South Fork Complex Fire

South Fork Complex (2 fires), Shasta-Trinity NF, USFS. IMT 2 (CA Team 11). Fifteen miles west of Hayfork, CA. Timber and brush. Active fire behavior with wind driven runs, short-range spotting and short crown runs. Community of Hyampom, energy and communication infrastructure threatened. Area, road and trail closures in effect.

August 30, 2023 at 8:04 AM

3-9 Fire: 2,427 acres with 22% containmentPilot Fire: 1,055 acres with 96% containmentPellitreau Fire: 3 acres with 100% containmentSulphur Fire: 31 acres with 100% containment45% overall containment for the Complex

3-9 Fire The northern division (Division O), has 100% hand line completed around the perimeter. Fire personnel continue to mop up and increase depth of the containment line. Yesterday, in the southern division (Division A), a 400-acre slop over crossed over the dozer line and contingency line as the fire was in alignment with the wind and topography. Dozers will continue to open up roads south of the fire perimeter. Aircraft continue supporting firefighting efforts with water and retardant drops to slow fire progression and allow crews an opportunity to go direct along the fire perimeter. Along the northwestern perimeter, crews continue to mop up and secure control lines down to and paralleling Pilot Creek. On the eastern portion of the fire (Division W), they continue to monitor and mop up spot fires with the assistance of helicopter water drops.

Pilot Fire Crews have successfully finished 100% containment line around the perimeter and continued to focus on mopping up and adding depth. Fire personnel will continue to secure and mop up the perimeter and improve contingency lines.

August 29, 2023 at 8:08 AM

3-9 Fire: 1,863 acres with 22% containmentPilot Fire: 1,055 acres with 86% containmentPellitreau Fire: 3 acres with 100% containmentSulphur Fire: 31 acres with 100% containment

3-9 Fire The northern division (Division O), has 100% hand line completed around the perimeter. Fire personnel continue to mop up and increase depth of the containment line. In the southern division (Division A), they improved the primary control lines along Berry Summit-Mad River Road, a dozer line, and Road 03N06 along the southern perimeter and continue to assess opportunities to go direct on the fire. Aircraft are supporting firefighting efforts with water and retardant drops in this area. Along the northwestern perimeter, crews continue to mop up and secure control lines down to and paralleling Pilot Creek. On the eastern portion of the fire (Division W), they continue to monitor and mop up spot fires with the assistance of helicopter water drops. A contingency line continues to be improved along road systems in the south near spot fires that started on Friday.

Pilot Fire Crews have successfully finished 100% containment line around the perimeter and continued to focus on mopping up and adding depth. Aircraft supported cool-down efforts of interior heat with water drops in anticipation of increased winds on Monday night. Fire personnel will continue to secure and mop up the perimeter and improve contingency lines.

Weather: An area of low pressure approaching the California-Oregon coast is expected to bring cooler and windy conditions that will extend through most of this week. Maximum temperatures are expected to be 60-65 ºF. Minimum relative humidities are expected to be 43-48%. North-Northwest winds are expected to be 8-15 mph throughout the day with gusts of 30 mph.

August 28, 2023 at 8:53 AM

3-9 Fire The northern portion of the 3-9 Fire has 100% hand line completed around the perimeter. Fire personnel will continue to focus on mopping up and securing the containment line. Along the southern perimeter, crews continue to improve the Berry Summit-Mad River Road, a dozer line, and Road 03N06 to increase and strengthen control lines and limit fire spread to the south and continue to assess opportunities to go direct on the fire. Helicopters continue to support firefighting efforts with water and retardant drops in this area. Firefighters continue to improve indirect lines down to and paralleling Pilot Creek. On the eastern portion of the fire, dozers and excavators continue to open up the road systems to access spot fires and allow firefighters opportunity to go direct and monitor and mop up these spot fires. A contingency line is being built along road systems in the south near spot fires that started on Friday.

Pilot Fire Crews have successfully finished 100% containment line around the perimeter. They continued to focus on mopping up and adding depth. The contingency lines along the eastern flank have been completed to protect Grouse Creek, and chicken wire has been placed to prevent rollout across the Creek. Fire personnel will continue to place chicken wire, secure and mop up the perimeter, and improve contingency lines.

