Crews on the August Lightning Complex are keeping an eye on the weather, but there’s been very little change to report. Many evacuation orders and warnings have been downgraded as crews work on strengthening containment lines. Traffic on Highway 36 is being escorted through the fire zone between the junction with Highway 3 and South Fork Mountain Summit twice daily, at 7AM and 5:30PM. At least 552 structures have been lost in Southern Trinity County. A burned area emergency response team is directing rehab work. The largest fire in California history is 92% contained after burning 1,032,300 acres. The complex is burning in 7 counties, including the far southwestern corner of Shasta County.
There’s still no change on the North Complex of fires in Plumas and Butte Counties as crews work to eliminate hot spots on the interior. 2,342 residential and commercial structures were destroyed, mostly to the northeast of Lake Oroville. The fire complex claimed 15 lives and burned 319,000 acres. It’s 95% contained and all evacuations and road closures have been lifted.
Incremental progress is being reported on the Slater Fire that started September 8th in the Klamath National Forest, being managed along with the Devil’s Fire. It’s burned 156,700 acres and containment is at 85%. Hundreds of homes have been destroyed in the Happy Camp area and 2 civilians died.
The Red Salmon Complex, burning since July 27th in steep and rugged terrain in the Trinity Alps Wilderness about 8 miles northeast of Willow Creek, has burned 143,400 acres and is now 75% contained.