Wildfire burns in Mendocino National Forest west of Willows

Firefighters on Friday evening were battling a 60-acre wildfire east of Lake Pillsbury in the southeastern section of the Mendocino National Forest.

The blaze named the Open fire was first reported at 2 p.m. about 25 miles west of Willows in the Grindstone district of the national forest, according to a press release from the U.S. Forest Service. A related map showed the fire east of the boundary line that separates Glenn and Lake counties.

About 100 federal and state firefighters were battling the fire. They were using three engines, three water tenders, two helicopters and two single-?engine air tankers.

Smoke from the fire drifted toward the Central Valley and could be seen from Willows.

As of 8 p.m., it was 40 percent contained. No structures were immediately threatened.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

You can reach Staff Writer Robert Digitale at 707-521-5285 or robert.digitale@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @rdigit.