Single Publication

Start date: Aug 15, 2023

 Location: Six Rivers National Forest

Cause: Lightning

Acres: 73,799

Containment: 7%

Personnel: 2,780

Gasquet, Calif., August 29, 2023. Yesterday, fire resources continued their efforts to contain and secure as much of the perimeter of the fires before conditions change to a short-duration unfavorable pattern starting early Wednesday morning. Crews completed the burning operation from French Hill Road to the north to Highway 199. This was an extensive effort from both engines and hotshot crews to construct the control line, plumb it with hose, and successfully burn the nearly 1-mile of line in steep rugged terrain. This operation will likely keep the fire from continuing to progress westward to the structures along French Hill Road.

Resources continued to secure and mop-up the heat around the dozer line on the northeast side of the North Fork neighborhood and around the structures along Pioneer Road. In Division YY, crews worked to keep the Coon fire west of the 405 road, the primary planned containment line for both the Coon and southern flank of the Kelly fire. 

Tuesday will be a weather pattern transition day with stronger afternoon northwest winds and less marine intrusion. Winds will shift to an offshore direction by Tuesday night and will remain out of the northeast through Wednesday night. This will bring a period of near critical fire weather conditions on Wednesday with stronger winds and drier relative humidity. Fire resources have been working hard in preparation for this event, including staffing a robust night shift who will be focusing on holding around structures. The weather pattern will quickly return to a moist pattern by Thursday night with increasing clouds, a potential for light rain, and onshore flow as an upper-level Pacific Northwest trough digs into the area. 

Evacuations

All evacuation orders are issued by the Del Norte County Sheriff's Office. If you are in the Del Norte County, area please sign up for their Community Alert System to receive emergency notifications. Evacuation levels as of August 27, 8:00 a.m., as follows:

Level 3 “Go Now”: Patrick Creek, Little Jones Creek, Copper Creek Drainage, Coon Creek/ 16n19 17n07, Washington Flat, Pioneer Road, Panther Flat Campground Area, all communities between Slant Bridge Road north to the Oregon Border along Highway 199, French Hill Road.

Level 2 “Be Set”: Low Divide, High Divide, Rowdy Creek, Big Flat/Rock Creek

Level 1 “Be Ready”: Hiouchi from Slant Bridge to the east end of North Bank Road

Closures

South Fork Road is open to residents only. Resident must provide proof of residency.

Rowdy Creek Road remains closed at the top of Low Divide.

Howland Hill Road (Residents Only)

County road 316, Shelly Creek,

County Road 315 Holiday Mine

County Road 311 Old Gasquet Toll Road

County Road 305 Weimer Road

Forest Service Roads 16N19 and 17N07

U.S. Highway 199 is closed in Del Norte County from Slant Bridge Road to Oregon Mountain Road (PM 16 to 31) due to the fire activity. A hard closure is in place on U.S. 199 at the Agriculture Station near the Oregon border. For the latest road conditions please visit quickmap.dot.ca.gov

Effective Sunday, August 20, 2023, the Six Rivers National Forest has issued a forest-wide closure order. https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/srnf/notices/?cid=FSEPRD1096395

The American Red Cross has a shelter at the Del Norte County Fairgrounds (421 US-101 N, Crescent City, CA 95531) for those displaced by evacuations. Red Cross disaster workers are partnering with local officials to help ensure evacuees receive necessities, including food, water, and shelter.

More Information

Smith River Complex Inciweb: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/casrf-smith-river-complex

Facebook

Six River National Forest: https://www.facebook.com/SixRiversNF

Del Norte Office of Emergency Services: https://www.facebook.com/DelNorteOfficeOfEmergencyServices     

Del Norte County Sheriff’s Office: https://www.facebook.com/DelNorteCountySheriffDepartment

Smith River Complex North: https://www.facebook.com/smithrivercomplexnorth

Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest: https://www.facebook.com/R6RRSNF/

Josephine County Emergency Management: https://www.facebook.com/josephinecountyEM

For an interactive evacuation map please visit: https://rvem.org/.