Update: California Monument Fire Virtual Community Meeting Video for Wednesday, August 25, 2021
Evening Update: Monument Fire Update for Wednesday evening, the fire has increased to 154,344 Acres with 20% Containment and 1,992 total personnel.
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MODIS map of the Monument Fire on Wednesday at 6:00 A.M PST
Note: 1,200 Pixels Wide - Note: Older Yellow not shown
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Update: Monument Fire Operational Video Updates for Wednesday Morning, August 25, 2021
August 25, 2021 - Monument Fire Update for Wednesday Morning, 154,344 acres with 20% containment.
Monument Fire North Zone Update
August 25, 2021
PUBLIC MEETING: The Alaska Incident Management Team and CAL FIRE Incident Management Team 5 will hold a virtual public meeting at 6 p.m. tonight. Fire managers from both IMTs will provide fire updates and answer questions from the public. The meeting can be viewed at the Shasta-Trinity National Forest and CAL FIRE Shasta-Trinity Unit Facebook pages, on Zoom at https://blm.zoomgov.com/j/1601844560 or youtube.com//watch?v=5ef7etA_epU. You may also call in at 833-568-8864, ID#160 184 4560.
CURRENT SITUATION: The Monument Fire is currently estimated at 154,344 acres with 20% containment. That’s an increase of more than 2,200 acres from Tuesday.
After several days of relatively passive fire behavior due to a canopy of smoke that has shaded the Monument Fire from the sun, clearer skies are injecting energy into the fire that could test control lines. That has been evidenced the past two days when winds have pushed smoke out and allowed more solar radiation to influence fire behavior. Control lines have held in the North Zone, the fire has shown slightly increased behavior that has fire managers watchful, especially with warmer, drier weather in the forecast.
“This fire still has lots of potential,” warned Alaska Incident Management Team Operations Section Chief Karen Scholl. “Smoke has kept a lid on the fire for the past few days.”
On Tuesday, increased fire behavior was observed near the confluence of the New and Trinity rivers, where fire managers are trying to keep the fire east and south of both rivers to keep it from advancing toward Hawkins Bar and Trinity Village, as well as in the areas of Manzanita Ridge on the north and in the Knowles Gulch on the south side near Pattison Ridge.
Fire managers are focusing on building containment lines in front of the fire to halt its progression on all sides. Bulldozers are opening pre-existing dozer lines constructed as control lines for past fires. Fire managers intend to stitch the dozer lines and roads together into control lines to help protect the handful of communities and inholdings spread throughout the fire area.
That work has been progressing on the northwest corner of the fire north and east of Hawkins Bar and Trinity Village. Firefighters are constructing lines that will help protect those two communities, as well as Hoboken, Dailey and Denny to the north. Simlarily, work is continuing east of Hyampom to construct lines that are intended to prevent the fire from spreading west, as well as private inholdings such as Pasture Gulch, the Bar 7 Ranch and the Bar 717 Ranch. A new Division was added on the south side of the North Zone, where fire managers are working to piece together a network of dozer lines and roads into a primary control line intended to hold the fire in Knowles Gulch where it continues to be active.
On the north side of the fire, a mule train that transported a group of three firefighters and a resource advisor into the Trinity Alps Wilderness to cover two historic cabins with fire-resistant protective wrap returned after a successful two-day mission Tuesday night. The Jorstad and Morrison cabins are approximately 6 miles north of Hobo Gulch Campground.
Residents along the Highway 299 corridor could see increased helicopter traffic today as Pacific Gas & Electric begins work to replace power pole that were damaged or destroyed in the fire. That work will be conducted in the area between Big Flat and Big Bar and east of the Burnt Ranch area.
WEATHER: Slightly cooler temperatures are expected today under stronger transport winds venting smoke out a little faster compared to previous days as another upper level trough approaches from the west. Afternoon upcanyon winds will develop earlier than previous days within the Trinity River basin and will be a little stronger, especially in the late afternoon and early evening near Glennison Gap and over Oregon Mountain.
FOREST CLOSURE: To better provide for public and firefighter safety due to extreme fire conditions throughout northern California, and strained firefighting resources throughout the country, the USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region has temporarily closed nine National Forests, including the Shasta-Trinity, effective at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, August 22. The Forest will remain closed through September 6. This closure order will be continuously evaluated as conditions change. The closure order can be found at https://go.usa.gov/xF7EM. Public inquiries can be directed to https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/r5/about-region/offices or by calling 707-562-9113 or emailing SM.FS.R5inquiries@usda.gov.
ROAD CLOSURES: State Highway 299 is closed between Burnt Ranch and Junction City. Monitor Caltrans's District 2 website (https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-2).
EVACUATION ORDERS: In effect for Hayfork north of Highway 3 and Dutch Creek.
EVACUATION WARNINGS: In effect for Big Bar, Big Flat, Burnt Ranch, Douglas City, Junction City, Sky Ranch Road, Weaverville, areas south from Barker Mountain to Haystack, the north side of Hyampom Road from Hayfork to 9-mile bridge, Denny, Hawkins Bar and Trinity Village. For detailed evacuation information, visit the Trinity County Office Sheriff Facebook page at Trinity County Sheriff's Office | Facebook
EVACUATION CENTERS: American Red Cross Shelters have been set up at Shasta College, 11555 Old Oregon Trail, Building 1900, Redding CA; Willow Creek Bible Church, 39 Brannan Mountain Road, Willow Creek, CA; and Fireman’s Hall Pavilion, 9 Park Street in Fortuna.
ANIMAL EVACUATIONS: (Domestic + Large Animals) Hoopa Rodeo Grounds on Pine Creek Rd, Hoopa, CA. (Large Animals with the exception of Swine): Redding Rodeo Grounds, located at 715 Auditorium Dr., Redding, CA (Sandy Ekman 530-739-8469)
CLEAN AIR CENTERS: Trinity County has established a Clean Air Center at the Trinity County Library, 351 Main Street, Weaverville. Hours are Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 1-6 p.m. and Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Clean Air Center at the Murray Building at 6641 Highway 3 in Hayfork has been closed due to fire activity.
PROPERTY DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS: Damage assessment teams have confirmed 50 structures have been destroyed. For questions or information regarding the status of your property, call Trinity County Office of Emergency Services (OES) at 530-623-1116.
Click here for: California Monument Fire Tuesday, August 24, 2021 Updates