The Pellitreau Fire and the Sulfur Fire are 100% contained. Crews will continue to mop up the areas and monitor and patrol to ensure fire remains within the containment lines. Most equipment has been pulled from these fires to assist with the Pilot and 3-9 Fires.

Weather: Maximum temperatures are expected to be 70-75 ºF. Minimum relative humidities are expected to be around 35-40%. West-southwest winds in the morning are expected to become northwest in the evening. Winds are expected to be mild in the morning and increase throughout the day, with gusts 15 mph in the evening. On Tuesday morning, winds are expected to be sustained at 10-15 mph with gusts of 30 mph in the evening.

Evacuation Warning:

These remain in effect. Please continue to check the Trinity County Wildfire and Evacuation site for up-to-date status and locations: Trinity County Wildfire and Evacuation Map

Forest Closure: There are new Forest Closure orders for the South Fork Complex Fire that have been posted on the Shasta-Trinity National Forest website home page and on the Six Rivers National Forest (click on Forest Closures). Please avoid the closed areas.

August 27, 2023 at 8:59 AM

3-9 Fire The northern portion of the 3-9 Fire has 100% hand line completed around the perimeter.

Crews will continue to focus on mopping up and securing the containment line. Along the southern perimeter, crews continue to improve the Berry Summit-Mad River Road, a dozer line, and Road 03N06 to increase and strengthen control lines and limit fire spread to the south into an area of dense snags. Helicopters will continue to support firefighting efforts with water and retardant drops along the southern perimeter. Firefighters continued to work along the northwestern perimeter and have completed hand line down to an indirect paralleling Pilot Creek. They will continue to improve containment lines along Pilot Creek and down to the original containment line that experienced slop-over last Sunday. On the southeast portion of the fire, dozers and excavators are opening road systems in closer proximity to the fire perimeter to encompass spot fires and allow crews opportunity to go direct along the fire perimeter. Firefighters have placed hand line and hose lay completely around spot fires that started on Friday. They will continue to monitor and mop up other spot fires in this area, which currently pose no threat.

Pilot Fire Crews have successfully finished 100% containment line around the perimeter. They continued to focus on mopping up and adding depth. The contingency lines along the eastern flank have been completed to protect Grouse Creek, and chicken wire has been placed to prevent rollout of burned fuels to the east. Fire personnel will continue to secure and mop up the perimeter and improve the contingency lines.

The Pellitreau Fire and the Sulfur Fire are 100% contained. Crews will continue to mop up the areas and monitor and patrol to ensure fire remains within the containment lines. Most equipment has been pulled from these fires to assist with the Pilot and 3-9 Fires.

Weather: Maximum temperatures are expected to be in the mid- to upper 70s. Minimum relative humidities are expected to be around 24-30%. West-northwest winds are expected to be 4-8 mph with gusts around 14 mph.

Evacuation Warning:

These remain in effect. Please continue to check the Trinity County Wildfire and Evacuation site for up-to-date status and locations: Trinity County Wildfire and Evacuation Map

Forest Closure: There are new Forest Closure orders for the South Fork Complex Fire that have been posted on the Shasta-Trinity National Forest website home page and on the Six Rivers National Forest (click on Forest Closures). Please avoid the closed areas.

August 26, 2023 at 11:20 AM

3-9 Fire The northern division of the 3-9 Fire has 100% handline completed around the perimeter. Crews will continue to strengthen the containment line by mopping up and adding depth to prevent rollout of burned fuels in the interior of the fire perimeter. Along the southern perimeter crews are working along the Berry Summit- Mad River Road, a completed dozer line to the south and Road 03N06 increasing and strengthening control lines around the 30 acre slop-over Friday night. Smoke is visible from interior torching posing no threat to the fire perimeter. Helicopters are supporting the firefighting efforts with water and retardant drops. Crews are also working along the Dan East trail going direct on the fire when safe to do so. On the southeast portion of the fire, dozers and excavators are opening road systems in closer proximity to the fire perimeter to encompass the spot fires and allow crews opportunity to go direct along the fire perimeter.

      Pilot Fire crews have successfully finished 100% containment line around the perimeter of the fire. Crews will focus on mopping up and adding depth. The contingency lines along the eastern flank have been completed to protect Grouse Creek. Operational plans for today continue to be secure and mop up the perimeter of the Pilot Fire and finish the contingency lines.

