Humboldt County Sheriff's Office has issued an EVACUATION WARNING for Alderpoint, Palo Verde, Island Mountain and Harris.

WILLOWS, Calif. — Sept. 5, 2020 — The Mendocino National Forest has issued a new area closure for the August Complex. Forest Order No. 08-20-12 is effective Sunday, Sept. 6 through Saturday, Oct. 31, 2020. The order essentially shrinks the southern boundary of the closure and opens the Snow Mountain Wilderness to recreation while keeping the bulk of the August Complex fire area closed. This temporary closure is necessary to provide for firefighter and public safety due to active fire behavior and hazards associated with the Complex.

Acting Forest Supervisor Sandra Moore says, “Recreation is an important part of the Labor Day weekend tradition. We ask our visitors to “do your part” and recreate responsibly. Enjoy your visit but please do not gather in large groups.” Moore added, “We appreciate it very much when you pack out everything you pack in to help us keep the forest clean for the next visitor.”

Be advised that smoke surrounding the 305,673-acre August Complex is in the unhealthy range at times. There is a Fire Weather Warning in effect from Monday through Wednesday for extreme heat, low humidity and winds up to 25 mph.  

Forest Order No. 08-20-12 and exhibits are posted on the forest website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd797560.pdf.

Shasta-Trinity National Forest Closure Order No. 14-20-08 is in effect for the area of the Elkhorn and Hopkins Fire.

Shasta-Trinity National Forest officials have issued a Forest Closure Order for the area of the Elkhorn and Hopkins Fire areas which are burning in and near the Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness on the South Fork Management Unit. This closure order closes the portion of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest east of Forest Road 30 and south of Forest Roads 28N23 (Devil’s Camp), 28N10 (Stuart Gap), 28N47 (Retrap), 28N36 (Post Creek) and 28N05 (Wells Creek Peak). Stuart Gap, West Low Gap, Rat Trap Gap, East Low Gap, and Tomhead Saddle Trailheads are closed, as well as Tomhead Saddle Campground.
 

The closure order No. 14-20-08 prohibits public entry to the closure area, its roads and trails. It supersedes 14-20-07 and is effective now until the Elkhorn and Hopkins Fires are declared out. The Elkhorn/Hopkins Fire closure order and map are posted online at: www.fs.usda.gov/goto/stnf/forestorders.

Evacuations Orders and Warnings for Trinity County

Per the Trinity County Sheriff's Office, the following communities are under EVACUATION ORDER due to the Hopkins Fire: Zenia, Kettenpom, Hettenshaw Valley, and all areas south of Ruth. Due to high wind and erratic fire activity you are highly encouraged to evacuate.

The following areas are under EVACUATION WARNING: Ruth, Ruth Lake, Mad River, Forest Glen, and Post Mountain. Those who require additional time to evacuate, and those with pets and livestock leave now.

The temporary evacuation point remains at Southern Trinity High School located at 600 Van Duzen Road to direct evacuees.

For any questions please contact the T. C. Office of Emergency Services Manager, Ed Prestley at (530)623-1116.California Standard Statewide Evacuation Terminology

Evacuation Order: Immediate threat to life. This is a lawful order to leave now. The area is lawfully closed to public access.

Evacuation Warning: Potential threat to life and/or property. Those who require additional time to evacuate, and those with pets and livestock should leave now.

Shelter in Place: Go indoors. Shut and lock doors and windows. Prepare to self-sustain until further notice and/or contacted by emergency personnel for additional direction.

United States Department of the Interior

SANTA FE, NM – Sept. 24, 2020 – The Forest Service Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Team assigned to the Medio Fire on the Santa Fe National Fire (SFNF) completed a rapid assessment of the fire’s effects, including the potential for post-fire flooding, erosion and sedimentation. The BAER Team’s primary focus was on immediate risks to human life and safety.  

The team used satellite imagery to map the burn severity of the approximately 4,000-acre Medio Fire. Nearly half of the fire’s acreage – approximately 49% – burned at low severity, with 16% at high severity and 14% at moderate severity. The remaining 21% of the footprint, including 24 acres of rock outcrop, was unburned.

