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***Flood Watch in Effect From 5 AM To 11 PM Monday***Wind Advisory in Effect Through 1 PM Monday***

CURRENT SITUATION: The expected storm arrived off the coast early this morning bringing strong winds and rain throughout the Smith River Complex. The system today is potentially going to bring rainfall between 2 to 3 inches over the next 12 hours and the runoff has the potential for mud slides and debris flows that could impact highways and the roads in and around the fire footprint. 

The safety of the public and our firefighters is the top priority for the fire management team and that’s a crucial and responsible approach when dealing with incidents. During each incident the management team creates a set of management objectives, managing risk to responders and the public by ensuring hazards are identified, assessed, and mitigated with Team 4 is always number one. Team 4’s end goal is to always minimize the impact to natural, cultural, wildlife and heritage resources. With these objectives in mind, crews and equipment have been relocated to safe and strategic locations in each of the divisions along the fire’s edge. From these locations crews are monitoring and patrolling ready to report and safely mitigate any situation that may develop.  

Yesterday in preparation for today’s storm, crews continued to patrol, mop up, backhaul and perform suppression repair. All this was done to ready themselves and the area for today’s weather front. In the Coon Creek area and continuing out to the east had moderate fire behavior with no significant fire activity. The Northwest portion of the Hurdy Gurdy had limited fire behavior and no significant movement. In the Bear wilderness limited fire behavior with small pockets around the Bear Scar burn up to the existing dozer line.

WEATHER: A heavy rain is expected today with a moderate to strong atmospheric river event along the frontal band. Rain will increase through the morning, becoming heavy into the afternoon hours. There is a 20% chance of thunderstorms behind the front. Total rainfall through Monday night is expected bring 1.5 to 3.0 inches over the region. Temperatures today in the valley are 57-61°, and ridgetops 53-57°. Relative humidity in the valley 83-90% and ridgetops 88-95%. Today valley winds are south 9-15 mph with gusts up to 25mph and ridgetop winds are south18-28 mph with gusts up to 45mph.

EVACUATIONS: Big Flat/Rock Creek is under a Level 2 (Get Set) evacuation order. For continuous updates view the interactive evacuation map online: tinyurl.com/29vv2wpm.

CLOSURES: US 199 in Del Norte County is fully closed twice daily, Monday through Friday, from 8 AM to 11 AM and from 1 PM to 4 PM. During all open hours, traffic will be one-way and piloted between Grassy Flat Campground east of Gasquet and Oregon Mountain Road. Motorists should anticipate delays during all open hours. Caltrans provides information on current highway conditions online (roads.dot.ca.gov), by phone (800-427-7623), and on Facebook (facebook.com/CaltransD1).

Six Rivers National Forest lands, roads, and trails around the Smith River Complex fires are closed (Forest Order No. 10-23-08). View the Order, closure map, and day use exceptions on the Forest’s website: tinyurl.com/4atens8c.