      The Pellitreau fire is 100% contained and the Sulfur fire has 100% containment. Crews will continue to monitor and patrol to ensure fire remains within the containment lines. Most equipment has been pulled from these fires to assist the Pilot and 3-9 Fires.

Weather:

The temperature will be 70-75 degrees with RH minimum 32 to 36% with winds 5 to 8 mph gusting to 14 mph.

Evacuation Warning:

These remain in effect. Please continue to check the Trinity County Wildfire and Evacuation site for up-to-date status and locations: Trinity County Wildfire and Evacuation Map

Forest Closure: There are new Forest Closure orders for the South Fork Complex Fire that have been posted on the Shasta-Trinity National Forest website home page and on the Six Rivers National Forest (click on Forest Closures). Please avoid the closed areas.

August 25, 2023 at 8:22 AM

Current Situation:

3-9 Fire: 1,661 acres with 0% containment 595 personnel, crews, engines, dozers, water tenders

Pilot Fire: 983 acres with 36% containment and air support

Pellitreau Fire: 3 acres with 100% containment

Sulphur Fire: 31 acres with 95% containment

20% overall containment for the Complex

3-9 Fire The northern division of the 3-9 has 100% hand line around it and crews have been mopping up. The southern division of the 3-9 has experienced slop-over. Firefighters will contain the slop-over at the southern flank of the fire by creating a containment line using the Berry Summit-Mad River Road, a completed dozer line to the south, and Road 03N06. Firefighters will evaluate the southwestern flank of the fire to determine whether access is available to go more direct on it. Hand crew, dozers, and engines will continue supporting the creation of a direct line along the northern and northwestern flank of the fire. On the eastern division a dozer line continues to be prepped along the southern portion to contain spot fires. A road system has been identified and dozer and graders are set to help encapsulate the spot fires to the south. Helicopters are assisting the operation utilizing retardant drops. A mobile retardant base has been established in Hyampom.

Pilot Fire crews have successfully finished constructing control line along the northeastern flank of the fire. The contingency line along the northeastern flank has been completed. Yesterday, thunder cells with updraft winds did not result in any spots or threats to the control line. Operational plans for today continue to be to tie in handline along the western flank of the fire and continue to work on getting more depth on the control line.

Pellitreau fire is 100% contained and the Sulfur fire is 95% contained. Crews will continue to mop up the areas and monitor and patrol to ensure fire remains within the containment lines.

Weather: A lower pressure center will result in cooler temperatures today than yesterday. Maximum temperatures of 72-75 °F are expected at 4,000 feet. Minimum relative humidities are expected to be around 35-40%. South-southwest winds are expected to be 6-9 mph with gusts around 18-20 mph in the afternoon. Temperatures are expected to increase again over the weekend.

August 24, 2023 at 10:02 AM

A Red Flag Warning is in place today from 3 pm to Friday morning at 2 am for potential scattered thunderstorms in Del Norte, North and East Humboldt, Western Siskiyou and Western Trinity Counties. This may result in scattered thunderstorms producing abundant lightning, outflow wind gusts up to 40 mph and a potential for increased fire spread in our fire area.

3-9 Fire Firefighters will be brushing and strengthening the road system along Pilot Creek and on the southwestern area of the 3-9 fire area to improve the road system coming up to the Dan East Trail. Yesterday, firefighters were able to secure the handline on a 30-acre slop-over from Sunday night on the east side. Dozer and handlines have been improved up to the fire’s edge. Firefighters were successful in constructing handline along Bear Creek. Dozers and excavators are working to build containment lines to hold the southeastern perimeter. Helicopters are assisting the operation utilizing retardant drops. A mobile retardant base has been established in Hyampom.

Pilot Fire crews have successfully finished constructing handline along the road on the northeastern flank. The contingency lines along the eastern flank have been completed. Crews have been successful with the handline around Grouse Creek, on the eastern portion of the fire line. Operational plans for today continue to be secure and mop up the perimeter of the Pilot Fire and finish the contingency line.

The Pellitreau fire is 100% contained and the Sulfur fire has 95% containment. Crews will continue to mop up the area and monitor and patrol to ensure fire remains within the containment lines. Most equipment has been pulled from these fires to assist the Pilot and 3-9 Fires.

