Incident Update Monument Fire

Situation Summary

Virtual Public Meeting:

The Alaska Incident Management Team and CAL FIRE Incident Management Team 5 will hold a virtual public meeting at 6 p.m. Saturday. 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/1606042895 or youtube.com//watch?v=5ef7etA_epU. You may also call in at 833-568-8864, ID#1606042895.

Current Situation:

The Monument Fire is currently estimated at 145,357 acres with 16% containment, an increase of approximately 3,000 acres and 6% containment from yesterday. The increased containment is a product of newly secured line along the intertie on the southern perimeter of the fire north of Pattison Ridge.

Clearer skies could mean increased fire behavior today in the North Zone if winds out of the northwest develop and push smoke out of the area as forecast. That was evidenced Friday night when smoke began to clear out on the northwest side of the fire and activity intensified, resulting in a 50-acre spot in the Bell Flat area west of the New River. The spot fire demanded immediate attention to keep the fire from getting established west of the river and spreading toward the communities of Hawkins Bar and Trinity Village.

Fire managers reacted quickly and aggressively, launching three helicopters to drop water on the spot fire while firefighters on the ground mobilized to the scene. A strike team of 5 engines and a six-person squad attacked the fires on the ground. Helicopters dropped more than 51,000 gallons of water on the two spots and firefighters worked until 1 a.m. getting a hose lay and control line around the fire. The fire was reported to be holding as of Saturday morning. Crews will be mopping up and securing the spot fire today. Air attack personnel reported no other spot fires on the west side of the New River as of late Friday night.

Elsewhere last night, crews continued to mop up and strengthen control lines in the Haypress area east of Pattison Ridge. Firing operations were used to keep in front of the main fire as it advances west along the ridge. Firefighters used check lines put in by dozers on top of the ridge as anchor points for firing operations.

Today, heavy equipment will be mobilized to Hoboken Ridge to begin putting in a dozer line along the ridge west of the New River to serve as a contingency line should the fire breach the New River toward Hawkins Bar and Trinity Village. The fire continues to back down the west side of Ironside Mountain to the river. Efforts are focused on keeping the fire south and east of the river. Firefighters will also be assessing structures in Hawkins Bar and Trinity Village to begin developing a protection plan should the fire spot across the river and advance to the west toward those communities.

Further to the east, crews will continue cutting brush and hazard trees north along East Fork Road to Hobo Gulch Campground to prepare it as a potential control line to keep the fire west of Weaverville.

On the south side of the North Zone, crews will continue improving the dozer line being put in along Pattison Ridge, laying and plumbing hose to help keep the fire in Haypress in check. Work on a dozer line to the west across Pattison Ridge and south down the Pattison Ridge Jeep Trail will continue as crews look for a way connect it to another dozer line being constructed by CAL FIRE west of Hayfork.
Firefighters will continue to patrol the Highway 299 corridor in the communities of Del Loma, Big Bar and Burnt Ranch, as well as the 60 Road south of Burnt Ranch in the Underwood area.

The Alaska IMT is coordinating with the Trinity County Sheriff daily to evaluate evacuation levels with firefighter and public safety the highest priority. Fire managers are doing everything possible to get residents back into their homes as quickly as possible.

**A new Fire Information line has been established for the South Zone of the Monument Fire. Please call (949) 433-2638.**

Weather:

Heavy smoke is expected to hang over the fire once again this morning but smoke will clear out on the west side of the fire late in the morning or early afternoon. Smoke will continue to blanket the south and east portions of the fire. Stronger northwest winds will bring slightly stronger gusts to the ridges in the afternoon and enhance upcanyon winds into the early evening with possible funneling in aligned ridges. As the smoke cap lifts, fire activity may increase. High temperatures will be in the mid-70s to mid-80s with minimum relative humidities of 20-35%.

Evacuation Orders, Evacuation Warnings, & Road Closures

For the latest road closures and evacuation information in Trinity County visit:
https://www.facebook.com/Trinity-County-Sheriffs-Office-1635934306689276

Evacuation Orders:
In effect for Hayfork, Sky Ranch Road, Junction City, Red Hill, Canyon Creek, Coopers Bar, Big Bar, Del Loma, Bell Flat, Helena, Cedar Flat, Burnt Ranch and Barker Mountain.

Evacuation Warnings:
In effect for Weaverville, Douglas City, 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

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).

Sign up for Trinity County Code Red Alerts:
https://public.coderedweb.com/CNE/en-US/BF42F95647FB

Evacuation Centers:

• American Red Cross Shelters have been set up at Shasta College
  11555 Old Oregon Trail, Building 1900
  Redding CA

• Fireman’s Hall Pavilion (Humboldt County)
  9 Park Street
  Fortuna, CA 95540
  
  
• Willow Creek Bible Church (Humboldt County)
  39 Barannan Mountain Road
  Willow Creek, CA 95573
  
  
• Shasta College
  1155 Old Oregon Trail Building 1900
  Redding Ca 96949

Animal Evacuation Centers:

• Small & Large Animals:
• Hoopa Rodeo Grounds Pine Creek Road Willow Creek, CA 95573
• Trinity County Animal Shelter 563 Mountain View St. Weaverville, CA 96093 (530) 623-1370

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 Assessment:  Damage assessment teams have confirmed 32 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.

Forest Closures:  Effective August 7, 2021 through October 31, 2021, the Shasta-Trinity Forest has issued Forest Order No. 14-21-21 Monument Fire Closure. Information on the forest order can be found on the Shasta-Trinity National Forest website at Shasta-Trinity NF .

Numerous firefighting air tankers from throughout the State are flying fire suppression missions as conditions allow.

Engines

111

Water Tenders

28

Helicopters

11

Dozers

40

Hand Crews

23

Other

20

Total Personnel

1429

Cooperating Agencies