River Complex Fire Update
Thursday, September 2, 2021
Fire Statistics: Total complex 114,359 acres, 15% containment. Haypress 74,076 acres. Summer 34,364 acres. Cronan 5,919 acres.
Summary: A clearer day yesterday allowed for more accurate mapping, resulting in a decrease in the containment percentage. Fire spread slowed during the night, but most areas remain active with plenty of intense heat along portions of open line. The Cronan Fire was quiet last night and will transition to patrol/monitoring tomorrow. Resources will be reassigned to the Haypress Fire. The Coffee Creek area of the Haypress Fire is a priority for placement of aviation resources, as the fire nears homes in the area. Unmanned aerial systems (UAS or drone) are being used for aerial ignition in an effort to strengthen fire lines in several areas. Crews will initiate burnout operations in the Coffee Creek area, Parker Meadow and other locations as needed to increase structure defense around homes and other values at risk. The Incident Management Team coordination continues with the Monument Fire approximately 13 miles to the south.
Our thanks you to everyone who attended the community meeting last and for following us on social media and inciWeb.
Today: · Continue point protection of values at risk, scouting and structure protection planning to the south and east, constructing and improving fire line in all divisions where conditions allow and personnel and equipment are available. · Few opportunities exist for direct suppression. Rivers, roads, ridges, recent fire scars and other barriers, will be used to slow fire spread. · Strengthen structure defense in the communities of Summerville, Carrville, Coffee Creek and Trinity Center. · Construct and improve fire line in all divisions where conditions allow, and personnel and equipment are available. · Improving and expanding control lines west of Coffee Creek to stop easterly spread is a priority. Cecilville Road will remain a northern control line.
Fire Behavior: Moderate fire behavior observed across uncontained lines with short-range spotting, torching and moderate to high intensity fire behavior on East, South and Western portions of Haypress and Summer Fires. The Cronan Fire smoldered and smoked within containment lines. Several locations had slope reversals/uphill runs at rapid rates of short to mid-range spotting. Fire actively backed and flanked in a southernly direction along Coffee Creek towards structures. Heavy smoke prevented use of aviation units most of the day.
Weather: High pressure is building across the region today and through the rest of the week. The weather impact to the fire will be lighter winds from the west during the day and east at night. This will keep thicker smoke in the vicinity, with minimal to no thinning through the next several days. Humidity levels recovered to 30-50% overnight but will reach around 15% during the day. Temperatures will be in the 70’s and 80’s, with a slow warming trend throughout the rest of the week.
Evacuations: Evacuation Order: Cecilville, Summerville, Petersburg, and Coffee Creek Road Past Sugar Pine Trailhead in Trinity County. Evacuation Warning: Sawyers Bar, Coffee Creek, Trinity Center For specific information regarding evacuations, please visit https://www.co.siskiyou.ca.us/emergencyservices or https://www.trinitycounty.org/OES An evacuation order means there is an immediate threat to life and is a lawful order to leave immediately. An evacuation warning means there is a potential threat to life or property. Those who require additional time to evacuate and those with pets and livestock should leave now.
Road Closures: Trinity County has issued a hard closure of Coffee Creek Road at North Fork Trailhead west of Hwy 3. The Callahan-Cecilville Road is closed from approximately one mile west of the community of Callahan to Cecilville. The Sawyers Bar Road is closed from Forks of Salmon to Forest Road 40N51.
Forest Closures: To better provide public and firefighter safety due to the ongoing California wildfire crisis, USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region has issued a temporary closure of all National Forests in California. This closure will be in effect through September 17, 2021, at 11:59 p.m. For more information, please visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/ https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/r5/news-events/?cid=FSEPRD949139
Resources: 758 Personnel, 17 Hand Crews, 40 Engines, 8 Helicopters, 19 Dozers, 27 Water Tenders, 9 Masticators, 2 Skid Steers, 1 Pack String
Smoke Report: https://wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/NorthernCalifornia For additional information, call the River Complex Fire information line at (707) 596-6075 or go to the InciWeb page at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7760/
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