Fire zone grows to 35,000 acres

Nearly 1,500 firefighters are now on the lines in Mendocino and Lake counties, working to stem the spread of scores of wildfires that have consumed 35,000 acres and pose growing threats to rural residents and communities. According to the state Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, over 100,000 acres in Northern California were affected in over 1,024 fires.

State fire officials warned this morning that adverse weather conditions — high winds and low humidity — are “significantly” increasing the risks of more damage and expanded evacuation warnings.

So far more than 100 fires in Mendocino County have burned 20,300 acres, causing a preliminary damage estimate of $3.1 million.

The largest single fire in the region is the Walker blaze in eastern Lake County that was "burning rapidly" at mid-day and had reached 14,000 acres. The remote fire was being fought by 240 firefighters.

In Mendocino County, about 900 rural residences are threatened, nearly double the number from earlier in the week, according to the state command team now in charge of firefighting efforts. Evacuation centers have been set up at Point Arena and Willits high schools.

Residents of several areas were warned today of possible evacuations, including the small town of Leggett in northern Mendocino County.

State officials said about five percent of the Mendocino and Lake fires have been contained, but some of the biggest are increasing in size. They include fires near Montgomery Woods State Reserve west of Ukiah, Red Mountain near Leggett, Flynn Creek in the Navarro area, and De Haven and Howard Creek drainage north of Westport on the Mendocino Coast.

Resources to fight the Mendocino fires continue to be limited because of other fires across Northern California, according to Cal Fire representatives.

Still, the ranks of firefighters in Mendocino Counnty swelled overnight to more than 1,200, with 410 battling fires in the Mendocino National Forest, which so far have consumed about 3,000 acres located largely in the Lake Pillsbury region. The national forest fires are about 20 percent contained, said spokeswoman Phebe Brown.

The unprecedented number of fires has choked inland valleys and the surrounding region with smoke. The thick layer of smoke is impairing visibility, and making it difficult to breathe. Health and air quality alerts were issued for the third straight day in Mendocino and Lake counties.

The areas suffering the most are Ukiah Valley, Hopland and southern Mendocino and northern Sonoma counties. Local and state officials said heavy layers of smoke are likely to linger over the next several days, with concentrations reaching “very unhealthy” levels in the worst areas.

13,000 acres. Officials this morning were advising evacuations in more than a half dozen areas.

Cal Fire officials said this morning the Mendocino County blazes, dubbed the the “Mendocino Lightning Complex, ” has destroyed five homes and threatens 525 others are threatened. Two people were reported injured, although details of those injuries were not immediately available.

Residents of these areas are being advised to evacuate:

-- Chicken Ridge subdivision of Covelo.

-- The town of Leggett

-- The community of Cummings

-- Montgomery Woods, Orr Springs Road to Running Springs Road

-- Mountain View and Mile Post 9 area.

-- Red Mountain, Bell Springs from Highway 101 to 13600 Bell Springs Road

-- Navarro and Flynn Creek

-- Cherry Creek, intersection of Highway 101 and 162

Evacuation centers have been established at Willits High School and Point Arena High. Both are being staffed by volunteers from the American Red Cross.

In addition, two animal evacuation centers have been set up. The Mendocino County Fairgrounds in Ukiah is taking large animals and the Mendocino County Animal Care and Control Shelter in Ukiah is taking small animals.