Smoky skies linger over Sonoma, Mendocino counties

Smoldering fires in Lake and Mendocino counties reddened the North Bay morning sun on Thursday, belying the fact that the fires which have plagued Northern California for a month are almost out.

The Soda Complex Fire in the Mendocino National Forest, was 95 percent contained, and there is another fire in the Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wildnerness Area that is 65 percent contained.

“Any of the smoke hanging over the area is because of an inversion layer,” said Pam Bierce, a U.S. Forest Service spokesman.

The Forest Service, meanwhile, lifted the evacuation order on the Soda fire, which has now burned 8,652 acres.

Bierce said the fire is expected to be fully contained on Saturday.

The fire caused the evacuation of seven rural homes between Deadmans Flat and Sunset Gap.

A final fire line is being constructed along the southern and south eastern corner of the fire, near the Sanhedrin Wilderness area in the Mendocino National Forest, said spokesman Marc Peebles.

Roads in and around Deadmans Flat and Sunset Gap are open only to residents because of the number of fire vehicles that are still going in and coming out of the area.

Bierce said 810 firefighters are still working on the blaze, but many will now start being pulled off.

In the Yolla Bolly area, 130,936 acres have burned. The Forest Service expects that fire to be contained Aug. 15.

There were 2,096 fires at the peak, statewide, with 32 still not fully contained. The fires burned more than 1 million acres.