges, near the southwest portion of the burning area.
Resources are also engaged in road improvement work along Methodist Creek Road, where crews also monitored a spot fire overnight Monday that showed “minimal activity,” according to the forest service.
Air quality
While the air has returned to a healthy status along the coast from Rio Dell to Trinidad, air quality remained potentially harmful for those with sensitive lungs in eastern communities.
Specifically, these communities continued to experience air quality that’s “unhealthy for sensitive groups” on Monday: Orleans, Weitchpec, Hoopa and Willow Creek.
While communities in Southern Humboldt, like Garberville and Redway, saw “overall good” air quality on Monday, the region may also experience “potential periods of moderate air quality.”