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KMUD News produces a half-hour of local news every weekday. It's broadcast at 6:00 pm, and rebroadcast at 8:00 am the next morning. The newscast is also available as a podcast, and for listening online in our audio archive.

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Contact the News Department: (707) 923-2605 • fax (707) 923-2501 • Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it • KMUD News, PO Box 135, Redway, CA 95560.

KMUD News Coordinator/ Community Journalism Project Manager: Terri Klemetson
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700 Acre Buckeye Fire Near Petrolia

Sep 07 |09:50

Initial Report:
According to Cal Fire a 700 acre fire is currently burning in the Petrolia area. The fire started around 9:30 PM last night in the Buck Mtn. area off of Conklin Creek Rd. east of Petrolia. One residence was destroyed in the blaze. The fire is called the Buckeye Incident and as of 9 AM this morning, the fire was 5% contained. Cal Fire says 183 personnel are at scene, and more resources are on the way to the Petrolia area. Cal Fire, the Petrolia Volunteer Fire Dept. , the Honeydew Volunteer Fire Dept. and Briceland Volunteer Fire Dept. are all fighting the fire near Petrolia, as well as California Dept. of Corrections Officers and Crews .

The Buckeye Incident is currently burning brush, grass and timber and heading east. Winds are a factor due to a storm coming in from the ocean. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation. Cal Fire says the terrain is extreme, and the current weather conditions are inhibiting a complete aerial view of the fire. When the fog bank moves, another aerial flight will estimate the fire size. The weather forecast predicts mostly cloudy with a 20% chance of showers near the fire. Please be mindful of increased fire equipment on the road.

Buckeye Incident Report Update- 2 PM /Tues., Sept. 7:
Cal Fire says no homes are currently threatened and there are no injuries at the present time although one firefighter sustained a back injury.

Update-3 PM/Tues., Sept. 7:
According to a Cal Fire News Release received at 3 PM, Tues., Sept. 7, a Cal Fire Incident Command Team will be assuming command of the fire at 6:00 PM tonight. Presently, resources committed to the fire include: 30 Engines, 40 Crews, 7 Dozers, 3 Water Tenders, 5 Air Tankers, and 10 Helicopters for a total of 921 Personnel on the scene. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.

Update-6 PM/Tues., Sept. 7:
After the fog cleared, aircraft personnel were able to more accurately assess the fire perimeter, and as of 6 PM this evening the Buckeye Fire is estimated at 348 acres and is 15 percent contained. After the 6 PM command change, Cal Fire issued a correction indicating the structure that burned last night was an outbuilding not a residence. It is currently raining in the Petrolia area, so Cal Fire says the Buckeye Fire is not moving, and they expect to have a larger area contained by morning. Cal Fire asks the public to please stay away from the Buckeye Incident; more traffic on the roads is dangerous for fire personnel on the narrow roads.

Update-11 AM/Wed., Sept. 8:
Cal Fire reports that the Buckeye Fire did not grow in size overnight and is still estimated at 348 acres. The fire reportedly is now about 15 percent contained. It is burning mostly in grassland but also in forested and brushy areas. The rain and cool weather conditions are aiding firefighters in battling the blaze, but the rough terrain on Buckeye Mountain is not. Cal Fire says they have about 900 firefighters working to extinguish the fire and believes they will have full containment by September 10.

Click here for a link to the Cal Fire Webpage/Buckeye Incident

For a photo of the fire see our Fire News Page.

HCSO transports Shelter Cove marijuana 09 01 10

Sep 02 |17:21

California State USDA Director Presents Federal Grant in Garberville

Aug 05 |17:22

Dr. Glenda Humiston, appointed by President Obama to run the USDA's rural development programs in California, made a stop this afternoon at Jerold Phelps Community Hospital in Garberville.

Dr. Humiston spoke for 30 minutes in a small hospital conference room crowded with administrators and staff. She discussed not only the recently approved grant but also talked about her long term goals as the USDA's rural development director for the state of California. She said that the way the USDA distributes grant money to states is currently not fair to California, and she plans on changing that. By educating the USDA on California's unique geography and demographics Dr. Humiston believes that more USDA grant money can be obtained by the state. She says that in previous years California has been slated to receive $400 to $500 million in USDA grants, but that this year up to $1 billion will be made available. Dr. Humiston hopes that number will increase even more over the coming years.

Much of today's meeting centered on how the hospital's outdated information systems prohibit patient services from reaching their full potential, with Dr. Humiston listening to feedback from many of those in attendance. She and her staff, 3 of which attended the meeting with her, say they'll working more with the hospital to secure the grants necessary to purchase modern equipment. The USDA grant presented today, called the Community Facility Grant, amounts to just over $60,000.

Structure Fire in Redway

Jul 26 |17:46

CALFIRE and Redway and Garberville Fire crews responded to a structure fire at 859 Redway Dr., Redway around 3:30 pm today, Monday, July 26th. The fire was extinguished at 4:18 pm and as of newstime, Calfire did not know the cause of the fire or who owns the property.

Meth and Firearm Arrest in Eureka

Jul 26 |17:26

A Eureka police officer stopped to contact a pedestrian on Brennen near Pine Street at 6PM on July 25th. The male subject, a parolee later identified as Caleb Fletcher, reportedly became nervous and uncooperative, suddenly throwing down his backpack and fleeing northbound on Pine Street.

The officer gave chase and caught up to the suspect at Henderson and Pine Streets. Fletcher is said to have aggressively resisted, with the officer being assisted by a citizen who stopped at the scene.

Fletcher's backpack was recovered and reported to contain a loaded Desert Eagle handgun with the serial number removed, approximately 6 grams of a substance believed to be crystal meth, a digital scale and $280 in twenty dollar bills.

Fletcher was transported to the St Joseph ER where he was treated and released into police custody for minor injuries sustained in the apprehension. The officer also received minor injuries but was not reported to have been admitted to a hospital.

Fletcher was booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on charges of:

* Possession of a controlled substance for sale

* Felon in possession of a firearm

* Resisting arrest

* Parole violation