Evacuation Warning:

These remain in effect. Please continue to check the Trinity County Wildfire and Evacuation site for up-to-date status and locations: Trinity County Wildfire and Evacuation Map

Forest Closure: There are new Forest Closure orders for the South Fork Complex Fire that have been posted on the Shasta-Trinity National Forest website home page and on the Six Rivers National Forest (click on Forest Closures). Please avoid the closed areas.

August 23, 2023 at 9:56 AM

3-9 Fire: 1,430 acres with 0% containmentPilot Fire: 913 acres with 26% containmentPelllitreau Fire: 3 acres with 100% containmentSulphur Fire: 31 acres with 20% containment

3-9 Fire: Firefighters continue to improve the dozer line down to Pilot Creek on the southwestern perimeter and put in handline along Pilot Creek going north. Firefighters were able to go direct on the northwest side along the Route 1 road. They are also able to go direct along the ridgeline to Bennett Peak and were able to get a dozer in on the north side. The strategy is to build an indirect line using an existing road on the east side as going direct is not feasible in this steep snag-ridden area.

Pilot Fire: In general, good progress is being made on the containment lines of this fire. Hand-line has been completed along the east side along Grouse Creek. Dozer line is in along the southern, western and northern perimeter of this fire. Firefighters are working on a contingency dozer line east of the fire in case the fire moves beyond the handline. A satellite camp has been established for the Pilot firefighters to reduce their travel time to the fire.

There are no real issues with the Pellitreau and Sulfur fires; they are both currently in patrol status. The increase in acreage on the Pellitreau fire is due to better mapping data.

Falling snags have already injured several firefighters this season in California. Falling snags that become rolling burning logs (“rollouts”) can spread fire. Widespread concentrations of fire-weakened snags remain the primary challenge to firefighters.

Weather and Fire Behavior: Weather models show a warming trend will occur which will continue to dry fuels and likely increase fire behavior. High pressure will build into the region today and begin a warming trend through Wednesday and a drying trend through Thursday. Temperatures will rise at least 10 degrees today from yesterday. The Pilot Fire and 3-9 Fires will continue to burn heavier fuels within the perimeter and wind may test control lines. Spot fires created by rollout will continue to present an issue with several areas of the fire. Major movement of the fire is unlikely without a wind event.

August 21, 2023 at 8:35 AM

3-9 Fire: 400 acres with 0% containment Pilot Fire: 500 acres with 6% containment Pelllitreau Fire: 3.4 acres with 100% containment Sulphur Fire: 33 acres with 75% containment

Dozer line has been constructed on the southern perimeter of the 3-9 fire. The team priority is the southeastern corner to protect Hyampom and Lake Mountain Ranch. The 3N14 road on the east side is being reopened and improved with handline as part of this effort. Additional dozer line has been put in up to Bennet Peak and will eventually go to Grapevine Creek. There is high density of snags in the northern perimeter as this fire is in a 7 year old burn scar; this has made safely building line there a slow process. Additional contingency lines are being built around the fire as well.

The Pilot fire has dozer line in place on the northwest and southern sides. There were 2 spots over the line yesterday that were caught. Good progress has been made on the southwestern perimeter by CalFire crews working on private land. They have also been supporting the USFS effort with improving additional line. The Team priority for this fire is the northwest corner to prevent any runs up to the PG&E KV transmission line that supplies electricity to Eureka and surrounding communities on the coast. In some ways this is an easier fire to fight as there is no recent fire history to create snags that complicate safety issues for firefighters.

The Pellitreau fire has containment line around it and is in patrol status. Good progress has been made on the Sulfur fire; it is in mop up and patrol status as well.

Weather and Fire Behavior: An area of low pressure west of the Bay Area, coupled with increasing tropical moisture from tropical storm Hilary will bring increasing clouds, spotty showers and thunderstorms today and Tuesday. Firefighters will be watching for erratic and gusty winds from thunderstorm outflow and frequent lightning from the storm.

A community meeting is being held Tuesday, August 22nd at 6:00pm. The meeting will be held at the at the Veteran’s Hall – VFW Post 9546 located at: 9201 CA-3, Hayfork, CA. This meeting will be in-person.

These remain in effect. Please continue to check the Trinity County Wildfire and Evacuation site for up-to-date status and locations: Trinity County Wildfire and Evacuation Map

Forest Closure: There are new Forest Closure orders for the South Fork Complex Fire that have been posted on the Shasta-Trinity National Forest website home page. Please avoid the closed areas.