Since the lightning-caused Medio Fire occurred after the SFNF’s typical spring fire season, “the probability of the monsoonal rainfall that usually causes the most severe post-fire flooding is much lower,” Acting Forest Supervisor Debbie Cress said. “Based on the BAER Team’s analysis, we are anticipating minimal immediate effects from the fire. Once the snow melts next spring, we have the option to initiate a second phase of BAER analysis to take a look at additional critical values above and beyond our current concerns for life and safety.”

The fire’s most immediate impact is the continued closure of the Medio Fire area, roughly defined by the Rio Nambe Trail #160 on the north, the Borrego Trail #150 and Forest Road 412 on the east, Forest Road 102 on the south and back up the forest boundary line on the west to meet the Rio Nambe Trail #160. The closure area includes the entirety of the Rio en Medio Trail #163. Trails in the high-severity burned areas were impacted by the fire, and the area is unsafe for public entry.

The BAER Team’s runoff analysis indicates that approximately 1,187 acres, 30% of the fire area, has high potential for post-fire runoff. Preliminary estimates indicate that a typical summer thunderstorm over this area after the Medio Fire would produce a peak flow five times greater than the same amount of rain prior to the fire.

But even at peak flow, runoff from the Medio Fire is unlikely to reach levels seen after the 2011 Pacheco Fire. Only about 8% of the Rio Nambe Reservoir Watershed is within the Medio Fire perimeter, and less than half of that area burned at the high or moderate severity that can result in post-fire runoff into Nambe Reservoir.  In 2011, the Pacheco Fire impacted about 60% of the Rio Nambe Reservoir Watershed with more than half of that area mapped as moderate or high burn severity. The number of acres that contributed to high runoff and sediment and debris flow to Nambe Reservoir after the Pacheco Fire was 10 times the number of acres with similar potential after the Medio Fire. The Pacheco Fire also occurred just prior to the monsoon season. 

The BAER Team’s findings will be shared with the National Weather Service, the US Geological Survey, interagency cooperators, tribal partners, state and local governments, and downstream communities to help them prepare for post-fire impacts.

Additional information on the BAER Team's work will be posted on the SFNF Facebook and Twitter pages, Inciweb, NM Fire Info and the SFNF website.   

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Attached to this article (see below for three documents in PDF format) are three documents that describe Forest Service regulation and policy direction for its Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) program that is found in FSM 2520 manual directive and two memos issued to the field from its Washington and Southwest Region offices.

 SANTA FE, NM – Sept. 2, 2020 – A Forest Service Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Team plans to begin assessing post-fire conditions on the Medio Fire as early as Thursday. With a primary focus on human life and safety, the BAER Team will analyze the fire’s impact, determine any values at immediate risk and recommend emergency treatments.

 SANTA FE, NM – Aug. 22, 2020 – The Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF) today issued a closure order to protect public health and safety during fire operations on the Medio Fire.

The Medio Fire started Aug. 17 on the ridge between the Rio Nambe and Rio en Medio drainages on the Española Ranger District. Updates on fire operations are posted on the SFNF website, www.nmfireinfo.com and Inciweb.

The closure order prohibits members of the public from entering the restricted area, including all Forest Service lands, roads and trails, within an area that is roughly defined by the Rio Nambe Trail #160 on the north, the Borrego Trail #150 and Forest Road 412 on the east, Forest Road 102 on the south and back up the forest boundary line on the west to meet the Rio Nambe Trail #160.

Although SFNF trails further east of the Medio Fire, including the Winsor Trail, are not part of the closure order, fire behavior can be unpredictable and fire managers are asking the public to exercise caution and steer clear of all areas that could be impacted by the Medio Fire.

Federal, state and local officers, firefighters and members of an organized rescue team, and any others authorized by Forest Service permit are exempt from the closure order.

Violation of the closure order is a Class B misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than $5,000 for individuals and $10,000 for organizations, imprisonment of not more than six months, or both.

The closure order and map are available at SFNF headquarters, the Española Ranger District Office and on the SFNF website. All current closure orders are posted on the Alerts and Notices page of the website.

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