A number of evacuations are underway in Glenn County. The August Complex of at least 35 fires northwest of Willows exploded in size to an estimated combined 65,000 acres. An evacuation order was expanded Wednesday afternoon to include virtually the entire western part of the county.
Another fire was reported Wednesday morning and is burning near Highway 162 and County Road 309. The Ivory Fire has burned 4,000 acres with no containment.
The Elkhorn Fire, previously called the 3-4 Fire, that started Wednesday in Western Tehama County has more than doubled in size overnight. It’s southwest of Red Bank Road, where fires have frequently broken out in the past couple of years. It’s now burned 15,250 acres with no containment. An evacuation order was issued Thursday afternoon for Highway 36 west in between the Baker Fire Station at Bowman Road and R Wild Horse Ranch and south to Lowry Road. More than 30 roads in the area remain under mandatory evacuation orders with an immediate threat to life.
The many fires sparked by lightning in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest have been very small so far, with the largest reported at 5 acres near Deer Lick Springs.
The Loyalton Fire, sparked by lightning Friday on the Plumas/Sierra County line, is more than 46,000 acres with 35% containment.
Many evacuation orders have been lifted for the Potters Fire in Butte County. Located northeast of Oroville, that fire is now 930 acres with 20% containment. It’s one of 34 fires that make up the Butte Lightning Complex, which total 1,500 acres with 10% coverall containment.
The Red Salmon Complex in the Trinity Alps Wilderness now totals 16,255 acres with 38% overall containment. The fires are burning about 14 miles northeast of Willow Creek.