Ranch fire grows slowly on northern front

The stubborn Ranch fire grew slowly on its northern flank Monday, expanding by 1,610 acres, Cal Fire said.

Fire activity, however, was expected to decrease overnight due to increasing humidity. The blaze, ignited July 27, had covered 351,557 acres, making it the largest wildfire in state history, surpassing the Thomas fire, which scorched nearly 282,000 acres in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties in December 2017.

On Sunday, the Ranch fire grew by 6,000 acres.

Hand crews and dozers continued to build containment lines in northern areas of the Ranch fire Monday, while crews in the southern portion of the sprawling blaze continued with repair and mop-up activity, Cal Fire said. Containment was at 74 percent.

The River fire, which started the same day as the Ranch fire, remained at 48,920 acres with no movement Monday.

The two blazes, collectively dubbed the Mendocino Complex, totaled 400,477 acres in Lake, Mendocino, Colusa and Glenn counties.

Together, they have destroyed 157 homes and 120 other structures, as well as injuring two firefighters and killing one, Matt Burchett, a battalion chief with the Draper Fire Department in Utah.

Full containment is expected Sept. 1.